There are so many beautiful places to visit in the world. You may ask why this is so hard for us people? The answer lies on the fact that most people lack a strong sense of natural beauty. This happens because there are only 7 wonders of the ancient world and they have been neglected for hundreds of years. As such, we tend to look at things in order to judge them before we truly know what they really are.
For instance, when it comes to mountains, we often look at them as being plain and boring. And sadly, these things just aren’t really that simple to understand. In a bid to help you, I have decided to write this article highlighting the various benefits that come along with visiting the mountains in Pakistan, where nature really does shine! Let’s dive in to the main subject, in this blog I would talk about Chitral Valley, grab your coffee if you can 🙂
As the capital of the Chitral District and entryway to the Kalash Valley, Chitral offers an incredible base for exploring the region. Even though the town itself is a bit dusty, and the surroundings aren’t as pleasant as in different parts of the north, the region offers a lot of scope for adventure. So, what are you waiting for? Take out your car or hire any Rent A Car and get ready to explore this adventurous region. Beneath you will find all that you have to know without a Chitral travel guide.
Area: 14,850 Sq KM
Population: 447,362
Languages: Khowar (Pashto & Urdu also widely spoken)
Tehsils(Upper & Lower): 1, 1
Number of Village Councils(Upper & Lower): 39, 56
Number of Neighborhood Councils(Upper & Lower): 0, 5
National Assembly Seats(Upper & Lower): 1
Provincial Assembly Seats(Upper & Lower): 1
Police Stations(Upper & Lower): 18
Road Condition from Dir to Chitral
Any vehicle can go from Dir to Chitral via Lowari Tumnel . You don’t need to go from Lowari top as Lowari Top used to take hours and hours (almost a day) to cross and reach to Chitral. Alsom Chitral used to be disconected from the rest of the country during winters.
However, now Lowari tunnel is fully operational. The road to Chitral has few patches that seasonally, especially in winters consume a lot of time, it is almost great up to Dir and later you should be careful about narrow mountainous roads with uneven patches. Chitral onwards to Bumburet and different valleys you will hiring jeeps as the roads get awful and uneven patches will make the journey more of an experience. In any case, the jeeps you will hire are maintained for those roads.
Benefits of Lowari Tunnel
The construction of Lowari tunnel has been the most cherished dream of the Chitral district’s half a million people, who used to remain disconnected from the rest of the country for five months during the extended winter season every year.
Since the completion of Lowari tunnel and its opening to the public transport in 2017, the provision of essential commodities has been quite smooth throughout the year and the problem of shortages has now become history for the people of Chitral.
How to Get to Chitral & Kalash Valley
Location/Distance from Islamabad
By Air:
Flights from Islamabad to Chitral work daily and take 50 minutes to reach Chitral and later a jeep would be hired to the Kalash Valleys referenced Below.
By Road:
Islamabad to Kalash Valleys: Approx. 14-17 hours (500 km)
Road is open, through M1-Swat motorway-Chakdarra-Dir-Lowari tunnels-Chitral. The road near and after Lowari tunnels, some patches are under construction. Check out below my drive video (in 4K) up to Chitral main bazar.
Best time to visit Chitral
The best time to visit in Chitral in Pakistan is from March until November, when you will have a pleasant till very hot temperature and limited till little rainfall.
Based on all the essential things any traveler needs to know about visiting Chitral such as the cost of travel, weather, peak travel seasons and many more, January-February is the best time of year to go.
In the height of summer, temperatures in Chitral can reach a maximum of 23℃ (73℉). The weather at night in the winter can get down to temperatures as low as -21℃ (-5℉).
If you’re keen to work on your tan in Chitral, you’re most likely get the longest days between sun-up and sun-down around August. To stay dry, avoid travelling to Chitral in April – It’s the wettest month of the year.
In the Kalash Valley, Chilam Joshi Festival is usually held at the end of May.
Beautiful spots in Chitral Valley, Pakistan
“When you leave a beautiful place, you will take it with you.”. Likewise, you will bring many beautiful scenery and memories of Chitral. Hopefully, you will explore the beautiful places in Chitral Valley.
