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Saturday 31 August 2013

Skagit Valley, Washington, USA

Skagit Valley, Washington, USA

The Skagit Valley lies in the northwestern corner of the state of Washington, USA. Its defining feature is the Skagit River, which snakes through local communities which include the seat of Skagit County, Mount Vernon, as well as Sedro-Woolley, Concrete, Lyman-Hamilton, and Burlington.
The local newspaper is Skagit Valley Herald, published in Mount Vernon, Washington.
Between 1967 and 1983, there was a plan by Puget Sound Power and Light Co. to build two nuclear power plants in Skagit Valley, but due to controversy, these plans were shelved.

Source:Wikipedia
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Kew Gardens, London

Kew Gardens, London

The Kew Garden in London ex-iced since 1759 when  Princess Augusta,  mother of king George III, started developing a 3.6 ha large garden at the domain of White Lodge, Richmond in west London. The whole garden encompasses an impressive 132ha (326 acres) and it has more than 50,000 different species of plants. Kew Garden also has some famous buildings such as the Pagoda, the Temperate House and the Palm House. All over the garden there are incredible sights such as the Japanese Gateway, the Waterlily Pond, the Treetop Walkway and Kew Palace.  So, you need all day walk in a this amazing garden to explore all the interesting attraction it has.

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Cappadocia, Turkey

Cappadocia, Turkey

Cappadocia (/kæpəˈdoʊʃə/; also Capadocia; Turkish Kapadokya, from Greek: Καππαδοκία / Kappadokía, Persian: کاپادوکیه‎ Kāpādōkiyeh) is a historical region in Central Anatolia, largely in Nevşehir Province, in Turkey.
In the time of Herodotus, the Cappadocians were reported as occupying the whole region from Mount Taurus to the vicinity of the Euxine (Black Sea). Cappadocia, in this sense, was bounded in the south by the chain of the Taurus Mountains that separate it from Cilicia, to the east by the upper Euphrates and the Armenian Highland, to the north by Pontus, and to the west by Lycaonia and eastern Galatia.[1]
The name was traditionally used in Christian sources throughout history and is still widely used as an international tourism concept to define a region of exceptional natural wonders, in particular characterized by fairy chimneys and a unique historical and cultural heritage.

Source:Wikipedia
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Onondaga Cave, Missouri , USA

Onondaga Cave, Missouri , USA

The Onondaga Cave State Park is located in Leasburg, Missouri. The park was established in 1982. The park offers many activities including cave tours, camping, fishing, hiking, picnicking, and swimming.

Source:Wikipedia
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Blyde River, Canyon – South Africa

Blyde River, Canyon – South Africa

The Blyde River Canyon is a significant natural feature of South Africa, located in Mpumalanga, and forming the northern part of the Drakensberg escarpment. It is 16 miles (26 km) in length and is, on average, around 2,500 feet (762 m) deep. The Blyderivierpoort Dam, when full, is at an altitude of 665m (2182 feet). The Canyon consists mostly of red sandstone. The highest point of the canyon, Mariepskop, is 6,378 feet (1,944 m) feet above sea level, whilst its lowest point where the river leaves the canyon is slightly less than 1,840 feet (561 m) above sea level. This means that by some measure the Canyon is over 4,500 feet (1,372 m) deep.

Source:Wikipedia
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The Spider Bridge in Sun City Resort, South Africa

The Spider Bridge in Sun City Resort, South Africa

Sun City is a luxury casino and resort, situated in the North West Province of South Africa. It is located between the Elands River and the Pilanesberg, about two hours' drive from Johannesburg, near the city of Rustenburg. The complex borders the Pilanesberg Game Reserve.


