Swat Valley

Swat is a stunning valley and a famous tourist destination located in the upper north region of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. Swat district is situated at a distance of 247 Km (153 Miles) from the capital city of Islamabad at an approximate travel time of a little over 3 hours via the M1 and M16 Swat Motorway.

Swat is best known as the Switzerland of the east and is commonly known as “Paradise on the Earth” for its spectacular natural beauty spread across its area of 5,337 km2 (2,061 sq. mi.).

The upper Swat is specifically famous for its breathtaking natural beauty and diverse wildlife. Swat is renowned for its lush green scenic landscapes, alpine snow-peaked mountains, clear water springs & streams, and picturesque meadows. In addition, the pollution-free atmosphere, inviting weather, charming & hospitable people, winter sports activities, and its well-known ski resort are also among the prominent captivating features of Swat.

A tourist visiting Swat Valley first reaches Saidu Sharif, the capital city and its twin city Mingora. Saidu Sharif is the capital city of Swat. It is situated near the swat river is between the villages of Kanju and Dherai of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Its GPS coordinates are 34°45’0N 72°21’0E and it has an altitude of 970 meters (3182 feet). The capital city is the centre of the administration control and all the regional government affairs are managed in the government buildings. Saidu Sharif has also a medical college.

Mingora is the commercial hub of Swat. It is located 2 km from the capital city of Saidu Shairf. The city is famous for its shopping and has a number of mineral reserves as well such as emerald reserves in hills northward of the town.

Buddhist Stupas

Nimogram is place famous for its monasteries. It is one of the most famous archeological sites of the Buddhist period. Swat was said to be filled with 1400 beautiful stupas and monasteries. They were used as worship houses for 6,000 gold images of the Buddhist and also for creating awareness about the Buddhism religions through education.

It has a number of stupas in which the 3 most significant stupas will be discussed in detail. It is said that the stupas are built with the special kind of stones known as the “dress stone.” They were the best architect of old times and they are said to resemble the “Andan Dhery” monastery which is situated in Dir district. The Shankardar Stupa is situated at distance of 3 km from Barikot towards Saidu Sharif. History says it was built between the 3rd and 4rth century and it is the only stupa that is left with the original dome still intact. Large figures of Buddha have also been carved on the stones in the nearby places. The second major stupa is called Butkara Stupa. This was one of the Chinese Buddhist pilgrims centre and is situated in the ancient capital of Mingawara. It is mentioned in the history that the stupa “under event five reconstruction.” Another Gumpat Stupa is also a famous site situated in Kandag valley (9km from south of Birkot). It consists of a number of sacred images for worshipping and it is said to be the most preserved stupa as compared to rest.

Swat Museum

Swat museum is famous for the old heritage of the Gandhara civilization. It is located between Mingora and Saidu Sharif. The museum showcases the main antiques and Buddhist artifacts which are the proof of the glorious civilization. The ancients jewelry, wooden articles are preserved with care for preserving the old culture findings.

Margazar

This place is located about 13km from the capital city of Saidu Sharif. It is situated at the foot of Mount Ilam. The meaning of the word Margazar is “green land.” This area is surrounded by green valleys, water springs and mountains. From here one can view mountain Koh-e-Alam, which has a height of 10,000 feet. It is an ideal place for a morning walk.

White Place

One of the specialties of Saidu Sharif is the Sufed Mahal (White Palace), constructed right next to Margazar. The palace was used as the residence of the Wali (ruler) both before and after the independence of Pakistan. Its location is on the Margazar Hill (7000 feet above sea level). This tourist resort has around 30 rooms and the charges per day lie in the range of Rs5000-6000 per day.

Shrine of Akhund

Saidu is known as shirf (a pious city) because of the shine of Akhund. The shrine of Akhund is housed in the marble courtyard of a mosque in Saidu Sharif. It is open for the visitors, provided they are properly dressed. One also needs to remove shoes outside the compound before entering the shrine.

Fizagat

This is another picnic location along the river Swat. Fizagat has beautiful parks and all the finest quality emerald mines. They have the best restaurants and it is best for the children recreational activities in all seasons. They also have a Rock city resort, another tourist destination with a 30 km hiking track which depicts the complete picture of nature and also provide fishing facilities. Thames hotel is one the best hotels of fizagat with beautiful scenery and is famous for the architectural designs.

Malam Jabba

Location: Malam Jabba is one of the most beautiful resorts in the area of Swat. It is eighty seven hundred feet above the sea level. Approximately 314 km away from Islamabad, it is situated on the top of Hindu Kush mountain range, in the Northeast of Saidu Sharif. Saidu Sharif is a lovely place 51 km away from this resort.

Accessibility: Tourist can reach Saidu Sharif using the airport facility and from there cars and jeeps are used to travel to other nearby places.

Tourist Attractions: The Malam Jabba Ski Resort is owned by the Pakistani Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC). The Ski Resort was a joint effort of Pakistani government and its Austrian counterpart. It had a ski slope of about 800m with the highest point of the slope 2804m (9200 feet) above sea level.

Modern facilities including roller/ice-skating rinks, chair lifts, skiing platforms, telephones and snow clearing equipment are available at the resort. These are one of the tourist attractions of the area.

