Complete Guide to National Parks for Extreme Adventure Lovers in Pakistan

Due to its geographical location, Pakistan not only enjoys the four seasons but also homes several mountain ranges, hills, plateaus, glaciers, rivers, deserts and coastal areas. All of these contribute in making Pakistan a beautiful place to visit.

Jovago Pakistan provides a complete guide to national parks for all those extreme adventure lovers who want to wander and explore the hidden beauty of Pakistan.

1. Hingol National Park

A very popular destination among adventure lovers, Hingol National Park is situated near Makran Coast. Established in 1988, it is the largest national park in Pakistan and is home to a huge variety of wild animals, birds and reptiles. Around 250 species of flora are found in this park.

2. Ayubia National Park

More popularly known as Ayubia, the national park is a protected land that covers more than 8,000 acres. It is located in Abbottabad district. It was named after President Ayub Khan. Black Bear, Musk Deer, Grey Goral and Barking Deer are the extinct species of this area.

3. Kirthar National Park

Located in the Kirthar Mountain Range, Kirthar National Park with an area of over 3,000km² is among the largest national parks of Pakistan. It is home to two wildlife sanctuaries — Hub Dam Wildlife Sanctuary and Mahal Kohistan Wildlife Sanctuary. It is also the first Pakistani park to be included in the United Nations’ list of National Parks around the world.

4. Margalla Hills National Park

Situated in the capital city of Pakistan, Margalla Hills National Park is widely spread with an area of 31,148 acres at the foothills of Himalayas. Daman-e-Koh and Pir Sohawa along with Lake View Park and Shakarparyan are among the most popular Hill stations of this park.

Castles in Pakistan That Will Make You Cherish Our Rich Culture and Heritage

Despite the fact that we do not want to think of our past, the reality is, it is one of the most crucial steps, which one needs to take in order to perform better in the future. Heritage and culture are two important strings that speak a lot about one’s background. When speaking of Pakistan’s culture and heritage, one cannot forget the enchanting castles that stand high and mighty on various locations.

Jovago.net has compiled a list of castles that will make you want to go visit and know more about the rich legacy that our ancestors have left for us.

1) Noor Mahal

Based on an Italian chateau model, Noor Mahal was made by Nawab Subah Sadiq IV of Bahawalpur in 1872. This palace was made for the Nawab’s wife. However, when she saw the graveyard adjacent to the Mahal from her balcony, she refused to spend another night there and so it remained unused during his reign. It has been bought by the Pakistan Army, which uses it as a guest house.

2) Skardu Fort

Situated in Skardu, which is the epitome of beauty, serenity and wilderness, the Skardu Fort is at half an hour’s distance from the main market, Yadgar Chowk. This fort is an excellent example of ancient engineering. There is also an ancient mosque inside the fort.

3) Balla Hissar Fort

This fort is situated on a high mound and is one of the most ancient places in Peshawar. It was used as the capital of Afghan Durrani Empire by the Pakhtoon King Timur Shah. In 1834, it was renamed as Samir Garh. Since 1949, the Fort has served as the headquarters of the Frontier Corps.

4) Red Fort

Also known as Muzaffarabad fort, this fort is situated alongside the beautiful Neelum River, in Muzaffarabad district, Kashmir. Initially, its construction was done by the Chuk rulers; however, it was completed by Sultan Muzaffar Khan the founder of the Muzaffarabad city during 1646. Although the fort lost its importance during the Mughal rule in Kashmir, it again came into the limelight and recovered its importance during the Durrani’s rule of this area. The fort is surrounded on three sides by the Neelum River. Its architecture shows that great experts in design and structure, participated in its construction

Signs That You Are Born To Travel Alone And On Your Own

Who said that you need to spoil a couple of your initial trips before you discover what kind of traveler you are? Any trip requires a lot of investment in terms of your money, your time and your efforts. You probably won’t want to spoil your travel just because of your one uninformed decision!

Therefore, it is always advisable to research and  discover more about your choices as well as to research the place you intend to visit. Ask yourself questions like: What kind of traveler am I? What kind of places do I like to visit? And most importantly, do I prefer to travel alone or with my loved ones.

If you prefer to travel alone, you probably would show the following signs compiled by Jovago.net.

1. You can easily make new friends but you prefer to stay by your own self.
2. You prefer to design your travel plan all by yourself without the assistance of others.
3. You prefer not to inform any of your friends and relatives, even when you are visiting their home town.
4. You would prefer to find your own way, even when lost, than to ask for external assistance.
5. Nothing is as important for you than your own personal ‘space’.
6. You have never had the problem of getting bored when alone because you always had your favorite book or playlist to accompany you.
7. You prefer to write down your travel stories than narrate them in public.
8. You don’t hesitate to try anything different as far as you are able to learn or experience anything new from it.
9. You always prefer to carry all your essential items, even when you know they would be easily accessible.
10. Nothing annoys you more than seeing people bragging about their travel stories on social media.

