QUETTA HOSTEL

Capital of Baluchistan province. Gateway to Iran , Gulf and Europe . Surrounded by Chiltan, Zerghun and Koh-e-Murdar mountains. Generally dry, cold in winter. Plums, peaches, pomegranates, apricots, a special kind of cherry, pistachios and almonds grown in abundance. The hostel is located in the sports complex of Baluchistan province. All important events and exhibitions take place in the complex.

Sights:

Hina Lake , 10 Km east of Quetta is a good picnic spot. Two museums, Military's Command and Staff College , Urch valley, Hazerganji and Chiltan National Park are places to visit. Hill station of Ziarat (2462) 122Km South East of Quetta . It was first develop as a summer resort by the British. It is extremely popular in summer from April to October.

Shopping:

There are dozens of shops towards north of Jinnah Road, selling Baluchi and Afghan antiques, carpets, Baluchi embroidery work, jewelry, semi precious stones and shawls.

Elevation: 1,680 Meters;
Hostel: Ayub stadium, near chaman,
Railway crossing
Phone: 090-81-827498
Accommodation: 50 beds
Distance from Islamabad : 1489Km

BHURBAN HOSTEL - PUNJAB

Bhurban is situated at a distance of 13 Km from Murree. It is famous for a 9 Hole Golf Course since the British days. The hostel opens towards the snowy, high Mountains of Kashmir. The area has gained a lot of popularity as the 4-star Pearl Continental hotel is located just in front of the hotel building. There are many tracks leading to various scenic spots and Jehlum River which flows down from Kashmir in the lap of the Himalayas .

Sights:

The visitors stay here to plan their trips to Murree, Patriate, Kohala etc. holiday resort, Children's Park, restaurants, walkways to Mohra Sharif and Lower Topa Hills Station.

Elevation: 1,960 meters.
Phone: 092-51-2826899
Accommodation: 32 beds
Distance from Islamabad : 66 Km

KHANASPUR HOSTEL

73 km from Islamabad & 22 Km from Murree Hills. Ayubia nearby consists of Changla Gali, Khansapur and Ghora Gali. It was renamed after Late President of Pakistan Muhammad Ayub Khan. The hostel is surrounded by tall pine trees. Provides a very relaxed and peaceful atmosphere.

Sights:

A Chairlift operates at Ayubia. It gives a good view of the National Park. The visitors walk through the National Park to go to Dungo Gali, Which is another holiday resort. There is a short cut of 6 km to Nathiagali, summer Headquarter of the NWFP Government. Along the pipeline one can take very interesting walk upto hills of Nathiagali (2370 meters) and Kunala (2340 meters)

Elevation: 2248 Meters
Hostel: Bungalow No. 32, Ayubia Town
Phone: 092-51-2826899
Accommodation: 50 beds
Distance from Islamabad :121Km

ABBOTTABAD HOSTEL

Hill station, 110km north of Islamabad , located on karakoram Highway the legendary Silk Route , criss-crossing Central Asia and on to Europe Gateway to eastern China , on way to Pakistan 's Northern Areas, established in 1853 as a new cantonment town, named after British soldier James Abbott. Pakistan 's most prestigious Military Academy Kakul is located here. It is the base of Frontier Force, Baluch Regiment, Army Medical Corps and Army School of Music. It is also home of some prestigious public schools in Pakistan .

Sights:

Abbottabad is a new city with little historic interest. It is quite a relaxed and peaceful place but the market places give lively and colorful look. The Cantonment area is full of public parks and tree lined roads, an attraction to roam about for hours to relax.

There are many beautiful short excursion places like Pine View Road, Shimla Peak, Batrasi Forest, Thandiani 2462 meters) Biran Gali, (1920 Meters), Balakot (270 meters) and famous Nathiagali where summer capital of the NWFP province is housed. These places are at a distance of 20 to 30 km and easily reachable by local transport. Some of the tourists walk to these places by short routes. There are government rest houses and small hotels available at these places to stay. Local buses are available to go to Manshera, Balakot, Kaghan Valley , ( Karakoram Highway ), Lahore , Murree and many other places. There are many moderate and expensive eating places like Monaliza and Pearl Continental.

Elevation: 1232 Meters;
Hostel: Near Government Degree College Mandian, Abbottabad.
Phone: 092-992-382137
Accommodation: 65 beds
Distance from Islamabad : 116 Km

SHARAN HOSTEL-NWFP

The hostel is located at a distance of 43 km from Balakot. After reaching Paras the visitors are to cross Kunhar River . A jeepable road goes right upto Sharan, a distance of 15km. Sharan is visible from behind a peak known as Musa Ka Musala and hidden by pine trees, a very beautiful spot. The area is not thickly populated. There is also a Forest Department Rest House. The Hostel building gives an exquisite look. Sharan has breathtaking natural beauty. In addition to wild life, there are a lot of singing birds. The famous forest of Darshi is located nearby. Unfortunately the Hostel building was severely damaged by the earth quake, causing a very sad personal loss to the caretaker of the Youth Hostel. He lost his wife in the earthquake. The building could not be repaired due to above of the single track approach road which was thrown into the river by the earthquake. The Govt. has now started construction of a new road. The building will construct after the completion of the road.

