Chitral and Kalash Valleys travel guide
Chitral is a town on the Chitral River in northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the way into the Kalash valleys. This guide covers the route, what to see and the weather, with the Chitral tours listed on Wonderlist.
- 1 package listed now
- 1 agency
Where Chitral is
Chitral town lies on the Chitral River at about 1,500 metres and is the capital of Lower Chitral District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Chitral Fort, besieged for over a month in 1895, and the Shahi Mosque are the best-known landmarks in town.
Getting there
By road, Chitral is reached from Dir through the Lowari Tunnel. The tunnels, 10.4 km in total, opened in July 2017 and run under the Lowari Pass, which is closed in winter, so the road no longer depends on the pass.
Chitral Airport is 3.7 km north of town, and PIA has run flights between Chitral and Islamabad. Check each package's itinerary to see whether the tour drives or flies.
The Kalash valleys
The three Kalash valleys, Bumburet, Rumbur and Birir, lie in the Hindu Kush near Chitral. They are home to the Kalash people, who have their own culture, language and religion. Bumburet, the largest and most visited, is reached by road from Ayun; Rumbur is a side valley to its north and Birir lies to its south.
Weather
Summers in Chitral are very hot and dry, and most of the rain falls in spring. Winters are cold: nights can drop to −10 °C and snow in town is common.
Northern areas tour packages
1 matching package is listed on Wonderlist now. Open them for the dates, hotels, itinerary and what is included.
Questions
- How do you get to Chitral by road?
- From Dir through the Lowari Tunnel, which opened in July 2017 and avoids the Lowari Pass that closes in winter.
- What are the Kalash valleys?
- Bumburet, Rumbur and Birir, three valleys in the Hindu Kush near Chitral, home to the Kalash people and their own culture, language and religion.