Chitral

Chitral or Chetrar (Urdu: چترال), translated as field in the native language Khowar, is the capital of the Chitral District, situated on the western bank of the Kunar River (also called Chitral River), in Pakistan. The town is at the foot of Tirich Mir, the highest peak of the Hindu Kush, 25,289 ft (7,708 m) high. It has a population of 20,000, while the district (of 14,833 km² or 5,727 sq mi), has a population of 300,000. The altitude of the valley is 3,700 ft (1,100 m).

Chitral is in the southwest along the Chitral or Kunar Valley towardsJalalabad. This route is open all year and provides direct access to Kabul.

However the Pakistan–Afghanistan border (Durand Line) prevents this being used as an internal route toPeshawar and the south. The other routes are over mountain passes. To the south, theLowari Pass (3,200 m or 10,499 ft) leads 365 km (227 mi) to Peshawar. In the north, the easiest route during summer runs over the Broghol Pass (3,798 m or 12,460 ft) to Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor, however during winter this route is usually closed. To the east, there is a 405 km (252 mi) route to Gilgit over the 3,719 m (12,201 ft) Shandur Pass. And in the west, the Dorah Pass (4300 m or 14000 ft) provides an additional route to Afghanistan.

The territory is home to rare falcons and thesnow leopard, and is cut off by snow from the rest of the country for six months a year, a problem soon to be relieved by the completion of the Lowari Tunnel which will reduce transit time to Chitral as well as allow the district to be connected to the rest of the country even during the cold winter months.

They avoid walking the streets of the town, so men or children do most of the shopping. Travel requires the company of a close male relative and sometimes the wearing of a burqa.

Languages

The main languages spoken in this area of Pakistan are Khowar and about 13 other dialects. The people of the Kalash Valley speak the Kalash language. Urdu is widely spoken and understood in major towns and to some extent Pashto is also spoken.

The Kalasha reside in an enclave of three remote valleys west of Ayun, which is ten miles (16 km) down from Chitral town. The Chitral culture is Islamic and contrasts considerably with the urban cities of Pakistan as well as the adjacent district of Gilgit. Women are nearly invisible except to their male relatives and other women.

The northernmost portion of the Durand Line commenced from Chitral where the Indian Chinese and Russian empires met. On the Afghan side of the border most of the population was non-Muslim but by 1900 it had been converted to Islam by Abd al- Rahman's integrationist policy, and the area was renamedNuristan.

Hotels:

Chitral is the best choice has a beautiful garden and very good service Single

Mountain View Hotel is located in Shahi Bazaar second best good clean rooms with hot shower. There are few other smaller hotels along the bazaar

Celebrated in Chitral during mid April every year. The festival is called Jashn-E-Qaqlasht dates back to the time immemorial. However some local historians believe that the festival is almost three thousand years old.

This event used to be organized by the Rais rulers of Chitral and was continued by the succeeding Katoor family. After Chitral's merger in the federation of Pakistan, holding of the festival as a calendar event came to an end. The main objective of the event was to protect and preserve Chitral's unique cultural heritage and to give currency to the culture of tolerance, cooperation and coordination through cultural.

Road

Drive by jeep to Dir via Lowari pass only possible in July August & September. The road is very rough but very scenic. Mountains are rugged and turn green with pines and Junipers as you come closer to the pass and later at Dir or Pannakot.

Climate

Pakistan is a country with a warm and dry weather. In the south it is tropic and in the North it is Cold in Winters and Hot in Summer. The monsoon (Rain) Period starts in July and lasts only a month. Below is the approximate temperatures in different regions of Pakistan.