Bumburet Valley
Bumburet is the largest valley of Kalasha Desh in Chitral District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa the province of Pakistan.
Bumburet valley is inhabited by the Kalash people in Chistral. The Kalash people, also called Kafir (Non-believer), Black Robe and Siah Posh, live in the three sub-valleys of Kalash; Bumboret, Rumbor and Birir.
The Bumburet valley is the biggest of the three, I visited Bumburet valley and it was fascinating to see how Kalashas have preserved their typical lifestyle till today. Bumburet has all the tourist attractions – it has sparkling streams, shady meadows, apricot and walnut trees, wide mountain ranges and yellow and green fields. And top of all that Bumburet offers a range of guest houses and hotels where one can comfortably spend few days while enjoying picturesque view of the valley.
For this reason, I suggest you visit this place in May to enjoy the Kalash Chilam Joshi Festival and if you are fan of snowfall then you can visit this amazing valley in winters as well.
Rumbur Valley
Rumbur, which deceives the north of Bumburet, has less Moslem properties and sees less travelers. It is extensively smaller than Bumburet, and without that valley’s various obscure glades, Rumbur is rough and superb; the mountain edges higher, the waterway a lot more out of control.
As there are not many sightseers, the Kalasha are less timid and less apprehensive than those in Bumburet. Nobody whenever asked, objects to having their photo taken or requests cash for presenting. Just only occasionally does the sound of jeeps annihilate the quiet quietness of the valley. Once more, at the exceptionally top finish of the valley, there is a Nuristani town.
Rumbur Valley has many small, underdeveloped villages in the north of Bumburet. It is usually full of foreign tourists. The valley is big enough to keep you busy for at least two days.
Birir Valley
Birir Valley is of the three valleys of Kailash Tribe in chitral,mostly the inhabitants are from Kailash community. This is the smallest edge valley in Kalash, located in southern Bumburet. This place is not well developed and receives few tourists throughout the year. I would say this valley has less tourists than Bumburet & Rumbur. If you like get lost in the nature, want to see less developments & get away for a while from the modern world then this is perfect spot for you to visit.
Ayun Valley
Ayun is an administrative unit, known as Union Council and village in Chitral district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, 12 km south of the town of Chitral. It is located on the Chitral River at its confluence with the Bumburet River. It is located on the banks of the Chitral River, one of the most beautiful valleys in Chitral. This is a lush green valley between Chitral town and Ayun Valley. It is the gateway to the Kalash Valley.
The Chitral River and the Bamburit River converge in the Ayun Valley. The Bumburet River flows through the entire Ayun Valley. The water from this river is used to generate electricity, irrigate and drink for Ayoun Village. The people of Wadi Ayun are very friendly and hospitable. You should visit Wadi Ayun and witness the welcome and guidance of tourists.
Ayun Valley is a perfect picnic spot in Chitral that is surrounded by the immense peaks and in between the choppy water id Chitral River with grassy land makes a perfect combination to give ease to your soul.
Garam Chashma (Hot Spring)
That’s Gorgeous! !! The name sounds interesting, doesn’t it?
Garam Chashma is also famous for hot springs or warm springs. It is the beautiful Chitral Valley, located in the Hindu Kush Mountains, 2550 meters above sea level. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Chitral and is famous for its hot springs, trout, and gems. This place is well worth a visit and includes rock climbing, fish sports, natural hot springs, and peaceful surroundings.
This is another interesting fact about GARAM CHASHMA! Springwater is used as a natural medicine for skin diseases and chronic headaches. A bathing area has been established for tourists to bathe in the spring water.
You may wonder why the water in the GARAM CHASHMA is so hot. This is because there is a lot of sulfur deposits underground. Sulfur raises the temperature of water above its boiling point and raises the temperature to approximately 2,600 degrees Celsius.
Garam Chashma is known for Hot spring, which is one of the tourists attraction sites. It is also famous for its trout fish. The water flowing down through the length of the valley is famous for fishing sport.
