By Salman Baig

On last weekend we attempted Musa ka Musalla. It was nice but an added day or two would made it awesome (we had 3 days) so I thought If now I have to plan for Musa ka Musalla from Munda Gucha side what would I do. Please note that the trekking time is given with respect to a trekker below average fitness so they might sound too much.

Friday Night 11:00 pm departure from Lahore through Rahber travels to Manshera (Price 600 rs)

Saturday Morning 6:30 am arrival at Manshera

6:30 – 7:30 BreakFast

7:30 departure for Munda Gucha through Local transport.

(Take four seats if you are three people and 8 if you six people so as you can stay relax; we hired a taxi it took rs 1000 to Munda Gucha and it took us around 2hours and 30 mins to reach Munda Gucha)  local transport charge rs 100 per seat

10:30 take Jeep to Jacha (We trekked here; but I always believe trek only at place where vehicles can’t go)

Their is an advantage if you decide to trek from Munda Gucha (That advantage only get disclosed to us on return) at this place you can take a route called as “sarak” i.e. road. although there is nothing like road its just a route (But we were stupid enough to think that it would be a metalled road and we cud run on it ) . The sarak route is relatively less dangerous whereas other route has atleast 2 very dangerous points which should be crossed with ropes, we didn’t carried ropes so crossed them without but that was really scary especially for the little fat person.

11:30/12:00 start trek to Dore

2:00 pm you will reach Dore. There are two hotels in Dore and you can have food at price of rs 100 per head. (Please don’t use camera there without permission; we were not allowed to take pics of even animals at that place. Actually local people might not have the issue but many people with goats come here and they are bit reluctant)

As its first day and you might be tired due to overnight journey so you may stay there other wise you can keep moving and camp at baki or preferably at first “Maidan” (there are three places called maidan there)

From Dore It will take around 90 minutes to baki and 2-3 hours to first maidan. Please note its all ascend from dore onward so you must plan according to your fitness

Sunday Night: Second day camp at bara maidan (if you are unconcerned by leaves) or preferably at galli (the base camp for MKM)

From dore to galli it will take around 9 hours and around 6 hours to bara maidan. (I again repeat these time estimates are given with respect to a trekker below average fitness level/beginner)

At gali there is a mosque you can also stay there if no other party has occupied it. Water is available at gali

Monday Morning: Hike towards Musa ka Musalla; It took me 6 hours to reach at top whereas there were guys who reached in about 3 hours time. Local people do it in 2 hours.

Monday Night: Camp at galli.

Tuesday Morning: Start with first light and in about 8-10 hours time you will be at Munda Gucha (It’s almost all descend except for a little hike for sarak from dore). You must plan like that you will reach munda gucha atleast four hours before sun set. Take a van from munda gucha and reach Manshera or shinkiari (To shinkiari fare is just 80rs and from shinkiari to manshera fare is just 20 rs. Drivers of Munda gucha are bit reluctant to go to mansehra directly so you might have the only option to go to shinkiari)

We reached munda Gucha at around 11: 00 pm in night and Local People didn’t allowed us to go due to doubts over security.

I heard so many stories that people will be very bad and misleading but Alhamdullilah who so ever we met was so nice that it’s a life remembering experience.

If you need a portar/guide contact sadique. He lives near Mosque in Munda Gucha. He is a great man & helped us beyond the call of his duty. The agreed amount of him was RS2500 for whole trek. Although we paid him more due to his great help and things beyond we agreed with him. This is his picture on the right.

Please note that no mobile network work in whole trek except for the last leap to Musa ka Musalla. And only phone there is PTCL Vwireless

Although all the people we met were helpful beyond our imagination but more than one person told us to be careful from people of Jacha & Sacha and don’t talk much with them. (Sacha coem in way between Manshera to Munda Gucha)

Enjoy this heaven.

You can see Trip pictures here.

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Previous weekend did a short weekend trek (to warm up), from Thandianee to Bairan Gali on the way to Dagri Bangla. First my plan was to go alone, but on last day 2 of my cousins joined me (Ali, Kamil), another old friend Yawar who is in Lahore these days, also first try to join in but on last minute had a call from office, so had to drop.

Actual plan was to start from Thandianee and reach Nathia Gali via Bairan Gali -> Dagri Bangla -> Miranjani -> Nathia Gali. But due to an emergency meeting notification on our first night stay we have to keep it shorten and return to Lahore. Its was also only a warmup to start this season.

Started from Lahore to Thandianee: 700 Pak Rupee to reach Abbottabad from Lahore, and 100 Pak Rupee per head for car ride to Thandianee top. Completed this journey mostly in night and reached Thandianee at 8:10 am

There is a small downhill trek leading from back of the Thandianee resthouse, leads to a road junction, where there is a small jeep trek, leading in front of you from the metal road. That is an old jeep trek to Bairan Gali that is not commonly in use now.

This trek has to take about 4 hours to reach Bairan Gali, we took 5+ hours (as we go slow, while enjoying the beauty) and reach around 2:00 pm at Bairan Gali, and to our surprise Barian Gali shops have electricity and all usual day hold items are available, we enjoyed drinks and enjoyed a custom made ice lolly at a local shop. (there are about 3-4 main shops there)

From there you will find 3 paths, to the right the path is another jeep trek leading towards Abbotabad, and we came to know that a jeep leaves from there to Abbottabad every morning before 6am only, no public jeep available after that. and trek to the left leads towards Muzaffarabad and a steep trek in front leading towards Dagri Bangla (to Nathaia Gali).

Locals at Bairan Gali are very youthful, helpful and energetic their usual activities of their young’s are playing different games all the time, these are very lovely and supporting people, we spent some time with them, and then decide to leave from there towards Dagri Bangla, as we do not want to travle in night and it is still about 4 to 5 hours uphill trek further to Dagri Bangla. We decided to camp at first fresh water drain (Nala) on our way, a local guide us its way (as it is not on the usual trek to Dagri Bangal), we reached there and found a beautiful locals made pond at the Nala, I decided to camp there for the night.

We camped there, enjoyed fresh water bath and have fun chatting with local children and watching them playing cricket in the woods on slopes, no one  can imagine if somebody can play cricket there, but they are really good at it on the slopes, and we came to know that there is a cricket tournament also organized in that district.

Later some local came to us and warn us that these woods have lions and lions has been seen here at our camp location on times in night, they offered us to stay at their home nearby, and also bring us hot tea. We decided to stay  at camp (to meet Mr. Lion at night :) not really wanted, but people say it does not hurt human, but surely its dangerous), for precaution we also place all our food items in a big bag and placed that outside camp. But the night went without any activity :)

Forgot to mention that during our bath, we called home and one of my cousin get an emergency meeting call (thats important for his career) so we all decide to go back to Bairan Gali village early morning and try  to catch the local jeep at 6am and we did that.

Enjoy our jeep ride back to Abbottabad and from there back to Lahore in time on Sunday evening.

Below are some pictures from the trip.

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