Fairy Meadows - a true fairyland of nature!!

Mighty Nanga Parbat aka The Killer Mountain shot from Campsite at Fairy Meadows

If there is a place on earth where I would like to spend the rest of my life, no questions asked, it will be at the foot of the mighty Nanga Parbat, in Fairy Meadows. All mountains are beautiful in their own way, all-natural scenery is heart-warming it its own uniqueness, but the way Nanga Parbat dazzles you is beyond words. A look at this Majestic mountain from Fairy Meadows will hypnotize you and will keep you spellbound for hours, maybe weeks rather. The first time I visited Fairy Meadows, I was denied a glance on the first day by a thick cover of clouds surrounding Nanga Parbat. When I woke the next day and came out of my camp at about 4 in the morning, the sky had cleared. Seeing Nanga Parbat, an enormous Giant standing in its full glory completely dazzled me. I forgot everything else, oblivious of what was happening around me, and just kept staring at this wonderful creation of the Almighty. Such was the magic of its beauty that I lost the track of time and kept staring for hours.

Fairy Meadows is a scenic Meadow located on the Northern slope of Nanga Parbat Massif, right next to Raikot Glacier in Diamer District of Gilgit Baltistan. Starting from the top of Nanga Parbat, all the way to the shore of the raging Indus at Raikot, this 6500-meter drop in elevation in just 25 km is one of the sharpest in the world.

In order to get to Fairy Meadows, you have to first get to Raikot on Karakoram Highway. There are many ways to get there from Islamabad. You can simply hop on a bus to Gilgit and get dropped at Raikot Bridge. If you want to drive yourself, then best time to visit is between June & September when Babusar Top is open. Starting from Islamabad, it takes you about 14 hours to reach Raikot, via Hazara Motorway, Balakot, Naran, lulusar Lake, Babusar top and Chillas.

You can also take the Karakoram Highway to get to Raikot, specially if you want to take adventure to another level. Make sure your vehicle has good road clearance though. From Mansehra, instead of taking Balakot road, you will continue your journey on KKH (Once Hazara motorway is completed, this will change as you will get to Thakot Bridge using the Motorway). There are patches of construction zones for motorway between Mansehra and Thakot these days, so beware of possible traffic jams. Thakot is where you get your first glimpse of the Mighty River Indus, which will stay with you for next 10-12 hours and 500 kms of your journey.

The next town on the way is Besham, the district headquarters of Shangla. The town boasts a small bazar on the bank of river Indus. Besham is a good spot to refuel your car and even yourself before you enter a barren wonderland of Kohistan. Another 2-3 hours of drive from Besham will get you to Dasu, the district headquarters of Kohistan. Dasu is a scenic town on the bank of the river Indus. The People of this town are conservative and simple. There are a few restaurants and tea spots in the town if you want to refresh. Road ahead of Dasu is in a bad shape. This is where the sites of two major Hydro-power projects are located, Dasu Hydropower project and Bhasha Dam. Perhaps because of being a construction zone, road has not been renovated in this part. Other parts of KKH have been renovated and are fine to drive on.

It will take you good 4-6 hours, depending upon how careful you are with your vehicle, to get to Chillas. Chillas, though in GB is unlike rest of GB. With Dry and hot weather and majority of population being conservative, you feel somewhat out of your comfort zone in Chillas. There are a few good staying options available in Chillas though, right on KKH. Drive another couple of hours on the KKH and you will get to Raikot.

Raikot is where your Road trip ends and true adventure begins, as you ride on one of 1970s jeeps driven by pilots – yes they really are Pilots, no exaggeration in it, those who have taken this jeep ride can testify. A couple of hours of nerve wrecking jeep journey will get you to Tattu. Raikot – Tattu Jeep trek is categorized as one of the toughest roads in the world. Only the local pilots have what it takes to drive on this road. Road at some places is so narrow that you start doubting if jeep could pass or not. The drop on the cliff side is a few thousand feet at some places. You can hear the Raikot river far below but thanks to the steep angle of the rocky cliffs, you cannot see it.

