The Lowari Pass, Pakistan

Lowari Pass is also called Lowari Top is a high mountain pass that connects Chitral with Dir in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Lowari Top / Lowari Pass is a relatively low pass, by far the lowest pass to enter Chitral, the others all being 12,000 to 15,000 feet. The Lowari Top crosses the Hindu Raj Mountains, a spur of the higher Hindu Kush, and on the Chitral side of Lowari Top are the people of Ashret, whose native is Palula language and were assigned by the Mehtar of Chitral to be the guardians of Lowari Top.

Although, Lowari Top is shut down by snow from late November to late May every year. During this difficult time, jeeps cannot cross so peoples must travel by foot. The local peoples are so strong and powerful, so they’re habitual of crossing Lowari Top by foot. This is extremely treacherous, as there are high mountains on each side of Lowari Top, and a fatal avalanche can come at any moment without warning. Therefore, in every winter a few individuals are killed by avalanches while crossing Lowari Top. So, their dead bodies are buried under the snow and it is only happens when the summer comes and the snow melts that their dead bodies are found and their fate learned. However, Lowari Top remains one of widespread place because it is the shortest route from Chitral to Peshawar. Although, the alternative way would be down the Kunar River to Jalalabad through hostile Afghan Territory or the much longer route across Shandur Top to Gilgit. 

Moreover on the other side which is called Der reside Khowars, some of whom make their living as porters carrying loads across Lowari Top. More than 60 years ago, when in 1954, the Mehtar of Chitral was killed when his airplane crashed into Lowari Top. However, in these days, even PIA pilots often turn back because of winds and fear of crossing Lowari Top. The word "Top" is thought not to be the English word "top" but a word from an ancient language no longer spoken there. The Lowari Top is one of the four major mountain passes to enter Chitral. Hence, the others are the Dorah Pass from Badakshan in Afghanistan, Shandur Top from Gilgit, and Broghol from the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan. Furthermore, in 2009 the Lowari Tunnel was constructed beneath Lowari Pass by a Korean company.  Though, the tunnel was abandoned presently thereafter and has since fallen into shabbiness.

Karakoram Highway: The Highest Paved International Road in the World

The KKH (Karakoram Highway is one of the highest paved international road in the world. The road is popular tourist attraction across Pakistan and China. The KKH connects the Xinjiang Uyghur, China and Gilgit–Baltistan of Pakistan across the Karakoram mountain range, located at an elevation of 15,397 feet (4,693 metres). Due to its extreme elevation and the difficult conditions in which it was constructed, it is referred to as the Eighth Wonder of the World. It's the road to heaven if you like exploring the mountains, that is. It's considered as one of the world's hardest alpine climbs. In Pakistan it is known as KKH while in China it is known as China National Highway 314. Pakistan and China has strong friendship relations from last 65 years or so, hence the KKH is also known as Friendship Highway between two neighboring countries.  In 1959, Pakistan and China has made an agreement to construct KKH, and after so many scarification of Pakistan / China workers. More than 1000 peoples lost their lives, make the mega project open for public in 1979. The Karakoram Highway is one of the greatest engineering accomplishments of the 20th century. Moreover, be ready for heavy snowfalls and landslides can occur anytime and can sometimes block some sections of the road for several hours. 

  

KKH is a real challenging road and a real test of your stamina and vehicle because the road abounds in twists and turns with wheels sometimes hanging above the precipice. The KKH is highly land sliding area, trace one of the many paths of the ancient Silk Road, connecting Gilgit-Baltistan of Kashmir with 1300 KM from Kashgar China, to Abbottabad of Pakistan. Karakoram Highway has strategic and military importance to Pakistan and China. The KKH cuts through the collision zone, where China, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan come within 250 kilometers of each other. Due to heavy laden vehicles and extreme weather conditions KKH has badly damaged, however in 2006 Pakistan and China decided to rebuild and upgrade the KKH. The new proposed width is expanded to 33 to 98 ft, which will increase the transport three times to its current capacity with a new designed to accommodate all vehicles and conditions. Moreover, another mega project is linking with KKH, by planning to connect KKH to Southern port of Gwadar in Balochistan. This project is named economic corridor of Pakistan / China trade route and reconstruction and upgrade works on the Pakistani portion of the Karakoram Highway are underway. China has bigger problems in wanting to use Gwadar port as an economic corridor, ironically lie more than 2,000 kilometers away, high in the cloud-tipped Karakoram mountain range in northern Pakistan.

