THE CHITRALIANS

The traditional Chitrali house called 'Baipash'. It has 6 strong pillars supporting the entire structure. The design of the house is so strong that it can stand even if walls around it will be taken away. The structure is quite skillfully adapted to the seismic condition of the Chitral valley, which is traditional receives more shocks of earthquake. The house has a hole (Kumal) right on the roof to let the smoke out and daylight in. It has hearth at the center where women cook food and all the people in the house get around the fire to get heat in winter. There are two sleeping place on both side and wood storage near the entrance.

From Booni the paved road degenerates into a jeep track and continues eastwards up the Mastuj Valley, revealing awesome views of Booni Zom. Parwak could serve as a base to explore the glacial valleys spilling down from the Buni massif. The village of Mastuj (2400m) is three hours (110km) from Chitral town along a very rough 4km side road. It’s a good base to break the journey between Chitral and Gilgit, and you could easily lose time doing some lovely day walks in the fields and side valleys here, always under the snowy gaze of Tirich Mir.If you belong to other country then you must sign in with the police (at the bottom of the bazaar). Until 1880, Mastuj was the ‘capital’ of the Khushwakht stretching eastwards into Ghizar. A British garrison confined here during the 1895 siege was rescued by the column that crossed the Shandur Pass. The old royal fort stands next to the Hindu Kush Heights Hotel. From the south, Laspur Gol enters Yarkhun Gol. Up this canyon are the villages of Kosht...