Chitral & Kalash Tours 2026
The Kalash valleys, Shandur Pass and Chitral town
Planning a trip to Chitral & Kalash?
Send your dates and group size. We reply with an itinerary and a price, usually within the hour.
Chitral & Kalash tour packages
Every trip that visits Chitral & Kalash, whatever its length or style.
We build Chitral & Kalash trips to order. Send us your dates above and we will put an itinerary together.
Chitral & Kalash tours in Pakistan
Chitral is the most culturally distinct trip in the north. Beyond the Lowari Tunnel the language changes to Khowar, the architecture changes, and in three side valleys — Bumburet, Rumbur and Birir — live the Kalash, with their own religion, calendar and festivals.
Time this trip around a festival if you can. Chilam Joshi in mid-May, Uchal in August, and Chaumos around the winter solstice. Outside festival dates the valleys are quiet and beautiful and you will have them largely to yourself.
The other Chitral trip is Shandur — the pass at 3,700 m with the world's highest polo ground, where the Gilgit–Chitral polo festival runs each July. The Shandur road is jeep-only and genuinely rough, and the crossing to Gilgit is a full expedition rather than a drive.
We ask one thing of anyone joining a Kalash trip: photograph people only when they agree, and treat the valleys as somebody's home rather than an exhibit. Our guides will brief you on this properly.
What you see on a Chitral & Kalash trip
- The Kalash valleys — Bumburet, Rumbur and Birir
- Chilam Joshi festival in May
- Shandur Pass and the polo ground at 3,700 m
- Chitral Fort and the Shahi Masjid
- Garam Chashma hot springs
- The Lowari Tunnel
Chitral & Kalash: what to know before you book
When are the Kalash festivals?
Chilam Joshi is mid-May, Uchal is in August, and Chaumos runs around the winter solstice in December. Dates shift slightly each year with the Kalash calendar — we confirm before selling a festival departure.
How do I get to Chitral?
By road through the Lowari Tunnel, around 11–13 hours from Islamabad. The tunnel means the route is open all year, which it was not before 2017. Flights to Chitral exist but are frequently cancelled.
Can I cross Shandur to Gilgit?
In July and August, in a 4x4, yes. It is a hard jeep day on rough track. Outside those months the pass is snowbound.
What should I know before visiting the Kalash?
It is a living community, not a site. Ask before photographing anyone, dress modestly, do not enter religious spaces uninvited, and buy handicrafts directly from the makers. Our guides brief every group on this.