Getting There
The easiest way to get to Kalam by road is to take the N95 route (also known as Kalam Road) from Mingora in Swat. The N95 road along the bank of Swat River will take you Kalam passing through Manglor, Charbagh, Khwazakhela, Madyan, Bahrain to your final destination Kalam Valley.
This road trip from Mingora to Kalam is about 96km (59 miles) which usually takes 3 (three) hours. There is an alternative road to Kalam through Kanju road. This route to Kalam starts from Mingora, going through across the Swat River to Kanju, passing through Swat Saidu Sharif Airport, Derai, Bandai, Ningolai Village, Shakardara, Baidara, Kalakot, Damlai, Madyan, Bahrain to your final destination Kalam Valley.
This route is also about 96km (59 miles) and roughly takes 3 hours to get to Kalam. Swat Motorway (M16) also called Swat Expressway is a high-speed route of about 160 km (90 Miles). It starts from Kernal Sher Khan Interchange on M1 Motorway.
The expressway terminates in the vicinity of the Chakdara Bridge. On NHA N-45 at the south of Swat Valley. This recent addition to the Swat Valley road infrastructure is, in fact, a dual carriageway which officially is now called Swat Expressway.
What to Expect
There are many attractions and places to visit in the Kalam, covering a wide area which is just waiting for you to explore! Perhaps Kalam valley is the most famous gem of a place to visit in Swat.
There are breathtaking lakes, soaring mountains, picturesque valleys, green lush forests, and other natural attractions in Kalam. These wonders of nature make Kalam the most beautiful place to visit on everyone’s list when they are in Swat. These wonders of nature make Kalam the most beautiful places to visit on everyone’s list when they are in Swat.
The Kalam Bazaar, Gabral Uushu Forest Utror Mahodand Lake Matliltan and Kalam festival
History
In 1895, two bridges of the cantilever type with the roadway were dug out of the trunk of a tree span the Gabral, one at the village and the other about half a mile above. Kalam had 460 houses and the principal Malaks in 1895 were Dilbar Khan and Nabbat Khan. Kalam Valley is situated in Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, almost a 13-hour drive away from the federal capital of Pakistan.
The road that leads to Kalam from Bahrain—a town in Swat, 60 km north of Mingora—is mostly rocky, running next to the Swat River. Bahrain-Kalam Road is currently open to all auto-mobiles but tourists are often forewarned about the potential issues, mostly concerning traffic, they can face on the bumpy stretch.
Overall, the distance from Bahrain to Kalam is almost 38 kilometers, which, as of January 2020, is covered within a non-stop drive of around 5 hours due to the bumpiness on the road. However, once the Bahrain-Kalam Road project is completed, the distance from Bahrain to Kalam will easily be covered within 2 hours.
One of the distinctive features of Kalam Valley is the abundance of watercourses. No matter where you stay in the valley, you will be surrounded by beautiful streams or waterfalls.
Facilities Available
The following facilities are available here:
- A lot of hotels and motels are located on the road side with beautiful views of the mountains.
- Bazaars with local food and handicrafts are the main attraction of the area.
- Landline and mobile connectivity makes it comfortable for the tourists to communicate.
- Local tourist’s guides are also available for tourist facilitation.
- Local and private transport is easily available 24/7.
- Jewelry, especially, handmade bracelets with real stones are a popular Peshawari souvenir
- Nuts are cheaper in this part of the country. You will find Kaghazi Badaam, Chilghoza (Pine Nuts) in abundance here
- Kalash embroidered dress is what the local Kalash women wear. It is intricately designed and embroidered with an elaborate headgear
- Fuel Pumps are also available in kalam
