Nathia Gali and Dunga Gali in 4 days

A serene hill station, NathiaGali is a mountain resort located in Hazara. Lush green meadows and pine forests have earned it the title of paradise on earth. It remains cool throughout the year and is the perfect retreat for tourists or Pakistanis themselves visiting from the South especially from July to September. The nearby Dunga Gali mountain resort, situated on a slope is another visual treat Jovago.com has compiled the essential places to visit to make the most of your trip.

Day 1:

1. Governor house

Governor house belongs to the governor of the province and is his vacation home. It is famous for its vast and lush gardens and captivating view of the mountains. Special permission can be taken to explore its gardens and it is a popular spot to take photographs.

2. Nathia Gali Church

St. Matthews church built in 1914 by the British and situated in close proximity to governor house. Its oval shaped garden and elegant architecture make it one of Nathia Gali’s most popular attractions.

3. Gulgee’s house

Near the church another spot to visit is the home of one of the most respected artists of Pakistan. His work is visible inside in his gallery and outside of his house as he has made some designs on it such as an eye.

4. Jahanzaib and Karnak house

Along the same road are these two private properties with unique architecture.Jahanzaib house is a 3 storey modern complex,and Karnak house is single storey completely composed of white wood and habitat to wild flowers.

5. Chargah

This restaurant is situated in the bazaar at the end of the road and is ideal to pick up dinner from after site-seeing. It is mainly take away and is famous all over the region for its chicken.

Day 2:

1. Pipeline café

Before setting out for the pipeline walk, you could enjoy a bite at the Pipeline café located at the starting point. It offers snacks, meals and deserts.

2.Pipeline walk

Dunga Gali pine line track located 3km from Nathia Gali at the base of the Mukshpuri peak, is one of the most beautiful tracks in the world. The 4km track leads from Dunga Gali to Ayubia. Alpine lines, maple, oak, cedar and walnut trees have heavily wooded the area above the track.

 3. Ayubia national park and chairlift

The pipeline walk leads to Ayubia National park, where you can take the chairlift which offers spectacular views of the pine forests of Ayubia.

4. Afaq restaurant

At the end of the long day the perfect place to eat and rejuvenate is at the Afaq restaurant, in the main bazaar opposite the Afaq hotel. The menu includes traditional Pakistani food, continentalfood, Barbecue and Chinese.

 Day 3:

1. Miranjani hike

Miranjani trekking is possible when there is no snowfall, and there are various routes to get here, one steep track from Nathia Gali and another starting from Governor House. The peak offers spectacular views of Abbotabad, Azad Kashmir, Jhelum River,Tarbela Lake and on a clear day the Nanga Parbat Summit.

2. Green Spot

Green spot is a mountainous hill top scene, with open green fields and meadows and a magnificent view of Nathia Gali and neighboring areas and a small café where you could have tea. On your way to green spot you will cross Sabzazar as well.

 3. Green retreat Restaurant

The restaurant at Green Retreat offers the best food in the town. It offers delicious breakfast, lunch, dinner and evening tea. You can sit inside or enjoy your meal open air with the view of the Miran Jani peak. On weekends the Green Retreatarranges a bonfire and live music.

Day 4:

1. Horse riding

For sport-lovers Nathia Gali’s main sport is horse-riding.Horses can be used to travel from one spot to another or as an alternative to trekking.

 2. Hilal Restaurant

After a tiring trek, a fulfilling meal would be ideal.Hilal’s food opens daily for lunch around 1 p.m. and offers burgers and fried rice etc. Most people prefer to sit on their open roof and enjoy the lovely weather.

3. Thandiani

Thandiani is a small plateau surrounded by pine forests. The scenery here is breathtaking and the steep plateau, with its caves and wildlife is a popular tourist spot. It can be approached from Abbotabad(24km distance).

4.Bazaar

To conclude your trip visit the main bazaar in Nathia Gali.The colorful shops are full of handicrafts, shawls and clothes and you will always find a good bargain.

Book your online hotel now in one of the top hotels in Nathiagali and enjoy all your favorite spots!

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Top 5 Mosques to visit in Pakistan

Jovago.com has compiled a list of the top 5 most beautiful mosques in Pakistan which are famous for their architecture and history. If you want to get a glimpse of these stunning buildings come visit Pakistan, and if you live in Pakistan, book your stay in one of the hotels in Islamabad, visit one of these mosques for Eid prayers.

1. Faisal Mosque

Located in the capital city of Islamabad, Faisal Mosque is the largest mosque in Pakistan. It is of Turkish design and is unique in that it lacks the domes that traditional mosques possess. The vast courtyards and marble interior provide a cool atmosphere in which to view the mosaics and calligraphy that embellish the mosque.

