Lowari Top

Lowari pass, more commonly known as Lowari Top is the shortest and feasible door way to the beautiful valley of Chitral.  Geographically, Lowari pass is at 10,230 ft high mountain pass from 5hours drive from Peshawar. 

An aerial view of Lowari Top

 The other four major mountain passes to enter Chitral are the Dorah Pass from Badakhshan in Afghanistan, Shandur Top from Gilgit, and Broghol from the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan.

Normally it takes 12 hours’ drive from Peshawar to Chitral and at time 9 hours’ depending on the weather, roads, your vehicle and more importantly the driver!

A shelter at Lowari Tunnel. PHOTO: FAZAL KHALIQ/EXPRESS

During winters, unfortunately this route remains closed for traffic due to heavy snow fall from November to May. During these days Lowari tunnel is opened once or twice a week.

During winters a deadly avalanche can come at any moment without warning.

Normally it takes 12 hours’ drive from Peshawar to Chitral and at time 9 hours’ depending on the weather, roads, your vehicle and more importantly the driver!

PHOTO: leavemehere.wordpress.com

A South Korean construction company, SAMBU, has been assigned the work on the Lowari tunnel. The expected cost after completion is Rs. 8 billion ($133 million US). The tunnel will reportedly reduce the 14 hours’ drive by half.

GARAM CHASHMA- Where the Spring goes Hot !!

Garam Chashma Chitral

Garam Chashma, at the distance of almost 2 hours from Chitral town, previously known as “Injigan”, the land of Hot Springs, is famous for its stunning beauty, mountainous terrain, as in its warm hearted and friendly inhabitants. Its picturesque mountains, sulphur springs, Juniper forests, friendly people and rivers teeming with the famous Trout fish are truly spellbinding. 

Towards Garam Chashma, along the track is a natural spring popping at the road side. Locally known as “Khonza Utch” or the “Princess of Springs”, its water is cooler than ice and is considered good for health. Other then Hot Springs, Garam Chashma is also home to many cold and fresh springs. These springs rarely dry due to slow melting of snow on the mountain peaks.

Garam Chasma is renowned for its boiling sulphur springs which are famous for healing effect on skin diseases, gout, rheumatism and chronic headaches. Yearly tourists and other cure seekers visit the area. The season of bath starts from March 21 and continue for two months of the spring season. The government has setup few rooms near the hot springs for the convenience of tourists and visitors. The locals claim that the water is more useful for women while for young people the bath can be slightly harmful. According to a local doctor the hot bath was a kind of physiotherapy, but from medical point of view he could not explain this mode of treatment. He said that the hot water caused the closed pores of the human skin to open.

Visitors enjoying hot spring

The people of Garam Chashma valley celebrate the traditional spring festival ‘Pathak’ every year to mark the end of winter and start of the arrival of spring. According to folk heritage of Ismaili Muslims, who comprise majority of the population of Lotkuh sub tehsil, Pathak marks the successful conclusion of the 40 days (Chillah) meditation of Nasir Khisraw, the legendary Fatimid period Ismaili mystic, who first preached Islam in this part of the world. The local astrologers known as ‘Pathakeen’ decide when to celebrate the festival. The Pathakeens visit different houses conveying the message and announcing the date door to door. On arrival of these pathakeens (messengers) is very exciting moment, people shower a pinch of flour on their shoulder to be relics and to welcome. This festival is celebrated in South and West Asia as spring festival and has been given different cultural names like ‘Basant’.  

Another fascinating aspect of this magnificent valley is the presence of memorial shrine of Pir Hakim Nasir Khusrus.  Pir Nasir Khusrow known as Ruby of Badakhshan was the great and-well-known lsmaili Missionary.  He was the celebrated medieval erudite poet, philosopher, traveller and Hujjat of Khurasan. Nasir Khusraw was one of the most important figures of llth century Iran. 

Delicious Chitrali traditional food

Garam Chashma is also very famous for its nutritious, juicy and fresh fruits. Such as apple, mulberry, pear, grapes and many other wild fruits.The traditional food of Garam Chashma is Gholmandi, Cheera Shapik, Shospalaki and Cheergreenj.

Garam Chashma is also very famous for its nutritious, juicy and fresh fruits. Such as apple, mulberry, pear, grapes and many other wild fruits.The traditional food of Garam Chashma is Gholmandi, Cheera Shapik,

Potato field

From past few years, the valley had witnessed potato boom that proved to be great golden income generating harvest.

Every year in the month of September there is festival in the Gobbor valley of Garam chashma. Where different games are arranged such as Polo, Paragliding, Buz kashi and traditional dance and music.

