Chitral and Kailash Valley, Pakistan

Salut Mes Amis,

If you are in Chitral and do not have much time to make the things easily then you can hire a jeep from Chitral town and can make day trips to Kalash valleys (Birir, Bamborate and Birir) which are almost located at the drive of 2 hrs from Chitral town and within a day you can visit almost 2 valleys and come to the third valley and stay overnight there.
Next day back to Chitral and leave for Hot spring valley (Garam Chashma) at the drive of 2 hrs from Chitral town and can stay over night there.

A bien tot,

Warm welcome to Pakistan
,

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The Chitral Valley at an elevation of 1128 meters (3,700 ft) is popular with mountaineers, anglers, hunters, hikers, naturalists and anthropologists. The 7,788 meters (25,550 ft) Trichmir, the highest peak of the Hindukush mountain, dominates this 322km long exotic valley.

Chitral district has Afghanistan on its North, South and West. A narrow strip of Afghan territory, Wakhan, separates it from Tajikistan. The tourist season in Chitral is from June to September.

One of the major attractions of Chitral are the Kalash valleys-the home of the Kafir-Kalash or "Wearers of the Black Robe", a primitive pagan tribe. Their ancestry is enveloped in mystery and is the subject of controversy. A legend says that five soldiers of the legions of Alexander of Macedon settled in Chitral and are the progenitors of the Kafir-Kalash.

The 3,000 strong Kafir-Kalash live in the valley of Birir, Bumburet and Rambur in the South. Bamburet, the largest and the most picturesque valley of the Kafir-Kalash, is 40km from Chitral and is connected by a jeepable road. Birir, 34km away is accessible by a jeepable road. Rambur is 32km from Chitral, the road is jeepable. The Kalash women wear black gowns of coarse cloth in summer and hand-spun wool dyed in black in winter. Their pictureque headgear is made of woollen black material decked out with cowrie shells, buttons and crowned with a large coloured feather. In parts of Greece even today some women sport a similar headcovering. The Kalash people love music and dancing particularly on occasions of their religious festivals like Joshi Chilimjusht (14th & 15th May - spring), Phool (20th - 25th September) and Chowas (18th to 21st December).

Kailashis / the people from Kailash valley are the true descendents of the Alexander - The great, they are still living between two moutains in three small villages. The major village is called Bombharet and it is 1.5 hrs drive from Chitral. These people are not Muslims and they are still preaching the Gods which were preached in Alexanders time when he came here centuries ago. His army men marryed here and stayed here. Since that time Kailashis only married in their own tribe, even when Islam came Muslim didn't marry Kailashis and vice versa. This is how the genes of Kailashi people is still PURE. When you see them u can see the difference between an average Pakistani and them because they look so European, with white skin, bluish greenish eyes and curlish light brown hair like greeks ! Even greek government recognise them as their true descendents and nowdays they are making public facilities for the betterment of these people so that they continue living like in and do not get influenced by modernization.

The heart of activities in Luthko Valley is strategic little town Gharam Chasma. It is located on the bank of a Luthko Gol about forty kilometres from Chitral City. There used to be a refugees camp during Russian occupation in Afghanistan in Garam Chashma -- a tehsil headquarters. The open ground where Afghan children used to play and elder used to contemplate their future during forced exile is lying vacant as a strong reminder of the past. Herd of goats was resting in the vast ground where one could see the signs of a well-used cricket pitch. Small bazaar in the town is lined with humble tea shops, eateries, modest provision stores that are mostly stocked once Lowari opens to road traffic during summers and a few shop selling Lajvard (Armenian stone) and Zamurrad (Emerald) that find their way in the town, for the tourists mostly. There is a high school in the town.
East of the main road near the town is a famous hot spring. The hot water comes from the hills. Near the residential area, a small steaming stream branch off to enter bathrooms and swimming pool (constructed by Chitral Scouts) before it joins the main course again. There are quite a few legends (or facts) famous about the hot spring. As per Mohyuddin, the water of hot sparing is a cure to Gouts and numbers of other skin diseases. I only revelled into the hot water to freshen up. It was very comforting.

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The Chitral Valley at an elevation of 1128 meters (3,700 ft) is popular with mountaineers, anglers, hunters, hikers, naturalists and anthropologists. The 7,788 meters (25,550 ft) Trichmir, the highest peak of the Hindukush mountain, dominates this 322km long exotic valley.Chitral district has Afghanistan on its North, South and West. A narrow strip of Afghan territory, Wakhan, separates it from Tajikistan. The tourist season in Chitral is from June to September. The maximum temperature in June is 35°C (95°F) and the minimum is 20°C (67°F). In September, the maximum is 24°C (75°F) and minimum 8°C (46°F).

Kalash Valley....
One of the major attractions of Chitral are the Kalash valleys-the home of the Kafir-Kalash or "Wearers of the Black Robe", a primitive pagan tribe.
Their ancestry is enveloped in mystery and is the subject of controversy. A legend says that five soldiers of the legions of Alexander of Macedon settled in Chitral and are the progenitors of the Kafir-Kalash.The 3,000 strong Kafir-Kalash live in the valley of Birir, Bumburet and Rambur in the South. Bamburet, the largest and the most picturesque valley of the Kafir-Kalash, is 40km from Chitral and is connected by a jeepable road. Birir, 34km away is accessible by a jeepable road. Rambur is 32km from Chitral, the road is jeepable upto Ayun and the remaining 16km have to be travelled on foot.
The Kalash women wear black gowns of coarse cloth in summer and hand-spun wool dyed in black in winter. Their pictureque headgear is made of woollen black material decked out with cowrie shells, buttons and crowned with a large coloured feather. In parts of Greece even today some women sport a similar headcovering.
The Kalash people love music and dancing particularly on occasions of their religious festivals like Joshi Chilimjusht (14th & 15th May - spring), Phool (20th - 25th September) and Chowas (18th to 21st December).

About two hours south of Chitral there are three valleys with people of the Kalash tribe. I was lucky to attend their summer festival, which usually starts around July 15th and lasts for several weeks.