God has bestowed every season in Pakistan, from extreme hotness in areas of Sindh to the coldest places in Pakistan in the north, and one can enjoy every season while living in Pakistan.
As tourism is at its peak in Pakistan and the world is yet to discover what a beautiful Pakistan is, people, not only foreigners but Pakistani, keep looking for places to visit and discover the mesmerizing and scenic areas of Pakistan. And if you are from Karachi, then I am sure you must be dying to visit the northern areas of Pakistan to escape the melting heat of Karachi. If you are a tourist visiting Pakistan, I am sure you will be stunt by the raw beauty of these colder places.
Because the most popular places to visit and the most breathtaking views are hands down colder areas of Pakistan. They are most visited because they remain astonishing throughout the year. Humongous mountains covered with snow and fresh cold breeze in the summertime and chilling weather in winter with snowfall work wonder about making these areas the most beautiful and coldest areas of Pakistan.
But you must be wondering where to go to find these places as Pakistan has a lot of these places, in my opinion, you should visit every place in Pakistan, but here I am talking about the coldest places of Pakistan and have listed some of the coldest places to visit in Pakistan.
Skardu
Temperature is as low as -34°C in winter and five °C in summertime Skardu falls in one of the coldest places in Pakistan. This is located in central Gilgit Baltistan and is one of the most visited places in Pakistan. It’s home to some of the highest mountains in the world, like K2 and Gasherbrum.
Snowfall in this region mainly happens in March, and many tourists and locals visit this place to enjoy skiing. It is also a historical site where apart from cold weather, one can visit forts, and one of the most famous forts to visit is Kharphocho fort. This place has a scenic view and crystal clear lakes which change color. In winter, they turn turquoise blue, and in summer, they appear to be grey.
But visiting in any season, Skardu does not disappoint its visitors. Day by day, its breathtaking beauty attracts more tourists and locals.
Ziarat
Ziarat is the place where the founder of Pakistan spent his last few months and died in the infamous Ziarat residency, which attracts locals and tourists throughout the year. Still, it is unarguably the coldest place in Pakistan, wherein in hotter months, the temperatures reach 30°C. In winter, it gets as low as -26°C, very chilling.
It’s located in Baluchistan, Quetta, but it’s the most peaceful place in Quetta and certainly has raw and untouched natural beauty incredible landscapes. The Juniper valley of Ziarat is the best place to enjoy trekking and hiking.
Ziarat is a must-visit place because the snowy mountains, excellent night view, and cold weather will keep you covered.
Naran Kaghan
Located in the province of Khyber Pakhtun Khuwa in Manshera district, Naran and Kaghan are counted as some of the coldest places because, in the summertime, the temperature gets as high as 15°C. In winter, it gets as low as -5°C.
Mountains, lakes, and glaciers surround it. It’s a great tourist destination as it offers everything like trekking, climbing, and people who live in hotter areas of Pakistan prefer to visit these places in summer to enjoy the cold weather in summer.
Swat valley
Known as the Switzerland of Pakistan and paradise on earth, Swat valley comes amongst the colder areas of Pakistan covered in mountains and snowy glaciers. Its temperature in winter reaches four °C, and in the summertime, it remains 15 to 20 degrees.
Its located in the Malakand division of KPK province. Although its weather remains relatively moderate in the summertime, you can enjoy lush green landscapes during March and May. Still, it remains cold after September, and in December, Swat valley gets covered in snow.
Chitral
Chitral is known for its cold and harsh weather. This place is located in KPK province near the Chitral river aka Kunar river. Climate change in Chitral is drastic, from heavy rainfalls to heavy snowfall. Chitral falls in the category of the coldest place in Pakistan. Its temperature in summer reaches 18 to 25°C, wherein in winter, it goes to -3 degrees.
It’s a mountainous range and is filled with snowcapped mountains. Here tourists come to have a climbing experience during moderate temperatures. In winter, it gets so cold that it gets hard to reach there because of road blockage, and winters last a long time in this region.
Malam Jabba
Malam Jabba is a great tourist spot because it’s a hill station and a ski resort. It also comes in the coldest places of Pakistan and is located near Swat valley and is 10,000 feet above sea level.
The temperature remains moderate throughout summertime with rainfall and mild summer with a maximum of 30 degrees. Still, the temperature drops to 11 to -5 degrees in winter, with heavy snowfall covering the whole mountain.
Naltar valley
This place is a paradise for nature lovers, as the road leading to this valley is not easy for non-locals. It’s located near Gilgit Baltistan near Karakorum highway.
This valley is home to three majestic lakes known as Bashiri lakes, dense forests, and a mountain range filled with snow. The temperature gets lowest at 2 to 1°C on average and highest at 22 degrees in summer. It’s also famous for the skiing competition held from 1 January till the end of February.
During summers, you won’t feel like summer. If you live in hotter areas, Naltar valley is best to visit during the summertime because the harsh cold weather of this remote valley can sometimes also be dangerous for travelers.
Murree
Murree is a prevalent and one of the most visited places in Pakistan because of its scenic views, but that’s not all. Many people travel there to enjoy the coldness and snowfalls as it’s also the coldest place in Pakistan. It is 2300 above sea level.
The lowest temperature of Murree sometimes reaches -4 degrees, and the highest it gets of 20 degrees during June and July. In winter, the climate gets dry and harsh, and Murree gets less crowded during winter.
Parachinar
It’s a small town located in the Kurram district in the province of KPK. This town is near the Afghanistan border with a tiny population. It’s a place that remains cold most of the year experience snowfall for three months and summertimes are pleasant.
During winters, the temperature in this town gets as low as -7°C, and in peak summer, it goes to 30 degrees. Still, summertime doesn’t last long when the winters arise, and the area is filled with the snowy landscape.
Astore
Last, in it is Astore, located in the northern side of Pakistan in Gilgit Baltistan, a valley near the infamous mountain Nanga Parbat aka “Killer Mountain.”
This area of Pakistan is one of the coldest because the temperature in winter goes to -7 degrees and remains at two °C maximum. In summer, it does not exceed 20 to 25 degrees. Snow in this region builds up to 2 to 3 feet in some parts. It gets 4 to 5 feet, and in the Mirmalik valley of Astore, it gets as deep as 6 feet.
It’s a beautiful valley to visit during the summertime, and if you want to enjoy snowfall, then early winters are a great time to visit because you don’t want to be stuck in snow during peak winters
Writers review:
Pakistan has been blessed with all four seasons. Still, most of the climate in Pakistan remains temperate, but it gets colder in the northern areas of Pakistan. These areas are on altitude and have great mountain ranges of Pakistan known as western highlands. With famous ranges like Karakorum Range and the Himalayan range.
The higher you are on attitude level, the colder it gets. Areas near these ranges remain cold throughout the year. Sometimes it gets hard to visit these areas due to dense snowfall. But areas that I have summarized in this article are cold and can be visited too, but with all the right gear and precautions to beat snowfall and chilling winters.
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