Arrived with the baggage of cooked food, fruits and tents for camping at the picturesque Thandyani, Qaiser Khan’s family, a former Wapda employee, rejoiced after visiting their dream tourists resort to enjoy snow games, mountaineering and trekking amid rainy weather conditions.
Qaisar and his sons, Zershan and Ehtisham, were enjoying national and cultural songs such as “Sohni Dharti” and “Monga da Khyber Zalmi” on their music system. They were also busy fixing and hammering bolts on tents in a suitable location in Thandyani. The family was looking forward to enjoying the rainy weather on the weekend without any cost.
Amid disappearing sun behind clouds hovering over Thandyani hills amid blossom of seasonal flowers, Qaiser’s wife who belonged to Wapda Town Nowshera, was seen preparing green tea on gas stove after warming up the Peshawari’s famous Chappli Kabab, Paye and Polao rice dishes they brought along and making it ready on ‘Dastarkhwans’ to serve her family members on Saturday.
“Galiyat is my favorite tourists place. I have planned Galiyat’s tour few years ago but postponed it due to travel restrictions owing to COVID-19 pandemic and today dream of my family to see its mesmerising natural beauty with soothing environment came true,” Qaiser told APP. “I was stunned to see the nearby black clouds, natural beauty and cool fresh air of Thandyani and advised families to come here in large numbers due to its better road connectivity.”
Wearing traditional Peshawari Chappal, the 59-year-old tourist said that he had brought tents and other stuff along as the hotel room and food cost was very high for a common man at Galiyat. “The rent of a normal two-bedroom per night in Thandyani and Nathiyagali is approximately Rs10,000 to Rs12,000 that was beyond of hiring capacity of middle class”, he said.
He said that he had selected Thandiyani as first camping site as the tourists can see the snow-covered Pir Panjal mountain range of Kashmir and lush green terrains of Kaghan and Kohistan besides snow-clad ranges of Swat and Chitral from Thandyani top having 2,750 meters height of the above sea level, which are taking nature lovers and adventure sports enthusiasts over the moon.
