July 27, 2019

Swat valley

Swat valley tourist attraction of Pakistan. It is Switzerland in Pakistan. It has one of the oldest history and one of the beautiful scenery. Swat Valley back on its way to becoming "the Switzerland of Pakistan"

credits: tourism.com

Location:

Swat District is a district in the Malakand Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. Swat is renowned for its outstanding natural beauty. It is part of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Therefore, the location of the Swat valley has major strategic importance as it lies in the region where South Asia, Central Asia, and China meet.

Swat Valley back on its way to becoming "the Switzerland of Pakistan" — credits: pakimag.com

Best Route to reach Swat Valley:

The traveling routes are open throughout the year. Nowadays public transport facilities have also improved. Daewoo buses are commonly used for traveling.

Lahore->Islamabad->Peshawar->Swat

History of Swat Valley:

The history of Swat valley goes back to around 2000 years ago. Swat was a very peaceful area for living. Swat Valley is known as the “mini Switzerland”. Its landscapes are proof of natural beauty and it was one of the most visited areas and had a major tourism industry. The conflicts between the Taliban and the Pakistani army have effected the attractions of the valley. The whole conflict started in the 1990s when Sufi Muhammad, a cleric figure tried to impose the sharia law on the people of swat valley. In 2007, his son in law tried to follow his footsteps by imposing the religion with the strength of arms. Moreover, the Pakistan army took control of the situation and in 2008 the war of Swat was put to an end.

Best Time for Visit:

March till October, Swat has the best season for visiting. Therefore, The valley welcomes the people through its magnificent mountains, lush green forests, running streams and meadows.

Best Places of Swat Valley for visit:

There are a lot of visiting places in this valley, but some of the best are the following;

Kalam:

A place is 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 joining in Kalam, to form the Swat River. There are several waterfalls in this vicinity that increase the beauty of the valley. Waterfalls are of different lengths and sizes. Moreover, The sound of these waterfalls echo throughout the valley and creates a cracking sound on the rocks.

Location:

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

Lake Mahodand:

Lake Mahodand lies in the North of Kalam. Mahodand means “Lake of fishes”. The Lake looks like a river and changes its shape throughout. Moreover, It is best to visit Lake Mahodand in the spring or late June because that is the time when glaciers have been melted.

Kundal Lake:

Kundal Lake has situated 21 km from Kalam. It is a huge and extensive lake. There are two hamlets where two small mosques can provide accommodation but it is better to have your own tents in case of emergency use. The mountains in this valley are covered with pine trees. The lake seems to be an exact duplicate of Lake Saifulmaluk in Naran Kaghan. As a result, Both the lakes are almost of the same size and appearance.

Location:

It situated on the top of the Hindu Kush mountain range, in the Northeast of Saidu Sharif. Saidu Sharif is a lovely place 51 km away from this resort.

Swat Museum

The 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 proof of the glorious civilization. The ancients jewelry, wooden articles preserved with care for preserving the old culture findings.