Top 4 Valleys to visit in Azad Kashmir

Kashmir, the Mini Switzerland of Pakistan, perfectly defines beauty, peace and serenity. Sharing its border with Gilgit Baltistan, Azad Kashmir is also home to the lower part of Himalayas with several snow-caped mountains including Jamgarh Peak and Sarwali peak. Azad Kashmir is a mesmerizing assortment of valleys whose beauty cannot be described in words.

Let’s try to explore the top 4 valleys that we recommend you must visit if you plan a trip to Kashmir. 

 

Neelum Valley

Topping the list, Neelum Valley runs parallel to Kaghan valley only separated by snow covered mountain. Sharda is one of the most beautiful historical spots in the valley, situated on the banks of Neelum River.The scenic valley is also bejeweled with the 4 beautiful lakes,Chitta Katha Lake, Shounter Lake, RattiGali Lake and Saral Lake.

Leepa Valley

This valley is famously known as heart of Kashmir or the Mini Kashmir as it gives a perfect depiction of the heavenly beauty of Kashmir. It is covered in a blanket of white snow six months in a year and is only accessible between May and November. Even in summer, the valley has a pleasant, cold weather that is enjoyed by the tourists.

Kel Valley

Kel is one of the most beautiful sub-valleys inside the bigger Neelum valley. It is Located 19 Km from Sharda upstream at the elevation of 2,097 meters (6879 ft). The ShounterNallah joins river Neelum at this place and leads to Gilgit Agency over the Shandur pass. This valley also invites tourist’s attention due to its wildlife, including Brown Bear and Leopard.

Rawalakot

Rawalakot is a valley situated in the heart of district Poonch of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. It is shaped like a saucer with an altitude of 1615 meters.It is one of the most beautiful valleys of Azad Kashmir with captivating waterfalls and spectacular views. Rawlakot has an Agriculture University and several other colleges and secondary educational institutes. It is famous for trekking, hiking, paragliding and water based activities. This place expects a high number of tourists during peak times.

Other famous tourist places include Toli Peer, Pir Chinasi and Ramkot Fort.

Traveling the world on a small budget

There is one general answer to the question why people often restrict themselves from traveling. What holds back people from traveling is ‘money.’ Whenever asked, people simply say that they are tight on budgets or have very less or no savings at all. The only way to change the generic view about traveling is to believe in the statement that you don’t have to be rich to travel.

With that being said, you can easily travel the world on a tight budget. Most of us have an average amount of savings that we would rather spend on something else than traveling for a holiday. Firstly, you need to make your priorities clear. If traveling is a priority for you, you better assign that saved money to your leisure trip that you had been planning since ages but never ended up going.

This article will guide you step by step on how to travel the world on a small budget.

Plan Ahead

The first step is simply to plan your trip ahead. Search for the places that you would love to visit, make a list of all and research on them. Shortlist the ones that are the cheapest for tourists or the ones that fall between your budget. Try not to travel in the peak seasons as the price of everything is at the highest. Make the use of internet to search for websites offering cheap airline tickets.

Avoid spending unnecessarily

Don’t hire a travel guide when you can take your gadgets with you to guide you about tourist spots, how to get there, the maps and their relevance. Try to take taxi ride to and fro and avoid renting a car for your trip. If a certain tourist spot requires more money, skip that. Do not opt for breakfast at the hotel you’re staying in as well as avoid availing any extra services they offer. Explore the places that are free of cost, spend the least on food, admire the natural beauty and you’re good to go.

Say no to Shopping

Shopping is the last thing you would want to do on your economical trip. Yes, holidays are about spoiling yourself, eating and hanging out, shopping and having the time of your life. However, shopping takes the most of our savings while we skip on other fascinating things we can do there. Remember, you can shop back at home too, it is more important to take back experiences you can share with everyone and memories that you can always cherish.

The world is a beautiful place, so don’t restrict yourself from admiring it. Happy traveling.

