Tourism means traveling for recreation and enjoyment. Most people who do long term jobs or
stay at home for a long time badly need a trip to a calm and relaxing place, so that they can give
rest to their mind. Tourism is an activity in which a person goes from one place to another,
which provides him with a kind of pleasure, satisfaction, happiness, and a relaxing moment.
There are two types of tourism domestic tourism and international tourism. Domestic tourism
is an activity in which a person travels to any famous or local destination or any place within the
country. For example, if you are Pakistani and live in Peshawar, Pakistan, and make a trip to the
Hunza valley, this will be an example of domestic tourism. International tourism involves
tourists who visit different countries around the world. For instance, if I am from Pakistan and I
visit UAE for a trip, it will be called international tourism. Now we are going to discuss some
psychological benefits of tourism;

Tourism help people who are suffering from depression:

Traveling is not a complete treatment of depression, but it can make you feel better. Let me
explain how traveling helps you to fight depression. Meeting new people and making friends is
the best treatment of depression. Loneliness is an addictive and hazardous thing. It can also
count as a disease. So that's why meeting new people and exploring new places can heal your
health condition and make you feel better and happier than before. Nature can be your best
friend and also a sound therapy of depression. Exploring nature makes you closer to yourself
and naturally makes you feel better and gives you a feeling of comfort and satisfaction. The
more new places or destinations you explore, it will make you feel better both physically and
mentally, and most importantly, it will help you overcome depression and anxiety.

Tourism and increased feelings of intimacy:

When a couple travels for their honeymoon after marriage, it makes their relationship with
each other better and stronger because you spend more time together, and it will increase your
understanding, and the trust start building more perfectly. In a place where you don't know any
person, your partner is the only one who makes you feel comfortable and better. Traveling
together make you less stress and build the new language of love and romance. It's also a fact
couples who travel more, experience better sexual relationships, and a happy life—traveling
together as a couple makes your relationship more durable. When you spend every second
with your other half, it strengthens your connection. You learn to be respectful with each other
and learn to help and rely on each other. You try to enjoy every second of that time together,
and also you know things and feelings which you didn't know about your partner before. You
learn to divided responsibility with each other according to each other's strengths.

Traveling promote brain health:

Traveling promote overall brain health because when you explore new places or destination
you have to walk a lot and in that, you lose so much of your energy and it makes you tired, and
so you feel sleepy and naturally need more sleep. A Happy and healthy sleep is not just good for
your brain but also helps calm your body, which makes your behavior more decent and kind,
and you get less rude and angry. It also heals you from negativity and makes your vision and
thoughts more positive and broad. Traveling also helps us in forgetting depressing memories
which happen in our life and also helps in getting rid of our adverse mood swings. Even doctors
and scientists also recommend traveling because it helps us in healing many mental and
psychological disorders.

Traveling and mindfulness:

Mindfulness means focusing on the sounds, smell, and touch. If you go to a calming place like
Hunza and Skardu, you can practice this technique and find it more effective. Traveling is an
opportunity to calm your mind. We all become exhausted with our daily life. Traveling is a
perfect way to give your mind rest and exploring the peaceful and most relaxing place in the
world, which helps you to find your inner peace inside yourself. Not just physically but mentally,
you heal yourself with traveling. All the experience you gain from traveling helps you to make
your life better and stress-free. That the real value of traveling.

Traveling can make you more creative:

Yes, traveling can make you creative when you visit a different country or place you experience
a new kind of culture and meet with varying people of the nation, which gives you mature
thought. It increases your knowledge about them, and when you are traveling, you are away
from your daily home or office routine, and you explore nature, and it's a fantastic beauty.
Traveling also helps you to learn and experience the different languages of people and gives us
new ideas which give us a unique perspective to think about the world and increasing our
understanding of life. Writers get new characters for their drama, and films and artists get new
ideas to paint and convey their feelings.

