TRAVEL TO KUMRAT VALLEY 2024

A journey to Kumrat Valley

 

By Uzma Arif 

Before heading to Kumrat, we had made advance bookings for hotels and jeeps. However, the experience taught us a lesson: never make advance bookings again, and you’ll understand why as you read this post.

 

We left home at six in the morning, crossed the Swat Motorway, and headed towards Kumrat. The route was fine up to Sheringal. We were traveling in our own cars and needed to reach Thal from Sheringal. From Thal, we were supposed to switch to a jeep to reach Kumrat. The jeep was parked in Thal, but it took us three to four hours to get from Sheringal to Thal due to the rough, uneven, and single-lane road. On mountainous roads, you must drive slowly as well.

 

Throughout our journey from the Sheringal market to Thal, when we asked locals how long it would take to reach Thal, we consistently received the same response: “three hours more.” Even after covering a significant distance, the answer remained three hours. It was quite amusing.

 

The experience of driving from Sheringal to Thal in our own cars was both good and bad due to the rough road. We learned that it would have been better to hire a jeep from Sheringal itself. For friends traveling in their cars, my advice is to park your cars in Sheringal and book a jeep from the Sheringal market because the road from Sheringal to Thal is very bad and could damage your car.

 

The real story begins when we reached Thal. We parked our cars at the home of the local person who had arranged the jeep. The jeep owner himself didn’t go with us; instead, he sent his younger brother to Kumrat. The agreement was that the jeep would take us to Kumrat, to the hotel we had booked, and the next day it would take us around Kumrat and then back to our parked cars.

 

After parking our cars and loading our luggage into the jeep, we all boarded the jeep. It was already afternoon, and we had been traveling since six in the morning. The jeep driver stopped in Thal market to get the jeep serviced and change the tires. This raised the question: why wasn't the jeep ready when we had made an advance booking? The jeep should have been fully prepared before our arrival. We spent two hours there because another jeep was being serviced before ours. By the time we left, it was dark. We had children with us who were exhausted from sitting in the car all day. The journey from Thal to Kumrat was made in darkness; we couldn’t see anything, just feeling the jerks due to the rough road.

 

The jeep driver dropped us off at the hotel’s parking area in complete darkness. The next shock was that the hotel we had booked was not the one we were taken to; instead, we were given a different hotel and room. When we asked why this wasn’t the hotel shown in the pictures, we were told that the police had sealed that hotel. It was night, and the children were tired and cranky. We were also exhausted. People make advance bookings to avoid such hassles upon arrival, but in Pakistan, avoiding scams is impossible. If it were just the boys, we would have dealt with it differently, but they took advantage of the fact that we had children and women with us and knew we had no other option but to accept what was offered.

 

The purpose of advance booking was to avoid this kind of hassle, but even with advance booking, we had to endure everything. Hotel staff in Pakistan knows that at night, with children and family, where else can you go? You have to accept what they offer. We were given a room that was clean after looking at four or five rooms. However, this situation had already spoiled our mood. The lesson learned from this experience was not to make advance bookings and instead check hotels on the spot.

 

We settled into our room, freshened up, fed the children first, and put them to bed. There was barely any hot water, only a trickle from the sink tap, which soon ran out. After a whole day of travel, we were exhausted and hungry. My brother went to check the food options, and there was just poorly cooked okra. We decided to order chicken karahi instead. When the food finally arrived, it was the worst karahi I had ever seen. The masala was burnt, the pot was dirty, making the karahi look unappetizing, and the bread was undercooked. We ate a few bites just to stave off hunger and sent the rest back, then went to bed.

 

We woke up at five in the morning to find no hot water and no electricity. We repeatedly asked the hotel staff to turn on the generator to charge our phones and get ready, but they kept saying it would wake up other guests. We argued that we were there to explore, not to sleep, but they didn’t budge. We used our own eggs to get omelets made and our own milk for tea, with parathas from the hotel for breakfast. After eating, we set off for the Kumrat Glacier.

 

In the daylight, we realized how beautiful Kumrat was, like a piece of heaven on earth. Clear water, trees, and mountains created a mesmerizing view. The Kumrat valley is a stunning place, and as I write these lines, I feel like I’m back in Kumrat, with its enchanting scenery providing peace to my eyes. The beauty of Kumrat can be described on thousands of pages, yet words would still fall short.

 

After exploring the glacier, we returned to the Kumrat river and ordered tea and fritters. The tea and fritters were delicious, and we enjoyed them in the light drizzle. Suddenly, a convoy of government jeeps appeared, stopping dramatically by the river. It was like a scene from a movie. Armed bodyguards spread out everywhere. A political figure had arrived to discuss local issues with the hotel owner. The twist came when one of the bodyguards took our blanket, which we had draped over the jeep tire to dry, to cover their luggage from the rain without asking. I pointed it out to Haider, who confronted the guard. After a brief exchange, apologies were made, and we carried on.

 

We had planned to stay in Kumrat for two nights but decided to leave after one night due to the poor management and hotel service. Some people argue that hotels at tourist spots charge more during the season. We paid whatever was asked everywhere, understanding that prices are higher in these areas. However, tourists deserve quality services in return. Charge three thousand for a chicken karahi if you must, but at least make it properly.

 

We left Kumrat and returned to Thal. In Thal, we had also booked a hotel in advance. The jeep driver was supposed to stay with us, but he made an excuse about not having been home for five days and left, promising to return in the morning. However, we had just come from his home, proving his excuse false. We told him to return by six in the morning, but he insisted we wouldn’t be ready before noon. We assured him we’d be ready by seven.

 

The driver parked the jeep and left. This hotel was better than the previous one. After settling in, we decided to explore Thal market for dinner. The market wasn’t impressive, with muddy patches due to the morning rain. We checked a few hotels for food, but nothing was prepared. Finally, we found a hotel offering lentils, vegetables, and meat dishes. After tasting a spoonful of each, we ordered our meal. It was delicious, restoring our spirits after the previous night’s ordeal.

 

We had a pleasant meal and decided to have breakfast at the same place the next morning. After dinner, we wandered around the market but didn’t find anything special. We needed dried fruits, but they weren’t fresh. In Thal, women faced intense stares from men, a common issue in Pakistan known as visual harassment. A male traveler might not mention this, but as a female traveler, I must highlight it.

 

Returning to the hotel, we spent the evening on the terrace, enjoying the starry sky and the sound of the river. This connection with nature was rejuvenating. Travelers visit northern areas to escape daily routines and relax in nature’s embrace.

 

We decided to order kebabs but found that only a full chicken barbecue was available. We settled for tea and boiled eggs instead. After waiting for two hours, we were told there was no gas for cooking. Frustrated, we went to bed.

 

We woke up at six, only to find the jeep’s tire had punctured overnight. My brother changed the tire himself. We had breakfast and waited for the driver, who didn’t show up. My brother drove the jeep to the driver’s house, paid him, and we loaded our cars and bid farewell to Kumrat and Thal.