Changing perceptions about online travel websites

With the wide adoption of e-commerce in travel and tourism industry, the internet has become an important channel for service delivery. The traditional travel agencies that devise the entire trip for the traveler, including tickets, accommodation and itinerary, are still widely functioning in Pakistan. Apart from this, travel service providers are also shifting towards online service. This can be seen as a positive initiative as the internet usage has majorly increased nowadays. 



The problem that still persists is the idea of moving from traditional travel agencies to online travel services. Online services are highly believed to be insecure and unauthentic. We can’t blame the general public to have this attitude due to many fraudulent activities that occurred through online websites. The good part is that these activities are fading as online security is being increased by various checks. The difficult part, however, is to change people’s perceptions about online travel websites. 

Online travel websites include airplane/train/metro tickets, hotel booking, car rental service, details of tourist destinations and online guides. These websites remove the agent in the middle and makes it easier for the traveler to search, review, select and book for themselves. Booking transportation is the easiest as they have their own websites where you can search for your best possible option. There are several websites that display cheap rates. Similarly, there are many online hotels booking websites that display a number of hotels throughout Pakistan. Jovago.com is the first and leading online hotel booking platform with more than 2000 hotels on its portfolio. 

Not only booking, but searching for the best tourist destinations, things to do and different guides about traveling, are all present on different travel blogs. Travel agents have a limited selection of hotels and packages. With online travel websites, you have full control over organizing your holiday trip. So, what are you waiting for, get online and get going.

Things to Consider While Selecting a Hotel

What is the most exciting part about traveling? Well, you get to go on a vacation! Even if it’s a business trip, you can always take time out to have fun at a new place. Of course, there are several things connected with traveling that you want to experience or achieve. F  lying out to a new destination, exploring some amazing tourist spots, witnessing and living the inspiring cultures, indulging in local activities, trying out  traditional delicacies  and building some everlasting memories are a few to name. 

As much as we want to walk out of the daily routine into a sweet vacation, planning out a vacation can be difficult. Deciding the destination, devising your budget, booking a flight, finding and selecting a hotel and what not, the list simply goes on. So, how do you choose the best hotel for you? There are certain factors tourists should consider while selecting the hotel and booking a room with them. Keep reading to find out what these factors are.

Location

The first thing that people often think of while traveling is the  location of their hotel . You would want a hotel that is situated at the center of the city, having a prime location. It makes it easier for you to travel to any place in equal time. Again, it completely depends. You might want a hotel that is away from the city so that you may enjoy the serenity of that remote area. You can browse and select one of the hotels in your desired location.

Price

What’s in my purse? It must sound familiar if you are a frequent traveler. Vacations take up a lot of your savings and the main chunk usually goes into tickets and accommodation. You will surely find a variety of options that will fit your budget as well as in the location you are looking for.

Services

What amenities a hotel offers under a certain price is the next question. The onsite facilities like pool or restaurant, wi-fi/internet connection, complimentary breakfast, laundry, airport pick up and car rental services, well-furnished and comfortable rooms and friendly and compliant staff are some of the many services that are really important to a guest.

Reviews

The best way to classify which hotel fits all the requirements is to look for reviews. It is in human nature to search other’s opinions about something. Honest and genuine reviews are your ultimate helper. After you have researched yourself, it is always better to ask around.  Jovago.com  provides the widest range of hotels online and makes it easier for the clients to choose by providing  reviews  directly from the customers.

How traveling can help you live again

It is so common to have a feeling that your life has become so boring and you just don’t know what to do with it. You might feel like there is nothing more to life because of your hectic and monotonous routine. Is it so that your life has become dull and colorless? I don’t think there is much to worry about because there is a simple solution to it. Have you traveled somewhere lately? In the past month, in the past year or in the past 5 years? Traveling helps your life revive and fill those black and white moments with colors.

There is a  misconception about traveling  that it is a luxury that only rich can afford. You do need some funds but that doesn’t mean you have to be rich. There are several budget friendly traveling ideas that are equally good and mesmerizing. Ever wondered how someone on your Facebook friends list is all over the newsfeed with their travel diaries so often? Well, they know how to do it.

The first thing you need to do is set your mind towards traveling and that it can help you live again. It is definitely an escape from your routine life, you get to  visit a new place  and explore so many things that you might have never even heard of. Stop viewing the world through television or the internet and go experience yourself.