2. Shah Jahan Mosque

The grand mosque of Thatta, Shah Jahan Mosque was completed in 1647, on instruction of the Mughal King Shah Jahan as a gift to the people of Sindh.It is composed of red brick and blue glaze tiles and stands out not only because it consists of 93 domes but also because it was built keeping acoustics in mind so a person speaking from one end of the dome can be heard on the other end.

3. Badshahi Mosque

Lahore’s most renowned landmark, the Badshahi mosque vividly captures the magnificence of the Mughal era with its red sandstone structure,floral design and white marble canopy.It is currently the second largest mosque in Pakistan.

4.Mahabat Khan Mosque

Peshawar’s finest mosque,the Mahabat Khan mosque,  is a 17^th century religious building with a lavish interior consisting of a prayer hall with floral and geometric designs painted on the wall and a centrally located ablution pool.It is named after the Mughal king of the region at the time.

5.Masjid-e-Tooba

This mosque was built in 1969. It is often claimed to be the largest single-dome mosque in the world and is also major tourist attraction in Karachi. Masjid-e-Tooba is built with pure white marble, and the dome is balanced on a low surrounding wall with no central pillars. It is the 18th largest in the world with the central prayer hall having a capacity of 5,000 people.

Top 5 Places to shop for Eid

As Ramadan draws to an end, eid shopping is a key element of celebrating the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr for tourists and residents of Pakistan. As every corner of the country buzzes with zeal and fervour,Jovago.com has facilitated your eid shopping this year by compiling the best and most reasonably priced places to shop.

1. Tariq Road Bazaar, Karachi

Tariq Road Bazaar is a spread of about 1000 shops occupying Tariq Road,not only famous for variety but also for reasonable pricing. Tariq center, Mateen center, Shalimar Centre and Rabi Center (famous for Eid menswear) are among those on the street. Within these centers there is a host of small shops selling silk, satin, chiffon,cotton and lawn, perfect for your eid jora this year and the city’s finest footwear shops like Stylo,Metro shoes and English boot house.The street is also called Choori Gali because of the countless shops selling colourful glass bangles, and any woman in search of these is unlikely to leave empty handed. These bazars are nearby even if you are staying at ahotel near Jinnah International Airport.

2. Clifton and Zamzama Belt, Karachi

Concentration of shops and designer accumulation around the teen talwar belt of Clifton and Zamzama Boulevard make it a popular place to shop for those interested in Eid designerwear.Park towers in zamzama is famous for eid drapery and shoes and Gulfway shopping Mallsells really made outfits and edgings,for those who urgently need something to wear on eid.

3. Liberty Market Lahore

Liberty market Lahore located on Main Boulevard Gulberg is an ideal spot for Eid shopping laden with a variety of Bangles and its Dupatta Gali.

Lahoris and visitors are likely to find a reasonable bargain for these products,successfully attracting crowds to the market already.

4. Mall of Lahore

The mall of Lahore is a hub of exciting outlets all under one roof.The best known brands and designers such as Deepak Perwani,Nomi Ansari and HSY all have shops here.Having men’s and women’s top brands collectively in one complex, makes for easy and exciting eid shopping as the eid collections are on the verge of release.

5. Tench Bhatta,Peoples Colony,Raja Bazaar,Moti Bazaar and Sadiqabad Market

Stalls and shops in these areas around the city selling gleaming bangles, embroidered clothes and handbags with special deals and promotions are likely to be the best place for young girls and women to find cheap and good quality eid clothing and accessories.The multi coloured lighting and decorations create a lively atmosphere to make eid shopping as memorable as Eid itself.

Jovago Highlights Ghotki - a border region between Sindh and Punjab

Ghotki is located in Northern Sindh, South-West of Islamabad, and is a border region between Sindh and Punjab. Ghotki is known for its mango plantations, abundant date trees, sugarcane and cotton. Ghotkians are mostly educated and very hospitable people with well-known positions inside the country.

Apart from its captivating monuments, parks and museums and scenic landscape Ghotki is famous as the only region in Sindh in which it snows.

Jovago’s Top 3

Moomal-Ji-Mari

Momal- Ji- Mari is a fortress at a distance of 15 kilometers from the Ghotki town and at an elevation of 23 meters, in the village known asMathelo. A legendary myth and love story is associated with the site which gives an insight into the regions rich history. The site in on 5 acres of land and consists of a museum, library, art gallery, auditorium and a handicraft Centre for women.

Circuit House

The Government circuit house in Ghotki’s grand design, lush ground and wild flowers make for a popular tourist attraction. There is a clubhouse by the circuit house where you can grab a bite while enjoying the view. Circuit house is also one of Ghotki’s most popular locations to take photos.

