Kumrat Valley
Forested Alpine Valley Of The Upper Panjkora River In Upper Dir, A Fast Growing Domestic Destination · Thal, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Kumrat is a high forested valley at the head of the Panjkora River in Upper Dir, and in the last decade it has gone from almost unknown to one of the most talked-about summer trips in Pakistan. The appeal is simple and real: a wide, clear river running over stones through deodar and pine forest, flat grassy meadows for camping, waterfalls, and snow peaks at the head of the valley. There are no towns inside, only seasonal camps, tea stalls and a few wooden guesthouses; Thal, at the mouth of the valley, is the last real village, with a notable old wooden mosque. Jeeps go up from Thal, and beyond the road head the best of the valley is on foot - the Jahaz Banda meadow and the Katora Lake trek, a hard walk to a blue lake in a rocky bowl. Kumrat is only open in summer, and its sudden popularity has brought litter, traffic and unregulated building into a place with no infrastructure for them. It is best early in the season or midweek, with your own tent and a plan to take your rubbish out.
Kumrat Valley, above Thal, Upper Dir District, Thal, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Seasonal. The valley is reachable roughly May to October; snow closes it in winter. Jeeps run from Thal up the valley; the road is rough. There are seasonal camps and a few guesthouses but little else. Thal is a long day's drive from Islamabad via Dir. Foreigners may be asked to register with police in Dir.