Travel Guide
Malam Jabba, Swat Travel Guide
Malam Jabba is the ski resort above Swat, 40 km from Mingora, with a chairlift, a zipline and a small ski slope that needs a good winter.
Malam Jabba is the ski resort and hill station on a pine ridge above Swat, about 40 km and 1 to 1.5 hours from Mingora. It is the only fully commercial ski resort in Pakistan open to everyone. In winter people come for snow and the short ski slope. From spring to autumn they come for the chairlift, the zipline and cool air when Mingora is as hot as Lahore.
Every ride has its own ticket. The prices here come from the resort's own shop, checked in November 2026.
- Height
- Base about 2,400 m, top about 2,700 to 2,800 m
- From Mingora
- About 40 km, 1 to 1.5 hours
- Chairlift
- PKR 2,500 up and down (Nov 2026)
- Open
- Mon to Thu 9 am to 5 pm, Fri to Sun 9 am to 8 pm
On this page
- 01What Malam Jabba is and how it was rebuilt
- 02How to reach Malam Jabba from Mingora, Islamabad and Lahore
- 03Things to do at Malam Jabba
- 04Malam Jabba ticket prices and opening hours
- 05Malam Jabba hotels
- 06Best time to visit Malam Jabba
- 07Tips for a day at Malam Jabba
- 08Book a Swat tour with Malam Jabba
- 09Frequently asked questions
What Malam Jabba is and how it was rebuilt
Malam Jabba sits in the hills east of the Swat River, in Swat District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The base is at about 2,400 m. The top of the slope is usually quoted as 2,804 m (9,200 ft), though terrain data puts the lift top nearer 2,700 m. Either way, it is more than 1,400 m above Mingora, and that is why it stays cool in June.
The idea for a ski resort here came from the Austrian ambassador in 1962. It was built as a joint Pakistan and Austria project and run by PTDC. The resort gives 1980 as its founding year.
The resort closed during the troubled years of 2007 to 2009, when the old PTDC hotel and chairlift were lost.
In September 2014 the KP Board of Investment and Trade handed the resort to Samsons Group on a long lease. A new two-seat chairlift was built in 2015 and opened on 1 September 2016, with Imran Khan at the ceremony. Samsons signed with Hashoo Group in 2018 to run a Pearl-Continental on the slope, and the hotel opened in 2020.
How to reach Malam Jabba from Mingora, Islamabad and Lahore
From Mingora, take the Kalam road north to Manglawar and turn right, east, onto the Malam Jabba road. It runs through Salanda, Jahanabad, Talegram, Badar, Ser, Malam, Kishora and Speenay Obba to the resort. The drive is about 40 km (PC Hotels says 45) and takes 1 to 1.5 hours.
The drive is in two halves. The first 16 km or so, out of Mingora and past Manglawar, is almost flat. The last 18 km climbs about 1,300 m, at around 7 per cent on average and 8 to 9 per cent on the steepest stretch. The road is paved but narrow.
Low cars can scrape at a few humps when fully loaded, so if your car sits low, let passengers step out over those spots. When the road ices in winter, local boys rent snow chains at the roadside, and one of them rides with you to fit and remove them.
On snow days the traffic builds when everyone heads down at once, so if snow is forecast, go up early and come down before it starts. The resort advises against driving the road at night, so plan to be down by dark, ideally with a driver who knows the road.
From Islamabad, drive to Mingora in about 4 hours by the M-1 and the Swat Motorway to Chakdara, then the N-95. With the climb, that makes 5 to 5.5 hours. From Lahore, add the M-2. Mingora is 7 to 8 hours away, so plan about 9 hours with stops. The airport at Saidu Sharif has no commercial flights, so travellers from Karachi fly to Lahore or Islamabad first.
| From | Distance to Malam Jabba | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mingora | About 40 km | 1 to 1.5 hours |
| Islamabad | About 279 km | 5 to 5.5 hours |
| Lahore | Via Islamabad and Mingora | About 9 hours with stops |
Things to do at Malam Jabba
The resort works like a park. You pay for each activity, and a ride ticket also gets you in.
The chairlift
The two-seat chairlift is the main ride and runs all year. The resort sells three tickets. Standard, at PKR 2,500, takes you up and back down. Top Station, at PKR 1,500, is a ride down only, for people already at the top. Fast Track, at PKR 2,900, is the up and down ride with a shorter queue, which is worth it on a snow weekend. Older listings quote PKR 1,500 for the chairlift, which today is the one-way ride down.
The chairs keep moving as you get on and off, so sit small children on the inside and hold on to them as the chair arrives and as you step off.
In summer, fit walkers sometimes walk up the slope in 1.5 to 2 hours and ride down on the Top Station ticket. Ask at the counter how that ticket is checked on the day before you set off.