Jamia Masjid

Jamia Masjid in Ghotki is a historical and grand mosque which is about 300 years old.It was constructed in 1732 and is a symbol of heritage of the era. Its vast inner courtyard and tall, white arches keep the mosque cool and comfortable to be in and admire the intricate patterns, art and architecture in its interior.

 Tips:

Restaurants:

Most of Ghotki’s restaurants are in the bazaars and they serve delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner and specialize in making tea.The main cuisine they serve is Desi food at restaurants such as the Taj. Enjoying the appetizing local food while exploring the city’s attractions will be the highlight of your trip.

Shopping

Ghotki is famous for its Ladies Market with an array of unique products available such as shawls, baskets, boxes and other handicrafts .In addition to the visually appealing products they are also very reasonably priced and you will always be able to find a good bargain.

Hotels

Jovago Pakistan has many hotels and guest houses in and near Ghotki with different price ranges such as Hotel Thar Vilas and the Golden Haveli. Book now on the No.1 online hotel booking site of Pakistan and get the best prices.

ACCA organises corporate networking session

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) hosted a corporate dinner based on the theme ‘Accountants for Business’ in Faisalabad. This engagement will be beneficial in building relationships with all the prominent employers of Fasialabad.

The corporate networking session was attended by the President FCCI, Engineer Rizwan Ashraf and it was to highlight the FCCI members in attracting, developing and retaining the best finance talent. It is pertinent to mention that ACCA is committed to supporting its student and member base in Faisalabad and therefore an Approved Employer Ceremony was conducted with the employers coming on onboard committing towards training ACCA Affiliates in achieving membership.
President FCCI, Engineer Rizwan Ashraf commented at the dinner, “ It is a matter of great honor for me and my team to be here today with you at this outstanding event and on behalf of the Faisalabad Chamber I would like to thank ACCA for arranging this great event and bringing together leaders from the education and employment sector.”
President FCCI also addressed the audience and took the opportunity to address all the corporate decision makers recognizing ACCA Pakistan’s contributions toward developing the finance talent Pakistan needs. He mentioned how ACCA was adding value across the whole spectrum of business activity. He also assured FCCI’s support and assistance to ACCA Pakistan in their all initiatives in future. The highlight of the ceremony was the addition of the newly approved employers who were presented certificates on this occasion which were received by their CFOs present at the event. Rafhan Maize Products, Bismillah Textile, Anjum Textile and JK Group of companies were the new additions to ACCA’s Executive Approved Employer club.
The highlight of the corporate dinner was the speech by Head of North, Junaid Ahmed speaking about ACCA Pakistan’s recent achievements and initiatives to strengthen the profession and the work ACCA is conducting various organizations and regulatory bodies to add public value. He explained how the demand for accountants will be increasing by year 2020. Further he added how ACCA Pakistan plans to indulge with all the stakeholders in Faisalabad and the importance of recruiting ACCA professionals.

7 NGO’s to Donate to in Pakistan

Ramadan is the month of giving, and is our chance to give back to society what it has given to us. This article has been composed by the Jovago team, providing you with information about a few NGO's from the hundreds that exist. Please note, we are not endorsing these NGO’s, but are just suggesting a few where donations can help save, educate and transform the lives of many individuals and animals, who our unfortunately not as fortunate as we are. The NGO’s listed below accept donations for Zakat funds as well.

1)      Edhi Foundation

Abdul SattarEdhi founded the Edhi Foundation, in 1951. The Edhi Foundation provides 24-hour emergency assistance across the nation of Pakistan, with 300 centers across the country.

Their services include shelters for the destitute, orphans, the handicapped, free hospitals and medical care, drug rehabilitation services, national and international relief efforts, Education, Healthcare, International Community Centers, Blood & Drug Bank, Air Ambulance Services, Marine and Coastal Services.

Donations to the Edhi Foundation have helped transform the lives of millions of people. They accept donations through banks, credit cards and PayPal, and for further information please follow this link!

·         http://edhi.org/donate-us/donation-through-credit-cards

2)      The Citizens Foundation (TCF)

The Citizens Foundation (TCF) is one of the largest non-profit organizations in the field of education and was established in 1995, in Pakistan. As of April 2014, TCF has expanded its network to 1000 operational School Units, which provide education to 145,000 students nationwide.

TCF has also partnered with 141Schools.orgto help them achieve their global initiative to build 141 TCF schools across Pakistan, in memory of the lives lost.

