Top Places to visit in Mansehra, KPK, Pakistan

Mansehra is a very beautiful northern city in KPK province in Pakistan.

Mansehra is eponymous with Sardar Maha Singh Mirpuri, who was the administrator and general of the Sikh army during the ancient Sikh Regime of Raja Ranjit Singh (1801-1839). Mansehra is 71stthe  big city in Pakistan and the 7th biggest in the KP province. The city has historical value due to the influence of different civilizations and dynasties due to its strategic importance and junction of three major routes (China, Kashmir, and Taxila).

Beautiful View of Mansehra city, Bareri Hills (left) and Lughmani Hills (right)

Today the 21st century still Mansehra holds very strategic importance and is a hub of, business, tourism and culture due to the CPEC route and developed base camp for northern areas. 

There are two categories of historical places and top attractions within Mansehra and famous places in the of district Mansehra.

Tourist places inside the Mansehra city

Gurdwara Siri Guru Singh Sabha

It is located on Kashmir road just in the middle of the city. dates back to 1937 in the era of Hari Singh Nalwa. Now it is used as Municipal Library. It has a very beautiful ancient three-story building and is a landmark of Sikh architects. It has a big Hall, guest room, and terrace.

Gurdwara Siri Guru Singh Sabha Kashmir road Mansehra city

Inside view of Gurdwara Siri Guru Singh Sabha.
located on Kashmir road Mansehra city since 1937

King Ashoka Major Rock Edicts 

Major rock edicts are located near the west of Butt Pul on the Karakoram near Mansehra city. There are Major rock edicts 1 to 14 engraved on the rock by order of Ashoka the Great. This rock is one of the 10 major locations of the Ashoka kingdom (268 BCE - 232 BCE) where major rock edicts are located. He was the famous 3rd king of the  Mauryan Dynasty and the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya. He was also called  King of the  Kings in Mauryan Dynasty.

Signboard on Karakoram Highway Mansehra near the fencing
 of Ashoka Major Rock Edicts

Rock No 3 laying down the hill near Karakoram Highway, Butt Pul Mansehra
It is one of three rocks of King Ashoka Major Rock Edicts 

Rock No 1 and 2 of King Ashoka Major Rock edicts 1-14
Karakoram highway, Butt Pul Mansehra

Lughmani Hills or Perha Paharh

Very beautiful hills in the northeast of Mansehra partially covered with pine trees چیڑ کے درخت۔. Lughmani Hills was also called Perha Paharh or Pera Pahar پیڑا پہاڑ.
Lughmani hills are also famous as the Mansehra bypass or bypass only. Actually, there was a bypass road which has been constructed in 2010 to provide easy passage to the traffic of Balakot, Naran, and Kaghan and avoid city traffic congestion on Karakoram highway N-15. 

Evening view of Lughmani Hills
Abdul Sattar Edhi Bypass Mansehra

The bypass road is crossing the Lughmani hills at the western neck with a sharp turn. This location is providing a beautiful city view to everyone who is traveling through the Karakorum highway and bypassing the city area. Gradually Lughmani hills turned into a tourist point after the construction of hotels, restaurants, tea stalls turned, and snack dhabas. 

Soon after the projection on social media, government local tourists started to visit Lughmani, hills and this made Lughmani hills not only an emerging tourist point but also a business spot. Now the local government has developed this place by providing some seating arrangements, trash management, and cement fencing as a safety measure for tourists who are gathering on a sharp turn. 

Local government has also installed a 200-meter flag mast for the Pakistan Flag upraise ceremony on the measure14th of August every year. Prior to the flag mast, the local government had made a beautiful,  natural and large flag by using grass as a green color and whitewashed stones as the white color of the Pakistani Flag, which made the Lughmani hills famous and attractive on social media. Due to heavy hill cutting previous natural flag has disappeared now.

Beautiful Lughmani Hills on Abdul Sattar Edhi bypass Mansehra

Bareri Mountain and Brahman festival

As soon as you cross the Mansehra interchange on Hazara Motorway M15 you will see a towering hill in front of you partially covered with pine trees and large boulders called Bareri hills. The second longest tunnel of the Hazara motorway passes through Bareri mountain. When you travel through Karakoram Highway you will find Bareri hills northwest of Mansehra city.

Bareri mountain view from Karakoram Highway Mansehra

Bareri mountain is famous for the Hindu brahmin getting together at the top of Bareri Hill to worship Durga (Durga puja) during the famous festival Durgashtami of the Indian subcontinent.  Famous Ashoka's 1-14 major rock edicts are also engraved on three boulders at the base of Bareri mountain Mansehra. There is a large bunch of rocks and boulders at the peak of Bareri, which can be seen easily from around the valley.

There are no settlements, food, and beverages available at the top. You can reach the top through one hour hike or 30 minutes of biking on the unpaved bumpy road.

Delighted view of Bareri Hills northeast Mansehra city.
The picture has been captured from Township hills.

 

Bhut Katha

It is a very old water stream flowing in the center of the city. Bhut Katha is a tributary of the famous Siran river. The water of this stream is highly contaminated as all trash of the Mansehra city is being thrown to this inside the city and by the streamside population. there are many bridges in Bhut Katha inside the city, the famous one is But Pul over Karakoram Highway N-15 northwest of the city. Famous Ashoka Park and Asoka Rocks are situated near Butt Pul.

Famous Butt Pul over Bhut Katha
on Karakoram Highway N-15 in the north of Mansehra city

Waterfall near Ghazikot Town Ship

There is a small waterfall southwest of Ghazikot Township in Bhut Katha at 1 km.

East of  Hazara Motorway M15 Potha over flybridge. Waterfall has been formed as a result of the construction of a  small dam on the local water stream for providing water supply to the residents of Ghazikot Township. Easy access through Darul Aman road Ghazikot Township Sector E.   Journey is comprised of a 500-meter off-road drive and 100 meters down the hill walking. 

It is not a developed spot for tourism where you can still feel organic touch. It is a beautiful and relaxing destination for nature lovers and for photography enthusiasts as the area near the upstream is full of trees on the side mounts.

Small but beautiful waterfall near Ghazikot Township Mansehra in Bhut Katha

Mansehra Service area on Hazara Motorway

Mansehra rest area on the Hazara motorway is a very beautiful and developed spot for tourists and travelers due to its location in a valley. It is located southwest of the city just 5 km before the Mansehra interchange while traveling from Islamabad.

Best restaurants, hotels, shopping areas and masjid is available for travelers.

Mansehra Service area on Hazara Motorway M15

Tourist places outside the Mansehra city

• Balakot City

• Garhi Habibullah

• Naran valley

• Sharan Forest

• Siri Paye

• Babu Sar Top

• Siri Top

• Pir of Dhanaka Shareef

• Kiwai Waterfall

• Shogran

• Saif ul Malook Lake

• Lulusar Lake

• Kaghan Valley

• Shive Temple Chitti Gatti Gandhian