The zipline
The zipline is about 600 m long and runs down the slope from the top. The Standard ticket, PKR 4,500, includes the chairlift up and the zipline down. The Top Station ticket, PKR 3,500, is the zipline only, so buy it only if you are already at the top. Riders must be 140 to 210 cm tall and weigh 40 to 100 kg, and the resort recommends it for ages 10 and up. Staff check height and weight before every ride, so check these limits before you buy.
Skiing in winter
The ski area is small. There is one main run of about 600 to 800 m, a learner slope with a drag lift, and a vertical drop of about 200 m. The resort has a ski school with group and private lessons and rents skis and snowboards. It publishes no ski prices online. Two recent guides list about PKR 3,000 an hour for skiing with gear and an instructor, so ask at the counter for the current rate. On busy days the popular boot sizes run out.
Skiers take their skis off to ride the chairlift and walk down steps at the top. It suits beginners and a few hours of fun, and the slope is often quiet even when the base is busy. For a higher, snowier slope, see our guide to skiing in Naltar.
The season runs mostly through January and February, with late December and early March possible in a good year. Snow varies from year to year. January 2024 was almost snowless, while the 2025 to 2026 winter brought good snow from around 21 to 22 December. In good years there are events, such as the Swat Snow Festival, which ended around 15 February 2026. Check recent photos or call the resort before you plan a ski trip.
Giant swing, tubing and the other rides
The giant swing costs PKR 2,000 on the resort's shop. The resort also lists a human slingshot, jumping castles, a trampoline, horse riding, archery, a tubing slide, a climbing wall and VR. The smaller rides have cost about PKR 500 each in recent seasons. From May to September there are guided hikes and mountain-bike tours, priced in the table below. Most families pick two or three rides, so decide before you reach the ticket desk.
Views, walks and the Buddhist sites on the road
Some of the best views are on the road up. On the upper half of the climb the road looks back over terraced fields and pine slopes to the Swat Valley, and on a clear day the snow peaks of upper Swat line the north. Stop at a safe pull-in, never on a bend. Forest paths lead off the slope, and from May to September the resort runs guided hikes.
Near Jahanabad village, on the same road, a seated Buddha about 6 m tall is carved into a boulder. It dates from the 7th century. It was damaged in 2007 and restored by an Italian archaeological mission between 2012 and 2016. It makes a short stop on the way up.
The Malamjaba stupa and monastery, from the 1st to 5th centuries, are listed by the Department of Archaeology and Museums. Only a low base of the main stupa survives.
Malam Jabba ticket prices and opening hours
These are the resort's own prices, checked in November 2026. The entry ticket is only for people who buy no ride, because any activity ticket covers entry. Prices change each season, so take a little extra. Tickets are sold online with a QR code or at the counter.
- Monday to Thursday, 9 am to 5 pm.
- Friday to Sunday, 9 am to 8 pm.
- Open on public holidays.
| Ticket | What you get | Price (PKR) |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Into the resort, no rides | 2,100 |
| Chairlift Standard | Up and back down | 2,500 |
| Chairlift Top Station | Down only, from the top | 1,500 |
| Chairlift Fast Track | Up and down, shorter queue | 2,900 |
| Zipline Standard | Chairlift up, zipline down | 4,500 |
| Zipline Top Station | Zipline only, from the top | 3,500 |
| Giant swing | One ride | 2,000 |
| Guided hike | 1 to 2 hours, half day or full day | 500, 700 or 900 |
| Mountain-bike tour | 1 to 3 hours, half day or full day | 1,000, 1,500 or 2,000 |
Malam Jabba hotels
You can sleep on the slope, in a lodge or guesthouse lower down, or in Mingora and drive up for the day. On snow weekends and at Eid, hotels on the hill fill days ahead, as they did when the first heavy snow fell in December 2025. Book before you drive up.
Pearl-Continental Malam Jabba
The PC hotel stands at the foot of the slope. It is run by Pakistan Services Ltd of the Hashoo Group for Samsons. Rooms run from Deluxe King and Twin rooms of about 31 square metres, through Executive rooms and Family rooms of 43 square metres, to suites and a presidential penthouse. There are the PC's usual Marco Polo and Tai-Pan restaurants and the Front Page Cafe, as well as a cinema, a GoPlay children's area, a health club and a pool.
On the hotel's own booking site in November 2026, standard rooms cost about PKR 29,000 to 45,000 a night plus tax. Some rates include breakfast and a set dinner. The flexible rate is free to cancel up to 72 hours before arrival, though the first night is charged at booking. Check-in is at 2 pm and check-out at 12 noon.
