Kumrat Valley

Kumrat runs north from Thal in Upper Dir, and what makes it different from the better-known Swat valleys is the forest: stands of deodar cedar that were never fully logged, some of the trees enormous and centuries old, growing right down to the braided river. The valley floor holds open meadows where the Panjkora river spreads over white stones, and camping among the cedars on those meadows is the main thing people come to do, with tent villages appearing each summer. Higher up, jeep tracks and walking routes lead to the Kala Chashma spring, the Jahaz Banda meadow reached over a pass, and Katora Lake beyond it, a hard day's walk that rewards with a cirque lake under rock walls. The valley was effectively off the map until roads improved in the 2010s, and its infrastructure is still catching up with its popularity.

What you actually see

• Deodar forest - old cedar stands running down to the river.
• River meadows - camping grounds on the braided Panjkora.
• Jahaz Banda - a high meadow reached by a walking route over a ridge.
• Katora Lake - a cirque lake beyond Jahaz Banda, a long day's walk.

When to go

May to October. June and September are the sweet spots; July and August fill the meadows with campers from the plains. Snow closes the upper valley from November. The road can be cut by landslides after heavy rain at any time.

Honest expectations

The jeep track beyond Thal is rough and slow, and ordinary cars cannot make it. Camping facilities are informal, with variable hygiene and rising litter on the popular meadows. Katora Lake is a serious walk, not a stroll, and people underestimate it. Mobile coverage is minimal.

Nearby

Dir town lies south; the Swat valley is over the ridges to the east.