Itinerary - Uchal Festival of Kalash.
- Day 01: Arrival and pickup from the airport in Islamabad or Lahore.
- Day 02: Continue the journey towards Swat, explore the Swat Valley and surroundings.
- Day 03: Drive to Ayun, stay the night in Ayun Fort.
- Day 04: Uchal Festival celebration day one.
- Day 05: Uchal Festival celebration day two.
- Day 06: Chitral Valley exploration.
- Day 07: Drive back to Islamabad.
- Day 08: Fly back home.
Day 01: Uchal Festival - Arrival in Islamabad.
The first day of the Uchal Festival Tour includes pickup from the Islamabad international airport. Our guides will accompany the participants to their hotels.
Day 02: Uchal Festival - Drive to Swat Valley
On this day, our guests will travel to Swat Valley which is 3 hours away from Islamabad. Along the way our guests will explore Texila Buddhist Heritage sites, the Buddhist Stupas at Mardan, and also the historic Buddhist Sculptures at Swat. Furthermore, the participants will also witness and explore the alpine settings of the Swat Valley.
Day 03: Uchal Festival - Drive to Ayun Valley.
On the third day of the tour, the participants will proceed to Chitral via the Loweri tunnel. The Loweri tunnel is the only route that connects the Dir district to Chitral, before the tunnel Loweri pass was operational, which remained closed for 6 months during the winter seasons.
The participants will stay the night at Ayun Fort, a beautiful resort located in the heart of Ayun Valley.
Day 04: Uchal Festival - Celebration Day One.
The participants will continue onward to Bumburet to join the Uchal festival. Uchal festival is celebrated as a homage to nature for the bountiful food and crops harvested throughout the year. Our guests will learn, witness, and enjoy the rich culture of the Kalasha community and witness rituals like communal dance, traditional music, and sacrifices of animals made to their gods.
Day 05: Uchal Festival - Celebration Day Two.
The exploration of the Uchal summer festival celebration will continue on the second day as well, and our participants will visit Rumbur Valley. The participants will witness women in vibrant attire joining men in performing the traditional dance.
The traditional dress of the Kalasha women was called Cheo, a black colored dress made from cotton. With more and more innovation and embroidered designs in vibrant colors, the skillful Kalasha women turned it into a vibrant dress called Piran, specially worn during festivals.
Day 06: Uchal Festival - Explore Chitral Valley.
Our participants will head towards Chitral town to explore the cultural sites and beautiful landscape. The participants will start by visiting the Chitral Fort and Shahi Mosque. Our guest will drive to the nearby polo ground to witness the freestyle polo match and after the match they will continue the journey to the Gol National Park to observe the scenic sunset and a panoramic view of the entire region.
Day 07: Uchal Festival - Drive back to Islamabad.
On this day, the participants will head back to Islamabad via the Loweri tunnel. Upon arrival, our guests will be transferred to the hotels.
Day 08: End of the Uchal Festival Tour.
The Uchal Festival tour will end on this day, we will transfer our guests to the airport, and they will continue the journey home.
Chitral Valley Tour (8-days)
Kalash Valley Tour (6-days)
Chilam Joshi Festival Kalash (7-days)