Kumrat Valley Photography Tour
Tall deodar forest along a clear river, wide meadows and high lakes in Upper Dir: a green, forested contrast to the bare rock of the Karakoram.
Kumrat is a forested valley in Upper Dir, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Where Hunza and Skardu are rock, ice and desert, Kumrat is deodar forest, meadows and running water.
The valley floor sits at about 2,400 metres, with the Panjkora River running through stands of old cedar. Mist hangs in the trees after rain, and the light through the forest in early morning is the best I know in Pakistan.
Above the valley, the meadows of Jahaz Banda and the bowl of Katora Lake are a day or two on foot, for photographers who want to add a short trek.
- Best season
- May to October; greenest June to August
- Altitude
- About 2,400 m on the valley floor
- Base
- Thal village and camps in Kumrat
- Access
- Road through Dir, then a jeep track from Thal
Locations
What you will photograph
Deodar forest and the Panjkora River
Long exposures of the river under cedar, and mist between the trunks at first light.
Kumrat meadows
Open grass along the river with forested slopes and snow peaks behind.
Thal village
A timber-built village at the valley entrance, known for its historic wooden mosque.
Jahaz Banda
A wide meadow at about 3,100 m with wooden huts and a waterfall, reached by a half-day walk.
Katora Lake
A bowl-shaped alpine lake at about 3,500 m above Jahaz Banda, for fit walkers.
Light and season
When to go
- Mornings after rain give mist in the forest; sunset lights the upper valley walls.
- Monsoon showers reach Kumrat in July and August and bring the best atmosphere along with some mud.
- October brings autumn colour to the broadleaf trees along the river.
See the month-by-month guide to the best time to photograph Pakistan.
From my archive
Photographs from Kumrat Valley
Practical notes
Before you travel
- The last stretch from Thal is a rough jeep track.
- Accommodation is in camps and simple lodges.
- A tripod and neutral density filters are worth carrying for the river.
- The walk to Jahaz Banda and Katora Lake is optional and needs reasonable fitness.
Plan your trip
Photograph Kumrat Valley with me
Tell me your dates and what you want to photograph, and I will plan a private itinerary around the light. Tours are operated through Travelbug, the travel company I co-founded, which arranges transport, stays and permits.
Every tour is privately quoted. No fixed packages or departure dates.
Questions
Good to know
Where is Kumrat Valley?
In Upper Dir district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in north-west Pakistan, reached by road through Dir and a jeep track from Thal.
What is the best time to photograph Kumrat?
May to October. June to August is the greenest; October adds autumn colour.
Is Kumrat a difficult trip?
The valley itself is reached by jeep. Only the optional walks to Jahaz Banda and Katora Lake need fitness.
How is Kumrat different from Hunza or Skardu?
It is forested and green rather than high and arid, with cedar forest, rivers and meadows instead of glaciers and desert.
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Muhammad Asmar Hussain
Award-winning Pakistani landscape photographer, Sony Brand Ambassador for Landscape Photography, TEDx speaker and Co-Founder of Travelbug. Published by National Geographic and a winner at the Sony World Photography Awards. More about Asmar.