Babusar Top, Chilas, and the upper areas of Diamer experienced light snowfall at the end of August, enhancing the beauty of these tourist destinations. Visitors to the Naran Valley are enjoying picturesque views of snowfall in August. The highest tourist spot in Mansehra's Naran Valley, Babusar Top along with Chilas and Upper Diamer received light snow, making the weather pleasant. Babusar Top Valley is a mountain pass in Pakistan at the north of the 150 km long Kaghan Valley, connecting it via the Thak Nala with Chilas on the Karakoram Highway (KKH). Babusar Top is the highest point in Kaghan Valley that can be easily accessed by cars. It connects Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Gilgit-Baltistan. It is one of the more dangerous routes in Pakistan. Babusar Top was originally known as Babur Top, originating from the fact that the Mughal emperor Babur passed through this area in the early 16th century.

The Kaghan Valley, with its summers from May to September, typically experiences a maximum temperature of 11°C (52°F) in May, with a minimum temperature of 3°C (37°F). From mid-July until the end of September, the road north of Naran remains accessible all the way to the Babusar Pass. The Kaghan area is well connected by road to Islamabad and Peshawar. During winter, the pass often closes due to heavy snowfall and harsh conditions. Instead, travellers typically use the Karakoram Highway to access the northern regions of the country. The mountain ranges that enter the Mansehra District from Kashmir are the offshoots of the great Himalayan system. This range flanks the right bank of the Kunhar River and contains a peak called Malika Parbat, which is over 17,000 feet high and the highest in the valley.

Diamer:

Diamer is a district in the Gilgit-Baltistan region linked to Tangir and Gilgit, Astore, Mansehra, and Upper Kohistan. The Karakoram Highway passes through the Diamer District. Before the Karakoram Highway was opened in 1978, the only road from the south to the town of Gilgit was a rough track north from Balakot to the Babusar Pass (via Kaghan, Naran, Besal, and Gittidas) and further north from Babusar Gah to Chilas.

Chilas:

Chilas is the headquarters of the Diamir district of Gilgit–Baltistan. The weather is hot and dry in the summer and dry and cold in the winter. It can be reached by the Karakoram highway and also through the Kaghan Valley and the Babusar Pass. Chilas is on the left bank of the Indus River. The beautiful Fairy Meadows National Park and Nanga Parbat, the ninth-highest peak in the world, are also located in Chilas.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan