12D 11N Shandur Polo Festival Tour

Kalash

A Kalash valley tour takes you to Bumburet, Rumbur and Birir, three small valleys in Chitral that are home to the Kalasha people, with their own language, faith and colourful spring, summer and winter festivals. Travel with local guides who know the villages and how to visit them respectfully.

Why visit the Kalash valleys

The Kalasha are a small Indo-Aryan community living in three side valleys of the Hindu Kush in the Chitral region. They speak Kalasha, an archaic Dardic language, and follow a polytheistic faith with a supreme creator god and many lesser deities. Their practice of reading the sun, moon and stars to set the farming and festival calendar, known as Suri Jagek, was added to UNESCO's list of intangible heritage in need of urgent safeguarding in 2018.

The three Kalash valleys

  • Bumburet: the main valley for visitors, at about 2,300 metres, with guesthouses and the Kalasha Dur Museum, which displays Kalash clothing, jewellery and musical instruments.
  • Rumbur: smaller and quieter, sharing most of its customs with Bumburet.
  • Birir: the most traditional of the three, where older practices are followed more closely.

Kalash festival dates and the best time to visit

  • Chilam Joshi (mid-May): the spring festival, usually held around 13 to 16 May, with dancing, songs and prayers for the herds.
  • Uchal (August): the summer festival in the second half of August, giving thanks for the harvest.
  • Chaumos (December): the winter festival, lasting about two weeks around the solstice, when snow makes the roads slower.

Outside festival days, May to October is the easiest time for the drive and for walking between villages. Festival dates are fixed by the community each year, so we confirm them before you book.

How to reach the Kalash valley from Islamabad

The road north runs through Malakand and Dir, then passes under the Hindu Kush through the 10.4 km Lowari Tunnel into Chitral. Allow eight to ten hours from Islamabad to Chitral town. From Ayun, about 20 km south of Chitral, a narrow mountain road climbs into the valleys. PIA also operates a short flight from Islamabad to Chitral, subject to schedule and weather.

Visiting the Kalash people respectfully

The valleys are home to working farming families, not a stage set. Ask before photographing anyone, keep to the edge of the dancing ground during festivals and follow your guide's lead at shrines and other sacred places.

Plan your Kalash trip

Our Chilam Joshi Festival and Uchal Festival tours are timed for the spring and summer celebrations, and the Shandur Polo Festival Tour also includes the valleys. For other dates, tell us your dates and we will arrange a private trip with a driver and guide.