Fizagat Park is a riverside recreation area on the Swat River about a kilometre outside Mingora, with a small zoo, a chairlift, boating and shaded lawns that have made it a standard stop for family picnics for decades. It is also the site of a fatal flash flood in June 2025, and anyone visiting now should read the river safety notes below before spending time near the water.
This guide covers what is at the park, when to go, and what changed after 2025.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Location | On the Swat River, about 1 km from Mingora |
| Opened | 1984, rebuilt after the 2010 floods and again expanded from 2015 |
| Facilities | Zoo, cable car, river boats, family and women's sections, food stalls |
| Hours | Daytime; the park closes around dusk |
| Entry | A small ticket fee is charged at the gate |
| River safety | Stay off the riverbed and gravel banks; the 2025 flood happened here |
What is at Fizagat Park?
Fizagat sits directly on the Swat River bank and has been Mingora's main riverside park since 1984, when it was set up by the then chairman of the municipal committee. It was badly damaged in the 2010 floods, rebuilt with government funding from 2012, revamped with Japanese cooperation in 2013, and expanded again from 2015 with new trees, bridges and solar lighting.
Today the park has a small zoo, a chairlift and cable car giving views over the river, pedal and river boats, and separate sections set aside for families and for women. Hotels, guesthouses and tent villages sit around the park's edge, and food stalls sell snacks and tea along the paths.
When to visit and how long to stay
The park is a half-day or less outing rather than a destination in itself: an hour or two among the lawns, the zoo and a boat ride is enough for most families. It suits a stop on the way into or out of Mingora rather than a dedicated day trip. Spring and early summer bring the most pleasant weather, and the park is busiest on weekends and public holidays, when Mingora families come out for a picnic.
Our guide to things to do in Mingora covers Fizagat alongside the city's other sights, and places to visit in Swat sets it in the context of a wider trip.
The river: what happened here in 2025
On 27 June 2025, an extended family of 17 from Sialkot stopped for breakfast at a riverside hotel at Fizagat and walked out onto a gravel mound in the riverbed to take photographs. Heavy rain upstream sent a sudden surge of water down the river, the mound was cut off and then washed away, and at least 12 of them died. It was one of the worst single incidents on the Swat River in recent years, and it happened in broad daylight on a stretch of river that looked calm at the time.
Since then, the district administration has banned swimming and bathing in the river in the areas most used by picnickers, and the provincial government has banned sand and gravel mining in the riverbed, which had been altering the channel and creating the kind of mounds and islands that cut people off. Neither measure changes how quickly the water can rise.
Practical safety at the park
- Keep to the paved paths, lawns and boating area, and don't let children wander onto the riverbank unsupervised.
- Watch the water level, not just the weather where you are. The river can rise from rain that fell an hour's drive upstream.
- Use the park's boats rather than improvising a swim or a paddle in the open river.
- If you're staying at a riverside hotel nearby, choose a room set back from the bank rather than directly over the water.
- Leave quickly and calmly if the water visibly rises or turns brown with silt. That is the sign of a surge, not a reason to get closer for a photograph.
Frequently asked questions
What can you do at Fizagat Park?
Fizagat has a small zoo, a chairlift and cable car over the river, pedal and river boats, and lawns and sections set aside for families and women. Most visits last an hour or two.
Is Fizagat Park safe to visit?
The park itself is a managed, fenced recreation area and is a normal stop for Mingora families. The risk is the open river beside it: in June 2025, a flash flood killed at least 12 members of a visiting family who had walked onto a gravel mound in the riverbed. Stay off the riverbed and any gravel banks, however calm the water looks.
How far is Fizagat Park from Mingora?
About one kilometre, making it an easy stop on the way in or out of the city rather than a special trip.
Is there an entry fee for Fizagat Park?
Yes, a modest ticket fee is charged at the gate. Expect the amount to change from year to year, so treat any figure you read, including here, as a rough guide and pay whatever is posted on the day.
Can you swim in the river at Fizagat?
No. Swimming and bathing in the river near Fizagat has been banned by the district administration since the 2025 floods, and the river's fast-rising water makes it dangerous regardless of the rule.
Is Swat itself safe to visit at the moment?
Pakistani visitors still travel to Swat and Mingora regularly, but security worsened in 2026, including a suicide bombing at Kabal, close to Mingora, on 2 August that killed 17. The UK government currently advises against all travel to Swat. Check local news and police advice before you go; see our guide to whether Swat is safe for tourists for the full picture.