If your mind is set about traveling but you just need that one push to make you leave your seat, just remember that old age is not guaranteed to anyone.

Traveling is mostly postponed thinking, “I don’t have enough money,” “I can’t travel alone,” “I don’t have time,” and most common, “I will think about it later.”  Take a break  from your life and just do it! Trust me, you will thank yourself later.
Look for options that lie perfectly within your budget and go on to enjoy life, make new memories and share your experiences with the world. After all, the purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for n  ewer and richer experience. It’s as simple as that, when life gives you lemons, travel and make the most out of it.

Deciding where to travel next

Traveling is definitely a sweet escape from the daily routine of life. However, it sometimes becomes stressful to plan out your holiday trip from beginning to the end. Apart from basic pre traveling errands like buying tickets, booking hotels, getting stuff together and packing it and many more, there might as well be another important decision to make before heading out for a vacation. 

Sometimes, you have the idea of taking a time off and going for a  holiday trip   . But what is absent here is the exact destination to travel to. If you have had such moments and are afraid that you might have again, this is the right article to read on. Let’s look at some steps to make deciding where to travel next easier.

Like every other time, before taking a decision, people tend to and certainly should brainstorm. Break the thinking process down to steps and ask questions to yourself.

Why do you want to travel?
Do you want to relax? Do you want to party? Do you want to be alone? Again, a question is followed by a number of constructive questions. You can easily sort out the places that fall under these categories. You can look for islands to relax, or a busy  city that never sleeps  so you may party all night too.

How long to travel for?
First and foremost, determine the number of days that you can spare for your vacation. The more days you have, the far you can travel to and vice versa. You might even fly to a nearby city if you have just a few days in hand.

What’s your budget?
You can surely cut down on different costs and make your trip cheaper, but it will most definitely take up a chunk of your savings. If you can easily fund airfare for a long flight, find the right accommodation in low price and make a list of touristy things to do under your budget, you’re good to go.

Are you traveling with someone?
Traveling alone or with someone, both have their own pros and cons. If traveling with a partner, you can mutually decide on the location, bear the costs equally and share the stress from planning to execution. However, if  traveling alone , you don’t have to worry about whether or not your travel partner may like your ideas and recommendations regarding the trip.

At the end of the day, it’s your decision so don’t overthink and stress about it too much. A holiday trip is always fun, you should probably worry about how you can make it the most memorable one. Happy traveling y’all!

Service Sales Corporation signs Jaffer Business Systemsfor IT Solutions

Lahore, 23rd March 2016: Leading Pakistani retailer, M/S Service Sales Corporation (SSC)has inked MOU with Jaffer Business Systems(JBS) for IT client-end managed services and infrastructure solutions.

Information technology in Pakistan is a growing and rising industry with a lot of potential to offer to local business sector.Considering the futuristic importance of IT business solutions, SSC the market leader in footwear industry collaborated with Jaffer Business Systems, a leading IT solution provider to elevate its IT systems for better efficiency & enhanced customer experience. 

Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Shahid Hussain, CEO Service Sales Corporation (SSC) said, “We at SSC believe in continuous improvement and capacity building in our business operations to create value for our customers, which is not possible without adhering to the modern IT business solutions.Today we live in theera of IT & digital technology and with this MOU signing with JBS we will now strengthen our service quality with an improved and better customer experience”.

Mr. Veqar ul Islam, CEO, Jaffer Business Systems on the occasion said “We are glad to be partnering with a progressive company like SSC for theIT managed service set up across SSC’s 500 stores nationwide along with their IT infrastructure requirements. JBS prides itself as an innovative business solution provider to its customers, a skill we have accomplished through extensive years of experience and expertise in the field of IT.”

Mr. Jalal Ahmed, SSC Chief Information Officer on this occasion said, “SSC has always been at the forefront of taking new initiatives for best customer experience across Pakistan. We remain a sustained market leader, setting higher standards in industry practice and have a meaningful impact on the lives of our customers, employee’s community and shareholders through innovation and capability of our people”.