Trout Fish

Garam Chashma is the dream-come true for lovers of mountaineering, trekking, hiking, camping and fishing. Besides eco-tourism of the area and the bath one can enjoy trout fishing in the stream. The rivers in Chitral are teeming with trout fish.

Tirich- The valley that leads up to Tirich Mir!!

Great view of Tirich Mir- On the way to Trirch valley

Ask someone where is Tirich and you get a eyes wide open, jaws drop and complete blank look in amazement. Who doesn’t know about Tririch!! The valley that will leads up to Tirich Mir~ the highest mountain of the Hindu kush range, and the highest mountain in the world outside of theHimalayas-Karakoram range, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, near the Afganistan–Pakistan border.

Tirich Mir- The highest mountain of the Hindu kush range

 It is believed the origin to the name Tirich Mir is "King of Tirich".  According to Wakhi language trich means shadow or darkness and mir means king hence Tirich Mir means King of Darkness. It could have got this name as it causes long shadows on the Wakhan side of its face. Other than that it is local myth that there are fairies living.  

Trirch Valley

My visit to Tirich was based on a visit to IREAD ECD Center with my dad and uncle. The center was currently under construction. The people there speak the Khowar Language. We were warmly welcomed by the village leaders and after visiting the ECD Center we had our lunch at one of our friend. The food was traditional and delicious. In Tirich, more like other villages of Chitral people prefer dairy products and foods. 

We left the valley at 5pm. Although I couldn’t get much near to highest mountain but I came back with this great feeling of being to the valley of Tirich. Hope to visit the valley again. 

Heaven High Up in the Mountains!!

Rocky Mountains of Shoghor- On the way to Karimabad

It was November 2014, I could feel the cold air on my face, and the valley had already started pulling the yellow blanket as autumn had taken its grip over the valley. Yes!!! I was in Karimabad valley of Chitral, in the northern territory of Pakistan, one of the beautiful and breath-taking places. The central Asian, northern territory of Pakistan is considered one of the most beautiful places. At a distance of 35km from the main town, Karimabad valley is situated in North East of Chitral. Chitral is composed of seventy percent of mountains. The highest mountain of the Hindu Kush range “Tirich Mir” is also very close and clearly visible which adds more beauty to the valley. The altitude of this valley is about 10000 ft from the sea level.

Shoghor Bridge towards Karimabad

As the route toward Karimabad is mountainous, bumpy and rough, I remembered the well known quote which goes like “there is no short cut to success” and on my case which became there is no easy route to a beautiful place. The Rocky Mountains are quite fascinating and adventurous. These are also one of the best Rocky Mountains tracking zone.

On the way 

Narrow roads of Karimabad

Karimabad has a rural housing system. Here they live in small houses, mostly made of stones due to harsh weather. Karimabad is also home to many natural springs. These natural springs are never dry and provide water even in the winters when other sources of water, such as pipelines, are frozen. Inhabitants of Karimabad are very co-operative, sincere, simple, straight forward and hospitable. When we reached there we were warmly welcomed and everyone made us feel at home, even the kids! 

Happiness is Childhood- Kids at host home

People here made their homes high up in the mountains. I loved the way the curvy roads made their way to the high up valley. And peering down was amazing. One feels so lively and spirited being there. We stopped our jeep and started walking as it was the best way to enjoy the nature. We felt that the birds were singing for us and wanted to tell that there were new people in the valley. On every step there was fresh cold stream that made the scenery more miraculous.

Karimabad, Chitral

Different musical, dance and folk festival are yearly arranged such as at the time of Novroz. Different Children camps are also arranged here twice a year.

Anyone can easily get travelling guide there. There are government and civil, as well as community travelling guides who are very supportive and welcoming. 

Beautiful Valley of Karimabad

The valley is rich with wealth of natural resources such as fresh air, fresh water, fresh fruits and herbs. Places worth visiting in Karimabad include Mashat, Nagrough, Bumbostu, Mouchian Ghari, Girdanga, Kachuftu, Shahaghooch and many more.

Natural Spring- Karimabad

Few Safety Tips:

• The valley of Karimabad being in high up mountainous region, few safety tips while travelling should be considered: 
• Always travel with a reliable and strong heavy vehicle. 
• The driver must be of the valley as the route well as there is chance of accidents.
• Always keep your sun blocks and lotions with you as the valley is at height, one may get skin problem. 

Other than that Karimabad is one of the peaceful spot for family adventure, group adventure as well as lonely adventure!