Kalam to Mahodand Lake, Swat
You must know about distance, road conditions, jeep fares, tourist places if you are visiting mahodand lake from Kalam of Swat Valley of KPK, Pakistan in 2022.
Visiting Swat, KPK province of Pakistan didn't complete without having a trip from Kalam to Mahudand Lake. A drive of 35 KM, which takes 2 to 3 hours to reach there. Coming from Islamabad you should divide your trip into places to visit per day. So you can enjoy yourself a lot more.
I was supposed to write down a blog on Sawat, Kalam, Malam Jabba however the wonder of those places and things to inform you concerning these tourer's destinations to explore, didn't allow me to try and do this.
Today I will tell you about concerning best, most beautiful and most famous places to visit in Kalam and it is not only one place to go to. The road to Mahudand lake is very rich in lovely scenic points. The condition is quite good with one or two bad patches due to water springs or landslides.
It takes 2:30 to three hours to reach Mahudand Lake from Kalam, you have got to require a motorcar or jeep to succeed in there, preferably a four-by-four jeep.
It costs about 7,000 to 10,000 PKR (40 to 60 Dollars) in the tourism season and 4000 to 6500 PKR (20 to 35 dollars) in the offseason.
The best route to get to Mahudand lake from Kalam is Usho-Mahudand road, where there are a minimum of four to five wonderful locations in your way where you can stop a few times, which include as follows:
- Kalam Bazar
- Forest Oshu / Kalam Forest
- Chasma Aab e Shifa
- Oshu Village
- Falak Sher Mountain / Viewpoint
- The Mataltan Waterfall
- Mahudand Lake
Kalam Bazar
You can see lots of visitors in Kalam Bazar during the tourism season. You will see a lot of people there. You will see cars and jeeps all around during the season.
See also:
Thal Kumrat Valley, all you need to know
The Ultimate tourist destinations in Swat
Guide to tourism in Swat valley
The shops also remain full of tourists. Kalam Bazar is in itself an interesting place to visit. Nights are cold even in the months of June July here. People are found roaming about till late at night.
Bazar remains open till midnight. Pakoray, samosas, and chappal kabab are available from 9 in the morning. Shops of traditional clothes and dry fruits are also open. You can find everything from Kalam Bazar which you find in a Bazar of a big city of Pakistan.
Forest Oshu / Kalam Forest
You enter Kalam forest after crossing the bridge from Kalam Bazar. It is a very beautiful and dense forest. TV commercials and dramas are also recorded here. The vehicle entry fee is about PKR 50.
The experience of spending the night here is very exciting. There are tent villages in this forest. If you go to the washroom at night time, it'll be a little thrilling. In its very peak time of tourist season here the price to stay here in nights goes up to PKR 5,000.
But on normal days it costs like PKR 1,000 to 1,500. It presents scenes of Serbia and Alaska in winter. There is a specific fan base of those who come in winter.
Chasma Aab e Shifa
There is a lake with a little waterfall calls Chashma Aab e Shifa. As its name means water of healing. There are very famous mysterious stories in locals about this water.
But apart from it the view and clear cold water with flowing wind from your bones will give you a feeling like you are in a grand freezer.
Oshu Village
After Kalam forest, you reach Oshu village. On the heading towards Oshu and a ravine has joined us on our journey. It starts near Mahudand lake and it falls into river Kalam in Kalam city.
The first point was the Oshu jungle which is also called the Kalam forest. The second point is of Oshu village. It is a beautiful small point. You can spend a night in hotels here.
Oshu village is on the river. It is called Oshu due to that Oshu village. You can enjoy the noise of the river flowing very near of hotels. It is 30 minutes travel from Kalam forest.
Many people avoid the Kalam city rush and come here to spend the night. you can see the natural freezers of the shopkeepers Basically it is spring water.
It's very cold. Springwater is coming directly and they utilize it through pipes. There is a small colorful Bazar in Oshu. Soft drinks, snacks, honey, and Slajeet are sold here.
Falak Sher Mountain
The rough road starts after Oshu. As you pass through the viewpoint of Falaksher mountain comes around. You can see the mind-blowing view of the Mountain Falak Sher if it is not covered with clouds that time you visit there.
Falak Sher is the highest mountain of Kalam valley with 5918 feet in height. A Kiwi mountaineer climbed up this mountain for the first time in 1957. It is situated in the Hindu Kush mountain range.
The Mataltan Waterfall
The almost halfway through. It is a valley view and the water will be turned very clearer than that in Kalam. and it is a very cold place. After you travel about 2 hours. It will be windy and you can see clouds ahead. You have yet to cross the Mataltan waterfall. Jeep drivers normally stop in this village, located halfway.
You can find canteens and shops for edibles. Normally people set off after taking breakfast, So They take tea here. The river passes like a small canal. People stop for a short while for beautiful pictures.
That is a huge waterfall, it may look smaller from the road. Its track starts from a hotel located near the road. You can reach that spot where the waterfall is, in 20 to 25 minutes. It is a gigantic waterfall and the water splash gives you a pleasant feel.
The corn roasting here is a big relief in the cold. The wind is very strong there. You should stop there to get warm and eat corn combs. A 45-minute drive is left after the Mataltan waterfall. The road was in real bad condition that time I visited there.
When autumn starts and cold weather sets in. Trees turn yellow. Yellow trees offer a magnificent scene. More beautiful trees and views will come ahead.
The natural beauty of this place will stop you from going ahead you will be forced to sit here for a long time.
Mahudand Lake
You have to reach Mahudand lake. Once you reached Mahudand lake and what I suggest you do not go there in your own vehicle. You will destroy your vehicle if you bring it there. The road was better up to the Mataltan waterfall but after that, the condition of the road was very bad.
But nowadays you can verify with locals when you go there as it might have been clear and safe to drive at, as Prime Minister Imran Khan gave solid instructions to the concerned dept. to develop a very wide and beautiful road in Pakistan for tourism in Naya Pakistan prospective.
One more thing I should tell you all is that the Swat motorway has been completed now. Mahudand shows different manifestations in October with less water and yellow and more on.
It will take bout 3 hours to reach there. You will be lost in scenic views as mountains all around with trees, and a huge lake. Boiled eggs, fish, and a cup of tea or coffee in the freezing wind there will force you to come here again and again.
Believe me, you will not forget these moments. So now make a trip to Mahudand and explore heaven-like tourism destinations in Pakistan.