Sights

Sharan Youth Hostel is located at a placed particularly suitable for the trekking. The hostellers explore the area by walking and trekking to a new direction every day. The peaceful wild beauty of the place attracts the hostlers to stay for the more days than they normally plan. The services of guide are provided to the youth during their stay in hostel. Thick natural, hard wood forests of Naddi and Daddar, pleasant walks, Supurb Mountain &lake views, cold water trout fishing and high peaks are ideal for hiking.

Elevation: 2,100 meters
Hostel: 12-km from Paras on Kaghan Valley Road .
Accommodation: 30 beds. No electricity or lighting
Distance form Islamabad : 221 K.M

NARAN HOSTEL - NWFP

Naran is the capital of Kaghan valley. Two branches of river Kunhar meet at Naran where the freshly melt snow water flows down, a breathlessly beautiful sight. There are many private hotels and restaurants, with room prices ranging from Rs. 800 to 3500 a day. The Youth hostel building is located at a height of 1,600 meters, 1.5 Km short of Naran. The hostel is surrounded by tall pine trees. It has an extremely beautiful look of the valley and the winding river down below stays with the visitors all the time. Lake Saiful Maluk is an attractive sight during summer. The lake is a 2 hour walk from Naran. Jeeps are also available to reach the lake in 45 minutes. The local storytellers speak of princes and fairies and romance attached to the lake. The river is full of trout fish. Fishing and trekking is the most popular activities in the area. During the summer vacation the hostel remains full. Prior booking from Islamabad is necessary to avoid inconvenience.

Sights

World's largest blue-green water Lake Saiful Maluk, very picturesque area, cold water trout fishing & ideal trekking.

Elevation: 2,427 meters
Hostel: 2Km short of Naran village,
Located on the right side of Naran road.
Accommodation: 65 beds
Distance from Islamabad : 276 Km

BATAKUNDI HOSTEL - NWFP

Batakundi is another central location for trekking to various points beyond Naran. It is suited for camping for the more adventurous. The area is also surrounded by potatoes and peas fields. Groups of Gypsies are seen going up in the search of food for their sheep and goats. The road to Batakundi was a jeep track but recently it is being replaced by a metalled road which is likely to be completed by end of 2003. The area will then be open for tourists.

Sights:

Some high quality trout is available. The visitors are provided with camping site in the hostel. Jeep track goes to Lalazar Plateau, a day trip from Batakundi. A foot track leads from Lalazar to Lake Saiful Maluk taking about 5 to 6 hours. Another trip can be taken to Jalkhad. The river is very calm at this point. This resort is ideal for fishing and walking. One can undertake a day trip to various peaks from here and return to this base camp.

Elevation: 2,713
Hostel Kaghan Valley,
7 Km beyond Naran
Accommodation: 20 bed camping area and community baths.
Distance from Islamabad : 292 Km

TAXIL HOSTEL - PUNJAB

It is one of the most important archaeological places in Pakistan . Taxila was the capital of Gandhara Buddhist civilization from the 6 th century BC onwards. The most recent research reveals that Taxila was found as early as 1,000 BC which has absorbed influence of the various empires over the centuries. At the time of arrival of Alexander the Great, it was still the center of learning.

Taxila is located 32 Km north of Islambad on the Grend Trunk (G.T) Road. It is easy to get there by bus or commuter wagons. One can also take Havalian bound train from Rawalpindi which stops at Taxila. The hostel is situated opposite the Buddhist Museum Road , Taxila Cantonment.

Sights:

The various excavated sites at Taxila are spread out over a large area. It takes about 3 days to see the mail sites for visitors who are interested in archaeology. Other visitors may visit visually impressive stupa sites like Julian, Jandial, Sri Cup and Dharmarajika. One must visit the museum which displays hundreds of exhibits of Gandhara art. Between Islamabad and Taxila, Sikh holy temple of Punja sahib is 13 Km away at Hassan Abdul, and Mogul Garden at the nearby Wah Cantt.

Elevation: 504 Meters
Phone: 0902-596-9314278
Accommodation: 32 beds
Distance from Islamabad : 32 Km

JAMSHORO HOSTEL - HYDERABAD SINDH

Its history goes back to a Hindu ruler who built a fort on the present site of the city. This fort was under occupation of Buddhists when a young Arab General Muhammad Bin Qasim conquered it. It was a district of Arghun empire which was ruling it from nearby Thatta. It was named after its ruler Hyder Quli Arghuni. The hostel at Jamshoro is located on Super highway near the entry point of the University Campus. The city is accessible by rail and road. It is a newly constructed building with all accessories, dining, sitting, community baths, kitchen and lounge.

