Daily Times

Kumrat Valley is basking in its monsoon glory in Dir Upper district, transforming into an idyllic retreat for tourists and adventure sports enthusiasts arriving from plain districts of KP and Punjab provinces amid great fun and laughter.

The valley’s charm is heightened during monsoon by the melodic chirping of birds in the Deodar forests and the delicate hovering of butterflies over vibrant seasonal flowers take tourists over the lap of serenity. The region’s unique weather patterns, featuring playful interludes of clouds and sunshine alongside moderate to erratic rains, have been a major draw for visitors and adventure enthusiasts seeking respite from the sizzling heat.

The cool breeze emanating from snow clad hills of Kumrat valley and refreshing climate add to the allure of this picturesque locale. Families are relishing the serene atmosphere, with children playing joyfully around them and indulging in delicious Chappli Kabab and green tea on the banks of the Kumrat River. Among the delighted visitors is a family of Qaiser Khan from Wapda Town Peshawar, who expressed their elation at finally experiencing their dream destination during the monsoon.

There are many hidden jewels in Pakistan which are yet to be explored – be they natural sites, valleys or minerals- and Kumrat Valley is one of them which was explored a few years back and now has become one of the favorite destinations for many national and international tourists due to its untouched beauty.

Known for breathtaking natural beauty, deodar forests and magnificent waterfalls, Kumrat Valley’s beauty is still not fully discovered by the tourists who fall into the lap of serenity once they reach the valley.

Located some 45 kilometers from the Thall town on the bank of River Punjkora mostly originated from Dir, Kohistan and Swat’s snow-capped mountain peaks of over 81,000 feet sea level, Kumrat Valley’s hotels and makeshift inns are jampacked with tourists with many witnessed living in tents to enjoy its pleasant weather.

Impressed by its deodar forest, snowfall and waterfalls, Gulzar Khan, a former Conservator of Forests told APP here that Kumrat Valley’s black Cheshma (waterfall), brown trout fish and cool breeze originating from snow-clad mountains of Gabral Kohistan, Dir and Swat impressed him the most.

Enjoying “Sohni Dharti” song with his family on his mobile phone while preparing tea on the stove and children playing football around him, he said deodar and chair pine trees add charm to the valley and their cutting must be stopped by providing gas facilities to local people.

Urging the provincial government to regulate hotel room charges for the facilitation of tourists, he said the hoteliers were charging people heavily due to lack of camping pods and rest houses.

Unnerved by the poor condition of Pathrak-Thall Bazaar, he said roads leading to Kumrat were needed to be repaired immediately so that tourism could be promoted further here as better road infrastructure would bring more people to the valley which would mean more income generation and uplift in the well-being of the locals.

Former Chairman, Economics Department University of Peshawar, Dr Zilakat Malik said tourism was a big source of bringing direct foreign investment and bolstering the rural economy. He claimed that China had earned about USD 814.1 billion from the tourism and travel industry in 2022, Malaysia’s 13.13 billion ringgit and Indonesia’s tourism share was 413.73 trillion rupiah in 2021.

Despite enormous tourism potential and being home to Gandhara and Indus Civilizations together with five mountain peaks of over 8,000 meter in height, he said Pakistan was unable to earn much from tourism and there was a need to promote the country’s splendid sites enriched with enormous beauty by using digital technology.

“Today is the age of digital media and Kumrat Valley’s beauty needs to be showcased properly through digital technology, documentaries and films abroad to attract foreign tourists, which is inevitable to bolster the rural economy,” he said. These hidden treasures require to be projected through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other digital media tools with small videos to take the country out of existing economic challenges.

Tourism in Pakistan especially in Gilgit Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would grow after completion of CPEC projects and the time has come to increase linkages between Pakistani and foreign tourist companies for the promotion of tourism and generation of employment.

Swat was going to become a hub of international and domestic tourism due to its unique features of snowfall, watersports, adventure tourism, skiing and trout fish, adding more facilities at Kumrat Valley would reduce tourists’ load on Kalam and Malam Jabba.

General Manager Investment, Tourism Authority Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Omair Khattak said Kumrat Valley and Madaklasht would become a hub of tourism and adventure sports after construction of a cable car between these scenic valleys of Dir Upper and Chitral Lower.