Situated in Azad Kasmir, the Neelum Valley is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful areas in Northern Pakistan. Blessed with endless forests, sloping hills, spectacular waterfalls, lush green valleys, snow covered mountains and gushing rivers, this bow-shaped valley hosts hundreds of tourists every year.

The best time to visit the valley is between April and October and here are some of the things you can do there.

1. Sightseeing

The Neelum Valley boasts some of the most unbelievably scenic locations in the country. The Dahni Waterfall, Athmuqam, Kutton, Taobat, Sharda, Upper Neelum, Lower Neelum, Kel, Arang Kel and Halmat are must-see spots in this area.

The Dhani Waterfall is the highest waterfall in the valley while Kutton (also known as Jagran Valley) is a popular tourist resort. Athmuqam is a cup-shaped valley and provides all sorts of facilities including banks, markets, post offices and hospitals. Sharda (pictured below) is a beautiful green area with a majestic river flowing through it (now who wouldn’t want to see that).

Don’t forget to visit Taobat (Picture By AliRaza9441 [ CC BY-SA 4.0 ], from Wikimedia Commons), Halmat and the Shounter Valley all of which will leave you mesmerized with their boundless natural beauty.

2. Accommodation

Accommodation is easily available in all major towns of the valley. This includes government facilities and private rest houses. The local people also offer their homes to visitors at reasonable rates. Hotel rooms usually range from Rs.500 to Rs.6000 per night and it’s always a good idea to bargain for a deal.

Ratti Gali Lake has a tent village where you can stay for less than Rs.1000 per night. If you’re looking for something more unique, why not book an igloo in Sharda which costs around Rs.2500 to Rs.3000 per night.

3. Food

Aside from the usual chicken and rice dishes, the Neelum Valley offers a magnificent variety of food. Athmuqam, lower Neelum and Upper Neelum are famous for the various fruits grown there. You can also find delicious curd, cheese, bread, rice and chutney in Athmuqam.

Be sure to try the local Saag’s which are a virtual treat for foodies. There are several different types served with Lassi, Karri Pakora and Makai ki Roti. You can also find bottled water in all major towns and markets.

4. White Water Rafting

The Neelum and Jehlum rivers are ideal for white water rafting in the summer. Watersport experts started holding rafting events in the valley in 2017. They guide thrill-seekers over several kilometers and provide packages for beginners as well as experienced individuals. If you’re looking for an unforgettable experience, why not sign up for this activity with your friends and family.

5. Hiking and Trekking

The Neelum Valley is a hiker’s paradise. Many people visit the district just so that they can trek across its innumerable hills, valleys and lakes. The Ratti Gali Lake (Picture By Faisalir [CC BY-SA 4.0 ], from Wikimedia Commons). The Ratti Gali Lake is one such spot and it’s not difficult to see why it attracts numerous visitors every year.

The Chitta Katha Lake (located in the Shounter Valley) is another famous hiking spot. Tent villages are available in Shounter which acts as a base camp for trekking to the lake.

Situated in Gumut National Park, the Saral Lake (shown below) is another popular destination for trekkers. The lake is carved out of the mountain by the water from the melting snow and is surrounded by lush greenery during the summer.

6. Boating and Camping

Travelers have numerous opportunities for camping in several locations including Sharda, Keran, Arang Kel, Taobat, Upper Neelum and Ratti Gali Lake. Many tour operators, including Visitpk.com, offer guided camping excursions to these areas and many other places across Pakistan. Guides are also more than happy to arrange leisurely boating trips on the various lakes in the valley which makes your trip all the more memorable.

So what are you waiting for? Call us on 0345 1520702 and book your fun-filled trip to the Neelum Valley today.

Now, whenever Pakistan is mentioned in the news, it’s usually not in a very positive light. Looking at the headlines, it’s hard for anyone to realise that Pakistan is actually a land of astounding sceneries and boundless natural beauty.

