Attractive places of Swat

Malakand Pass:

At an elevation of 470m to 663m above sea level, The Malakand Pass is a mountain pass in Malakand District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The District was formed in 1970. The area of Malakand protected area is 952 km2.

The pass road begins at Dargai. The road across the pass is in good condition, but is always crowded with a continuous stream of trucks. From a viewpoint about one kilometre before the top of the pass, one can see the Swat Canal in the valley below. It was built by the British to channel water from the Swat River through a tunnel under the Malakand Pass to the plains around Mardan.

On the left, Malakand Fort guards the road at the top of the pass. On the other side of the pass, the road descends through the market town of Bat Khela, with a Hindu Shahi fort perched above it, and continues past the headworks of the Swat Canal to the Swat River.

Ghalegay Rock Carving Buddha

Ghalegay: 
Ghalegay is a valley located 12 km south of Mingora, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, situated on the eastern side of Swat River. It is one of the main villages lying between the two cities, Mingora and Barikot.

Shingardar Stupa:

The largest stupa is located in village Shingardar (a village between ghalegay and Barikot) of the Indian subcontinent. This stupa is a remnant of Buddhist era, and is one of the thousands ancient monuments in Swat Valley. It was built by Uttarasena, an ancient king of Swat, to enshrine his share of the relics of Buddha. The building of stupa is made of large stones and layers of thin slate.

Ghalegay Rock Carving Buddha:
While heading toward Mingora you will find a statue of Buddha sculptured in a rock on the right side of G.T. road. There are also some remnants in a cave beside this statue.

Churchil Picket (Built In 1893)

Churchil Picket (Built In 1893) Sir Winston Churchill, former prime minister of England who fought and won World War II, served as 2nd lieutenant in World War I stayed at this place. This watch tower (Churchill Picket) in Swat Pakistan.

Churchill's description of what he terms, in "The Story Of The Malakand Field Force" the 'Signal Tower' or 'Signal Station': "This building is a strong, square, stone tower. Its entrance is above six feet from the ground. All around the top runs a machiconlis gallery, a kind of narrow balcony, with holes in the floor to fire through. It is well provided with loopholes." The book is a tremendous read, one of the best in my 65 years. Churchill is a master of the English language and his prose never disappoints.

Just as remarkable is his breadth of vision and depth of understanding of great events, even though he was only 22 at the time. It's also instructive to compare his descriptions of the North-West Frontier societies of 1897 with news reports of today's situation there.

Mingora and Saidu Sharif-The Twin-Towns of Swat Valley

At an elevation of 990 metres (3,250 feet) above sea level, Mingora and Saidu Sharif are twin-towns merged into each other. Mingora is the biggest market town in Swat with all the main markets, bus and coach stands, hotels, restaurants and shopping places, while Saidu Sharif to the South is the administrative capital of Swat. Over the passage of time Mingora in particular has become heavily congested and comparatively hot in the summers compared to Saidu Sharif.

Attractions

The bazaars of Mingora are fascinating and worth exploring for hand woven woolen shawls, jackets and caps, wooden handicrafts, old silver jewellery, old carpets, semi-precious stones, Swati embroidered cloths, dry fruits, honey and imported electronic items. The shrine of the Akhund of Swat, residence of former Wali of Swat, Swat Museum, Swat Serena Hotel and archeological remains of the Butkara are also great places to visit and located at Saidu Sharif.

  Kalam Valley 

The most popular tourist spot in Swat Valley (2,073 m) is 100 km away from Saidu Sharif. Kalam valley is located in upper Swat. Lush green pastures and natural vegetation make this beautiful place a paradise on earth.

PTDC’s Seasonal Coach Service:
In addition to PTDC’s seasonal coach service, there is a regular private bus and van service between Mingora and Kalam.

Attractions:
There are numerous beautiful lakes in the vicinity to visit such as the Kalam, Mahodand, Kundol, spin Khod, Dhen Pat, Dishai, and Izmiz, and pastures to many to mention, and famous mountains Lig, Chileesh, Falak Sher Peak 5,918 m (19,416 ft), Shahoo, Chumareen, and Chorat are just to mention a few.

Swat Museum

This museum full of Swat’s old heritage is situated between Mingora and Saidu Sharif.Gandhara Buddhist artifacts, antiques and similar articles are beautifully showcased telling the tale of once glorious era. Ancient life of this region is portrayed in shape of samples of local embroidery, jewelry, and carved wooden articles. The museum is closed on Wednesdays.