Shandur Pass & Polo Ground
Shandur Pass is a pass located in Upper Chitral District. It is often called ‘Roof of the World. During the annual ‘Shandur Polo Festival,’ there are polo matches played in Shandur Polo Ground on Shandur Top, between the teams of Chitral District and Gilgit-Baltistan
If you are an adventurous tourist, this is an ideal place to go. The road is narrow, rugged, and uneven, and you should only want to drive first and second gears. Moreover, most roads are only suitable for one car. The best time to travel to Shandur Pass is from late April to early November. Jeep is the best off-road driving option to go to this worth seeing place.
Every July, the “Shandur Polo Festival” (Shandur Polo Festival) is held. At the festival, Chitral and the Gilgit Baltistan team played a polo match on Shandur Top. Therefore, Tourism Pakistan brings you the best package for the July Shandur Polo Festival.
Almost at 4 hours’ drive from the Chitral valley, the famous Shandur Polo Ground is located that hosts international and national matches of polo every year. Polo is one of the most popular games in the Chitral valley. Moreover, there are other small grounds in Chitral Town as well. The most famous Shandur Polo Ground considered being the highest polo ground in the world. Thousands of local and foreigners tourists gather to witness this amazing game at this polo ground.
Tirich Mir
Tirich Mir is the highest mountain of the Hindu Kush range, and the highest mountain in the world outside of the Himalayas–Karakoram range. It is located in the Chitral District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
It is located in the Mulkow Valley in the Chitral region. Also, the height of this mountain range is 7708 meters. Do you know interesting facts about the Trich Mir? In Waki, Trich means darkness and Mir means king. Therefore, the name means “King of Darkness”. The name can also be attributed to the shadow created by Tirch Mir on the side of Wakhan.
Tirich Mir is a very impressive snow capped mountain that towers over Chitral and can be seen from great distances when it is clear at the summit. From Mastuj one can get a good view of this massive sentinel with a telescopic lens.
Tirich Mir stands tall and proud with elevation of 7,708 m in the Hindukush . Its truly masjectic and needs to be scaled and its adjoining area requires lot of exploration . Highly recommend its basecamp treks to anyone interested. You cant miss it on the way to Kalash valley as Torch Mir majestically towers in the background on the way to Kalash valley. The locals talk about magical fairies that live on the mountaintop.
Broghil Valley
From lush green plains to gigantic lakes to snow-capped passes, Broghil valley has some of the most unique and varied landscapes I have ever seen. Even the weather changes frequently from snowfall to dust storms.
Located in the upper northern part of the Chitral District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Broghil valley is also a national park. Broghil valley is situated close to the Kaftan border. The area of the valley is mostly mountainous tracts. The area is covered with steep mountains and grassy plains. The valley is at an altitude of 3,280 so the weather of the valley is quite harsh especially during the winter season.
Karambar Lake
Karambar Lake, also known as Qurumbar Lake, is a high altitude lake located in Ishkoman Valley of District Ghizer, Gilgit Baltistan. It is the 33rd highest lake in the world and one of the most biologically active lakes on earth.
The beautiful Karambar Lake is one of the highest, coldest, and most transparent lakes, a glacial lake in the Alps. It is located in the Broghil Valley in Chitral and the Ishkomen Valley in Gilgit. Karambar Lake is the second-highest lake in Pakistan. The first is Lake Rush in Gilgit-Baltistan. It was found at a height of 4,272 meters and has high biological activity.
When leaving the Broghil Valley people will drive a jeep. After that, you have to trek for 3 days to reach Karambar Lake. I assure you that this adventure will be wonderful.
This is one the highest lake in the world, the most coldest, bluest & clearer water among all lake in Pakistan, its in the valley of Broghil, and a trek of almost 8 to 9 hours, worth to visit it.
Barmoghlasht velley
Oh Damn! It’s hard to pronounce, but it’s very beautiful 🙂
Nestled in between the gigantic mountains and richly green land, Barmoghlasht is one of the famous summer resorts in Chitral. Located at a distance of 14. 5 kilometres away from the Chitral. Tourists preferred to visit the place in both seasons, in summers, the resort is perfect for paragliding and in winter for skiing. Each season brings adventure to this resort.
