Beautiful Swat Valley

[alikhan7]

Awsome pics..
How's the road condition frm Nowshera To Kalam and how much time it'll take reaching there..can u tell me the hotel Room price and food quality.Group of 5/6 guys are intrested for sawat,What would be the cost for trip from Lahore-Kalam ( 7 days).I m with adventure club in University and each student is ready to pay 6000Max for the tour...we'll go by bus.

[Porsche_Maker]

@TM

i think posted from Swat n now u r comnig bak to homestation

Bhai jaan ur detailed report of Trip is MOst wanted Issue of PW now.

[shazi_00]

@TM
very well said by Porsche_maker

[TM]

Dear All

Thank you very much for appreciating photographs of my trip to this beautiful valley. Once again I would say, this place is beautiful and one just cant capture the whole beauty of the place in camera. I was only able to get few glimpse of the valley, just to make you people decide to go their on your next trip.

talhamehmood85 & OffRoad!

Thank you very much for adding those beautiful photographs. The place is indeed beautiful.

Talhamehmood85, it seems Malam Jabba looks beautiful in both winters and summers. I will be adding few pic of this place (almost same angle) and you can see how this place looks around spring time.

OffRoad, about Mahodand unfortunately I was not able to reach the place. The glacier was there and is planning to stay on for another 2 months. As I was traveling me my family so tracking to lake was not a advisable thing.

@ Porche_Maker & shazi_00!

Sorry yaar, till now I am not able to post the details of the trip. Every thing is recorded, just need to be typed. I promise I will post it very soon. Let me give you sort of a brief sketch of the trip.

[TM]

Well I left Islamabad around 2 pm. And was in Mardan around 4 pm. Road conditions very good. Mardan to Mingora, it took very long almost 4hrs and 30 mins (will confirm time in another detailed post). The road from Mardan to Dergai was fine, but from Dergai to Mingora things very different. Stayed in Mingora for night, next morning left for Kalam at 11 am, road from Kalam to Behrain is just ok (by now one has traveled on even bad roads to this patch looks ok). But from Behrain to Kalam basically there is no road, one drives on ‘patches of road’ and lots of dirt tracks. This Mingora – Kalam route will take 5 hours.

Personally, I felt Mingora – Kalam was much better than Dergai – Mingor road. This is because Dergai – Mingora one travels on stones and pebbles (rorhi) which is just not good, for the suspension of any car. Where else Mingora - Kalam patch is sort dirt track.

All these timings are of driving your car with love and care, keeping in mind that you still will be driving the same car after the trip. Just for comparison, a distance which took me around 5 hours, local drivers take about 3 hours to travel the same distance.

[TM]

Now few last photographs from my visit. These are from Malam Jabba.

View of Malam Jabba from cablechair

Another view from cablechair

At the top, the end point of cablechair

PTDC Motel, Malam Jabba

On way to Mingora from Malam Jabba

[nickatnite]

@TM

Great photos!.What camera did you use?...

[TM]

@ Nickatnite! Thanks again. About the camera dont ask me... any guesses? seems you are into photography so what is your guess about it.

[khangeepakistani]

@offroad

Bhai have you ever visited the Lake Kandol Just outside Kalam if not then must go there only those people can visit who have courge to travel on foot. Its just out side the Kalam from Utrore Valley about 1 hour jeep and from 3 to 4 hours walking distance. A very big and beautiful lake can't upload pics beacuse i have visited the lake in 2004 and have no digital cam at that time so no digital pics to upload but guys if you go to that lake must visit.

[imtishal]

@TM

sheikh g..chaa gaye hoo tusi..dil karda paya jaye kah tuhada chumma laye lavan par darna van kithay mera mouh na ganda ho javaye..

sir g.koi raod ki snaps nahi lein apne??zara idea ho jaye kah road conditions keyessi thein??pitures say a 100 words u know..
2ndly, how far u went on mehran??to which destination

[nickatnite]

@TM

I just point and click!!.Some photos are better than the others!!.My guess would be a Canon powershot!.

[emawais]

i have been to swat two times in 2004 and in 2005(and hoping to go there 100 time) yaar believe its the real heaven on earth (roads not included)upto mingora it is like not so gud(standing in mangora you would feel that if you are in raja bazar of pindi),it is not very much costly,

@abdkhan
you are absolutely right the kandol lake is theeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee place to go, real heaven. you have to hike for three four hours on a dangerous track . but all the way is real beauty .on your one side is coooooool fast water and thier are places where you can only place your single foot.but it is beutifullllll.can't explain in words

[TM]

@ Nickatnite! Nahi bhai, it is a unknow Chinese brand digital camera. Works fine if you stick with the fixed lens, but with telelens results are not good at all.

Earlier, I have been using SLR cameras, i guess that experienc is no doubt helping me alot.

[nickatnite]

@TM

Amazing!.Good work!.I have no patience.I guess that's why my photos are always 'hit and miss'!....

[Eidee]

I couldn't stop myself from saying "WHAT A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY WE HAVE"....
Simply Awesome.... '-)

[TM]

@ Imtishal! hoosala bhai hoosala...

Yaar road ke pics iss liyain nahi post ke kion kay I dont want to discourage people, going there and another reason was it was so hectic once you are on those road that you forget anything other than concentrating on the road

About the last point of driving Mehran, well I only did till Kalam. But for sure it was no problem taking it to Glacier on way to Mahodand.

Anyway… some more pics specially for you.

The famous Trout Fish of River Swat

Delicious chicken khari with nice thin chappati, I had on way to Kalam fro Utrot. Had this in a wooden hut, with ice cold water flowing under it, the scenery around was very beautiful. Really enjoyed the food

My ride for places where only a 4x4 can go

[imtishal]

@TM

Sir g..R u sure kah yeh trout hi hai?? or agar hai bhi tou yeh tou bacha-trout hai. apko bola tha na..ungli ungli jitni trout milaye gi apko..:P.Bhar-haal chalein apne TROUT tou kaha li
Yes chicken kharai kafi mazay-darr lag rahi hai.

[ahsanmq]

once again Beeeeeeeautiful Taha bhai

[TM]

@ Imtishal! Surely that is trout. Honestly speaking I have yet to see a large size trout fish. Few years back while in Naran, had a chance to eat, and same was the case there. It looks the poor thing just does not get enough time to grow (before been eaten up by people like me )

@ ahsanmq! thank you yaar.

[TM]

I was planning to spend the last night of my trip of Swat Valley at PTDC Motel, Malam Jabba. But don’t know why, I just did not like the place, and decided to go to Rock City, Mingor for the overnight. Here are the pics

A view river Swat from my room

Rock City