Some people flex about roller coasters.
Some flex about skydiving.
My biggest flex?
Surviving the jeep ride from Naran to Saif-ul-Malook.
Honestly, nothing — and I mean nothing — prepared me for that road. Not Google photos. Not travel blogs. Not even motivational quotes about stepping out of your comfort zone. This was not stepping out. This was being violently pushed out.
But let’s start from the beginning.
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The Jeep Ride from Naran: When My Phobias Clocked in Early
We reached the jeep stand early in the morning, still half sleepy, sipping tea, pretending to be brave. The driver casually said, “Bas baith jao,” like he was offering a ride to the corner shop — not up a mountain that looks like it actively hates vehicles.
And then I saw the road.
On one side:
A straight drop into nothingness. Like… nothing. (In Urdu, we call it “khai”, but in English it translates roughly to “instant life review.”)
On the other side:
A narrow, broken, bumpy road that looked like it had survived three earthquakes and a breakup.
Only one 4×4 jeep can pass at a time.
I sat in that jeep questioning:
✔ My life choices
✔ My friendships
✔ My trust issues
✔ Why I didn’t choose a peaceful hobby like knitting
Then — because the universe loves drama — another jeep appeared from the opposite side.
Same narrow road.
Same deadly drop.
Same zero margin for error.
Our jeep slowed down.
The driver leaned out casually.
The other driver did the same.
They exchanged a few words like they were discussing lunch plans.
And then…
Our jeep tilted.
Two tires lifted.
TWO.
I felt my soul leave my body, check the situation, and immediately regret its curiosity.
We started praying. Loudly. Collectively. Internally. In multiple languages. Someone whispered their last wishes. Someone else promised God they’d become a better person if we survived.
Meanwhile, the driver?
Laughing.
Actually laughing.
He turned around and said, “Relax, it’s our daily routine.”
Daily routine.
Sir.
This is not daily routine behavior.
But somehow — miraculously — we passed the other jeep, landed back on four tires, and continued driving like nothing happened… except our heartbeats were now permanently loud.
I looked at my friend — the same friend who suggested we go to Saif-ul-Malook — and in my head I was like, If I survive this, I’m blocking you for emotional damage.
The Road Up: Fear, Beauty & Deep Regret Mixed Together
The rest of the drive didn’t get easier — just… higher.
The road stayed rocky. The jeep bounced like it had personal beef with us. At times, I couldn’t tell if we were moving forward or spiritually ascending. Every turn revealed another cliff. Every bump felt unnecessary. Every minute felt long.
But then — between fear and prayers — I started noticing the views.
Snow patches clinging to rocks.
Clouds floating low enough to feel touchable.
Valleys so deep they looked unreal.
And slowly, fear started sharing space with awe.
I still wanted to scream.
But now I also wanted to take photos.
Growth.
Reaching Saif-ul-Malook: From “Why Did I Come Here” to “Oh My God”
Then suddenly, the jeep stopped.
The driver said, “Aa gaye.”
We stepped out.
And everything inside me went quiet.
Like… actual silence.
In front of us was Saif-ul-Malook Lake, half frozen, glowing under soft sunlight, surrounded by towering snow-covered mountains. The water was glassy and still, reflecting the peaks like a mirror. Cold air hit my face. Clouds drifted lazily across the sky. And for a moment, nobody spoke — because honestly, language felt unnecessary.
My exact reaction?
“OHHHH… MY… GOD.”
Out loud.
Without shame.
With full emotion.
It felt unreal — like we had passed through some invisible hardship gate and were rewarded with heaven. Yes, I’m dramatic. But listen… the view demanded drama.
All that fear.
All that shaking.
All that internal screaming.
Suddenly felt… worth it.
Tea, Pakoras & Living Our Best Cold-Weather Life
It was freezing — the good kind of freezing where your face goes numb but your soul feels awake.
So naturally, we found:
✔ Hot pakoras
✔ Coffee
✔ Green tea
Because food tastes better when:
- You almost died getting there
- The air is cold
- The view looks illegal
We stood there, hands wrapped around cups, steam rising, staring at the lake like we had personally discovered it. People were taking photos, kids were laughing, horses were walking around, and the mountains stood there silently like ancient witnesses to everyone’s emotions.
We only had one hour there — and suddenly one hour felt criminally short.
So we did everything:
Photos.
Videos.
Walking near the lake.
Standing silently.
Sitting on rocks.
Pretending we weren’t cold.
Pretending we weren’t emotional.
Failing at both.
The Old Man & The Legend of Saif-ul-Malook (Short Story Version)
Then something unexpected happened.
One of my friends brought an elderly local man — someone who had lived there his entire life. He sat with us, and we all formed a little circle around him, the lake behind us, the mountains towering above, cold air brushing our faces — and he started telling us the story of Saif-ul-Malook.
And honestly?
The setting alone made it magical.
The Legend (Saif-ul-Malook Story)
Long ago, there lived a prince named Saif-ul-Malook who saw the portrait of a fairy princess named Badri Jamala. The moment he saw her, he fell deeply in love — without even meeting her. But she lived in the world of fairies, far away from humans.
Driven by love, the prince left his kingdom and traveled through forests, deserts, mountains, and dangerous lands to find her. Along the way, he faced jinns, hardships, loneliness, and fear — but he never gave up.
Eventually, after immense struggle and patience, he found her near this very lake.
Their love wasn’t easy. It wasn’t simple. It crossed worlds — human and fairy. But in the end, love won, and they were united.
The old man smiled and said, “Log kehte hain ke unki mohabbat ki kahani ab bhi is jheel ke pani mein zinda hai.”
People say their love story still lives in the water of this lake.
And honestly?
Standing there — cold air, silent mountains, half-frozen water — it didn’t feel hard to believe.
Saying Goodbye to Heaven (And Preparing for the Return to Hell)
Too soon, it was time to leave.
We stood there for a while longer, soaking it in — because when a place feels unreal, your brain tries to memorize it harder.
Then we turned back toward the jeep.
Back toward the same road.
Back toward the same cliffs.
Back toward the same heart attacks.
Someone said, “Ready?”
Nobody answered.
The return ride was — how do I put this politely — a spiritual experience. The same narrow paths. The same sharp turns. The same drops. The same driver completely unbothered by our existence.
At one point, I whispered, “If we survive this again, I’m never complaining about traffic jams.”
But somehow — again — we made it.
Shaken.
Alive.
Emotionally bonded to each other forever.
Jeep Cost & Practical Info (Because Survival Has a Price Tag)
For anyone wondering:
Jeep cost: PKR 6,000
That’s approximately USD $21.40
Capacity: 7 people per jeep
Honestly? For the views, the experience, and the emotional damage, it’s a bargain.
Final Thoughts: Fear Took Me There, Beauty Made Me Forget It
Saif-ul-Malook wasn’t just a destination.
It was:
✔ Terror
✔ Adventure
✔ Silence
✔ Beauty
✔ Pakoras
✔ A fairytale
✔ And the loudest heartbeat of my life
That jeep ride pushed every fear button I have. But the lake? The lake healed all of them in five seconds.
Would I do that road again?
…Let me emotionally recover first.
But would I go back to Saif-ul-Malook?
Without hesitation.
Because some places don’t just look beautiful — they feel beautiful. And this one? This one stays with you long after your legs stop shaking.
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What’s Next?
The next day, we visited Lulusar Lake and Babusar Top — and that journey deserves its own blog because the views, the weather, and the emotions were on a whole different level.
Coming soon.