KUMRAT: Basking in its monsoon glory in Upper Dir district, the Kumrat valley turns into an idyllic haven for tourists and adventure sports enthusiasts who come from the flat districts of KP and Punjab provinces for great fun and laughter.
The charm of the valley is enhanced during the monsoon by the melodious chirping of birds in the deodar forests and the delicate hovering of butterflies over the vibrant seasonal flowers brings the tourists through a lap of serenity. The unique weather of the region with playful transitions of clouds and sunshine along with light to erratic rains has been a major attraction for visitors and adventure seekers looking for a respite from the sweltering heat.
The cool breeze coming from the snow clad hills of the Kumrat Valley and the refreshing climate add to the charm of this picturesque area. Families enjoy the peaceful atmosphere, children happily play around them and indulge in delicious Chappli Kabab and green tea on the banks of the Kumrat River.
Among the excited visitors is the Qaiser Khan family from Wapda Peshawar, who expressed their excitement at finally experiencing their dream destination during the monsoon.
There are many hidden gems in Pakistan that are yet to be explored – be it natural sites, valleys or minerals – and Kumrat Valley is one of them which was explored a few years ago and has now become one of the favorite destinations of many national and international tourists due to its pristine beauty.
Known for its breathtaking natural beauty, deodar forests and magnificent waterfalls, the beauty of Kumrat Valley is still not fully discovered by tourists who fall into the lap of tranquility once they reach the valley.
Located about 45 kilometers from the town of Thall on the banks of the Punjkora River, mostly hailing from the snow-capped peaks of Dir, Kohistan and Swat mountains over 81,000 feet above sea level, the hotels and makeshift inns in the Kumrat Valley are full of tourists with many witnessing tent-dwelling. enjoy its pleasant weather.
Impressed with the deodar forest, snow and waterfalls, Gulzar Khan, former conservator of forests, told APP here that the black Cheshma (waterfall), brown trout and cool breeze coming from the snow-capped mountains of Gabral Kohistan, Dir and Swat impressed him the most.
Enjoying the song ‘Sohni Dharti’ on his mobile phone with his family while preparing tea on the stove and children playing football around him, he said that deodar trees and chair pines add charm to the valley and their felling should be stopped by providing gas facilities to the local people .
Urging the provincial government to regulate hotel room charges to facilitate tourists, he said hoteliers were charging people heavily due to lack of camping and rest areas.
Concerned over the poor condition of the Pathrak-Thall bazaar, he said the roads leading to Kumrat must be repaired immediately to further promote tourism as better road infrastructure would bring more people to the valley, which would mean more revenue generation and upheaval. in the well-being of local residents.
Former Chairman of Economics Department University of Peshawar Dr. Zilakat Malik said tourism is a big source of foreign direct investment and strengthening the rural economy. He claimed that China earned about 814.1 billion USD from tourism in 2022, 13.13 billion ringgit in Malaysia and the share of tourism in Indonesia was 413.73 trillion rupiah in 2021.
Despite the huge tourism potential and being home to the Gandhara and Indus civilizations along with five mountain peaks over 8,000 meters high, he said Pakistan was not able to earn much from tourism and there was a need to promote the country’s magnificent sites enriched with immense beauty. using digital technology.
“Today is the age of digital media and the beauty of Kumrat Valley needs to be properly showcased through digital technology, documentaries and films abroad to attract foreign tourists which is inevitable to boost the rural economy,” he said.
These hidden treasures need to be projected through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other digital media tools using small videos to bring the country out of the existing economic problems.
Tourism in Pakistan, especially in Gilgit Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, will grow after the completion of CPEC projects and the time has come to increase ties between Pakistani and foreign tourism companies to promote tourism and generate employment.
Swat was set to become a hub for international and domestic tourism due to its unique features of snowfall, water sports, adventure tourism, skiing and trout fishing, adding more facilities in the Kumrat Valley would reduce the tourist burden on Kalam and Malam Jabba.
General Investment Manager, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Authority, Omair Khattak said that Kumrat and Madaklasht valleys will become a hub for tourism and adventure sports after the construction of a cable car between these scenic Dir Upper and Chitral Lower valleys.
The proposed Kumrat-Madaklasht cable car would be built with the help of the World Bank.
“The 14- to 16-kilometer ropeway would be 5,280 meters high with the facilities of a base station at Kumrat, intermediate stops and parking spaces for 500 vehicles,” he said, adding that the base stations are hotels, mosques, hydroelectric plants. The project will also pedestrian routes built and the terminus at Madaklasht.
Khattak said the feasibility study of the mega project has been started and the project will be completed in seven to eight years.
Apart from infrastructure development and construction of access roads, he said other aspects such as waste management will also be assessed. The ropeway project, once completed, would attract an estimated 1.2 million domestic and international tourists annually to the Malakand division, giving a real boost to the tourism KP.
