Snowfall Enthusiasts Flock to Malam Jabba, Kalam

APP
Malam Jabba: Following prediction by Pakistan Meteorological Department’s forecast of snowfall in the Upper Khyber-Pakthunkhwa region, including Swat Valley, on Sunday, tourists and snowfall enthusiasts flocked to the picturesque valleys of Kalam, Bahrain, and Malam Jabba to experience the first snowfall of the winter season.
A considerable number of tourists, accompanied by their families, mainly from various districts of Central Punjab and northern Khyber-Pakthunkhwa, were observed in Upper Swat’s valleys of Kalam, Madain, Bahrain, and Malam Jabba. They explored the enchanting natural beauty amidst light rain, which contributed to the extremely cold and muggy weather.
The cold breeze increased the chill in these areas, forcing tourists to wear additional clothes. Tourists from Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Charsadda, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad were seen in large numbers at Kalam, Malam Jabba, and Bahrian to get pleasure from snowfall, trout fishing, and river rafting on the weekend.Besides Kalam and Malam Jabba, the snowy mountain peaks of Gabin Jabba, Miandam, Matiltan, Kalam, Utror, Gabral, Matiltan, Mahodand, and Loye Sar resorts have drawn an influx of snowfall lovers along with families and children amid great fun and laughter.
“I came from Karak to my favorite tourists’ destination Kalam for snowfall and trout fish following MET’s office forecast for snowfall over the hills of Upper Swat,” said Waris Khan, an employee of a government corporation.
He said Swat was known for a combination of its seven distinctive features, including snowfall, that was hard to find together in any tourist destination in Pakistan. In addition to being home to primitive Gandhara civilization, he said the Swat’s unique features, including ice skiing, river rafting, adventure sports, snow-clad mountain peaks, trout fishing, and the Swat motorway, have made it an ideal destination for winter tourism and sports in Pakistan.These distinctive characteristics, which are second to none in any other district of the country, draw adventure sportsmen, archeologists, water rafters, mountaineers, snowfall lovers, foodies, and eco-tourists throughout the year.He said tourists and adventure sports enthusiasts enjoy all this mesmerizing beauty on a day-long trip.
The 150-kilometer-long freshwater of the river Swat, originating from different glaciers and lakes including Mahodand and Gabral mountains, offers unique opportunities for adventure sports enthusiasts to explore on a single-day trip with loved ones.
Fazagut, Fatehpur, Barikot, and Chakdara were the most suitable for water rafting in the Swat and, if developed on modern lines, could attract a large number of tourists during the winter. River Swat is ideal for ‘fish jumping and disappearing water sports’, and the introduction of such sports would help bolster the rural economy and promote the tourism and transport industries in KP.Bestowed with more than 50 high-altitude small and big lakes, Swat’s Mahodand Lake is an exceptional source of attraction for tourists enjoying its blue waters and boats riding amid cold breezes and snowfalls.
Misal Khan, a retired Govt employee, said that he came from Nowshera to enjoy snowfall in Kalam, trout fish of River Swat and Mahudhand lake. He said Mahudand and Gabrial lakes carried unique charm and clean air, while nearby birds chanting valleys took tourists into a lap of serenity.
“I have ordered 5 KG of trout fish to enjoy with my family members,” he said, adding green trout from Swat to attract foodies in Kalam, Madain, and other areas of the district.
Besides its famous Deodar trees and precious wildlife, he said the Swat’s snow-clad, tall mountain ranges of Falakser, Mankial, and Elum peaks offer great challenges to mountaineers and trekkers to explore, especially during the winter. Likewise, its extensive plains and orchards that bear fruits and vegetables carried a unique comparative advantage over other tourist destinations in the country.
He advised tourists to bring warm clothes and sweaters while coming to Upper Swat these days in the wake of chilly weather and rainfall.Attracting Buddhists, monks, and archaeologists from across the world throughout the year, Swat’s archaeological treasures and ancient artifacts housed at the Saidu Sharif Museum become a distinctive feature, taking tourists to the glorious history of Swat.
The archeologists and tourists visited different Buddhist sites in Swat, including the Saidu Sharif Museum and Stupa, as well as the Buthkara Buddhist monastery, which impressed them a lot. He said Swat was very important in terms of Buddhist history in Pakistan and must be visited by followers of Bhuddism from all around the world.
Another striking feature of Swat is the skiing sports being played at Malam Jabba every year during the winter, and such sports are hardly found in any part of the country.
KP tourism department officials told APP that a mega project was prepared for organizing different winter sports and tourism events in various districts, including Swat.
Kalam’s winter gala and tour-de-cycle race would be organized in Swat, while the first-ever sports rafting at River Swat would be held, along with an international paragliding event at Saidu Sharif. He said a youth leadership conference and skiing event at Malam Jabba were also planned.
To reduce tourists’ load at Kalam, Malam Jabba, and Bahrian, he said new tourist spots would be developed at Sola Tanar, Puchar, and Jargo valleys while walking tracks were developed to promote ecotourism in Swat.To maintain natural beauty and avoid pollution at tourist spots in Swat, he said camping pods would be established at new tourists’ destinations besides Kalash culture events in Chitral. To link a new tourist destination with Swat Motorway, he said that a huge amount was being spent on the development and construction of new roads.
Work on the World Bank’s assisted KP Integrated Tourism Project was underway in the province to promote tourism, he added.
The construction of 15 jeepable tracks was also proposed in the Malakand and Hazara divisions, while six tourist facilitation centers were established and work on seven others started.
The ground-breaking of the 23-kilometer-long Mankyal-Bada Sarai Road has been performed and will be rehabilitated.
The project also includes the construction of four bridges and two rest areas. He said that an Integrated Tourism Zone at Mankyal Swat would be established where modern facilities would be provided to tourists under the KITE project.He said a mega project for feasibility studies for the identification of new tourist spots was planned. To promote ecotourism in the southern districts of KP, he said that a road to Sheikh Badin tourist resort located at the confluence of DI Khan and Lakki Marwat districts would be constructed, while a tourist wing for merged areas would be established to monitor and oversee tourism-related activities there.
Tourism police was made operational at Malakand and Hazara divisions to facilitate tourists. He said tourism police were deployed in key places in Swat to facilitate tourists and snowfall lovers during the winter season.