Two stations at Malam Jabba provide the facility of chair lift for tourists and couples for their enjoyment. This chair lift can elevate approximately 56 passengers at a time to the height of 10500 feet. Inside the Malam Jabba resort, the facility of indoor games and other ice games are available. In winters, six to eight feet snow falls around the resort.

Two beautiful tracks for walking are also available in the area. The surroundings of those tracks included tall trees and beautiful scenic views. There is a ‘Green Valley’ where the tourist guides can take you to experience the beauty of a valley which has a green carpet of grass. Cattles can be seen grazing around in the valley. Flowers and plants of different kind can be seen there on the way to Green Valley. Following is the view of Green Valley:

Kalam

Location: Along the upper swat is a beautiful valley, known as Kalam valley in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is 270 km drive from Islamabad, 29 km from Bahrain and 2000 metres above sea level.

Accessibility: In order to reach Kalam, tourists can use Motorway to reach Mardan interchange which is about one and a half hours drive from Islamabad. Mardan onwards they can use different routes such as Dargai, Malakand Pass, Chakdara which will lead to Saidu Sharif. The total distance from Mardan till Saidu Sharif is 112 km and estimated time is two and a half hours. From here onwards, public transport is available and air conditioned buses. Moreover, Daewoo bus service operates directly from Lahore, Rawalpindi and Peshawar to Mingora without any stops in between.

Tourist attractions: A place known for its lakes, waterfalls and greenery. It is one of the most popular destinations for tourists. There are small and fertile plateaus adding to its beauty. Additionally, the Ushu and Utrot rivers joing in Kalam, to form the Swat River.

Madyan

Location:It is 56 km from Mingora city and 560 km from Islamabad. It also lies on the main road that leads to Bahrain, Kalam and other beautiful valleys of Swat.

Accessibility: Roads are there which makes it easier to access Madyan. Public transport is also available for tourists. Tourists usually stay here for long as the sites and valleys are easy to access.

Tourist Attractions: Madyan is indeed the best place for nature lovers. Every kind of modern facility is available in this valley such as cellular networks, internet, cable, hotels, restaurants etc. which makes it different from others. Moreover, there are concrete houses surrounded by tall trees and mountains.

Madyan is surrounded by green valley if Chail, Shanku and Bashigram. Quantities of mushrooms, fruits and timber is produced over there. In addition to this, the rivers and streams have swati fish and trout which makes it unique among the other valleys. The major agricultural produce includes maize, wheat, onions, potatoes and beans.

Miandam

Location:It is a hill station located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is 55 km from Mingora and 56 km from Saidu Shareef. While talking about Islamabad, it just takes 3 hours42 minutes to reach Miandam.

Accessibility: There are metaled roads which pass through the hills and houses. It is a good place for walkers as tracks are there for tourists.

Tourist attractions:few years ago, it completed medical complex, mosque and plumbing system. Moving towards the economy, it focuses on tourism and agriculture such as corn and potatoes. Miandam also promotes medicinal plants and now about 1000 people are dependent on it for their income. The estimated population is 20,000 which have increased from 3000 in 1988. In graveyards, there are crave wooden grave posts with floral designs.

Bahrain

Location: It is a hill station located in Kyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is 312 km from Islamabad and is 10 km from Madyan. Additionally, it is 4500 feet above the sea level.

Tourist Attractions: The meaning of Bahrain is two rivers. This is because Daral and swat rivers meet here. Due to this, the atmosphere is mostly pleasant in Bahrain. There are resorts and bazaars which are known for its handicrafts. Tourists visit this place throughout the year because many hotels can be found at cheap rates. Furthermore, Bahrain is known for its mosques and buildings and the surrounding area has beautiful valleys which are suitable for hiking.

Ushu

Location: In the Northern Kalam, there is a plateau 6 km wide where two rivers; Ushu and Utrot intersect (one from north east and one from the west). It is 10 km from Kalam and is 3200 metres above sea level.

There are mainly Muslims living in this area who speak Kashmiri, Pushto, Persian and Punjabi. There are mountains which are famous for hiking. As the weather in winter is very cold, so people are usually cut off in winters and move southwards and return back when the weather is suitable, usually in spring. For ushu, tourism is the main source of income till now.

Lake Mahodand

Location : Lake Mahodand lies in the North of Kalam and 12 km away from Ushu. It takes around 6.5 hours to reach this beautiful lake from Islamabad which is 381 km away. It is famous among nature and peace lovers and trout fish hunters. ‘Mahodand’ means ‘Lake of fishes’ (especially trout fishes).

Accessibility: Mahodand valley can be reached through an un-metalled road from Kalam in a 4×4 vehicle. Although the road is rough and tricky, but the beauty of the surrounding landscapes is a treat for the visitors. Small villages are scattered in the mountains and the hollering smoke that coils into the sky from the houses are some attractive views, which live in the memory forever.

The valley is long and wide and it touches Chitral boundary in the extreme North. After driving for about four to five hours from the vast valley of Kalam, 35 kilometers away, one can reach the spectacular valley of Mahodand where the small lakes, tall cedar trees and widespread pastures can be seen. Small birds that are called ‘non-game birds’ fill the air with their melodious music all the day long.