Situated at the base of Pakistan’s 26,660-foot Nanga Parbat, 9th highest mountain in the world and second in Pakistan after K2, Fairy Meadows is a picturesque destination. Getting to Fairy Meadows, however, is not such an attractive experience. Part of the trip involves surviving a 6-mile, hour-long drive on an unstable gravel road hacked out of the barren hills.
From Raikot Bridge to the village of Tato, this ‘road’ offers all the insane features of a typical mountainside dirt trail. It’s narrow, unpaved, steep, and of course there aren’t any guardrails to prevent your car from rolling down into the gorge. You can’t even drive it all the way to Fairy Meadows; the last section has to be covered by bicycle or on foot.
This gravel road was built by the villagers and goes to the top of the mountain, during 16 miles. Fairy Meadows has been a source of enchantment since long for back packers, climbers, wildlife researchers, photographers, painters & geologists, besides nature lovers. The pine forests skirting Fairy Meadows are perhaps one of the virgin forests in the north of Pakistan, and are home to a number of species of birds and wildlife. The site overlooks the Raikot Glacier and provides a majestic view of the North Face of Nanga Parbat, commonly known as the Raikot Face.
The place is closed in the winters due to heavy snowfall and is accessible only in the summers. June-July is the best time to visit this place.
