Trip Details on Fairy Land: Kumrat, JahazBanda & Katora Lake (4 Days & 4 Ngts)

[mohsinali_uet]

Aoa...
I have done with Kumrat & JahazBanda, U.Dir Kohistan on 14 Aug & decided to share complete detail as b4 my trip exicution i didnt found complete detail of places/Time spent/Facilitaion availability & Order of plan...However, here u can find each about Trip Planning.
I ll cover Distances, Transport, Fares & Order of Places & Facilitaion availability.

1) Distances, Transport & Fare Options:

Opt A:
- Rawalpindi to Mardan, Hi.s, 140 Km: 200 Rs (2 Hrs)
- Mardan to Kalkot, Coaster, 250 Km: 600 Rs (8 Hrs)
- Kalkot to Thall (Any Veh): 100 Rs (1.5 Hrs)
- Thall to JahazBanda Forest, Parking, (4x4 r Double cabin): 3500 (2 Hrs)
- JahazBand Forest to JahazBanda, Moderate level Hicking, 3 Hrs
- JahazBanda to Katora Lake: 3 Hrs Moderate Treck (Easy as compared to JahazBanda)
- Thall to Kumrahat upto Dojanga, (4x4): 8000, 4 Hrs

Opt B:
- Rawlpindi to Temargara (Dawoo): 600 Rs (4 Hrs)
- Temergarah to Darawat (Hi.s): 4 Hrs (300 Rs)
- Darawat to Thall(Hi.s/Booked): 5000 (4 Hrs)
- Next s same as Opt 1

Opt C:
- Rwp to Darawat, 300 Km, 7.5 Hrs, Hi.s: 700 Rs
- Darawat to Kalkot, 3 Hrs, Hi.s: 5000
- Same as Opt A

Option A is best of all as its ecnomocal, Time saving & Comfortable

Places To Cover:
1) Thall Jamia Mosque
2) Jhandri Muesium
3) JahazBanda Forest & Memorizing Treck
4) Jahaz Banda Meadows
5) Jahaz Banda Waterfall
6) Katora Lake
7) Kumrat Guest House
8) Kumrat Waterfall
10) Crooked Woods
11) Kumrat Forest
12) Dokala Chahma
11) Dojanga

Days Req: 4 Days & 4 Nights

Iternary:

Day1:
-Leave RWP @ 1400~1500 Hrs via Hi.s from Motorway Chowk r Perwadai for Mardan Ada, reach b4 1800
- Get on kalkot Coaster, it will leave in between 1800~1900, & will reach Kalkot @ 0400 in Nxt Morning (Kalkot Coaster # C.#: 03249000142)

Day 2:
-B4 reaxhing kalkot, contact Mr. Alam (Double cabin C. # 03229811365), He will take u upto Thall, Breakfast & Leave for JahazBanda Forest Parking. On the way cvr Jhandri Muesium & Hire 02 x Guides
Note: Routes of Kumrat & JahazBanda separates from Thall)
- From Here hike starts(03 Hrs), mules are also available for Carrying urseld as well as ur luggauge
- We reached Jahaz Banda Meadow about 1600. Got fresh & left for JahazBanada Waterfall (Half Hr Treck)...Amazing place...Reaxhed back @ 1900, Got dinner & Slept

Day 3:
- Rise early Morning, Bf & Leave for katora, its 3 Hrs Trexk easy as compared to JahazBanda
- Reaxhed baxk @ 1400, started decending to J.Banda forest, b4 leaving from J.Banda Meadows contact Mr. alam & ask to collect u from Forest Parking
- Reaxed Thal about 1600, Lodged into Hotal & had dinner with Famous Thall Kabab

Day 4:
- Early Morning left for Kumrat, cvrd Rest House, waterfall, Crooked woods, Kalachasma & Dojanga
- Its puerly 4 x 4 road & all places are on road side with same sequence as said above
- Reached Thall baxk at 1500 & Kalkot @ 1600, Booked seats in Coaster & reated in Hotel
- Left for Mardan @ 1900 & Reaxhed Mardan @ 0400 in next Mornong...Reached Rwp @ 6:15.

Must to Remember:
- Must take Telenor sim with u, it works on JahazBanda Too, where in Kumrat no service is working
- Must take sufficent cash with u, as in kalkot, Thall & onward no ATM exists...Only easy paisa & Jazz cash...which operates seldom (We faced this problem most)
- Huts/Hotels & Foods are available in Kumrat, Thal & JahazBansa at feasible price.
- Most imp, Kohistani peoples are simple...Just respect there culture & dont stare there womens (Free advice)
Gd Luck

[naveedyu]

Much awaited thread. Are these placed good for family also. Kindly mention your views if some one wants to visit and stay these with family.