Things To Do After You Return Home from Traveling

A lot has been written on the pre travel preparations. The excitement of travelling is so overwhelming that we often forget that it is as important to prepare for post travel as it is to make pre travel preparations. Returning back home doesn’t mark the end of the story.What you do after you return back home determines how successful your travel was.

Jovago Pakistan provides the list of all important to-dos that you must take care of after you return from your travel.

1. Reply back to all your missed mails, calls, emails etc.

The probability of getting out of touch is high while travelling. However, once returned home there is absolutely no reason why you should delay on replying back to your contacts.

2. Check your bank statements.

Check out and analyze how successful were you to comply with your travel budget. Did you overspend or underspend during your travel?

3. Add all your new friends in your social circle.

Save the contact details of all your new friends and add them to your social media accounts so that it is easier for you to stay connected with them.

4. Have plenty of sleep to be fit as a fiddle for your next day challenge

If your body’s craving sleep, take a nap rather than forcing yourself to adapt immediately to your new time zone.

5. Upload your travel album to save your memories

Sort and caption your pictures while your travel memories are still fresh. This way you could save these beautiful memories for the future.

6. Find out your loyalty points

Log on to all the travel websites that you have used to make your bookings and reservations to check out how many miles or points you are now entitled to.

7. Dispatch all the gifts that you have bought for your friends and  family members during your travel

Make sure that you dispatch edible items like chocolates or other eateries first.

8. Plan for your next travel

After all, one can never have enough of travelling , right?

How to Handle Anxiety While Travelling

No excuse is good enough to stop you from exploring the unexplored-says every passionate traveler! It is the twinge of excitement and fear that makes traveling the most irreplaceable experience that one ever encounters in his life. To be extra thoughtful before visiting any new place is completely understandable and normal!

Have a look at the following tips and tricks compiled by Jovago.net that will help you to convert your anxiety into the thrill and excitement of travelling!

1. Think of travel as a story designed by you!

We usually get nervous and anxious when we imagine things are beyond our control. Especially before travelling, there is a lot of tendency to think of all sorts of potential negative scenarios that you might have to encounter during your voyage. In today’s date and age, travel can be made a lot more controllable and manageable thanks to ecommerce websites like Jovago.net whereby you can ensure a cozy and comfortable stay by just a few clicks. Plan ahead for your travel to minimize the chances of any negative contingencies.

2. Find a sweet distraction

The old saying ‘fake it until you make it’ perfectly applies here. Play around with your fears by distracting yourself from all sorts of scary thoughts. You can do this through indulging your mind into some activity that will help your fear subside.  A good way to do so is to engage yourself with your favorite playlist that remind you of other delighting times of your life.

3. Move around to play around your fears

Find out some progressive muscle relaxation techniques that can tremendously help you to calm your body in any stressful situation. These are extremely convenient and can be done while waiting in the check in lines or simply while waiting in the airport lounge.

Handling anxiety when traveling might appear to be a bit challenging initially but it can be worked on and handled in no time. Do you want to add more tips to the list? 

Why Hotels in Pakistan Should Partner With Jovago?

Needless to say, today we are all living in the digital time and space. It won’t be hard to believe that in the coming years, businesses without virtual presence won’t survive in the brutally competitive corporate world.

With travelling increasing domestically and globally, the importance of online existence of your business, especially if you are in the travel and tourism sector has increased tremendously. In a country like Pakistan, the penetration of the e-commerce is still its inception but is growing tremendously. Take the example of the pioneer and the biggest hotel booking website, Jovago.net here.

Formally launched in Pakistan in May 2014, Jovago Pakistan has secured more than 2000 properties in 150 cities within the country. In addition, the inventory is increasing every week; ranging from one-star guesthouses to five-star hotels that are located in all four provinces of Pakistan.

If you too are working in the hospitality industry of Pakistan, here is why you should partner with Jovago Pakistan.

1. Enjoy the unlimited reach

Unlike the traditional travel agents who have limited pool of customers to offer, Jovago through its online presence is accessible to any potential customer searching for hotel services within Pakistan. Its website gets several thousand clicks every month and its mobile application has secured more than 10,000 downloads on Android. This month, Jovago has also launched its IOS app for all its users in Asia, which has further increased its reach. The travelers can now easily manage their hotel accommodation even while ‘on the go’!

2. It is the only online hotel booking website with a physical presence in the country

Having its headquarters in Karachi,  Jovago has a very committed workforce that works day in and day out to ensure smooth and comfortable stay of every potential customer that has made hotel booking through Jovago.net. Its dedicated local customer service team can be contacted anytime through its helpline 03111-JOVAGO (568246), ensuring that its customers get what they want at the best possible rates!

3. It provides the Best Price Guarantee

Jovago offers its customers the best hotel price guarantee whereby it is willing to refund the difference if any of its users comes across a cheaper deal online. Pre and post payment options are available for all its hotels and its ever-increasing inventory brings a world of choices based on location, convenience, pricing and comfort for all its website users.

Things That You Should Never Buy From any Airport

It's always a good idea to buy something from the new place you are visiting as some memories of your travel. However, it is absolutely not at all a good idea to buy any stuff from any of the international airports. It is usually observed that mostly due to scarcity of time, travelers make the mistake of buying goods from the airport shops which are extremely over priced and makes one spend almost double the money required to purchase that good.

