Peaks, Pods, and Panoramas: An E2 Adventure in Kaghan Valley


From 2nd June 2026 to 6th June 2026, forty-three E2 students of Aitchison College Prep School undertook a trekking expedition to Sharan Forest in the heart of the Kaghan Valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It is a lush green forest located at around 8,000 feet above sea level, amid dense conifer trees like pine, deodar, fir, and spruce. On their way to the forest, they spent a night at Balakot in a hotel facing the beautiful Kunhar River.

 The next day, they continued their journey, taking jeeps from Paras to reach and settle into their pods in the dense forest. Later that day, they went to a waterfall, which was almost an hour's descent through dense forest.

On the day after, our students undertook a more challenging uphill trek towards Manshi Top, around 4 kilometres from the pods. The climb took around three hours, with all the boys, staff, and guides successfully reaching the summit together.

After spending two hours at the stunning peak and enjoying a panoramic view of the entire Kaghan Valley — including the massive Malika-e-Parbat, Makra Peak, Siri Paye, and Musa ka Musalla — the team began its descent at around 2 PM and reached their pods at around 5 PM.

On their way back to Lahore, the group also visited Mabali Island, where the boys enjoyed a sumptuous lunch, water sports, and other activities such as zip-lining.

After spending a night in Islamabad and having a traditional breakfast at a famous restaurant there, the team departed for Lahore at around 12 PM on 6th June via the Motorway. They enjoyed lunch at Bhera before reaching school at around 7 PM.

It was indeed an unforgettable experience for all.