The resort's rides are a separate ticketed business open to everyone. Staying at the PC does not include them. Outside diners have eaten in the PC restaurants, and a 2025 review put the buffet at PKR 5,500 a head.
Other places to stay
Samsons Inn Lodge, run by the resort company, is the budget option, about 3 km from the resort. Mountain View Resort is about a five-minute walk from the resort, at around PKR 4,000 to 8,000 a night in July 2026. Smaller guesthouses stand along the Malam Jabba road. Ask to see the room before paying.
Many travellers sleep in Mingora or at Fizagat on the Swat River beside it, and drive up for the day. Rooms and food are cheaper, and Kalam is an easy start next morning. At Fizagat, choose a hotel set back from the river, not one on the riverbed.
Best time to visit Malam Jabba
Summer and winter are two different trips. From May to September Malam Jabba is cool and green while Mingora swelters, all the rides run, and the guided hikes and bike tours are on. Spring and autumn are quieter. Expect a jacket in the evening at any time of year.
From late December to February the slope is under snow in a normal winter and the skiing is on. Nights are below freezing and snow weekends are busy, so pack warm and go early. If you only want to see snow, January and February give the best odds, and February is usually the snowiest month. Upper Swat had its first snow of this winter on 13 to 14 November 2026, but early falls rarely last. For the month-by-month picture across Mingora, Kalam and Mahodand, see the best time to visit Swat.
Tips for a day at Malam Jabba
- Arrive by early afternoon on Monday to Thursday, when the resort closes at 5 pm. Friday to Sunday it stays open until 8 pm.
- Tuesday to Thursday is quiet. Snow weekends, Eid, the New Year week and the February school break are the busiest.
- Bring cash for every ticket and for food. Card machines are not always working.
- Wear proper shoes with grip. In winter add gloves, a hat and waterproof layers.
- Check rented skis and boots before you leave the counter. If the boots pinch, swap them straight away.
- Local photographers and jeep drivers at the base offer photos and rides. A polite no is enough if you do not need them, and agree any fare before you get in.
- Drones are not allowed.
- Food stalls at the base are simple, so carry snacks and water, or eat in Mingora or at the PC.
- Fill up with fuel in Mingora before the climb.
Book a Swat tour with Malam Jabba
Malam Jabba is day one of our 3-day Swat group tour, from PKR 15,000 per person. The Toyota Coaster leaves Lahore at 11 pm from Thokar Niaz Baig or Barkat Market and picks up Islamabad guests on the way. After breakfast in Mingora the group spends the morning at Malam Jabba, then drives up the river to Bahrain for the night. Day two is Kalam and Mahodand Lake. Rides are paid by each guest at the resort, so you choose the chairlift, the zipline or just the view. The luxury group tour follows the same route from PKR 18,000.
Couples can travel privately. The 3-day Swat honeymoon tour stays two nights at Serena Swat and includes Malam Jabba, Marghazar and the White Palace, from PKR 45,000 per couple. The 5-day Swat Kalam tour adds two nights in Kalam and stops at Malam Jabba on the way home, from PKR 55,000 per couple. On private trips a jeep up to Malam Jabba is included if the car cannot manage the road.
We also run group tours in winter when the snow is in. The dates depend on the weather, so ask us for the winter departure dates. All our trips are on the Swat tour packages page.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Malam Jabba chairlift ticket?
PKR 2,500 for the ride up and back down, PKR 2,900 for the Fast Track version with a shorter queue, and PKR 1,500 for the ride down only. These are the resort's prices in November 2026.
Is there an entry fee at Malam Jabba?
Yes, PKR 2,100, but only if you buy no ride. Any activity ticket, such as the chairlift or zipline, includes entry.
Which month has the best snow at Malam Jabba?
January and February, with February usually the snowiest. Late December can have snow too, but early falls often melt.
Is skiing guaranteed at Malam Jabba?
Not every year. Most winters bring snow in January and February, but a few, like January 2024, have been dry. Check recent photos or call the resort before you go.
How far is Malam Jabba from Mingora and Islamabad?
About 40 km and 1 to 1.5 hours from Mingora. From Islamabad it is about 279 km, or 5 to 5.5 hours by the Swat Motorway.
Show 3 more questions
How much is the PC hotel in Malam Jabba?
About PKR 29,000 to 45,000 a night plus tax for standard rooms on the hotel's own site in November 2026. Suites cost more.
Can a small car go up to Malam Jabba?
Yes, in dry weather the road is paved, and small cars make it. Low or heavily loaded cars can scrape in a few spots. In snow you need chains, which are rented at the roadside.
What are the Malam Jabba opening hours?
Monday to Thursday 9 am to 5 pm, and Friday to Sunday 9 am to 8 pm. It also opens on public holidays.
