Kumrat Valley Tour 4 Days with Jahaz Banda and Katora Lake
Tour Overview
Our Kumrat Valley tour, 4 days and 3 nights from Lahore, is a group trip to the deodar forests of Upper Dir and the high meadow of Jahaz Banda, with a day for the walk to Katora Lake. It suits people who are happy with simple rooms, a jeep track and a few hours on foot.
We leave Lahore at 11 pm the night before day one, pick up Islamabad guests on the way and drive through Chakdara and Dir to Thal, where the road ends. In the afternoon local jeeps take us into the Kumrat forest along the river, and we see the old wooden mosque in Thal before the first night.
On day two the jeeps go up the valley to the Kumrat waterfall, Kala Chashma and Dojanga, then across to Jandrai, where we walk up to Jahaz Banda for the night and a bonfire. Day three is the walk to Katora Lake, a glacial lake in a bowl of rock, and back to Jahaz Banda.
On day four we walk down early, take the jeeps to Thal and drive home, reaching Lahore late at night. Three nights, breakfast and dinner, the coaster, tolls and a tour guide are included. The jeeps from Thal are shared and paid locally. Rooms and tents are shared by 3 to 4 people.
Tour Highlights
5 experiences- Thal and its old wooden mosque
- Jeep through the Kumrat forest along the Panjkora River
- Kumrat waterfall, Kala Chashma and Dojanga
- A night on the Jahaz Banda meadow, with a bonfire
- The walk to Katora Lake
Journey Route
From
PKR 21,000 / person
- Duration
- 4 Days / 3 Nights
- Group size
- 1 to 10 travellers
- Difficulty
- moderate
- From Lahore
- PKR 21,000 per person
- Child, 3 to 9 years
- PKR 14,500
- Child under 3
- Free
- Couple in a private room or tent
- PKR 49,000 per couple
- Vehicle
- Toyota Coaster to Thal, local jeeps beyond
- Rooms
- Hotel or camp in Kumrat, huts or tents at Jahaz Banda, 3 to 4 people each
Day by day
Kumrat Valley tour 4 days itinerary
Times are a guide and can shift with the road and the weather.
Lahore to Thal and the Kumrat forest
We leave Lahore at 11 pm the night before from Thokar Niaz Baig or Barkat Market, with a short stop at Bhera, and Islamabad guests join on the way. Breakfast is near Chakdara, and we drive on through Dir and Sheringal to Thal, reaching it in the early afternoon. After a walk through Thal Bazaar and a stop at the old wooden mosque, local jeeps take us into the Kumrat forest along the river. Dinner and the night are in a hotel or camp in Kumrat.
Kumrat waterfall, Kala Chashma and up to Jahaz Banda
Breakfast is early, at 7 am. The jeeps drive up the valley to the Kumrat waterfall, then to Kala Chashma, the cold spring near Dojanga. Around midday we go back down and across to Jandrai, where the jeep track ends. From there it is a walk of about three hours up to the Jahaz Banda meadow, and horses can be hired for the climb. Dinner, a bonfire and the night are at Jahaz Banda, in huts or tents.
The walk to Katora Lake
After breakfast we walk from Jahaz Banda to Katora Lake, about three to four hours each way over meadows and boulders, passing the small Chota Katora on the way. There is time at the lake for photos and lunch you carry from the meadow. We walk back to Jahaz Banda in the afternoon for dinner and a second night.
Jahaz Banda to Lahore
We walk down to Jandrai after an early breakfast and take the jeeps back to Thal. The coaster leaves Thal at about 10 am and drives back through Dir and Chakdara. Islamabad guests get off on the way, and we reach Lahore late at night.
The full package
What's Included
Everything covered by the price — and the few things to budget for separately.
