Broghil Valley National Park is a mystical land in the far reaches of Pakistan’s Upper Northern district of Chitral that borders Afghanistan’s peaceful Wakhan Corridor. The highest territory ranges from 3,280 m to 4,304 m and is home to the second-highest lake in Pakistan, Karambar Lake.
A hamlet with extremely beautiful vistas, a national park with diverse flora and fauna, and a mountainous land with off-the-beaten-path adventures, Broghil Valley is one of the best places with untouched natural beauty.
It’s a destination not many have heard of, but while browsing the places to visit in Pakistan for my next vacation after , I saw this name. The pictures of this valley just left me in awe. That’s when I decided and threw my thumbtack on the following location to visit on the map, Broghil.
This article reflects my expedition to the Broghil Valley National Park and encompasses all the details you need to know about this fascinating destination. Flying all the way to Pakistan to explore the charm of the mystical land, this journey has been unexpectedly the best one for me. Read to know how it went!
All the Way to Islamabad:
Landing in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, is always a great feeling. I feel overwhelmed when the locals adore, admire, and welcome us. This wasn’t the first time because we already had expedition to Pakistan, and explored many breathtaking destinations in Skardu.
My travel diary in Pakistan had some of the best journeys I ever had. This time, my friends and I decided to head to Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Before our domestic flight to Chitral the following day, we spent the night at a nearby hotel in Islamabad.
Buzzed with excitement, I could barely sleep because all I had were the pictures spinning in my mind. I was too pumped up to witness the mystical beauty with my bare eyes!
From Islamabad to Chitral:
Early in the morning, we woke up and got ready for the next 11-13 hours flight to Chitral. The scenic flight blessed my eyes with all the breathtaking beauty of northern Pakistan. I couldn’t wait for what was ahead of me.
Once landing in Chitral, I could feel a lot of difference in the people and the surroundings. It was different from Islamabad. What one thing common was how the people greeted us with smiles. It felt like having a connection with them already.
We had a tough schedule and couldn’t take the time to explore Chitral. So, we just had a pause and then geared up for our drive to Broghil Valley. A guide here helped us to hire a jeep to take us to Yarkhun valley, which comes before Broghil.
From Chitral to Booni:
Broghil Valley is 250 km from the main town of Chitral. It was going to take 10-12 hours to reach the destination, which depended more on the road conditions, too. This part of northern Pakistan is widely less explored and, thus, very remote. However, the driver of our jeep assured us that the roads were passable enough for a good ride.
Driving through the remote areas in the Upper Chitral and witnessing these small hamlets throughout was no less than an exhilarating experience. The simplicity and charm of the places were different from any other. I had never felt that kind of warmth before in any of my travels.
After a 3.5-hour ride and covering 91.6 km, we made a stop at Booni, a very beautiful town with idyllic landscapes. In contrast to what we know, Booni was very well-developed. One of my friends was overjoyed to find pizza being offered in the restaurant here in the faraway, too.
While, my other friend preferred to order traditional food like Chapli kabab, and a Chitrali specialty, called Chapshuro. And could I have made a better decision? Of course not. The food was absolutely amazing and definitely charged me up for the remaining 6-7 hour drive!
From Booni to Broghil Valley:
After a brief stay in Booni, we headed to Broghil. The road conditions were good enough for jeeps or off-road vehicles. The towering mountains and the lush greenery were a feast for the eyes throughout the way.
From a town called Mastuj, which further divides into two ways: one leads to Gilgit and the other to our destination, Broghil Valley. The road from here is only suitable for 4×4 jeeps and not vehicles.
Mastuj is the last town with a bazaar, so we made a stop to buy the final essentials. And we then continued our journey, which was still 135 km away.
Witnessing the Koyo Zom Peak:
Along the way towards Broghil, we witnessed the peak of Koyo Zom mountain. With a height of 6,872 meters, it is the highest peak in the Hindu Raj mountain range. And since I have always been fascinated by mountains, this one too captivated me. The photographer friend in our group didn’t miss this opportunity and captured some incredible pictures of the peak.
After spending some time, we continued our drive towards Broghil. The hardest-to-reach destination awaited us, the long voyage was all going to be worth it.
