About Kumrat Valley.
When you cross Malakand Pass and Reach Batkhela. You are now in the valley of swat river. Some kilometer downstream of batkhela, the Pankora River from Kumrat meet with swat. After meeting of these two, the river name is Khayali River, that joins Kabul River near Charsadda.
Cross the river swat from Chakdarra Bridge, soon after few Km, you will be in the valley of Pankora River. The upstream take you to the Lower Dir (Timargara). Keep your journey upstream, takes you a point, where a sub valley branches out towards Upper Dir (Known as Dir) which further takes you to Lowari and Chitral.
Don't take the detour to Dir, keep upstream, takes you to Thall (Base camp of Kumrat) some 7000 feet ASL. From Thall you can go to Jahaz Banda, Kumrat Valley and Badgoi/Utror/Swat.
From Thall to Dir, at Fajar time in morning some jeeps ply to Dir. And from Dir in mid day, these jeeps come back. Any car can go Dir to Thall.
At Thall you can stay in a newly built hotel. (Name forgot), room rent fix 1000/-.
From Thall, there is no public transport jeeps to Kumrat/Jahaz banda and Badgoi Swat. Only rented jeeps.
There is also a rest house in Kumrat, some 4-5 Km from Thall.
Keep local guy/guide/driver with you. Do not point your camera to woman/ppl and houses. People are very conservative.
Valley is free from Taliban. Taliban never entered this valley. The Malakand Dir Road at a place runs on the border of FATA for few km.