Kumrat Valley and Katora Lake a Travelogue

Road Trips / Vacations / Hiking / Trekking

lastsoul (lastsoul) 2014-10-02 13:53:33 +0500 #241

Thank you Qureshi brother. I will keep on posting pics and details, albeit a bit slow, as I was during the trek.

It was at about 10:00 pm that we reached back at the place of Abshar Hotel. Here we stopped, had tea and prepared fish fry. Fish cleaned, just a bit of salt applied and fried. Great, it was delicious. We all enjoyed this adventurous fishing and dinner. It was a memorable day.

lastsoul (lastsoul) 2014-10-02 14:26:52 +0500 #242

The thrill and joy of fishing in a remote valley of Dir with the friends I did not even knew a week earlier and that hot dinner of fry trout can not be forgotten.

Here I can not skip these mouth watering pics of freshly prepared trout being served for the meal.

engineermali (engineermali) 2014-10-02 18:28:50 +0500 #243

^^^ Tasty.

lastsoul (lastsoul) 2014-10-03 08:16:26 +0500 #244

We came back to thall at midnight and stayed at the guest room (hujra) of a friend of Raja Taj.

Morning at Thall.

lastsoul (lastsoul) 2014-10-03 08:37:28 +0500 #245

More of Thall early in the morning.

lastsoul (lastsoul) 2014-10-03 11:06:56 +0500 #246

Today my plan was to cross the Badgoi pass to reach Atror and then Kalam (Upper Swat).

But at present I was in Thall, so more of a beautiful morning.

lastsoul (lastsoul) 2014-10-03 11:59:17 +0500 #247

Another view to show the terrain of Kumrat beyond Thall.

It is bit similar to Mahudand lake of Swat, But more open, more green and more beautiful.

lastsoul (lastsoul) 2014-10-04 07:32:28 +0500 #248

Before we move on to Badgoi pass, some more clicks from woods of Kumrat.

lastsoul (lastsoul) 2014-10-04 07:42:04 +0500 #249

Kumrat forest is a rich green treasure for us. And I wish and hope, it should be ever lasting.

lastsoul (lastsoul) 2014-10-04 07:58:59 +0500 #250

My visit to upper Kumrat forest was for few hours only but it was evident that this great, rare wilderness needs days and weeks to explore, so may be some other time...

smileb4u (smileb4u) 2014-10-04 10:23:31 +0500 #251

Excellent coverage so far sir jee.

lastsoul (lastsoul) 2014-10-04 10:59:06 +0500 #252

Thanks a lot sir, keep in touch, cause we are moving to Badgoi pass for Atror (Swat) soon.

lastsoul (lastsoul) 2014-10-04 11:02:07 +0500 #253

Thanks a lot sir, keep in touch, cause we are moving to Badgoi pass for Atror (Swat) soon.

lastsoul (lastsoul) 2014-10-04 15:13:48 +0500 #254

{05-09-2014}. Today my plan was to cross Badgoi pass for Atror.

Our night stay on return from Kumrat forest was at the house of a friend of Raja Taj Muhammad in Thall. In the morning he arranged breakfast of crispy parathas and tea for us.

lastsoul (lastsoul) 2014-10-04 15:26:02 +0500 #255

After breakfast, we had a short group photo session at the front of the house.

lastsoul (lastsoul) 2014-10-04 15:32:18 +0500 #256

Some more groups.

lastsoul (lastsoul) 2014-10-04 15:57:52 +0500 #257

After this photo session we said good bye to friend of Raja sahib and came to Thall bazar. On the way, I got chance to get some snaps of the area.

lastsoul (lastsoul) 2014-10-04 16:11:36 +0500 #258

And some candid of the local life.

lastsoul (lastsoul) 2014-10-04 16:38:47 +0500 #259

Yesterday when we were going to Kumrat, we met the driver of jeep which was to go to Atror. His name was Hazrat Ali. He had only four passengers so far. He told that hopefully he will get more passengers till tomorrow and I can go in his jeep to Atror, because a booked jeep will charge much more not feasible for a single tourist.

Today we went to to thall bazar and saw him right there, with his jeep and same four passengers. We negotiated and he agreed to go to Atror without further delay.

Here is his Land cruiser getting ready to take off.

lastsoul (lastsoul) 2014-10-04 18:04:58 +0500 #260

I said heartiest thanks and good bye to Raja Taj Muhammad, his son Shaukat Ali and all others who were there with us. The jeep started rolling in Thall. Instead of going straight to Atror road, driver made a round of Thall at which I raised no objection. It was an extra time to capture some more of this town.

More snaps of Thall.