Source:Wikipedia
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Bangalore, India

Bangalore, India

Bangalore (or Bengaluru ['beŋgəɭuːɾu] ( listen)) is the capital city of the Indian state of Karnataka. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and fifth-most populous urban agglomeration. Bangalore is well known as the hub of India's information technology sector. The city is amongst the top 10 preferred entrepreneurial locations in the world.[5] As a growing metropolitan city in a developing country, Bangalore confronts substantial pollution and other logistical and socio-economic problems.[6][7]
A succession of South Indian dynasties ruled the region of Bangalore until in 1537 CE, Kempé Gowdā — a feudatory ruler under the Vijayanagara Empire — established a mud fort considered to be the foundation of modern Bangalore. Following transitory occupation by the Marāthās and Mughals, Part of the city remained under the [[Mysore kingdom]which is now a part of the Indian state of Karnataka and Bangalore cantonment was part of the Madras State]. Following the independence of India in 1947, Bangalore became the capital of Mysore state, and remained capital when the new Indian state of Karnataka was formed in 1956. With a Gross domestic product of US$83 billion, Bangalore is listed 4th among the top 15 cities contributing to India's overall GDP.

Source:Wikipedia
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Gateway of India

Gateway of India

The Gateway of India is a monument built during the British Raj in Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India.[2] It is located on the waterfront in the Apollo Bunder area in South Mumbai and overlooks the Arabian Sea.[3][4] The structure is a basalt arch, 26 metres (85 feet) high. It lies at the end of Chhatrapati Shivaji Marg at the water's edge in Mumbai Harbour.[5] It was a crude jetty used by the fishing community which was later renovated and used as a landing place for British governors and other prominent people. In earlier times, it would have been the first structure that visitors arriving by boat in Mumbai would have seen.[6][7] The Gateway has also been referred to as the Taj Mahal of Mumbai,[8] and is the city's top tourist attraction.[9]
The structure was erected to commemorate the landing of their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary at Apollo Bunder, when they visited India in 1911. Built in Indo-Saracenic style, the foundation stone for the Gateway of India was laid on 31 March 1911. The final design of George Wittet was sanctioned in 1914 and the construction of the monument was completed in 1924. The Gateway was later the ceremonial entrance to India for Viceroys and the new Governors of Bombay.[10] It served to allow entry and access to India.[11]
The monument has faced three terror attacks from the beginning of the 21st century; twice in 2003 and it was also the disembarkation point in 2008 when four gunmen attacked the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower.

Source:Wikipedia
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Jagannath Temple

Jagannath Temple

The Jagannath Temple in Puri is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath and located in the coastal town of Puri in the state of Odisha, India. The name Jagannath (Lord of the Universe) is a combination of the Sanskrit words Jagat (Universe) and Nath (Lord of)[2][3] and also, the word "Jagannatha" is evolved from "Jagati" (Oriya: ଜଗତି) (as an elevated platform or "Ratnabedi" on which the wooden form of Jagannatha, Balabhadra and Subhadra are worshiped on or the temple or its precincts inside the "Narendra Pokhari"[4] ) and "Natha" (Oriya: ନାଥ) (means "Lord").[5] The temple is an important pilgrimage destination for many Hindu traditions, particularly worshippers of Krishna and Vishnu, and part of the Char Dham pilgrimages that a Hindu is expected to make in one's lifetime .[6] The temple was built in the 11th century atop its ruins by the progenitor of the Eastern Ganga dynasty, King Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva.[7] [8] The temple is famous for its annual Rath Yatra, or chariot festival, in which the three main temple deities are hauled on huge and elaborately decorated temple cars. Since medieval times, it is also associated with intense religious fervour.[9]
The temple is sacred to the Vaishnava traditions and saint Ramananda who was closely associated with the temple. It is also of particular significance to the followers of the Gaudiya Vaishnavism whose founder, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, was attracted to the deity, Jagannath, and lived in Puri for many years.[10]

Source:Wikipedia
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Harmandir Sahib in India (The Golden Temple)

Harmandir Sahib in India (The Golden Temple)

The Harmandir Sahib (Punjabi: ਹਰਿਮੰਦਰ ਸਾਹਿਬ) also Darbar Sahib (Punjabi: ਦਰਬਾਰ ਸਾਹਿਬ, Punjabi pronunciation: [dəɾbɑɾ sɑhɪb])[1][3] and informally referred to as the "Golden Temple" [1] is a prominent Sikh Gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab, India. It was built by the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan, in the 16th Century. In 1604, Guru Arjan completed the Adi Granth, the holy scripture of Sikhism, and installed it in the Gurdwara.[4]
There are four doors to get into the Harmandir Sahib, which symbolize the openness of the Sikhs towards all people and religions.[5] The present day Gurdwara was rebuilt in 1764 by Jassa Singh Ahluwalia with the help of other Sikh Misls. In the early nineteenth century, Maharaja Ranjit Singh secured the Punjab region from outside attack and covered the upper floors of the Gurdwara with gold, which gives it its distinctive appearance and its English name.[4]