But believe me when I tell you, the northern areas of this country have a landscape unlike anywhere else in the world. Magnificent snow-covered peaks, lush green valleys, raging rivers, endless forests and spectacular lakes are just some of the wonders awaiting travelers coming to Pakistan.

Here are our top five, must-see destinations for both local and international tourists in the country.

1. Naran Kaghan

This is the top tourist hot-spot in Pakistan and for good reason. Located in the Mansehra District, Naran Kaghan is the most breathtakingly scenic area in the entire country. Just look at the Kunhaar River below.

Kunhaar-River-in-Kaghan

Popular with visitors especially in the summer, the main attractions in this locality includes the Lulusar Lake, the Babusar Top, Shogran, Siri Paye, and of course Saif-ul-Malook Lake. Many travelers also visit this area in the winter so that they can witness a frozen Saif-ul-Malook Lake in all its glory.

view-of-frozen-lake-Saif-ul-Malook

2. The Fairy Meadows

Number two on our list is the Fairy Meadows. Located in Gilgit Baltistan, the Fairy Meadows is a lush green land close to one of the base camp sites of Nanga Parbat (the 9th highest mountain in the world). Locally known as Joot, the area was declared as National Park by the government in 1995. Situated at an altitude of 3300 meters, this serene meadow provides stunning views of Nanga Parbat (here’s proof) (Photo By Usmanbukhari3362 [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons)

view-of-nanga-parbat-from-fairy-meadows

Trekkers use the locality as a starting point for their climb on the Rakhiot Face of the mountain. During the tourist season (April-September), visitors can also enjoy overnight camping, polo matches, horse riding, excellent food and hiking to Bayal Camp.

3. The Hunza Valley

Third on our list is the beautiful Hunza Valley.  Situated in Gilgit Baltistan, in the very north of the country, this area borders the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan and the Xinjiang region in China. In addition to its astonishing scenic beauty, visitors are also drawn by the hospitality and warmth of the locals residing in the valley.

view-of-mountain-landscape-in-hunza

The valley boasts several tourist hot spots. This includes the Rakaposhi View Point, Attabad Lake, Pasu, Karimabad, Rush Lake, Altit Fort and the Baltit Fort.

The Baltit Fort (shown below) is one of the most iconic structures in Hunza. Located near Karimabad, the fort dates back 700 years ago and is now a museum operated by the Baltit Heritage Trust.

a-view-of-the-baltit-fort

4. The Kumrat Valley

Our next recommendation for travelers in Pakistan is the stunning Kumrat Valley. Located in the Upper Dir District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, this valley welcomes thousands of visitors every year.

a-view-of-kumrat-valley

Blessed with infinite forests, gushing rivers, snow-capped mountains and green pastures, Kumrat has numerous tourist attractions. The Panjkora River, Thal, Dojanga, Do Kala Chasma, Badagoi Pass, Kotara Lake, Bara Dand Lake, the Wooden Canals and the Crooked Woods are just some of the must-see spots in this area.

5. The Swat Valley

Last but not least on our list is the picturesque Swat Valley. Located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, this district is famous for hosting Queen Elizabeth II in the 1960’s. Dubbed as the “Switzerland of the East”, Swat offers tourists unforgettable views of gushing waterfalls, green meadows, roaring rivers, majestic mountains, fruit-filled orchards and flower-covered slopes.

a-view-of swat-valley

It is home to Malam Jabba, one of the best ski resorts in the country and a must-see destination for travelers in Pakistan. Over a hundred thousand tourists flock to Malam Jabba in the winter and it’s not hard to see why.

view-of-malam-jabba

Some of the other well-known tourist attractions in Swat include Bahrain, the Fizagat Park, the Kalam Forest, the Kandol Lake, the Mahodand Lake, Matiltan and the Jarogo Waterfall.

Visitpk.com offers customised tours to all of these locations and more. So what are you waiting for? Call us on 0345 1520702 and book your trip now.