In 2010, a massive 15 km landslide cut off KKH in Hunza valley; created unstable Attabad Lake, when water flowing over the landslide dam.  The Attabad Lake reached 22 KM in length and over 100 meters in depth. The massive landslide destroyed many villages while killing many inhabitants.  The subsequent lake completely displaced 20 KM of KKH including 310 meters of long Bridge on KKH.  Therefore, goods transported over the lake by small vessels to be reloaded onto truck at the other side. So, in 2012 Pakistan started constructing a revised route around the lake at a higher elevation with 5 new tunnels the longest tunnel is 3360m, followed by 2736m, 435m, 410m and 195m and 2 new bridges. The 24 km long series of bridges and tunnels was completed in September 15. Therefore, the realignment restored the road link between Pakistan and China. The highest paved international road on the globe doesn't come without its dangers.

The KKH total length is 806 KM, starts from Hassanabdal, of Pakistan section, meets Indus River and continues along the river till Jaglot, where Gilgit River meets the Indus River. This is the place, where great mountain ranges meet, The Himalaya, Hindukush, and Karakoram. The Nanga Parbat, The 9^th highest Peak in the world can be seen from KKH. Moreover, The KKH passes through Gilgit Baltistan and continues through the valleys of Nagar and Hunza. Thus, some of the highest mountains and famed glaciers in the Karakoram can be seen in this section. The highway meets the Pakistani-Chinese border at Khunjerab Pass. The KKH is exceptionally treacherous and requires a vehicle that can hold its own against some of the most challenging terrain in the world.

The KKH covers the major towns of Pakistan, Hassanabdal, Abbottabad, Besham, Chilas, Gilgit, Nagar, Aliabad, Gulmit, Passu, Sost, Tashkurgan Town, Ghizer, Upal and Kashgar. The terrorist instability cause becomes a niche adventure tourism destination. Since, 2001 Pakistan is no go area for tourist, tend to only Pakistani and overseas citizen visit these areas. Those who have been visit these areas are captivate the beauty of nature and KKH.  In 2006, KKH was ranked third best tourist in Pakistan by the Guardian. The unbelievable views of K2 along the way make it a popular tourist route; the 800-mile highway is a nightmare for people who are prone to altitude sickness. With absolutely no barrier on one side, and shear rock wall on the other, the margin of driver error is fairly slim. 

The KKH has given mountaineers and cyclists easier access to the many high mountains, glaciers, and lakes in the area. Karakoram Highway provides the pathway to expeditions for almost all peaks in Gilgit–Baltistan, Kashmir and several peaks in Xinjiang China. The region includes some of the world's largest glaciers like the Baltoro Glacier, Nanga Perhbat and K2. Five of the Eight-thousanders, mountains taller than 8,000 metres of the world that are in Pakistan are accessible by the highway. The KKH is best traveled in the spring or early autumn, when heavy snow during severe winters can shut the highway down for extended periods. Moreover heavy monsoon rains around July and August cause infrequent landslides that can block the road for hours or more. The Karakoram Highway is one of the most popular roads to travel in Pakistan if you're an adventure lover looking for a thrill.

Uli Biaho Tower, Pakistan

Uli Biaho is a steep mountain near Trango Towers and Baltoro Glacier in the Gilgit–Baltistan area of Pakistan. It consists of two main peaks, Uli Biaho Tower, 6,109 m feet, and Uli Biaho Peak 6417 m. It was first climbed by the American Expedition team, John Roskelley, Bill Forrest, Kim Schmitz and Ron Kauk, in the Alpine style on July 3, 1979. Moeover, Roskelley included a chapter on Uli Biaho in his 1993 book Stories Off the Wall.

Then in 2006, Uli Biaho Tower June 23–25, 2006 climbed by Gabo Cmarik and Jozef 'Dodo' Kopold. In 2013, Uli Biaho Tower July 21, 2013 climbed by Matteo Della Bordella, Luca Schiera and Silvan Schüpbach. It’s one of those natural attractions that you can’t afford to miss if you’re traveling to this part of Pakistan. If you’re not daring enough to climb the peak, that’s fine, otherwise many have tried and failed. But you can still enjoy its scenic views by watching it from afar.

Moreover, Uli Biaho Tower in the Baltoro region of Pakistan new route climbed a long snow and ice gully to the foot of the left side of the upper tower, and then traversed onto the face behind the left arête and climbed the face for 18 pitches to the top. A recurring phenomenon you’ll experience in Himalayan very special some fleeting, magical moment in the mountains. World famous rock walls are here in Pakistan inviting the rock climber to test their skills.