Source:Wikipedia
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One of the most attractive places to visit in India: Taj Mahal,Agra

One of the most attractive places to visit in India: Taj Mahal,Agra


The Taj Mahal (/ˈtɑːdʒ məˈhɑːl/ often /ˈtɑːʒ/;[2] Hindi: ताज महल, from Persian/Urdu: تاج محل‎ "crown of palaces", pronounced [ˈt̪aːdʒ mɛˈɦɛl]; also "the Taj"[3]) is a white marble mausoleum located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal is widely recognized as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage".[4]
Taj Mahal is regarded by many as the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian and Indian architectural styles.[5][6]
In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While the white domed marble mausoleum is the most familiar component of the Taj Mahal, it is actually an integrated complex of structures. The construction began around 1632 and was completed around 1653, employing thousands of artisans and craftsmen.[7] The construction of the Taj Mahal was entrusted to a board of architects under imperial supervision, including Abd ul-Karim Ma'mur Khan, Makramat Khan, and Ustad Ahmad Lahauri.[8][9] Lahauri[10] is generally considered to be the principal designer.[11][12]

Source:Wikipedia
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Tomb, New Delhi, India

Tomb, New Delhi, India

Humayun's tomb (Urdu: ہمایوں کا مقبرہ‎ Humayun ka Maqbara) is the tomb of the Mughal Emperor Humayun. The tomb was commissioned by Humayun's first wife Bega Begum (Haji Begum)[1][2][3][4][5][6] in 1569-70, and designed by Mirak Mirza Ghiyas, a Persian architect chosen by Bega Begum.[7][8] It was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent,[9] and is located in Nizamuddin East, Delhi, India, close to the Dina-panah citadel also known as Purana Qila (Old Fort), that Humayun founded in 1533. It was also the first structure to use red sandstone at such a scale[10][11] The tomb was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993,[9] and since then has undergone extensive restoration work, which is still underway. Besides the main tomb enclosure of Humayun, several smaller monuments dot the pathway leading up to it, from the main entrance in the West, including one that even pre-dates the main tomb itself, by twenty years; it is the tomb complex of Isa Khan Niyazi, an Afghan noble in Sher Shah Suri's court of the Suri dynasty, who fought against the Mughals, constructed in 1547 CE.

Source:Wikipedia
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Hunza Valley, Pakistan

Hunza Valley, Pakistan

The Hunza (Burushaski: ہنزہ, Urdu: ہنزہ‎) is a mountainous valley in the Gilgit–Baltistan region of Pakistan. The Hunza is situated north/west of the Hunza River, at an elevation of around 2,500 metres (8,200 ft). The territory of Hunza is about 7,900 square kilometres (3,100 sq mi). Aliabad is the main town is while Altit is a popular tourist destination because of the spectacular scenery of the surrounding mountains like Ultar Sar, Rakaposhi, Bojahagur Duanasir II, Ghenta Peak, Hunza Peak, Passu Peak, Diran Peak and Bublimotin (Ladyfinger Peak), all 6,000 metres (19,685 ft) or higher.

Source:Wikipedia
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Douro Valley , Portugal

Douro Valley , Portugal

The Douro (Portuguese: Douro [ˈdowɾu, ˈdoɾu]; Spanish: Duero [ˈdweɾo]; Latin: Durius) is one of the major rivers of the Iberian Peninsula, flowing from its source near Duruelo de la Sierra in Soria Province across northern-central Spain and Portugal to its outlet at Porto.

Source:Wikipedia
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Kaghan Valley , Pakistan

Kaghan Valley , Pakistan

The Kaghan Valley (Urdu: وادی کاغان ‎) is a valley in the north-east of Mansehra District of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. It attracts many tourists from around the world. The inhabitants were affected by the earthquake disaster on 8 October 2005.

