Swat Valley:
Swat Valley is an administrative district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. Its upper part rises from the Hindu Kush Mountain Range. It is called “mini Switzerland” of Pakistan.
Sufaid Mahal, Marghazar:
Marghzar is better known for its White Palace (Sufaid Mahal), which is built in 1940, by first King of Swat (Wali-e-Swat), Miangul Abdul Wadud. It is called Sufaid Mahal because white marble is used in its construction. It is located at the distance of 13 kilometers from Saidu Sharif.
Malam Jabba:
Malam Jabba is situated in the Hindu Kush mountain range and it is 40 kilometers away from Saidu Sharif, Swat Valley, Khyber, Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It is at the distance 314 km from Islamabad and only 51 km away from the Airport of Saidu Sharif.
Malam Jabba is the first skiing resort of Pakistan. Malam Jabba Skiing Resort is the joint venture of the Government of Pakistan and Government of Austria. The resort is equipped with all the modernized and latest technology for the tourists and Skiing lovers.
Swat Museum:
Swat Museum is located between Mingora and Saidu Sharif. The Museum is funded by Japan. It galleries consist of the sculptures other antique belongings of Buddha, taken from the Buddhist sites scatters here and there in the Swat Valley.
Kalam:
Kalam is a beautiful tourist resort in the Swat Valley. Its distance from Mingora is 99 kilometres (61.52 mi). It is on the height of about 2,000 meters, (6,561.68 ft.) above sea level. The valley is birth place of Swat River, where two tributaries Ushu river and Gabral river to join it. A shingled road leads to Usho and Utror Valleys, the metalled road ends in Kalam. From Matiltan, one can see the mesmerizing beauty of the snow-capped Mount Falaksir 5918 meters (19,415 ft.), and another unnamed peak 6,096 meters (20,000 ft.) high.
Pari/Khapiro Lake:
Pari/Khapiro (fairy) lake exists in the North-East of Utror Valley. The natives have a belief that the lake is the home of fairies, they live here and take a bath in the pure and clean water of it. It is accessed only by trekking. Only nature lovers opt for Trekking to reach to the lake, because the track is very dangerous.
Daral lake:
Daral lake, also called Daral Dand Lake, is situated in the North-East of Sidgai Lake and could be accessed through Sidgai after two to three hours of rigorous trekking. After walking and trekking for about two and a half hours, on the mountaineous trail, which starts descending, towards Daral Lake in East.
Bashigram Lake:
Bashigram Lake, also Bashigram Danda, is situated in the East of Bashigram Valley near Madyan. The road to this Valley is semi-metalled. It is forty to fifty minutes journey for reaching to the valley. A trek of four to five hours, leads to the serene and enchanting lake of Bashigram.
Mateltan:
It is 2 km from Usho Valley, 5 km from Kalam and 117 km away from Saidu Sharif. Mateltan is a lush green village. It is on the way from Kalam to Mahodand, 5 km of distance. There is a beautiful and well organized Masjid in the village. Most of the homes of the Village have two stories, because of heavy snow fall each year.
Utror:
Utror Valley is located at 16 km from Kalam and 120 km from Saidu Sharif. Utror valley is surrounded by Bhan valley in the East, Upper Dir District in the West, Kalam in the South and Gabral Valley in the North. The altitude of the valley at Utror is 2300 meters and reaches to 2900 meters at Kandol Lake.
Spin Khwar:
Spin Khwar Lake or White Stream Lake is a beautiful lake hidden in the mountains in the North of Kundal Lake and in the East of Utror Valley. The significance of the lake is, because of a small white stream flowing in the East from the surrounding mountains and it is a major source of the lake. The lake is reachable through two tracks, one from Kundal and the other from the Ladu valley.
Author: Fehmeeda Farid Khan
