Kaghan is one of the most attractive valleys in the Hazara district. It’s renowned for its alluring scenic beauty. The valley is about 160 km long and between 1000 to 4000 m above sea level at various places. Towering peaks of the Himalayan ranges, glaciers, waterfall and crystal clear water of the Lakes are still in a pristine state and make the valley an unspoiled paradise. The Kunhar River with plenty of trout fish flows through the valley. On the bank of the river are Balakot, Kaghan, and Naran. It is inhabited by nomads who take their flocks of cattle to the high pastures of the Kaghan Valley in spring and bring them down again in autumn. Their women are colorfully and attractively dressed.

BALAKOT : Balakot is the gateway to Kaghan valley. This beautiful small town is located on the banks of the Kunhar River. The journey from Abbotabad to Balakot is an exhilarating 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 are buried here along with other martyrs.

SHOGRAN : Shorgan, one of the most beautiful plateaus in the whole area is situated at a distance of 34 km from Balakot via Kawai. A road leads to this tranquil summer retreat of superb climate and spectacular views. The air here is impregnated with the scent of flowers and the pine forest . It is at an altitude of 2326 m and the mighty peaks of Himalyan Ranges such as Musa Musalla (5301m) and Malika Parbat (5291m) are visible from Shorgan and the Makra Hill Top (3885m) is visible from Payee Plateau.

NARAN : About 86 km from Balakot lies Naran, the main attraction of the Kaghan valley. This town is situated on the bank of the river Kunhar. The bazaar is extremely attractive and becomes lively in the evening and converts into a food street as the tourists flock from all over . Naran is at an altitude of 2498m at a point where the valley widens.

LAKE SAIFUL MULUK : It is situated at a distance of 10 km form Naran at an altitude of 3500m. It provides an excellent view of the 5291m high Malika Parbat (Queen of the Mountains). The view of the lake and its surrounding mountain is very scenic as the shape of the lake is like a bowl full of water. There is a romantic legend about a Prince called Saiful Muluk who fell in love with the fairy of the lake. The lake is named after the prince. Most tourists get the chance to ride on horseback along the lake and get to hear the story of this lake from the local elders.

LALAZAR : Lalazar is a collection of beautiful mountain meadows as green as emerald. Snow covered mountains in the background glint like silver, the sunrise and sun set views here are magical. Numerous colorful flowers add to the attraction of the meadows of Lalazar. Almost all the tourists visiting Naran come to visit these green meadows.

LAKE DUDIPAT SAR : Another beautiful lake in the Hazara region is Lake Dudipat Sar. The lake is also famous for excellent trout fishing.

LAKE LULU SAR : The biggest of the lakes in Hazara is lake Lulu Sar. Lake Lulu Sar is the main source of the river Kunhar.

A visit to the Jewel of the North is a must for any nature lover, a chance to gaze in awe at some of the most amazing sights in the world.