The Kaghan valley is named after the town of Kaghan rather than for the Kunhar River which flows through the length of the valley. The valley extends 155 kilometers (96 mi), rising from an elevation of 2,134 feet (650 m) to its highest point, the Babusar Pass, at 13,690 feet (4,170 m).

The Naran is the main town and tourists destination in valley. It is the base station to Lake Saif-ul-Malook and Lalazar. The peoples of valley speak Hindko and Gojri, while Urdu, Pakistan's national language is also familiar among the locals. The region is Alpine in geography and climate, with forests and meadows dominating the landscape below peaks that reach over 17,000 feet (5,200 m).

Source:Wikipedia
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The Blue Mosque – Turkey

The Blue Mosque – Turkey

The Blue Mosque
Credit: heydrienne (via Flickr)
This mosque in Istanbul, Turkey is called the Sultan Ahmed Mosque but is popularly known as The Blue Mosque.  It was built during the reign of Ahmed I from 1609 to 1616.   This large mosque has six minarets, one main dome and eight smaller domes.  Part of its beauty is the architecture which combines Byzantine elements with traditional Islamic elements.  It is known as the Blue Mosque due to the blue tiles that are found on the interior.
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Great Wall of China, China

Great Wall of China, China

One of the seven wonders of the world, the Great Wall of China is a man-made structure that was constructed over two thousand years ago. It is estimated to have taken around 100 years to complete. You can truly witness man’s potential when you take in the beauty and vastness of the Great Wall.
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The construction on the Great Wall of China started in the 5th Century B.C. It is actually not a single wall, but rather many walls put together. Combined, they stretch over 4,000 miles. This collection of walls was constructed to protect the Chinese empire from the Xiongnu people in the north. The wall was initially built of stone, grass, earth, and wood, but bricks were used also after production began. It is believed that around two to three million Chinese died during the construction of this wonder.
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Machu Picchu, Peru

Machu Picchu, Peru

Machu Picchu in Peru, which means “Old Peak,” is one of the most beautiful ancient sites in the world. According to legend, Machu Picchu was long ago considered to be a sacred place. The Inca people are credited with its creation. They erected many stone structures and turned the place into a work of art.
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Two thousand feet above the Urubamba river, the ruins of Machu Picchu consist of baths, temples, palaces, and around 150 houses, all very well preserved. These gray granite structures, some of which weigh more than 50 tons, are so perfectly sculpted that they are nothing less than architectural masterpieces.
The ruins of Machu Picchu were rediscovered by a Yale archaeologist in 1911. The ethereal beauty, workmanship, and history of the place attracts millions of tourists each year.
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Canadian Rockies, Canada

Canadian Rockies, Canada

The majestic Canadian Rockies are the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains. They are a visitor’s winter wonderland and Western Canada’s playground. They are older than the American Rockies and were formed as a result of over-thrusting.
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The Canadian Rockies house five national parks, and four of those national parks (along with other provincial parks) combine to form a single UNESCO World Heritage Site that consists of beautiful mountain landscapes, lakes, canyons, waterfalls, glaciers, peaks, limestone caves, and fossils. Mount Robson is the highest peak of the Canadian Rockies and climbing it is considered a challenge. These beautiful mountains are a haven for hikers and walkers alike.
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Taj Mahal, India

Taj Mahal, India

The Taj Mahal in India is one of the wonders of the world and is one of the most beautiful mausoleums ever created. It was constructed by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, in memory of his favorite queen, Mumtaz Mahal. Located in Agra, white marble was used in the construction of this symbol of love, and the Taj Mahal is considered to be the pinnacle of Mughal architecture.
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As the story goes, the emperor was grief-stricken when he lost his beloved third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It took thousands of craftsmen and artisans, and about twenty years to construct this structure in her honor.
The masons, stone cutters, carvers, inlayers, calligraphers, painters, and others were brought from throughout the entire empire as well as from Iran and Central Asia. Semi-precious stones were used for inlays and ornamentation. It later became the mausoleum of Shah Jahan too. This is a huge tourist attraction with one to two million tourists visiting it every year.
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Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town is aptly called “Heaven on earth.” This beautiful town at the tip of the African continent, with small roads surrounded by huge mountains, makes a person feel small. It shows just how marvelous and dominating nature can be.
Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town, South Africa