Tattu is a small scenic Village and it marks the end of road. Ahead of this point, you will have to rely on your feet to get you to Fairy Meadows. The trek is Moderate in terms of difficulty level and incline is quite gentle, barring a couple of twists and turns off-course. You can get mules & porters for your luggage. Horses are also available for those who prefer not to hike. People of Tattu are very nice and friendly, and welcome tourists with open hearts.

Depending on your speed and experience level, it can take you 2-4 hours to get to Fairy Meadows. First half of the trek in exposed to sun and does not have much of tree cover, so it is highly recommended to apply sunblock before you begin the trek, even if it is overcast. There is very little water on the trek, so do not forget to fill your water bottles at Tattu. A tuck Shop has recently opened almost mid-way on the trek, where you can rest and enjoy a cup of tea. Ahead of this tuck-shop, trek enters a thick pine forest. The freshness of the air in this jungle is matchless. Another hour from here, hiking on a slightly more incline slope, crossing two streams, you will approach the final turns before Fairy Meadows. This is where you get to see the Majestic Nanga Parbat for the first time if you are lucky enough to visit in clear weather.

A view of Nanga Parbat from Fairy Meadows

There are plenty of resorts in Fairy Meadows, with options to stay in wooden cottages or in Camps. Cost of stay is quiet nominal. If you are visiting in Peak summer season, better book before you visit as it can get very crowded in this part of the year. There are many staying options, but my favorite place to stay is Broadview Resort owned by Fazl-ur-Rehman Bhai. Fazal Bhai himself is a huge reason, I don’t have to even consider staying somewhere else. Besides, Broadview is one of the oldest resorts in Fairy Meadows and it’s lawn offers stunning view of the mighty Nanga Parbat. I have spent countless evenings and mornings sitting in that lawn gawking at the beauty on Display.

When you lay your eyes on Nanga Parbat from Fairy Meadows, you can’t help yourself but notice its enormity. The Mountain is hardly 12-15 km away and is over 4,000 meters higher – that’s 4 Kilometers vertically above you and since Raikot face of Nanga Parbat is one of the biggest Mountain faces in the world and witnessing it from Fairy Meadows is an experience that keeps you mentally there even weeks after you have returned. The grandiosity of the mountain makes you feel like a mere tiny speck in front of it. Sitting there at times, I wonder If I am this small compared to this one mountain, how would I compare to the planet and to the universe at large.

Cricket in Fairy Meadows, with perhaps the biggest Side Screen on Planet

The above picture can help you in gauging the enormity of the mountain. If you look the the people who are hardly a 100 meter from the camera and compare them with the giant still about 12-15 km away, you will get a fair idea of how enormous this Giant looks from Fairy Meadows.

Things to Do in Fairy Meadows:

Fairy Meadows is as peaceful as it can get. Spend a relaxing day in Fairy Meadows, doing nothing but breathing fresh air, enjoying the freshness and the views, you will feel it's therapeutic effects for weeks. Apart from that, take a walk in the surrounding jungle to get a feel of the place. Still not satisfied, take a 2 hour hike to Susrubush top, a small hill (everything looks small when it is placed next to Nanga Parbat) on the right of Fairy Meadows. The views from the top are just mind blowing. Besides, a hike to Nanga Parbat Base Camp is another thing you would not want to miss out on. Make sure you have ear-marked a full day for that though.

Nanga Parbat shot from Susubush

Trip Details:

It is recommended to spare 6 days if you are travelling from Islamabad / Lahore.

Drive:

Islamabad – Abbotabad – Balakot – Naran – Babusar – Chillas – Raikot (14 hours)

Alternatively: Islamabad – Abbotabad – Besham – Dasu – Chillas – Raikot (18 Hours)

Jeep Ride: Raikot to Tattu (2 Hours)

Trekking: (Trekking level: Moderate)

Tattu to Fairy Meadows: 2-4 Hours (depending on your speed and endurance)

Elevation: Approx 3,800 meters

Best time to Visit:

All Year Round, though Winters can be very harsh and special arrangements must be made before planning a visit.

Weather: Mild in Days and cold to extremely cold at nights, so go prepared. (Extremely cold in winters, all day long)

Equipment Required:

· Trekking / Hiking Boots

· Warm Socks

· A warm Jacket

· Hat / Cap

· Sunblock / sunscreen

· Sunshades

· Search light / torch

· Raincoat / rain suit

· Trekking poles