Balakot is the gateway to Kaghan valley. Balakot itself is 72 km from Abbottabad. This beautiful small town is located on the banks of Kunhar river. Journey from Abbottabad to Balakot is a charming experience. The road passes through beautiful green hills and thick forests. The views are spectacular especially between Attarshisha and Garhi Habibullah. A famous battle was fought here between the Sikh Army and Mujahideen in 1831. The Mujahideen leaders, Hazrat Syed Ahmed Shaheed and Hazrat Shah Ismail Shaheed lie buried here along with other martyrs.

16 Kilometers from Naran is the Battakundi another enjoyable spot and is the turning point for Lalazar connected via jeepable road which a plateau of rare scenic beauty. Babusar Pass: Babusar pass is the end of the Kaghan valley is blocked by the mountains but the Babusar pass is the gate between Kaghan and Gilgit valley at the altitude of 13600 feet. From here you can have the glimpse of the naked mountain Naga Parbat with a towering height of 26,660 feet. Road at Babusar Pass is remained closed, because of snowbound, from October to June, also restricted during monsoon season.

The climate of the district is warm in summer and cold in winter. The northern part where there are high mountain is cold in summer due to snow clad mountains and is very cold in winter. The total annual rainfall of the district according to 1972 census report is 72 inches. Temperature ranges from 2ºC to 36ºC in the district.

There are a number of important and historical place in Mansehra. Kaghan is famous for its pleasant climate in summer when tourists come to watch its beautiful views. Then comes Balakot which has a great significance in the history of Hazara with special reference of Syed Ahmad Shaheed's movement. The other wellknown villages and towns are Mansehra, Baffa, Shinkiari, Dhodial, Battal, Bhogarmang, Batagram, Allai (former integral part of Kohistan tribal area), Phulra (chief village of the former Phulra state), Oghi, Shergarh (the summer headquarters of the former Nawab of Amb), Darband (former centre of Amb state), Gulibagh (capital of former Pakhli Sarkar), Ichrian, Ghari Habibullah, Jabori, Chuttar, Dadar (where lies one of the famous T.B. Sanatorium in the country), Khaki and Black Mountain Provincial Administered tribal area.

There are three beautiful lakes in Mansehra district. These are encircled by snow clad peaks of the mountain range in the Kaghan valley. The names of there lakes are Lulusar, Dudipatsar and Saiful Maluk Sar. The former two lie near Babusar top while the latter one near Naran. The word "sar" is used with the name of each lake meaning lake. In the summer when the water of these lakes reflects like a mirror a large number of visitors from different areas of the country come to watch the enchanting views of these lakes. With Saiful Maluk Sar a legend of mythical fairy Badri Jamal and Prince Saiful Maluk is associated while Lulu Sar is the Reminiscent of those 55 participants of 1857 war of independence who had been arrested near Lulu Sar.

Wonderful Places of Pakistan

Who says nobody can have fun in Pakistan? With so many beautiful places and virtually unlimited possibilities for hiking, trekking, mountaineering, and other sports, a trip to Pakistan can be your ultimate Pakistani escape. Here's where you can go when your plane stops on this side of the globe.