PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has planned to focus on bringing the far-flung scenic areas in the limelight to promote tourism and strengthen local economy.

According to a statement issued here on Monday, a recent snow hiking event was part of the plan wherein more than 40 youth participated in the scenic Nathiagali.

The event was part of the adventure tourism activities jointly organised by Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP) and Adventure Edge Club.

The participants exhibited their skills and covered four kilometres snow track from Dunga Gali to Mukshpuri Top. The two-day snow-hiking gala was aimed at promoting adventure tourism.

The statement said that the participants were facilitated by providing transportation, food, first aid kit and other facilities to them during the event. Besides hiking, the participants also enjoyed the team games, adventure games and igloo. They also took part in the snow survival and other competitions.

A number of other activities including bonfire and music at evening were other features of the event.

Appreciating authorities for holding of the event, the participants said that the activity would promote adventure tourism in the region and provide recreational opportunity to the youth and families.

They said that least adventure tourism events were being arranged during the snowfall but the Mukshpuri Top was a safe point for such activities, which attracted tourists in a large number.

Mukshpuri is a 2,800-metre-high mountain in the Nathiagali Hills in Abbottabad district. It is 90 kilometres north of Islamabad, just above Dunga Gali in the Nathiagali area of Ayubia National Park. A large part of the mountain is covered with Western Himalayan subalpine conifer forests.

The department had earlier arranged various events of cultural, religious and adventure tourism and sports including rafting, paragliding, jeep rally and zip-lining in Peshawar, Misri Banda and Akora Khattak in Nowshera, Shabqadar in Charsadda, Kohat and Khanpur Lake in Haripur district for the youth and families.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2018