·         To donate to The Citizens Foundation, click:
http://www.tcf.org.pk/Donate.aspx

·         To donate towards the mission of building these schools, click:
www.141schools.org/donate

3)      Rising Sun

The Rising Sun was discovered in 1984 by Dr. and Mrs. Abdul Tawwab Khan, and began their journey with only 2 special children at first. It now nurtures 415 enrolled children and 68 through its home-based rehabilitation services The Rising Sun is the largest Institute in Pakistan providing education, speech therapy, physiotherapy, hydro & sensory integration therapy, vocational training, physiotherapy and speech therapy to children with intellectual (cognitive) impairment cerebral palsy and autism.

·         To support this institution, your assistance is crucial! To donate, click: http://www.risingsun.org.pk/risingsun/donate-from-pakistan.aspx

4)      CARE Pakistan

The CARE Foundation began in 1988 in Sheikhupura, and was founded by Seema Aziz. The first school attracted 250 children on its first day, and has flourished nationally, now with 352 schools providing high quality education to approximately 180,000 students. CARE has introduced an English Program into their curriculum, providing a high quality education in English to 2,991 students. Their aim is to educate 1/9 million children in Pakistan by 2018! Invest in their education and you are investing in the future of Pakistan, transforming it into a bright one. Donations of as little as Rs 700 will sponsor a child’s education per month!

·         For more information regarding donations, click:
http://www.carepakistan.org/donate.html

5)      Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT)

Four decades ago SIUT started its journey as an eight-bed ward in Burns Unit of Civil Hospital Karachi. Today, it houses over 500 beds and facilities spread over 400,000 sq ft. It is regionally recognized as one of the most well equipped centers for renal diseases and transplantation. Its mission is to ensure free quality health care to every individual without discrimination, to treat all its patients with dignity and utmost respect, to create public awareness in the society at large for prevention of diseases and to carry out research for better medical care, thus enhancing the capacity building of medical professionals.

·         To help them achieve this goal, and expand further, your donations are pivotal! Click: http://siut.org/Donate-Form.html

6)      Ayesha Chundrigar Foundation (ACF)

Animals are often ignored in our society, so we thought it was important to include a NGO which could aid animals. The Ayesha Chundrigar Foundation (ACF) was founded in 2013, and is now the second non-profit organization in Pakistan, which aims to rescue deserted, maltreated and wounded animals. The shelter now homes over 200 animals, consisting of dogs, cats, donkeys, goats, kites, horses and turtles.

To help ACF expand and continue their journey, your donations are essential! For food donations and volunteering queries, please write to ayeshachundrigarfoundation@gmail.com

Donation Details:
Ayesha Chundrigar Foundation
Iban number: Pk33BAHL1036008100660001
Account number: 10360081006600012
Bank Al Habib, Kh-e-Hafiz Branch,
Karachi

7)      DarulSukun

Sr. Gertrude Lemmens, a Dutch nun, founded Dar ulSukun on 17^th February 1969. Originally, Dar ulSukun was a home for the abandoned children with disabilities. As the years progressed, the scope of service has expanded and now offers work for socially displaced girls, women, senior citizens, and education/scholarships for the underprivileged and family adaptation schemes; not in the main cities like Lahore , Karachi or Islamabad but in all small towns and cities.

·         For Dar ulSukun to continue being successful, your contributions are imperative!
Click here for donations:
http://www.darulsukun.com/donate/#.VZI2WBOqqko

5 ways to stay hydrated in Ramadan

Those who are visiting or living in Pakistan, and celebrating Ramadan are fighting a constant battle against dehydration intensified by the summer heat. Water is the most vital fluid to fulfill our thirst; unfortunately, people do not consume enough of it. Even though staying hydrated in Ramadan may seem challenging, especially if you are traveling by road, it is all about consuming the right food or drinking water at the right time.

1.    Drink at least 8 glasses of water each day

This can be done by drinking 2 glasses of water at sehri, breaking your fast with another 2 glasses and drinking four or more glasses in the duration between.

2.    Consume foods with high water content

Drinking 8 glasses of water over such a short span of time may seem to be an impossible task. Fortunately, there is another way out. You can compensate for lack of water in the food you eat. Fruits and vegetables with high water content are cucumbers, lettuce, green peppers and watermelon.

3.    Drink fresh fruit juices rather than sweetened juices

Sweetened juices not only contribute to weight gain but are not as effective as fresh fruit juices in quenching thirst. Fresh fruit juices are rich in water and fibre and remain in the intestine for longer reducing thirst.

4.    Avoid food with too much salt and spice

Salt and spice increase the body’s need for water and therefore cause dehydration more than any other foods. This goes for all the food lovers in Karachi and Lahore who are found eating their favorite spicy food at streets after iftar.

5.    Avoid drinking too much water at iftari

Consuming too much water at iftari time not only doesn’t help reduce dehydration, but causes indigestion which creates more problems rather than solving them.