Visitors make the most of the long weekend by enjoying the last of the snow season before the ice melts away
Snow-clad mountains and snow-capped structures lure tourists to the Kaghan Valley. Photo: Express
KAGHAN:
Amid laughter, excitement and softly falling snow, 10-year-old Anaya Bibi could hardly contain her joy as she experienced snowfall in the picturesque Kaghan Valley for the first time – a dream she had carried since childhood.
A Class 5 student at a private school in Peshawar, Anaya arrived in picturesque Kaghan with her grandfather just as snowfall, which began early Thursday morning, blanketed the valley in gleaming white. Dressed in a black overcoat, woolen cap and holding an umbrella in her right hand, Anaya stood mesmerized by the scene unfolding before her against the snow-covered Malika Parbat hills.
The magic of the moment was completed when she grabbed a freshly grilled trout fish and enjoyed a warm winter candy at Kaghan Bazaar amid the cold breeze of the snow-capped Malika Parbat mountains.
“Seeing snowfall in Kaghan Valley was my childhood dream and today my Baba Jan made it come true,” Anaya said with a wide smile, adjusting her black glasses as snowflakes landed softly around her. She said snowfall in Kaghan was heavier than other tourist destinations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, adding that grilled trout fish and chappli kabab “warm hearts as well as bodies” in such mesmerizing weather.
Kaghan’s charm extends far beyond its breathtaking scenery. In winter, the valley transforms into a haven for foodies, where sizzling chappli kababs and golden fried trout become an inseparable part of the snowfall experience. On Thursday, eateries across Mansehra district, especially in Naran and Kaghan, were bustling with tourists following rainy weather forecasts issued by the Met Office.
As rain and snow sprinkled Kaghan, Naran and the famous Saiful Malook Lake, the aroma of spices and roasting fish filled the crisp mountain air of these breathtaking regions of Pakistan. “After Kaghan, we plan to visit Saiful Malook Lake when the weather improves,” Anaya said, adding that Pakistan’s beautiful northern areas should be showcased on digital media to promote adventure tourism and attract foreign investment.
Like Anaya, tourists and locals wandered through bustling marketplaces, attracted by food stalls proudly serving the freshest catch of the Kunhar River. Trout, especially the prized rainbow and brown varieties, have become the cornerstone of winter cuisine in these valleys. Alongside local species such as Mushka, Raho, Simon, Pomfret, Mahseer and even lobsters, trout play a vital role in both local culture and economy.
“In winter, we receive a constant supply of trout from private fish farms across the Kaghan and Naran valleys to meet the increasing demand,” said Sajid Ali, a veteran fish vendor with over 15 years of experience in Mansehra. “For many visitors, the taste of trout is deeply attached to their memories.”
