Desan Meadows: Jeep or Hike Above Kalam

Desan Meadows are high, open pastures on the mountainside directly above Kalam, rising to a highest point above 3,600 metres. You can reach them by jeep, up a steep, unpaved track that starts behind the Walnut Heights hotel above the town, or on foot, which takes fit walkers four to five hours up and two to three down. The season is June to September, with the grass turning brown and the trees gold from late September.

Desan gets far fewer visitors than Mahodand, and it is the best day out from Kalam for anyone who likes to walk. This guide compares the jeep and the hike, explains what the altitude does, and covers the autumn colours, the walk on to the Godar Lake viewpoint, and spending a night up there.

Where are Desan Meadows?

Look up from Kalam bazaar and the ridges above the town are where you are going. The meadows are a wide spread of grassland above the tree line, looking down over Kalam and across to the peaks of the Ushu and Utror valleys.

The jeep track and the footpath both begin on the hill behind the Walnut Heights hotel, a small hotel on the hill above the town, about 20 minutes' walk uphill from the bazaar. From there the route climbs through forest, crosses streams, and comes out above the trees onto the open meadows.

Jeep or hike: which should you choose?

By jeep

The track is long, steep and unpaved, with tight bends, and the ride up is slow: allow up to about three hours to the end of the track, less if you stop lower down. It needs a proper 4x4 and a driver who knows it. Ordinary cars should not try.

Jeeps are hired in Kalam bazaar or through your hotel. The fare depends on how far up the driver goes and how long he waits, so agree the drop-off point, the waiting time and the total before you start. Our Kalam jeep fare guide explains how to bargain.

The jeep suits families, anyone short of time, and anyone who wants to spend their energy walking on the meadows rather than getting to them.

On foot

Walking up is a full day and a real climb: more than 1,600 metres of height from Kalam to the top. Fit walkers take four to five hours up from Walnut Heights and two to three hours down.

What walkers report about the route:

• Water is found in streams at intervals on the way up, including a wide stream near the tree line. On the meadows themselves there is little water outside the monsoon, so fill up before you leave the trees.
• The upper part is open and exposed to wind and sun.

A good compromise is to take a jeep up and walk down. You see the whole mountain, spend the day on the meadows instead of on the climb, and your knees only do the easier half.

If you walk, start by 7 in the morning, turn back by early afternoon whatever happens, and tell your hotel where you are going.

Altitude: what 3,600 metres means

Kalam is at about 2,000 metres. The top of Desan is above 3,600. By jeep, you gain more than 1,600 metres of height in a morning, which is a big jump in a short time.

Most healthy adults notice it only as breathlessness on the slopes and perhaps a mild headache. A few things help:

• Walk slowly once you are on the meadows, and rest often.
• Drink water steadily through the day.
• Come down if anyone develops a bad headache, nausea, dizziness or confusion. Going down is the treatment.
• Take care with young children, older parents and anyone with a heart or lung condition, and ask a doctor before the trip if in doubt.

Our travel guide has more on altitude in the northern valleys.

Beyond the meadows: the Godar Lake viewpoint

From the end of the jeep track, walkers can go on to a ridge overlooking Godar Lake, at about 3,830 metres. The walk from the start of the meadows to the viewpoint takes about two hours each way.

This takes you to a view of the lake, not to its shore. Reaching the lake itself is a much harder trek of most of a day on a steep route, and is for experienced walkers with a local guide. For most people the viewpoint is the right turning point.

If you plan to go on to the viewpoint, take the jeep up, start early, and allow at least five hours on foot from the end of the track, including time at the top.

Autumn colours on Desan

Desan changes colour through the year. In June and July the meadows are green, with flowers after the snow melts. From late September the grass turns a rusty brown and gold, and the trees on the slopes below turn yellow. Walkers who know it suggest the end of September as the best time, when the weather is still settled and the summer crowds have gone.

October can be beautiful too, with clear air and sharp views, but the nights are well below freezing on the meadows and early snow can close the track. Our guide to the best time to visit Kalam goes through the months.

Staying overnight on Desan

There are no hotels, huts for hire, shops or services on Desan. A night on the meadows means your own tent, stove, food and a warm sleeping bag, and carrying up the water you need from the streams lower down.

The reward is the view over the valley at dusk and dawn, with nobody else there. The drawbacks are the cold, the exposure to wind and weather, and the distance from help if something goes wrong. Pitch in a sheltered spot, away from the edge of slopes, and agree a pickup time with your jeep driver in advance, since signal is unreliable. Our guide to camping in Kalam has a full kit list and compares Desan with the easier sites.

If you would rather not camp, stay on the hill above the town, near where the track begins, and do Desan as a long day.

What to carry

• A warm layer and a waterproof jacket, whatever the forecast in Kalam
• At least two litres of water per person, and a way to purify more
• Lunch and snacks: there is nothing to buy on the way
• Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat
• Walking shoes with grip; the forest path is steep and slippery when wet
• A charged phone with offline maps, though signal is unreliable

Who is Desan for?

Desan suits walkers, photographers and anyone who wants a big view without a crowd. It is the most rewarding day out from Kalam for people who like to be on their feet, and a jeep up with a walk down makes it possible for most reasonably fit families with older children.

It is less suited to small children, older parents who struggle with altitude, and anyone who dislikes steep, rough jeep tracks. In poor weather it is simply cold and grey, with no view. If that is the forecast, spend the day at Ushu Forest or Blue Water instead. Our Swat Valley guide covers the rest of the valley.

Frequently asked questions