Sharan Forest

Sharan Forest is, one of the untouched places in the Kaghan Valley, known for its lush green dense pine forest. It provides a vast landscape with clean environment and healthy atmosphere and preferable place for camping, hiking, and wildlife. It is located on an elevation of 7,950 feet at the distance of 11.5km from Paras village. It is accessible by crossing a bridge over the Khunhar River from the main Kaghan road.

Hiring Jeep for Sharan Forest

The Sharan forest trek is bumpy and rough, so 4x4 jeep is required to reach there. Jeep can be hired from Kewai or Paras village for a roundtrip to Sharan Forest. You can park your personal vehicle in the specified spots there. Before moving toward Sharan forest, you must purchase required and water bottle as these items are available on the top at much higher rates. An inclined bumpy trek is started after crossing the bridge after turning right from the main Kaghan road. Trek is passing from the dense pine forest. There is waterfall with small pond in front of it, while crossing the trek. It takes nearly one and a half hour to reach at the top in Sharan Forest.

Sharan Forest is the gateway to different tour places such as Sharan Waterfall, Manshi Top, and Musa ka Masala Mountain. Manshi Top is the base camp of Musa ka Masala mountain, but from this side, trek is much difficult and short. The famous trek to Musa ka Masala leads from Phatekka near Balakot.

Base Camp to Manshi Top

Manshi Top is a lush green plateau in the Sharan Forest and accessible through dense thick pine forest. Before starting the hiking for Sharan Forest, one must equip with proper mountaineering shoes, hiking poles, water bottles, and required eatables. The initial part of trek is little bit difficult and then it becomes easy to ascend. It takes two to three hours from Sharan Forest to access the Manshi Top. After getting the top, one can fall in love with charming atmosphere there. At the top, one get a clear view of the Makra Peak with Siri Paye meadow.

Camping in Sharan Forest

Eco-Camping facility, owned by government, is available in different designated spots in the Sharan Forest on low rates. These available as single or double bed cabins. These are preferable choice for trekkers due to low rates. But, if you prefer luxury resorts, then you can stay in private hotels or luxury cabins. The cost of these resorts is much higher as compare to camping sites. If you plan without night stay there, then you must start your jeep journey at early morning near 4PM and will get back before sunset at Paras village after completing the Manshi Top trek.

Manshi Top Trek

Manshi Top is lush green meadow with wider landscape. It gives a splendid and panoramic view of Makra Peak with Siri-Paye meadows. Due to openness, a strong flow of air is always observed there. Flow of air is coming from snow-capped mountains, so atmosphere becomes pleasant and cool there. There is also a small seasonal pond of water for animal grazing over the meadows. In summer season, one can also observed the large number of sheep grazing there. There is not defined trek to Manshi top, so a guide must be needed and available from the local hotel. There would be chance of facing black bear and leopard in the dense forest trek, so it would be necessary to come back before sunset.

Sharan Waterfall Trek

Sharan Waterfall is a short 40 minutes trek through the Sharan Forest. It gives scenic view of falling water in the calmness of forest and an ideal place for enjoy the untouched beauty of Siran Valley.

About Kaghan

Kaghan Valley, a scenic wonderland, is at height of beauty among many beautiful valleys in Hazara in the Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa, Pakistan. It is one hundred and sixty kilometers long valley in the Lower Himalayan mountain range, having an elevation of 2,134 feet to 13,690 feet at Babusar Pass.