Included
- Toyota Coaster from Lahore to Thal and back, with pickup in Islamabad
- 3 nights: 1 in a hotel or camp in Kumrat, 2 in huts or tents at Jahaz Banda, 3 to 4 people per room or tent
- Breakfast and dinner each day as per the itinerary
- Bonfire at Jahaz Banda
- Fuel, tolls, parking and the driver's and guide's own costs
- Basic first aid kit
- Tour guide for the whole trip
Not Included
- Jeeps from Thal into Kumrat and to Jandrai (shared, paid locally)
- Horses or porters on the walk to Jahaz Banda and Katora Lake
- Lunch
- Snacks, bottled water and soft drinks between meals
- Laundry, phone calls, shopping and personal expenses
- Travel insurance
- Extra hotel nights and meals if a landslide or road closure makes the trip longer
- Tips for the driver and guide (optional)
- Anything not listed above
Meals on this tour
- Breakfast
- Paratha, omelette, milk tea, and channay or aloo bhujia
- Dinner
- Chicken karahi, korma or pulao, or biryani, with daal or a vegetable dish, chapati, raita, a cold drink and water. The guide picks the dish each day
- Lunch
- Not included. We stop at a restaurant on the way and you pay for your own
What to pack
- Documents
- Original CNIC, and a B-form for children
- Luggage
- One bag of about 10 kg and a small backpack for the day
- Clothes
- A warm jacket even in summer, 2 to 3 changes of clothes and comfortable walking shoes
- Also bring
- Toiletries, a water bottle, a raincoat or umbrella, sunscreen, your medicines, a power bank and a trekking stick
Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the Kumrat tour leave from in Lahore?
The coaster leaves at 11 pm the night before day one, from Thokar Niaz Baig or Barkat Market. Islamabad guests are picked up on the way. We confirm the exact pickup point when you book. Departures from June to September, WhatsApp us for the next date. There is no extra charge for joining in Islamabad. The pickup point is near the motorway or GT Road so the coaster stays on its route, and we share the exact spot with booked guests before departure.
How much does the 4-day Kumrat tour cost?
PKR 21,000 per person in a room or tent shared by 3 to 4 people. Children aged 3 to 9 pay PKR 14,500 and children under 3 travel free. A couple who want a room or tent to themselves pay PKR 49,000 in total. The jeeps from Thal are paid locally.
Why are the jeeps not in the price?
The coaster stops at Thal, where the road ends. Local jeeps take the group into Kumrat and to Jandrai, and their fare is set by the drivers on the day and shared by the people in each jeep, so we pay it there.
How hard are the walks?
The walk up to Jahaz Banda takes about three hours, and Katora Lake is another three to four hours each way from the meadow. Both are steady climbs on rough paths, fine for people who walk regularly. Horses can be hired for most of the way if you need one.
Where do we stay at Jahaz Banda?
Jahaz Banda has simple huts and tent camps on the meadow, with shared toilets and little or no electricity. It is basic, but the night on the meadow is the best part of the trip. Bring a warm layer, because nights are cold even in July.
Show 6 more questions
Is there mobile signal in Kumrat?
There is some signal in Thal, and almost none in the upper valley or at Jahaz Banda. Tell your family you will be out of reach for two days.
Is lunch included?
No. Breakfast and dinner are included. For lunch we stop at a restaurant on the way, and you pay for your own.
What happens if I am late at the pickup point?
The coaster waits about 15 minutes and then leaves. A missed departure counts as a no-show and is not refunded, so please be at the pickup point on time.
Can I leave the tour early?
Yes, but the days you miss are not refunded, and the trip home from there is at your own cost.
What is the cancellation policy?
A 30% advance confirms the booking. Cancel more than 7 days before departure and we refund 75% of what you paid; 5 to 7 days before, we refund 50%. Cancellations in the last 4 days, and no-shows, are not refunded.
When is the best time to go on the Kumrat Valley Tour 4 Days?
June to September. Jahaz Banda and the path to Katora Lake are under snow until about late May, and the lake is usually still frozen in early June. July and August are the greenest months; September is quieter and colder at night. The jeep tracks can be slow after heavy rain.
