The Saiful Muluk jeep terminal is being moved one kilometre from the lake, as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department relocates shops, restaurants and the terminal to a designated service area to protect the lake from pollution and unplanned construction.
The department says hundreds of four-wheel-drive vehicles park along the lake during the tourist season, while shops and eateries have also affected its natural environment. The move will clear the lakeshore and give the water and its surroundings room to recover.
The relocation was reported in Dawn’s newspaper on November 9, and the Wildlife Department has now begun the work on the ground.
Saiful Muluk jeep terminal: what is moving, and where it is going
Abdul Rashid Tanoli, Sub-Divisional Wildlife Officer at Saiful Muluk National Park, said the department had cleared the existing parking area and started shifting it away from the lake.
The department is setting up temporary shops and eateries in the new service area before moving them into properly designed structures. It will also issue licences to local residents who want to operate businesses under prescribed standard operating procedures.
The department is also developing walking tracks around the lake and building shelters to protect visitors from the sun and rain. A green belt will be developed on the spots from where shops and eateries are being removed.
Hussain Deen, chairman of the Kaghan Valley Hoteliers Association, welcomed the move. He said unplanned construction, vehicle parking and littering had damaged the lake’s natural beauty, and relocating the businesses and jeep terminal to a designated area could help restore the lake’s surroundings. He also urged visitors to avoid littering, because Saiful Muluk Lake lies within a national park.
Why the lake needed the move
Saiful Muluk sits about 10,578 feet above sea level in Kaghan Valley, and it is one of the best-known lakes in Pakistan. Its clear water, green slopes and fairy-tale associations draw large crowds every summer, and most visitors arrive by jeep from Naran.
That popularity is also the problem. During the peak season, hundreds of four-wheel-drive vehicles make round trips to the lake and park along its edges. Shops and eateries grew up beside the water without a plan, and litter followed. The lake’s charm, which brings the visitors in the first place, was being worn away by the traffic that serves them.
Moving the terminal, shops and restaurants one kilometre back is a simple fix. Visitors will still reach the lake, but on foot along the new walking tracks, and the vehicles will wait in a proper parking area instead of on the shore.
Travellers planning a trip should know the valley before they go. Our Kaghan Valley travel guide covers the route, the stops and what to expect on the road from Naran. Mansehra, the gateway town for the valley, also rewards a slower visit, as our guide to its hidden three-storey gurdwara shows.
Mountain weather can change fast, and visitors should check conditions before they travel. The first snowfall of the season has already drawn tourists to Galiyat, while trekkers went missing in the Himalayas after snowfall earlier this month, a reminder that the mountains demand respect even on a short visit.
What happens next
The department has cleared the parking area and started the shift. Temporary shops and eateries will open in the new service area first, and properly designed structures will follow. Local residents who want to run businesses there will need licences under the new standard operating procedures.
For visitors, the change should make the lake itself the focus again. The jeeps will still run from Naran, the walk from the new terminal will be short, and the shore will be free of parked vehicles and scattered shops. The lake’s water and its green slopes will have a better chance to stay as clean as the stories say they are.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the jeep terminal moving from Saiful Muluk Lake?
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department is moving it to protect the lake from pollution and unplanned construction. Hundreds of vehicles park along the lake in tourist season, and shops and eateries have affected its natural environment.
How far is the new service area from the lake?
The new designated service area is one kilometre away from the lake. The department is setting up temporary shops and eateries there before moving them into properly designed structures.
Who is carrying out the relocation?
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department, through the Saiful Muluk National Park office. Sub-Divisional Wildlife Officer Abdul Rashid Tanoli said the parking area has been cleared and the shift has started.
Will tourists still be able to reach the lake?
Yes. Jeeps will still run from Naran, and visitors will walk from the new terminal to the lake along walking tracks the department is developing. Shelters are also being built for visitors.
What should visitors keep in mind?
Saiful Muluk Lake lies within a national park, so visitors should not litter. Local hoteliers have asked tourists to respect the site so its natural beauty can recover.