Sights:

Twenty one Kalhora tombs, tombs of Talpur Mir rulers, Qadam Gah of Hazrat ALI, Sindh Provincial Museum, Talpur Museum and famous, British built Kotri Barrage, which is 1,000 Meters long, consists of 44 spans. 4-star canals originated from it, which irrigate one million hectors of land.

Elevation: 250 Meters;
Hostel: University of Jamshoro ,
Super highway, Hyderabad
Accommodation: 50 beds.
Distance from Islamabad : 1405Km
Phone: 0222-772310

LARKANA HOSTEL

Mohenjodaro is the centre of the world's oldest, 5,000 years, Indus valley Civilization, located in Southern Sindh Province. UNESCO and Pakistan are preserving vast excavated sites that are a great attraction for tourists from across the globe. The hostel is located at larkana, 12 Km from Moenjodaro. Moenjodaro and Larkana are reachable by air, bus and railway from Karachi and Sukker.

Sights:

Moenjodaro archaeological sites and museum are one of the most stunning, resort and preserved prehistoric sites in the Whole world.

Shopping:

Indus Valley Civilization souvenirs. Block printed cotton cloth; “Ajrak” and traditional Sindhi caps.

Elevation: 50 Meters;
Hostel: Khuro stadium, larkana
Phone: 092-741-457239
Accommodation: 50 beds.
Distance from Islamabad : 832Km

GILGILT HOSTEL

Northern Areas comprises of six districts namely Gilgit, Diamer, Skardu, Ghizer, Ganche and Astore stretching over an area of about 27000 square miles

Boarding china, Afghanistan & India . The area comprise of rugged mountains with some of the highest peaks in the world. Amongst these, the K-2 in Karakoram and Nanga Parbat in Himalaya are outstanding. Population of the northern Areas is 870,342 (census 1998). The Northern Areas also serve as the principle water catchments for Indus River , upon which a majority of Pakistan irrigation and hydroelectricity depends. These Areas are administered directly by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs & Northern Areas, Islamabad . Karakoram Highway is a marvel of modern engineering and considered World's eight Wonder. Northern Areas is, perhaps, the most spectacular region of Pakistan in terms of its geography and scenic beauty. This region is also known as “Heaven on Earth”. The world's most three mightiest mountain ranges: the Karakoram, the Hindukush and the Himalayas meet here. The whole northern area is like a paradise for mountaineers, trekkers and anglers. The region has a rich cultural heritage and variety of rare fauna & flora. Historically the area has remained a flash point of political & military rivalries amongst the Russian, British and Chinese empires. Immediately after the end of British Rule in the Sub Continent in 1947, the people of this region decided to join Pakistan through a popular local revolt against the government of Maharaja of Kashmir.

Some of the largest glaciers outside polar region are located on downstream industries the Government of Pakistan as well as the Northern Areas administration is focusing on tourism and to introduce to the world, “the hidden treasures” of North Areas.

Elevation: 1454 Meters
Hostels: Jutial Town, Mansehra Road , Gilgit
Accommodation: 60 Beds
Distance from Islamabad : 595 Km
Phone: 05811-58624

KATAS HOSTEL - PUNJAB

This is an extremely sacred place for Hindos with holy spring. Accoding to the hindo tradition and belief this spring and the surrounding land were formed by the tears which fell from the eyes of the shive Deveta (lord shive) on the death of his beloved wife. Lord shive wept so profusely on the death of wife that out of the strings of his tears two water ponds came in to existence. one know as pushkar near ajmier sharif in Rajisthan ( India ) and the other called Kataksha or Katak shell at Katas. Many myths are associated with Katas Raj. Hindus pilgrims, specially come for religious bath in this sacred pool. Katas , according to hindus belief is regared as the abode of Bhagwan shankar the king or lord of serpents. The famous pando brother heros of Maha Bharat were also the place where questioning area answering brothers and ‘jaqsha” had taken place. The construction of temples at Katas Raj attainted to Pando brothers.

Alexander was the first scholar to identify Katas as samghapura described by Huein Tsan a Chinese pilgrim who came to this area in early half of 7 th century A.D. Katas Raj constitutes a major groups of Hindus temples most of which were constructed during the Hindus shaly . Most important a group of seven temples SATGHAKA. There is also remaining bhudhist staff at caves. Other temples are Ram Chandra, Hamayun and Shiva temples. Hari singh Nalva Haveli is also very prominent here which rests on a high platform. In 530 B.C. Alexander the great after negotiation a true with raja Amble of Taxila passed through this area.

Sights:

Rich in history, Buddhist and Hindu archaeological sites, many dating back 1000 BC. Ancient Satghara Hindu temples, centered around a large pool of water springs, salt mines, one of the world's largest deposits of salt, is unique to visit, Kallar Kahar lake, Mogul Gardens, and famous for the rose water. Great Muslim scientist Al-Beroni did his calculation of the circumference of the Earth at nearby Nandana fort.

Elevation: 720 Meters
Phone: 092-51-2524628
Accommodation: 25 beds
Distance from Islamabad : 164 Km (motorway)

PATRIATA

Camping site available. Hostel construction being planned