Munnaza Ahmad
Kotli Sattian – a place gifted with beautiful getaways and mesmerizing forests is on its way to becoming another hill station.
Positioned near the banks of Jhelum River, Kotli Sattian is a subdivision of Rawalpindi. The region is shielded by Soan River from the southwest, while its northwestern division is near the queen of hill stations – Murree.
Boasting of captivating view of the hills, and cultural ethos that speaks of simplistic living amidst nature and harmony – Kotli Sattianis is home to a population of almost 100,000 people. The people of Kotli Sattian are referred to as Pahari people.
The highest point being the Phofandi peak is over 7,035 feet above sea level and the lowest point 1,587 feet above sea level.
It is a land of inspiring natural beauty. To top it off, it’s the availability of numerous can’t-miss experiences ranging from camping, sightseeing to trekking which makes the place ten folds worthwhile.
With its name derived from the mountain town as Kotli and the Satti, the delightful station standing only50 km apart from Islamabad via Lehtrar Road is a real treat to the eyes.
The terrain enjoys long and clear summers while winters are short, cold and mostly cloudy with the temperature dropping as low as 2 degrees.
Keeping that in view, the best time of the year to visit Kotli Sattian is from March until December. It is interesting to know that Kotli Sattian is amongst one of the four places: Fort Munroe, Murree and Soon Valley, which experiences snowfall in winters.
Knowing its great potential, Government of Punjab is all set to build the Tourism Highway which will link Murree, Kotli Sattian and Kahuta.
Starting from lower Topa Murree to Chowk Pindori via Kotli Sattian, spread over 123.62 KM the, the cost amounting to 4051.660 (M), the road is a gateway to economic growth.
Timely completion of development schemes is the foremost priority of the Punjab government.
Punjab Tourism for Economic Growth Project adds to the mega project by developing Destination Investment and Management Plans.
Once completed it will bring tremendous amount of relief to the people and increase the tourism potential exponentially by generating economic activities for the locals in the area.
While facilitating the tourists and making their trip memorable, the initiatives will aid in better protection and conservation of natural/cultural resources.
That being said, if you are planning a trip to the God given beauty for retreat there are a number of things you should have on your list: The writer is a freelance writer and a communication Specialist by profession.