Hiking in Matiltan, Swat Valley

Untapped Beauty

If it wasn’t for the decades of instability, the natural beauty of Pakistan’s Matiltan and the kindness of its people would be well known throughout the world. With mountains crowned with snowy peaks, lush valleys adorned with cascading waterfalls, and rustic villages nestled in the hillside. Pakistan’s idyllic farms and nature contains the very rural scenes you conjure up when dreaming of visiting the countryside.

Unfortunately, Pakistan and Swat Valley still haven’t quite shaken off the image of being a country harboring terrorists and extremists. Swat Valley, was briefly overrun with the Taliban nearly a decade ago. It wasn’t until just recently that even local Pakistani travelers have begun returning to the once-bustling tourist towns in the region.

Slowly, Pakistan is growing up. As the government continues to wrestle some of the more unstable districts of the country under control. The gates are being inched open to allow foreign tourists to finally take a peek at the wonders that have been hidden behind impossible visa processes for years. Wanting to reinvent itself as the next big tourist destination, Pakistan has since simplified getting a visa and warmed up to the idea of travelers gallivanting across the country.

Looking for more to do in Swat Valley? Be sure to check out Jarogo Falls!

Finding a Home in Kalam

Although Mingora is the largest city in Swat, Kalam is located at the front door of the wild. With jagged mountain peaks seen from the downtown of the city, small villages perched in front of a background of snowy hillsides is the norm in this remote tourist town. I nearly every direction from Kalam you will find treks that are only known to the locals. For those who seek off the beaten path travel, it won’t be too hard to find it in Swat.

While there is a well laid out tourist route around Kalam. Proper hiking is not common deep within Swat Valley. Most tourists will elect to hire a car to take them directly to places such as Mahodanand or Kandool Lake. If you are a true backpacker, you will find yourself hiking along the valley while the occasional jeep or taxi comes barreling down the dirt road. While there are some places you will have to breakdown and hire a jeep to get to. The beauty of Kalam and Swat is best enjoyed when you take it slow.

If you are in Peshawar you will surely want to make the trek and see the famous Bab-e-Khyber!

Seeking Out Matiltan

While most tourists fly down Ushu Road on the way to Mahodand Lake, they are missing out on some of the most breathtaking scenery in all of Swat. With deep valleys, gushing rivers, and hidden hiking trails snaking up the mountainside, the land around Kalam is a sanctuary for those who find the face of God through nature.  But it is not the rustle of the trees and towering peaks alone that make Swat such a spiritual place. The people who call Kalam home are the ones who truly breathe life into the valley.

Along Ushu Road, only 11km away from Kalam, you will pass through the village of Matiltan. On either side of the dirt road, you will find stalls selling sodas, snacks, and the famous Swat honey. The locals who loiter around this junction will be scratching their heads when you mention you are traveling to Matiltan, not the Mighty 22 Falls or Mahodand Lake. After you leave the market behind and reach the summit of the hill overlooking the hotels and shops down in the valley, you will know you made the right choice in traveling to Matiltan.

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Reaching the Mountains

The jagged mountains with a delicate sheet of white snow draped over them will act as a homing beacon for any traveler hiking to Matiltan. As you leave the jeeps and tourist shops below, it is a light climb to the top of a hill where you get panoramic views of the breathtaking farmland.

With dirt paths trailing off into the distance, this journey takes you deeper into the valley of Matiltan. Every few minutes the landscape around you changes with orchard farms, sleepy village centers, and families working together in terraced fields. No matter if you are climbing across enormous boulders on the hillside or following babbling brooks, you will always be in the shadow of the breathtaking mountains.

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Children’s Work

Although Matiltan seems like one of those places in Pakistan where you could see yourself waking up every morning to sit on the porch with a piping hot cup of chai in hand. The blood and sweat of the local people are what bring life to this lush valley. Old and young, whole families can be found working the land which has been handed down for generations. Children as young as five can be seen tilling the fields shoulder to shoulder with their sisters and grandfathers.

Despite the back-breaking work that goes into surviving in this otherwise inhospitable region, the people still manage to greet foreign travelers with a smile. For many of the Pashtun who call this remote corner of Pakistan home, a backpacker is on par with an alien falling from the sky. Even with European features, locals may mistake you for being Chinese or some other country which you obviously have no ties to. But no matter where you may be from, you are sure to receive a warm welcome in Matiltan.

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Land of the Pashtuns

The regions of western Pakistan and most of Afghanistan is the land of the Pashtuns. From an outsider’s perspective, this group of people is known for being short-tempered and extremely conservative. With all the conflicts and terrorism in the region, it is easy for the entire ethnicity to get a bad rap in the eyes of neighboring people. The second you reach Swat, however, no amount of propaganda or biased news will ever change your mind on the kindness and warmth of the Pashtun people.

As a foreign t0urist, word will travel fast throughout the valley. From village to village, locals will stand in their yards and rooftops to see the foreign backpacker walk past their house. While in cities people are quite bold in asking for selfies or shaking hands. The percentage of people in Matiltan willing to approach you may decrease to only seventy-five percent. Most people will be so baffled, they will just cock their head as you strut by. Local women, on the other hand, will let out a shriek at the sight of a man. As if Frankenstein’s monster was terrorizing the village, they will quickly pick up their babies and slam shut the doors to their homes.

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The House of God

After traveling for some time in Muslim counties you may be used to the ornate domes and tower minarets which peak over even the tallest of buildings. But in Swat Valley, the mosques take a different shape altogether. You will fond some massive 4 story masjids nestled into the hillside. With wooden walls and intricate carvings made directly into the pillars. When traveling to Matiltan, however, you will find simpler masjids, but all the more stunning.

With its humble wood frame, charming rural fences with miss-matched pickets, and porch looking out over the mountains and valleys of Matiltan, there is no better place to truly pray and feel the presence of Allah. With the warmth of the sun against your face as you sit in reflection, the rural mosques of Matiltan emit a sense of spirituality that all the dollars pumped into the massive masjids of Dubai or Saudi Arabia could never replicate.

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Camels in Matiltan?

Swat Valley is lined with massive mountains wrapped in a sheet of white snow. The alpine scenes of Swat and Matiltan are well suited for sheep, donkeys, and goats. One of the last animals you would expect to see climbing towards the summit of towering pillars of rock and ice is a large awkward creature who usually finds its home more in the sand rather than the snow.

On the slopes of Matiltan, locals have employed the use of camels to help transport their tons of potatoes, oranges, and other crops that they grow on the mountain. Although many of the more arid regions of Pakistan is swarming with these humpbacked beasts, you would never think that these camels would be suited for carrying loads in frigid sub-zero temperatures.

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Scrapping the Surface

The unspoiled nature, charming mountainside villages, and people preserving a culture handed down for generations makes hiking through the fields and valley of Matiltan one of the best ways to authentically experience Swat and Pashtun culture. Although locals are not accustomed to foreign travelers, most people will be anxiously waiting for you to stroll past their homes so they can greet you with a smile and a handshake.

Being just 11 km from the travel hub of Kalam, Matiltan is a village located just a few steps off of the beaten path in Swat. The entire region still hides uncountable amounts of breathtaking views, charming villages, and stories waiting to be told. No matter how much Pakistan continues to open up and how many travelers come trickling into Swat Valley, you will always be able to find someplace off of the beaten path.