This is the place to love, because wonderful view to Great Trango with 2000 vertical metres from base to summit, Uli Biaho tower and its never-ending avalanches, stunning Nameless tower, wild Hainabrakk tower and others. There is no doubt that this is the right place for climbers who are looking for something special. Uli Biaho demanded a spirited team not peoples, who went there just for fun and party.

Mysterious Ranikot: The World's Largest Fort

The Ranikot Fort is also famous as Dewar-e-Sindh (Great Wall of Sindh), with a massive circumference of 26KM is believed largest unexplored fort in the world. Ranikot Fort is located at Kirthar Range in Jamshoro District Sindh, Pakistan. The fort is most impressive wonder of Sindh, also included in the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The massive walls can see from five kilometers away, are built with dressed sandstone and reinforced with 45 bastions along the outer wall. Some walls are rectangular and few are round, but modified though the ages to utilize the gun power. It is believed, Ranikot Fort is largest Fort in the world.  

The original purpose and architects of Ranikot Fort is not cleared yet, however attribute to Arabs or may be Persian noble built this fort. In spite of the fact this is a prehistoric site of Amri is adjacent, there’s no trace of any old city inside the fort and the present structure has little evidence of prehistoric origins. The Fort stands in the middle of nowhere, defending nothing. So, why this fort was built still a curious exploration to many researchers? However, the ruler of Sindh built for safe and secure place where they can send their families and spend times during difficult times. The unsolved question baffled all researchers to defy all reasons. Nevertheless, this has not been enough to convince the authorities to develop it as a major tourist attraction. 

The fort is easily accessible from Karachi through and excellent road of The National Highway. The internal key features include “Sann Gate”, “Meeri” “Shergarh” “Paryun jo talao” and “Mohan Gate”. The Villagers says, scattered animals, skeletons and prehistoric fossil are highly rumored be found here and there. These days, a number of visitors including families are visiting Ranikot Fort to see the marvelous architects. Hence, it is highly suggested to go there early morning, spend the noon there and get back to Hyderabad before sunset. Hope it will be safe and promising.

Bibi Jawindi, The Most Ornate Monuments at Uch-Sharif

The Tomb of Bibi Jawindi is one of the five monuments in Uch Sharif, in the Bahawalpr state and Punjab province of Pakistan. Uch is an important historical city, having been founded by Alexander the Great, previously located at the confluence of the Indus and Chenab rivers. The Bibi Jawindi is considered one of most ornate monuments in Uch, and on the tentative list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The tomb was submitted by the Department of Archaeology and Museums Pakistan in Jan 2004 to be inducted in the World Heritage Sites along with four other monuments in the region. In 1493, Iranian prince, Muhammad Dilshad Of khorasan has built shrine for Bibi Jawindi, who was great-granddaughter of Jahaniyan Jahangasht, who was famous Sufi Saint. The Personage Lying buried here was the pious lady popularly Known as “Bibi Jawindi”,The site Uch, is locally recognized as Uch Sharif, is famous for the home of the "shrine culture" because of its cultural importance and the presence of numerous monuments and shrines.

However, the tomb of Bibi Jawindi is famous place for visitor. The exterior of the tomb building is octagonal in shape and has three tiers with the top one supporting a dome, while the interior is circular due to thick angled walls rising up two stories. Therefore, both the interior and exterior of the building are splendidly decorated with Islamic scriptures, with beautiful carved timber, and bright blue and white mosaic tiles recognized as faience. Moreover, the base tier is well supported by eight tapering towers in each corner, and compound encompassing the shrine is preserved in its original desert-like conditions and is regularly covered with cemented graves. The surrounding area is exquisite covered with green vegetation due to a network of river tributaries and canals crossing the area. The other important monuments in this area are the Tomb of Baha'al-Halim, Tomb of Ustead, Tomb of Jalaluddin Bukhari, and the Mosque of Jalaluddin Bukhari.

From last several centuries, the tomb of Bibi Jawindi has poorly disintegrated due to environmental conditions, and during torrential floods in 1817 even half of the structure washed away.  Presently, only the remaining half of the structure is still standing, although the Conservation and Rehabilitation Center of Pakistan invited international bodies and city officials to work on the conservation of the place in 1999. Though, due salt infiltration, humidity and erosion the complex monuments are still disintegrating. Moreover, inappropriate techniques of repair have further damaged the complex. The World Monuments Fund placed the structure on their Watch in 1998, 2000 and 2002 to gather international attention and managed to obtain grants to conserve the tombs.