I went on a trip Swat 20th - 27th September. Spent the Eid in Kalam.
Very good experience, no rush, few tourists, very reasonable rates of everything, and perfect weather.
Lahore to Mingora - Sunday 12:00 AM (night), Sammi Daewoo. Rs. 1,600 per ticket.
Stops at Kalar Kahar, Pindi, Mardan, Batkhela. Reached Mingora 9:45 AM.
Rested, breakfast, took a hotel room near main bus stand. Rs. 500.
Rented a car to Kalam from Mingora main bus stand for Rs. 4000. We stopped at a fruit orchard, trout farm Madyan, and a spring/waterfall on the way. Also stayed for lunch at Bahrain. Left Mingora 1:30 PM, reached Kalam 5:30 PM.
Driver: Shah Durran - 0334-3481169
Stayed at Kalam - hotel Noor Palace. Good neat place. Clean maintained rooms and baths. Good view of mountains. At the start of Kalam, 1 km from main bazar. No food arrangements in off season, so we used their kitchen and cooked, made tea etc. Electricity 24/7 from running spring water, with occasional breakdowns. Hot water 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM. A few dish channels.
Asked Rs.1,000 per day. I did not need to bargain. Stayed there Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.
Hotel phones:
0300-5952155
0314-9702851
Moved to hotel New Honeymoon at the end of Kalam (gamon bridge) on Thursday. They charge Rs.5,000+ in season. Asked for Rs. 2,200, and settled for Rs.1,500 per day. Hotel has the best view in Kalam. Next to river. Can see snow covered peaks and all mountains around Kalam. Very well decorated. Good rooms. Clean and quality baths. Hot water 7:00 AM - 10 AM. Electricity from generator only, 5:00 - 11:00 PM. Lots of dish channels. Good kitchen, and good chef. A variety of dishes on menu. allowed us to cook and use the kitchen. Stayed there Thursday, Friday.
hotel phones:
0313-0035400
0332-6035400
New Honeymoon Hotel Kalam
From Monday to Thursday, we did not stay at hotel, left for tours around Kalam at 10:00 AM and came back at 7:00 PM.
We went to Mahodand lake, stopped at glacier (now melted) after Matiltan village, Ushu village, some waterfalls and springs.
Went to Utror village, Gabral, Blue water trout hatchery, and stopped at many bridges and spots on the way. There are many, believe me.
Spent time in Kalam forest. The most beautiful pine forest I have ever seen.
Kalam and the areas around it are the real beauty of Swat.
*** NOTE *****************************
Take my advice. Only spend any time in Mingora, Saidu Sharif, Fiza Ghat, Swat Museum, Marghazar, Malam Jabba or other places, if you are really really fond of travel on dusty bumpy mountain roads.
Or you need to tell your friends/family that you visited all these places.
If you want to see beautiful scenery, mountains, rivers, snow-covered peaks, lakes, trees, lush green fields, waterfalls, springs.....
Just keep going till Kalam. Stay there a few days and explore the areas I mentioned above.
If you are really adventurous, go on to Kumrat valley or Kundol lake.
Saturday morning, we left for Mingora. Forgot name of driver, he was local of Kalam, paid Rs.2,500 Kalam to Mongora.
Took Sammi Daewoo, 7:30 PM. Reached Lahore at 4:30 AM.
Another service is Swat Coach. Runs Daewoo bus (Rs. 1,000) from Mingora to Lahore 8:30, 9:30 PM. Hino bus (Rs.850) at 7:30 PM daily.
Swat:
0946-729335
0946-725175
0301-8707735
Lahore:
0333-8303540
0311-1443535
Another tour guide/ driver in Mingora : Ahsaan Ullah - 0333-9473808
Owns a van, 10 seater. Runs 4 day tours of Swat valley. Asked Rs. 15,000 for 4 days. His food and stay at every location included.
