What is Kaghan Valley?
{{nosources|date=November 2012}} The '''Kaghan valley''' is a valley in the [[Mansehra District]] of [[Hazara Division]] of the [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]] province of [[Pakistan]]. It has a reputation as a place of great natural beauty. This valley also suffered from the earthquake disaster on 8 October 2005.{{fact|date=April 2009}}[[Image:Looking up at Malika Parbat Panorama 9162.jpg|right|thumb|[[Malika Parbat]] {{convert|5190|m|ft}}, near [[Saiful Muluk Lake]]]] ==Lay out== The valley is approximately 160 kilometers long, starting from [[Balakot]] in the 'Lower Kaghan' to [[Babusar Pass]] at the extreme end of the 'Upper Kaghan'. It is mostly surrounded by the forests and hills of the Lesvjzxbser [[Himalayas]] and the [[Kunhar River]] runs though most of its length. The valley is mostly inhabited by semi-nomadic [[Gujar]]s, and some [[Swatis]], [[Awans]] and [[Syed]]s. ==Background and main sights== Historically speaking, Kaghan was long a backward and neglected area, until the 1880s-1890s when officers of [[British India]] established a strategic supply line via the Babusar Pass to the northern areas of the [[Gilgit Agency]]. After that, the area soon opened up to tourism and resort centers like [[Shogran]] and [[Naran Valley]] were developed in it. The famous and lovely [[Saiful Muluk Lake]] is also a special feature of this valley as are some other lakes like [[Ansoo Lake]], Dudupat Sar, Lulu Sar and the Lalazar Meadows. [[Malika Parbat]] is a high peak in the area. Between May and August each year, thousands of tourists from Pakistan and abroad dive up from [[Abbottabad]] and Mansehra, to visit these places in the valley. For most of the rest of the year, Kaghan area is locked in by heavy snows. ==Related pages== *[[Neelum Valley]] {{geo-stub}} [[Category:Valleys of Pakistan]] [[Category:Mansehra District]]