The Cape Dutch style buildings depict the architectural heritage of the place. Beauty abounds in the black clouds that seem to pay homage to Table Mountain at all times.
Cape Point, Signal Hill, Chapman’s Peak Drive, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Robben Island, Rhodes Memorial, and the beaches are just some of the famous tourist attractions. Located on the shore of Table Bay, Cape Town is famous for its floral displays as well as its harbor. This town is one of the most popular tourist destinations in South Africa with its wine tasting day trips, whale watching, and dolphin watching.
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The Grand Canyon, United States

The Grand Canyon, United States

 The Grand Canyon, United States

The Grand Canyon, United States
A steep gorge by the Colorado River, the Grand Canyon has some truly enjoyable scenery. It is 277 miles long, varies from four to 18 miles wide in places, and reaches to about a mile deep. Scientists believe that the canyon was created by the Colorado River over a six million year period.
The Grand Canyon, United States

 The Grand Canyon, United States

Native Americans built settlements in the caves within the canyon before the emigration of Europeans. It was also considered to be a site of pilgrimage by the Pueblo people. The first recorded visit to the Grand Canyon by Europeans was in 1869. Although it is not the deepest canyon in the world, it is known for its extremely large size and beautifully intricate landscape.
The Grand Canyon National Park is one of the earliest national parks in the United States, and it attracts more than five million visitors each year. Weather conditions in the Grand Canyon vary greatly between seasons as well as at different elevations. While winter snow is experienced by the higher forested rims, the inner gorge has more of a desert temperature because of its low elevation.
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Lake Saiful Muluk – Pakistan

Lake Saiful Muluk – Pakistan

Lake Saiful Muluk is a lake located on the northern end of the Kaghan Valley, near Naran. A fairy tale called Saiful Muluk, written by the famous Sufi poet Mian Muhammad Bakhsh, is associated with this lake. That fairy tale is the story of a prince of Persia who fell in love with a fairy princess at the lake. The lake’s beauty has such an impact that some people believe fairies come to visit it in the full moon.
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Shangrila – Pakistan

Shangrila – Pakistan

Shangrila Resort in Skardu is also known as “Heaven on Earth.” It is nestled among some of the world’s highest peaks, and it encircles the heart-shaped Kachura Lake. If you visit, you’ll find yourself surrounded by fruit-laden orchards and flower-filled gardens.

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Skardu Valley – Pakistan

 Skardu Valley – Pakistan

Skardu Valley – Pakistan

Skardu Valley is part of Baltistan in Pakistan. Baltistan is spread over an area of 26,000 square kilometers — right below the jagged and glaciated ramparts of the Karakoram. Once part of Laddakh, it was known as Tibet-i-Khurd, or Little Tibet. Archaeological exploration has proven that it was a part of the Silk Trade Route.
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Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, United States

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, United States

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, United States

 Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, United States

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve is a United States national park and preserve in the Alaska panhandle west of Juneau. President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the area around Glacier Bay a national monument under the Antiquities Act on February 25, 1925.[3] Subsequent to an expansion of the monument by President Jimmy Carter in 1978, the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) enlarged the national monument by 523,000 acres (2116.5 km²) on December 2, 1980 and in the process created Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve,[4] with 57,000 additional acres (230.7 km²) of public land designated as national preserve to the immediate northwest of the park in order to protect a portion of the Alsek River and related fish and wildlife habitats while allowing sport hunting.
Glacier Bay became part of a binational UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, was inscribed as a Biosphere Reserve in 1986 and in 1994 undertook an obligation to work with Hoonah and Tlingit Native American organizations in the management of the protected area.[5] In total the park and preserve cover 5,130 square miles (13,287 km²). Most of Glacier Bay is designated wilderness area which covers 4,164 square miles (10,784 km²).

Source:Wikipedia
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Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada

 Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada

Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada

Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada

Lake Louise is a hamlet in Alberta, Canada within Improvement District No. 9 Banff (Banff National Park).

