Hidden gem attractions of KP that will bewitch your senses
The province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a landlocked and mountainous place, widely known for its surreal landscape and diverse terrain consisting of mountain ranges, sub mountain areas, and undulating submontane areas encircling hills.
Bounded by Afghanistan to the West and North, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan to the East and Northeast, Punjab province to the Southeast, and Balochistan to the Southwest.
The Tribal areas that lie on the western boundary, along the Afghan border, are the areas formerly known as Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
A lot of places in Northern areas are covered with forests, lakes, archeological sites, and mountains. Places like Charsadda, Mardan, and Peshawar attract tourists with their bounty of museums, old heritage, art, ancient ruins, and stupas.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Department has spent billions to promote the tourism industry and improve the local economy and create more employment opportunities. Last year, the government had made a budgetary increase of 300 percent in the last three years and allocated Rs 5.8 billion to the tourism sectors in the fiscal year.
Earlier, three special-purpose authorities have also been formulated to boost tourism in Kalash, Kalam, and Kumrat with an allocation of 300 million rupees.
Where KP is so vast, there are secret destinations that many Pakistanis don’t even know about. From natural wonders to man-made marvels, these fascinating places around the province demand people’s and the government’s attention.
Listing down names of a few places where that are filled with the treasure of old and mesmerizing nature, get to know the flair of undiscovered and underdeveloped gems of KP.
1. Kachal-Miskini (Lower Dir)
This place has its distinctive charm if you see the 100 meters of rocks thundered into the valley, you get stuck into it. The place is home to an eclectic mix of rainforest palms, lush grasslands, and a range of mountains. The underdeveloped place needs the proper attention of the government. Once facilities are provided, it can be the next Nathiagali.
2. Koh-i-Mor and Gabar Chenna (Bajaur Agency)
The remote and little-known areas of Bajaur Agency are one of our Province’s best-kept secrets. The pyramid-shaped colossus of mountains which is very difficult to climb are best for adventure seekers. The best way to marvel at these giants is to visit and aware the masses of the beauty of these places.
3. Kalail Kandaw, Qadarnagar and Dowa Saro (Buner)
The Natural rock arenas of immense proportions located on the areas of Kalail Kandaw, Qadarnagar, and Dowa Saro in Buner are a relief to the soul. Carved out over millions of years ago, the place has tall mountains, clean lakes, breathtaking waterfalls, sandstone cliffs with flora leading down to the flowing creek at its base. Buner is the next Switzerland.
4. Barawal Bandi (Upper Dir)
Amidst the soul-searching green forests, there are mesmerizing hiking paths, nature trails, and excursion destinations for the people. Barawal Banda with its magnificent green mountain settings is one of the best places in Upper Dir to visit in all its splendor.
5. Torghar (Hazara Division)
Breathing in the clear mountain air and enjoying all the different pleasures that the green fields in Torghar have to offer is an ethereal feeling. Some places in Torghar are incredibly immense and beautiful, ideally situated for extensive hikes in winters and special nature excursions. The whole Hazara Division is a place of exceptional natural beauty that invites people to linger.
What measures can the government take to boost tourism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa?
The government needs to promote domestic tourism, invest in infrastructure, engage public-private partnerships to increase world-class hotels, infrastructure that extends to road networks connecting several tourist attraction sites, and invest in social amenities like open museums and art galleries.
They need to work on the marketing of these places as media coverage of these places will aware the world about the attractive tourist sites, foster a sense of responsibility amongst the citizens, and put measures to provide the best security. Other than that, setting up camping tents and hotels, installation of cable cars will help too.
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