A Story of Dangerous Journey to Siri Lake, Kalam Valley SWAT by Track & Travel

A Story of Dangerous Journey to Siri Lake, Kalam Valley SWAT by Track & Travel to reach Siri Kalam Lake, the route from Mingora, the main town of Swat, to Bahrain is in the form of a paved road. Recent floods have affected the road at 2 places but still travel is not difficult. This route of 57 to 58 km from Saidu Sharif, the capital of Swat district, can be easily covered in one and a half hours.

It is better to start the journey early in the morning. Although the Bahrain market has been affected a lot due to the recent floods, you can still have breakfast in a tea stall in Bahrain itself. The prices of restaurants in Bahrain Bazaar are reasonable compared to other tourist areas of the country.

Beyond Bahrain, the road has washed away due to recent floods at several places, but Kalam can still be reached after a two to two and a half hour journey. Kalam Bazaar has one to one good restaurants, where local and non-local food are available at reasonable prices. Another feature of Kalam Bazaar is that you can easily find everything you need.

Fasten the seat belt

Fasten your seat belts when you start your journey after having lunch and taking some rest because the real test is about to begin. Beyond Kalam comes a fork in the thick forest, from where one route leads to Atrur and Gujjar Gabral, while the other leads through the Mittaltan region to Lake Mahudand, Kundalshi Lake (commonly known as Lake Saifullah). Is), leading to Donchar Falls and Sri Kalam Lake. That means 4 fun in one ticket.

What to see on the way?

There is no doubt that the journey to Sri Kalam Lake is very patient, but its memories leave an indelible impression on the mind. On the way, the sight of the famous Glacier Chashma Shifa (its water is reputed to be a cure for many diseases), a lovely waterfall cascading down from a high mountain, and the highest peak of the region, Falk Ser, is a sight to behold.

Falk Ser is the highest peak in Swat with an elevation of 5,985 meters (19,638 feet). Recently it has been summited by 2 young mountaineers from Swat, Syed Zeeshan Umar and Seth Nauman Khalil. Before them, a climbing team from Lahore had won the honor of being the first Pakistani team to reach the summit. Ahmed Mujtaba, Adnan Salim and Hamza Anis were included in this team.

Where to spend the night?

So many places can be found to spend the night but 2 places will be the best. The first place is Mahodand Lake while the second is Kundal Shai Lake (Saifullah Lake). Both the lakes look almost the same, only Mahudand is slightly bigger but Kundalshi Lake is cleaner and has more beauty.

Mahudand is always crowded with tourists and tourists leave their garbage on the lake on their way back from a picnic or a day out. Similarly, tea stalls and restaurant operators in Mahudand also do not take special care of cleanliness due to which Kundal wants to spend the night in Shii.

There is Panghal Lake beyond Kundal Shii, on the bank of which one can spend the night comfortably by pitching a tent. Lake Pangal is much bigger than Mahudand and Kundal Shii in terms of size.

The third place to spend the night is Donchar Falls. There are also shepherds' huts. Spending the night pitching a tent between the Donchar Falls and the emerald waters of the Swat River is also a unique experience.

Next day's program

If the night is spent at Mahudand Lake, the next day breakfast should be plentiful as the journey ahead is on foot and requires patience. On the banks of Lake Pangal, a path emerges for the onward journey. There is a 10 minute walking distance between Maho Dand and Kundal Shii which can also be reached by car. Then there is a 10-minute walk to Lake Panghal beyond Kundal Shii.

Kalam to Pangal is a 3 to 3 and a half hour drive with the help of a 4 by 4 vehicle. Beyond Lake Panghal, one can easily reach the Donchar Falls after a 2-hour walking distance. This is a great place to take photos. The water falling from above makes so much noise that the ear cannot hear the sound.

Donchar Falls is also called Chagho Falls by locals. The word Chagha is called Chikh in Urdu. A wooden bridge will be seen along the way. Crossing it, a waterfall can be seen in the distance, the spray of which is seen flying far away. Capture it with the eye of the camera and move forward that the destination is still far away. Sri Kalam Lake can be reached after about 7 hours of walking from Mahudand or Kundal Shii.

How was the time to reach LAKE?

The hike up to Sri Kalam Lake gets progressively tougher. The first 3 hours of hiking is normal. It does not have to face big stones (boulders) while there is a patient phase ahead.

A dozen or so waterfalls invite visitors along the way. Beyond the Donchar falls, the Sri Kalam Lake pastures begin where local people bring their livestock to graze and live in mud huts. This area is most suitable for camping as there are no blood-sucking animals or beasts.

The name of Sri Kalam Lake

Our guide told us that this place is the end of Kalam, hence we call it Sri Kalam. From here onwards the boundaries of the column ends.

Sri Kalam Lake has several characteristics, the first of which is that the lake looks like a heart. The second feature is that this lake is situated between snowy peaks and the third feature is that one can spend the night by pitching a tent on its banks.