The Battagram valley lies in the Hazara Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan. It is at a distance of 80km from Mansehra. Battagram is a beautiful place to visit. It has beautiful valleys nearby. One of the famous of these valleys is the Oghuz Banda Battagram. Oghuz Banda is at a distance of 2-3 kilometers from Battagram. It is a beautiful valley. This valley has a lot of greenery and water streams. This place is not very much popular in the public. As there is no proper promotion for tourism in this area. But it is worth visiting.
Further, the Allai valley which is at a distance of 2 hours from the Oghuz Banda Battagram is a treat for tourists from all over the world. It has beautiful gigantic waterfalls, meadows, and lakes. The Pari lake is the famous lake in the Allai valley which is mostly covered with snow except for the summer season like the Ratti Gali lake Kashmir. It has a hike of 12-14 hours to reach the Pari lake from the Allai valley. Besides, you have to make sure while visiting these places that you are accompanied by someone local from that area or a tour guide. This will not only help you explore the beauty of that place as well as you will not be lost in the mountains. The Galai meadow is very famous and is beautiful just like the Jahaz Banda meadows Kumrat valley upper dir KPK.
Oghuz Banda Battagram
The Oghuz Banda is a small village near the Battagram. The Oghuz Banda is famous for its lush greenery and the Nandihar river. Oghuz Banda has a lot of trees. This includes the Persimmon, walnuts, Cornfields, Rice, and Pineapple trees. The top of the hill has a water fountain “Chinar”, the water of Chinar is hot in the winters and cold in the summers. This area is rich in natural water. The top of the mountains is covered with huge pine trees. The Battagram language is known to be Pashto. This place is famous for the Sherazi caste. They are living there for more than 400 hundred years. Oghuz Banda was conquered by these people from the Sikhs.
How to reach Battagram from Islamabad
The best route to reach there is via the Hazara motorway in the car. Also, If you are traveling on the bike then you can travel there on the GT road. From Mansehra, you have to travel towards the CPEC route. This route starts from Mansehra and ends at Thakot. The total distance from Mansehra to Thakot is 100 km approximately. This is known as the Silk route, it connects Pakistan with China. The road condition from Abbottabad to Mansehra is not good, it’s under construction. But, you can use the alternative that is the Hazara motorway. The road after Mansehra is perfect for traveling. There are 4 tunnels from Mansehra to Thakot. The longest tunnel is of 3 kilometers approximately.
In addition, Thakot bridge is famous for the river Indus, which comes from the Gilgit Baltistan. The color of the water is sandy as it carries sand from the upper areas. The water level increases in the summer season as the glaciers melt. But, in the winter season, the water level decreases. There is a place near the Thakot tunnel where the river Indus and Nandihar river combines. The weather of Battagram is very pleasant throughout the year. The average temperature lies between 27 degrees to -4 degrees. Hotels in Battagram are very affordable they lie between 300 to 700 Pkr per night.
Hiking trek in th
Things to carry:
- Warm clothes: The winters are cold there, it is good to wear warm clothes and a jacket too. Further, wearing gloves and muffler is good too.
- Shoes: Wear good trekkers or shoes for hiking. It will keep you comfortable and will provide a cushion.
- Bike Kit: Take you tools and kit with you if you are traveling on bike, do not forget to carry the rain coat.