Source:Wikipedia
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Mount Everest

Mount Everest

Mount Everest

Mount Everest


Mount Everest (Tibetan/Sherpa: ཇོ་མོ་གླང་མ, Chomolungma;[4][5] Chinese: Zhūmùlǎngmǎ Fēng;[6] Nepali: सगरमाथा, Sagarmāthā[7]) is the Earth's highest mountain, with a peak at 8,848 metres (29,029 ft) above sea level and the 5th tallest mountain measured from the centre of the Earth.[8] It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international border between China and Nepal runs across the precise summit point. Its massif includes neighboring peaks Lhotse, 8,516 m (27,940 ft); Nuptse, 7,855 m (25,771 ft) and Changtse, 7,580 m (24,870 ft).
In 1856, the Great Trigonometric Survey of British India established the first published height of Everest, then known as Peak XV, at 29,002 ft (8,840 m). The current official height of 8,848 m (29,029 ft) as recognized by Nepal and China was established by a 1955 Indian survey and subsequently confirmed by a Chinese survey in 1975. In 1865, Everest was given its official English name by the Royal Geographical Society upon a recommendation by Andrew Waugh, the British Surveyor General of India. Waugh named the mountain after his predecessor in the post, Sir George Everest. Although Tibetans had called Everest "Chomolungma" for centuries, Waugh was unaware of this because Tibet and Nepal were closed to foreigners at the time thus preventing any attempts to obtain local names.
Mount Everest attracts many highly experienced mountaineers as well as capable climbers willing to hire professional guides. There are two main climbing routes, one approaching the summit from the southeast in Nepal (known as the standard route) and the other from the north in Tibet. While not posing substantial technical climbing challenges on the standard route, Everest presents dangers such as altitude sickness, weather, wind as well as significant objective hazards from avalanches and the Khumbu Icefall. While the overwhelming majority of climbers will use bottled oxygen in order to reach the top, some climbers have summitted Everest without supplemental oxygen.
The goal of reaching Everest's summit for the first time was initially taken up by tenacious British mountaineers. With Nepal not allowing foreigners into the country at the time, the British made several attempts on the north ridge route from the Tibetan side. After the first reconnaissance expedition by the British in 1921 reached 7,000 m (22,970 ft) on the North Col, the 1922 expedition pushed the North ridge route up to 8,320 m (27,300 ft) marking the first time a human had climbed above 8,000 m (26,247 ft). Tragedy struck on the descent from the North col when seven porters were killed in an avalanche. The 1924 expedition resulted in the greatest mystery on Everest to this day: George Mallory and Andrew Irvine made a final summit attempt on June 8 but never returned; sparking debate as to whether they were the first to reach the top. They had been spotted high on the mountain that day but disappeared in the clouds, never to be seen again until Mallory's body was found in 1999 at 8,155 m (26,755 ft) on the North face. Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary made the first official ascent of Everest in 1953 using the southeast ridge route. Tenzing had reached 8,595 m (28,199 ft) the previous year as a member of the 1952 Swiss expedition.

Source:Wikipedia
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Shangrila Lake Skardu

Shangrila Lake Skardu

Shangrila Lake or Lower Kachura Lake is a part of the Shangrila resort located at a drive of about 20 minutes from Skardu (nearly 2,500 m or 8,200 feet) town.
It is a popular tourist destination, and has a unique restaurant that is built on the fuselage of an aircraft that had crashed nearby.
Shangrila was established in 1983 with the opening of the first Resort Hotel in Skardu, Baltistan. Shangrila Resort Hotel was founded by the late Brig.(Retd) Muhammad Aslam Khan, the first commander of the Northern Scouts of the Pakistan Army.
Shangrila was named after a book titled "Lost Horizon" by James Hilton. In the novel, the author narrates a tale in which an aeroplane crash landed near a riverbed, in the early 1920s. The surviving passengers came across some Buddhist monks from a nearby temple and sought their help. They were taken to a beautiful lamasery filled with a variety of fruits and flowers. The monks looked quite young, although they claimed to be hundreds of years old. The idyllic place was called Shangri-la, a Tibetan word meaning "Heaven on earth".

Source:Wikipedia
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