Entering into the Broghil Valley:
Finally, after a long drive on the off-road trail that took us almost 13 hours, we reached Broghil Valley, the mystical land in Hindukush. With our first steps, we realized why it has been untouched by the world. The narrow valley is less developed than other parts of Chitral and is much more remote. But the hidden gem undoubtedly had the most rewarding views.
Away from the world, a land with magnificent mountains, enchanting rivers, lush green pastures, and bewitching views of flora and fauna, Broghil Valley felt totally unreal. It was more astonishing than in the pictures, much more than I imagined it to be.
Broghil Valley – Exploring the Enchanting Land:
The pristine location of this valley was one of the reasons that allured me. However, our only tough task was finding a guest house here. After almost a half hour driving around while it was already sunset, we found a guest house. The rustic charm of the guest house added to the overall experience; the scenic views outside the windows were a treat in this remote paradise. I sat outside for an hour with my coffee mug while staring at the starry night sky.
The next morning, we wandered out to explore the enchanting village. While strolling around, the month of September instantly turned into a cold December. Given its high elevation and mountainous location, Broghil Valley experiences a typical alpine climate. This means it is mostly cold with harsh weather and gets about five to six feet of snow each year.
Luckily, we were equipped with the right gear and clothing. For any traveller, it is essential to learn about the place first and then plan accordingly.
The next important thing for a Broghil Valley traveller is that you must have your ID card with you. We had to show it numerous times, and I appreciate it for safety purposes, given the area’s proximity to the border.
Exploring the enchanting valley of Broghil was no less than a spellbinding odyssey. The land, which covers 308,790 acres, boasts some incredible rivers, a rich array of wildlife, almost thirty freshwater lakes, and 3,400 ha of peatlands. It is surrounded by mesmerizing glaciers and towering mountains.
Broghil Festival:
When luck favours you, you are in the right place at the time. Luckily, we were too. Hearing from the locals, the annual Broghil Festival was all in its swing. The welcoming natives invited us to their famous festival, which was happening nearby.
The two-day event kicks off in September and features a wide range of thrilling sports and activities. It included yak race, yak polo, cricket, football, marathon race, wrestling, tug-of-war, some amazing traditional music, and food. The fireworks display in the end was also a highlight of the show.
It was also remarkable to see such events in a remote region. One of my friends took part in football and impressed the crowd with his skills. He became the spotlight for young aspiring footballers.
This event was out of our itinerary, but we couldn’t miss attending it. And it was undoubtedly one of the best decisions because it certainly made our stay extraordinary.
Karambar Lake in Broghil Valley:
Staying in Broghil, how could we miss visiting Karambar Lake?
The 31st largest lake in the world, and Pakistan’s second highest, Karambar Lake is the most popular destination in Broghil Valley. It is located at an elevation of 4,272 m in the upper east with an area of 3.9 kilometres.
Reaching high-altitude heaven wasn’t easy at all. First, we had to drive to Lashkargaz in our jeeps. Dropping us off at the trek, the rest of the journey was going to be on foot and we had to cover 27 km to reach Karamber. Hiking on the rocky trails and rugged terrain, it took us 10 hours to reach heaven in Broghil. It was already dark, but the view was all worth it.
The mesmerizing lake glimmered under the starry night sky while the surrounding mountains stood proud in their glory. Standing next to one of the world’s most beautiful lakes was a feeling that I just cannot describe.
We spent a camp night with a borne fire around the Karambar lake and made the best out of our time. With the dawn, everything felt more magical, and the lake just became more ethereal.
Bidding goodbye to this place was the hardest thing throughout this journey. A farewell after staying four days in Broghil, we headed back to Islamabad and took our flight back home.
Conclusion:
The insane experience of travelling all the way to the remote heaven of Broghil and then going up to the high-altitude paradise – of Karambar Lake made our journey one of the most unforgettable. Everything felt like a dream, and I only wished to be there for longer.
Broghil Valley, despite its unparalleled beauty, is far less known than it deserves to be. We consider ourselves fortunate to have discovered it and experienced its enchanting allure.
I suggest everyone visit the hidden gem once and feast their eyes on the untouched beauty that Broghil Valley offers at least once in a lifetime.