[ame.raz]

Thanks for sharing your trip details. Its a new place I didn't visit it. Dear you didn't mention how's the weather there? southern people mostly like to visit northern areas in summer season As summer season is hot in their towns, so which month is best to visit those places.
Secondly whats the condition of roads?
Thirdly is route safe for day and night driving with all facilities like gas stations, motels, hotels, restrooms for families towards Rwp to onward?
And lastly how much expenses for one person.

[mohsinali_uet]

Yes, u can Visit with Family Upto Kumrat...Its totally Ride
But Treck to Jahazda is not suitable for Kids & Family.
For Family Trip upto Kumrat...If u are leaving from Rwp/Isd side...Its btr to drive in ur own veh upto Thal & From there u can hire 4x4 for Kumrat

[mohsinali_uet]

Weather s Just like Northern areas...In kumrat almost every day rain falls...We were in Jahaz Banda on 12th Aug & it was cold enough for one blanket.
Best Time is April to Oct.

Roads Upto Dir are in Verygood condition.
From Dir to Thal in almost good condition.
From onward to Thall its only 4x4 suaitable road.

We were group of 5, Cost per head for 4 Days was 8000/Head. We booked 2seats for all the way in & out in public Transport.

[asim.shah]

share more pics ,,, nice to see more people visiting this region.

[nagar1]

Visited kumrat and jazz banda but didnt visit katora lake.beautiful places

[nomee2004]

just waoooooo

[furqan87]

good and most awaited thread ... can you give your contact number ?

[vakaas]

Please assist if you can on the queries raised in the below mentioned thread.

Proposed family trip in mid of Sep, 18 to Kalam & Kumrat Valley

Hi All, I am planning a family trip to Kumrat Valley and am planning to pass through Kalam side. I have searched extensively but have failed to find any thread where some one has attempted Kumrat Valley from Kalam side. Following are my questions: Can it be done on Jeep from Kalam side? How many days required to explore complete Kumrat Valley (Jeepable places only as traveling with family and treking not possible)? Any rest houses (any goverment department or army) that can be booked ? An…

[mohsinali_uet]

• Yp, it is possible from Kalam side via Utror & Ghibral.
• For This u have to reaxh Mengora, then mengora to Kalam (Depends in between u, where u wana visit)...Stay one day in kalam & Visit Mahudand Lake & Nasrullah lake on 4x4
• From Kalam to Kumraht (Basically Thall) its 6~7 hrs drive via Badogai pass only possible on 4*4, 4x4 ll charge 6~7k for booking.
• In thal u can easily find hotals (Not many faxilities available), but from thal there s 40 Mints drive to Kumrahat Rest House ... If u belong to army r hv some ref u can book there for N.stay.
• In Kumrat, u can travel on 4x4 upto Dojanga
  Main spots in Kumrat that can b accessed easily are
  1) Forest
  2) Waterfall
  3) Kala Chashma
  4) Dojanga
  & Amazingly beautifull sceneries along the way

Hope, it ll help u

[vakaas]

Thank You Mohsin for the detailed reply. Please share the exact location of the army rest house in Kumrat so that i may try for bookings there.

[mohsinali_uet]

Its the 1st point in Kumrat vally almost at 30~40 mints drive from thal
Hv this info only

[ali_77]

Excellent information.
few questions:
How much time, it takes from Dir to Thal?
Do we have to go till Dir or turn right before Dir for Thal?

[mohsinali_uet]

In U.Dir territory, u have to turn into Babe.Kumrat just after Darawat.
Its b4 U.Dir Stand

[furqan87]

there is no trekking in option A? m i right ?

[mohsinali_uet]

In Kumrat Vally, Theres no Trecking
But if u opt for JahazBanda/Jhandri, u will b having 3 Hrs trecking from Jahazbanda forest for JahazBand & 2.5 Hrs further treck for Katora lake.

[vakaas]

I have heard that the forest rest house operated by Army is not up to the standard and families can not live there. Is it true? Please share the condition of the rest house if you know it.

[saadt100]

i would like to add one thing for Jahaz Banda. From Thal jeeps can go to Tikki Top/Tikki Banda. Jeep charges 4-4.5k one sided. From tikki banda it is very easy hike (70% plane and 30% ascend that too not very much) It takes only 2-2.5 hours from tikki banda to jahaz banda.

[a_devil_rockn]

do you have any contact for tikki banda? also how much distance is it from thal to tikki banda?

another question, what are the options of reaching thal from timergara?