The Top Five Landscape Photography Sites in Pakistan

When we talk about landscape photography, it undoubtedly reminds us of nature and its wonders. Landscape photography brings out the connection we all have with our motherland. It forces us to take a deep breath and praise mother-nature. The northern areas of Pakistan are famous all over the world for their breathtaking landscape photography sites, which are visited by thousands of photographers every year.

Fairy Meadows

Fairy Meadows (or fairy-tale meadows) is locally known as Joot. It is a grass-land near one of the base camp sites of the Nanga Parbat, and is located in Diamer District, in the province of Gilgit-Baltistan. At an altitude of about 3,300 meters (10,800 feet) above sea level, it serves as a launching point for trekkers summiting on the Rakhiot face of the Nanga Parbat. The journey to Fairy Meadows starts with a 12 kilometer long trek, from the Raikhot Bridge on the Karakoram Highway to the village of Tato. From Tato, it takes another three to four hours to get to Fairy Meadows. In 1995, the Government of Pakistan declared Fairy Meadows a National Park.

Hunza Valley

The Hunza Valley is situated to the north of the Hunza River, at an elevation of around 2,500 meters (8,200 feet). Merely at a distance of 100 kilometers from Gilgit, Hunza is a small town on the Karakoram Highway. The main town of this valley is Karimabad (formerly called Baltit), which is also a very popular tourist destination courtesy of the stunning scenery of its adjacent mountains like Ultar Sar, Rakaposhi, Bojahagur Duanasir II, Ghenta Peak, Hunza Peak, Passu Peak, Diran Peak and Bublimating (Ladyfinger Peak). All of these mountains are higher than 6,000 meters (19,685 feet).

Leepa Valley

The Leepa Valley is situated in Azad Kashmir, which is the Pakistani-administered part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is located 105 kilometers from Muzaffarabad. A fair-weather road for Leepa starts from Naile which is 45 kilometers from Muzaffarabad, and climbs over Reshian Gali which is 3200 meters above sea level. It then descends to 1677 meters on the other side into the Leepa valley. The Leepa valley is divided into the Leepa, Reshian, Dao Khan and Chananian sections, which are all very popular amongst tourists.

Naran Valley

Naran is a medium-sized town in the upper Kaghan valley located in the district of Mansehra, in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is located 119 kilometers from the city of Mansehra, at an altitude of 2,500 meters (8,202 feet). Naran is one of the most scenic towns in Pakistan, and it attracts thousands of tourists, trekkers, photographers and nature-enthusiast every year. The Kunhar River, swollen by melting glaciers, passes through this town as it meanders its way through the valley. Babusar Top, Noori valley, Purbi valley, Makra Peak, Malka Parbat, Lalazar and Lake Saiful Muluk are the main attractions of this area.

Snow Lake

Snow Lake, or Lukpe Lawo, is a high-altitude glacial basin in the Karakoram mountain range in the province of Gilgit-Baltistan. Snow Lake is located 4,877 meters (16,000 feet) above sea level, and is approximately 16 kilometers (10 miles) wide. The basin lies at the head of the Biafo and Hispar glaciers, which spread down from the Hispar Pass in opposite directions, forming a 100 kilometer (61 mile) long river of ice which is amongst the world’s longest continuous glacier systems outside of the Polar Regions. The journey to Snow Lake normally begins in Skardu, which can be reached by air or by road from Islamabad. From Skardu, a jeep takes travellers through the Braldu Gorge to the village of Askole. The trek from Askole initially proceeds towards K2, then turns northwest up the Biafo Glacier to reach Snow Lake.