Your money is extremely precious! Spend it wisely and go through the list prepared by Jovago Pakistan, which you should never buy from any airport.

1.    Souvenirs

Since souvenirs are readily available on the airport, we usually make the mistake of buying all of them while waiting for the flight or upon reaching the destination airport. Spare some time during your stay at the new place to find places where you can buy these souvenirs at low prices.

     2.  Neck pillows

Once at the airport and while in the flight, nothing seems more attractive than to spare a few moments of some peaceful sleep. This is the moment when one is willing to pay as much as demanded to get the priceless comfortable sleep. The shops at the airports realize this very well and induce the travelers to buy these fancy over priced pillows by placing them at attractive displays. Make sure that you buy your sleeping utilities before reaching the airport so that you save your bucks on something well deserved.

3. Restaurant meals

The food cravings at the airports are intense. If you are a frequent traveler, you must have observed that the prices of the meals offered at the airport are much higher than the regular prices. This is because these restaurants operate at higher costs than the regular street locations. Try to have your meal before reaching the airport and wait until you get a meal on the flight.

Jovago Launches IOS App for Apple users in Asia

Pakitan’s leading online hotel booking platform, Jovago.net, has launched its first iOS app in Asia (Myanmar, Pakistan and Bangladesh) which will further revolutionize hotel booking experience for the Apple users in the region.

Lahore, 14th July, 2016 -The largest online hotel inventory in Africa has officially launched its iOS App in Asia, which will further transform the way travelers book hotels online using their mobile devices. This is part of Jovago’s drive to provide an exciting mobile user experience for its Apple clients.

“The launch of the IOS App is a great step towards our efforts in creating faster and flexible booking experience to our customers who are looking for accommodation across Asia,” said Paul Midy, CEO of Jovago. There is need to tap into the vast growth of mobile devices in Asia and with the iOS App, more of our customers can readily access our growing inventory of hotels on the go,” he added.

The iOS App, which has a sturdy repute for being quick and secure, will allow customers to find and book accommodation from the site’s list of over 3,000 hotels in Asia and over 200,000 the world over; all in the palm of their hand. Travelers can take advantage of the App using their Apple devices to view profile pages for listed hotels including pictures, descriptions, locations, amenities and reviews; as well as get exclusive deals and offers and have the best price guarantee.  

“Six  months after the launch of the Android App, today Jovago offers a performant App with all our latest options and technologies,” said Abdesslam Benzitouni, Global Head of Public Relations. “Apple users represent around 25 % of our visitors; therefore we want to provide the best hotel booking experience to all the Mobile users in the continent”, added Abdesslam.

Notably, the IOS Application is the latest version of the Android, well advanced and without possible software bugs. As the use of Smartphones boom in Asia, mobile travel bookings have also become more commonplace than the conventional booking methods, with Jovago recording approximately 60% of online bookings per day in the region.

In a bid to help its clients keep up with the trends, Jovago.net is committed to keep diversifying its technological tools, in order to promote thousands of hotel options.  
The iOS App is now available here on the AppStore to the entire community of Apple users for free. Jovago offers 10 % discount for all the IOS users for their first booking.

About Jovago.net
Jovago Asia offers over 2000 hotels, guest houses and beach resorts around Pakistan, 900 hotels in Myanmar and 900 in Bangladesh for business and leisure. Check rates, browse reviews and book over 80,000 Hotels and guest houses across Asia and Africa on Jovago.net (previously Jovago.com), Asia’s No.1 Hotel Booking Website.

Tips To Make Your Unplanned Travel The Most Memorable One

You must have heard phrases, like the best plans are never made or no plan is ever a best plan! However, it goes without saying that sometimes even an unplanned travel requires a bit of planning to make it a striking experience! Here’s a list of tips compiled by Jovago Pakistan that can help you make your trip more memorable with minimum planning!

1. Have a look at all travel based websites

You know that you would never get stuck if you have access to the internet and have all travel related information handy! Once on the voyage, you must have some important travel websites like Jovago on the top of your mind. Not only do these websites provide you extensive travel related information but also, gives you access to make flights and hotel booking right away!

2. Translate your fear into the thrill and excitement

It is the ‘unknown’ part of the travel that makes it the most excitement filled experience! It’s ok to be a bit worried to encounter a completely new scenario, but to overcome that worry into excitement is what will change a mere trip into an adventure!

3. Leave the word ‘No’ at home!

An exciting travel requires an open mind. Embrace the newness and say ‘Yes’ to every new experience. After all, travel is the other name of getting out of your comfort zone! It’s a simple rule, the more you say ‘Yes’ the more you would enjoy your experience!

4. Remember, nothing can spoil your travel!

Be it a missed bus or a delayed flight, everything that you encounter during travel is a different experience that you probably won’t get to encounter when you return home. You might get a lot of time to whine about what went wrong once you are home; but remember the time of your travel is simply ‘your time’ and you have the power to make your trip memorable.