This is a very beautiful scenic resort and an attractive resort. The distance between Barmoghlasht and Chitral is 14.5 kilometers. In addition, it is the building of the Chitral royal family, which is worth seeing. It is located among lush green pastures, adding more beauty to the resort.
Chitral Museum
The small new Chitral Museum Of Archaeology & Ethnology is poorly signed but located next to the polo ground. It has a few local ethnographic exhibits, but is a little disappointing and keeps irregular hours (you may have to find someone to open it for you). It compares poorly with the excellent Kalasha museum (Kal’as’a Dur) in Bumboret.
The ethnography exhibition shows the lifestyle of the Chitral people. In addition, various items such as jewelry, weapons, traditional clothing, furniture, ceramics, and musical instruments are part of the ethnographic exhibition.
The Chitral museum is not free to visit, there are different range of prices for tourists to see the museum. If you are only visiting the museum then the fee is not so bad and is affordable. However if you are If you’re a Videographer and wish to move video inside the museum then you have to pay the extra price 🙂
I would say, they should reduce their fee for videographers and should not charge so much extra. Therefore I did not film inside the museum and the fee was too high for me, maybe it’s affordable for so many people but certainly I did not like to pay that when I was there. The fee to get inside the Chitral museum you can see in my this video.
Chitral Shahi Fort
The Chitral Fort called as Shahi Fort is a fortification in Chitral town, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The fort is situated on the banks of the Chitral River.
On the right bank of the Chitral River near the Shah Mosque, a beautiful and majestic fort was built. It is called Shahi Fort Chitral. This fort was built by Raja Nader Shah in the 14th century. It is not in its original form, but it still shows the richness of its past.
In addition, in 1969, Shahi Fort Chitral (Shahi Fort Chitral) announced the ownership of the personal property of the last Chitral ruler. This fort is open for visitors without any entrance fee I was able to get in without paying anything, I’m not so sure if usually they charge for the entrance.
Chitral Governor’s Cottage
The name reveals the ownership of this place, right? The Governor’s Lodge is one of the beautiful places in the Chitral Valley. It represents a typical architectural style. The place is surrounded by huge mountains and green landscapes. Many historical sites that fascinate tourists are preserved here. When the weather is fine, you can admire Tirch Mir from here. In addition, this place is open to the public.
Chitral Gol National Park
Chitral Gol National Park is located on the banks of the Chitral River, around two hour continuous journey from Chitral. Another name for the park is Chitral National Park. You can walk on an area of 7,750 hectares at an altitude of 5,000 meters. The road to the park is narrow, dangerous, and adventurous. You can see three valleys, huge glaciers, and beautiful streams from the glaciers in the park. There are many cedars in Cedar Park.
You might be thinking what’s in the garden? Well, many animals live there such as Markhor, Ibex, Black Bear Wolf, Red Fox, and Himalayan Fox.
Also you can see aviation animals as well such as Eagle, golden eagle, eagle, redfish, monkey, thunderbird, and rock. Therefore, Chitral National Park must be visited in your itinerary and do not miss it.
Make sure you make a visit. Sit by the river, and look out for animals. The locals seem to know just how to look for them. I do recommend the national park as it offers great views, however just take food with you as there isn’t much up there.
Chitral Tooshi Game Reserve
It is located at 30 minutes drive from Chitral town, on Garam Chashma road, in the afternoon one could enjoy the wildlife of the game reserve where the Markhor (wild goat) descend to the river for water.
Like other beautiful places in Chitral, Tooshi Game Reserve is no exception. Chitral is a place that must be freely entered. An interesting fact about Tooshi Game Reserve is that it is a paradise for Markhors & Deer.
Beautiful place to spot the Markhor/ Deer as they descend at 5pm from the tops of mountains. You need a zoom lens camera and/or binoculars to enjoy the full spectacle. No specific markings for exact location to see the deer – just keep a keen look out.
Check out my video and enjoy the 4K stunning views of Chitral.
Traveling with the green ( ?? ) passport ?
Take only memories✈️leave only footprints?
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