Attractions

ATTRACTIONS IN & AROUND CHITRAL CITY

People of Kalash have a rich culture. Origins of the Kalash tribe are shrouded in doubt and speculation. The Kalash tribes live in just three Chitral valleys, Bhumboret, Rumbur, and Birir. Click here to read about Kalash culture history, language, festivals in Kalash (Joshi, Uchau, Caumus) and sports.

 

Half Day and Day Long Treks and Horse Back Trails PICS here
There are also an extraordinary number of activities in which guests can engage while staying at the hotel. Short treks can be arranged with advance booking arrangements in the Zhugoor Gol and Chitral Gol National Park located near the Bormoghlasht (walnut plains) famous for being the summer palace of the mehtars (former rulers) of Chitral.

Day Long Angling Trips (Trout Fishing) PICS here
Guests can also plan fly fishing day trips to the Garam Chasham (Hot Springs) area and enjoy nature spending the day trout fishing. Permits can be arranged with the fisheries department.

Hot Spas at Natural Sulphur Hot Springs PICS here
Guests can also opt to take a hot shower or choose to swim in the natural Sulphur water hot springs and enjoy the services of the day spa at the natural.

The hotel lies at 5 minutes’ walk from the Shahi Qilla (Royal Fort) of Chitral.

Chitral Polo Ground
The polo ground is at 10 minutes’ walk from the hotel and the playing seasons starts in May and extends up to end of October. Those interested in watching the original sport of free style polo can join local crowds cheering their favorite teams. Polo is also known as the game of kings and is also named as the king of games.

 

Chitral Museum

 

Stroll through history while viewing hundreds of relic guns & other weapons from many different time periods and locations. Located next to the polo ground the museum is located next to the is uniquely qualified to furnish artifacts and antiques of the day associated with the local Khow (Chitrali) and Kalash cultures.

Its staff will relate the myths associated with and vibrant life of the mountain folk to the inquisitive. It’s a perfect place to celebrate the spirit of the centuries old indigenous culture.

The museum located at 10 minutes’ walk from the hotel, brings all these stories together in one place, for one price. Get the feel of yesterday, a one-of-a-kind museum adventure for the entire family. It’s open Monday to Friday daily, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

 

 

 

Summer Palace & Chitral Gol National Park

The Summer Palace falls within the Chitral Gol National Park and locally called Birmogh Lasht (walnut meadows) and home to the endangered markhor (the big horn goat known to kill and some say even eat snakes).
Teeming with wildlife, the national park is also habitat of marmots, lynx, Tibetan wolf, red fox, jackal, rock partridge, Himalayan snow cock, Himalayan monal, black crows, many birds species, rodents, wild hare, golden eagle.
Common birds in the park include, the bearded vulture, Siberian Ibex, Himalayan vulture, golden eagle, golden oriole, Russian doves, demoiselle crane, peregrine falcon besides few other flaura and fauna. Black bear, musk deer and orial sheep are known to have become extinct by the late 1980s. Government conservation efforts have seen markhor population increase from a mere 200 to almost 3000 today. The park sustains the herds of markhor and many animals including migrating birds and other wildlife that make the Chitral Gol and the surrounding Ishpair Dair mountain (translated as white debris in local Khowar language) so special.
Fresh fragrant air, breath-taking views, serene surroundings in full natural beauty awaits you once you brave the narrow road leading to it.

The national park with the rocky cliffs of the Ispher Dair Mountain in the backdrop beyond which lay the Kalash Valleys and Garam Chashma Valley

View of Chitral Town from the Summer Palace which is accessible by a jeepable dirt road covering a 40 minutes’ drive.
The towering 25600 feet Terich Mir peak as seen from Summer Palace of the mehtars (former rulers of Chitral) located within a 40 minutes jeep ride from the hotel. For those interested in day long treks to the area, packed lunch can be arranged to allow visitors extra time to enjoy photography of wildlife and natural scenery.

It’s rare to get a glimpse of the famed snow leopard pictured above during winters in Chitral Gol National Park whose big horned markhor wild goat makes an important part of the leopard’s food chain.

Chitral Gol National Park also happens to be the habitat of the rare and elusive snow leopard that is said to visit the area during winter season to hunt the markhor that is included amongst the majestic cat’s food chain. The Government has launched the Pakistan Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Programme (PSLEP) with the assistance of Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund.

The Chitral Gol National Park makes an excellent location for day outings, family picnics, wildlife watch, yoga retreats, horseback rides, half day or day long walking tracks and paragliding. Back till 2015 the summer palace location held paragliding’s world records for longest as well as highest flights).

Paragliding
The world record for world’s highest flight by any paraglider was created at Birmoghlasht (Lower Chitral) back in early 2012. A few years later the world record for the longest flight was again created at the same location of Birmoghlasht where a pilot flew from Chitral to Hunza thereby covering the Hindu Kush as well as Karakoram Ranges.
Recently paragliding events have also been organized at Zani Pass in Upper Chitral. With its unique geography and topography Chitral offers paragliders phenomenal possibilities to break old world records and create newer ones. Chitral beckons paragliding pilots to try their luck in bringing home newer titles under one’s belt Chitral and bask in the glory of their triumphs.

Whitewater Rafting PICS
The adventure seeking folks planning a trip to Chitral can take a wet and wild river trip! Whitewater rafting shall be started in Chitral River in 2023.