To reach the Kalash valley, go south from Chitral town to Ayun, about 15 to 20 km down the main road towards Drosh, then turn up the side road into the mountains. Near the fork for Bumburet and Rumbur you register at a checkpost and pay a small entry fee, while Birir has its own road further south. Chitral to Bumburet takes one and a half to two and a half hours, and while the road from Ayun is being rebuilt, a local jeep or a high-clearance car is the easier way up.
This guide covers the route step by step, the state of the road in late 2026, and the choice between your own car, a shared jeep and a private one. If you are still deciding which valley to stay in, start with our Kalash valleys guide.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Route | Chitral town, Ayun, the checkpost, then Bumburet or Rumbur |
| Chitral to Ayun | About 15 to 20 km on the main road |
| Chitral to Bumburet | 1.5 to 2.5 hours, depending on roadworks and traffic |
| Road state | Being rebuilt; new asphalt on the lower section, works further up (2026) |
| Best vehicle | A local jeep or a high-clearance car |
| Shared transport | Shared jeeps and cars from Chitral and Ayun, mostly in the afternoon |
| At the checkpost | Registration and a small entry fee, in cash |
| Birir | Its own road, leaving the main valley south of Ayun |
The route, step by step
- Chitral town to Ayun. Leave Chitral on the main road south, the same road you drove in on from the Lowari tunnel. It follows the Chitral river and is paved. Ayun is the large village at the mouth of the Kalash valleys, and the place where shared transport for the valleys gathers.
- Ayun into the gorge. The Kalash road leaves the main road at Ayun and climbs into a narrow gorge above the river. This is the section that has been under construction.
- The checkpost. Near the point where the road divides, everyone stops to register and pay the entry fee. Keep your CNIC to hand; foreign nationals need their passport and visa.
- The fork. One road continues to Bumburet, the largest valley, and the other climbs into Rumbur.
- Into the villages. In Bumburet the road runs up the valley past the guesthouses and villages. Rumbur's road is narrower, and it has only a handful of guesthouses.
Allow one and a half to two and a half hours from Chitral to Bumburet. The difference comes down to where the machinery is working that week, the traffic, and whether you stop in Ayun to change vehicles.
What state is the road in?
The road to the Kalash valleys has been rebuilt in stages since 2022. The National Highway Authority project covers about 46 km from Chitral through Ayun to the valleys, with nine bridges, drainage and a new asphalt surface. It was meant to take two years, and it has taken much longer.
The position reported in July 2026 was:
- Asphalt up to the forest post was scheduled to be finished by mid-August 2026.
- Cutting and levelling as far as the Dubash bridge was due by the end of September 2026.
- Bumburet itself was next, followed by Rumbur and Birir, with the stated aim of finishing before Chilam Joshi in May 2027.
Deadlines on this road have slipped before, so plan for a mix of new asphalt and active roadworks through autumn 2026 and spring 2027. Expect dust, short stops while machinery clears the way, and mud after rain. Ask your hotel in Chitral about the road the evening before you go.
Holidays make it much slower. The road has jammed for hours during Eid in the past, and it is still narrow in places. If you are going over Eid or for Chilam Joshi in mid-May, leave early in the morning and plan to stay in the valleys rather than drive in and out.
Going in your own car
A high-clearance car or SUV will manage the road in dry weather. Drive slowly on the unfinished sections, give way to jeeps coming down, and use your horn on blind bends.
A low sedan is a different matter while the works continue. Loose surfaces, steep ramps around the construction and deep ruts after rain are hard on low cars, and visitors are often advised to leave their own car in Chitral and take a local vehicle. If you do drive a sedan, go in dry weather, carry a passenger to watch the ground clearance on rough patches, and turn back rather than force it.
Wherever you go in your own car, arrive in daylight. The gorge road is no place to learn in the dark, and guesthouse parking in the villages is easier to find before evening.
Going by shared jeep or car
Shared transport is the cheapest way to reach the valleys, and it is how many local people travel.
- From Chitral town, shared jeeps to the valleys leave from the town centre, mostly in the early afternoon, once they have filled.
- In two stages, take a shared car from Chitral to Ayun, then a jeep from Ayun to the valleys. Vehicles run from Ayun more often and until later in the day.
- To Birir, shared jeeps run only when there are enough passengers, so allow for a wait or hire privately.
Fares are charged per seat and change with fuel prices, and the figures in older guides are years out of date. Ask at your hotel for the going fare, and pay the driver directly. Shared jeeps are crowded and slow; for families, and for women travelling on their own, a private jeep is usually more comfortable.
Hiring a private jeep
A private jeep with a local driver is the easiest option for most visitors, and the one we would suggest for families and for a first trip.
- Arrange it through your hotel in Chitral, or through your guesthouse in the valleys.
- Agree the full price first: one way or return, waiting time, which valleys, and the driver's food and room if he stays overnight.
- Expect higher prices during Eid and festival weeks, when every jeep in Chitral is booked.
- Keep the driver's number so you can arrange the return trip from the valley.
A private jeep also lets you stop in Ayun, visit Rumbur and Bumburet on the same day, and try Birir if the road is open. Our guide to Chitral trip costs explains how to budget for jeep days alongside rooms and fuel.
At the checkpost
Everyone registers at the checkpost on the way into the valleys. Pakistani visitors show their CNIC; foreign nationals show their passport and visa, and should carry photocopies.
You also pay an entry fee, which goes to Kalasha community welfare. It is different for Pakistani and foreign visitors, and different sources quote different amounts, so carry cash and pay what is posted. Keep the receipt until you leave.
Getting between the valleys, and to Birir
To move between Bumburet and Rumbur by road, drive back down to the fork and up the other valley. It is a short trip by jeep, and many people see Rumbur on a day out from a base in Bumburet.
Birir is reached by its own road, which leaves the main valley south of Ayun. It sees the fewest visitors, the rebuilding of its road is scheduled after Bumburet's, and it is worth checking its state with a local driver before you set out.
The valleys run west towards the Afghan border, where militants attacked border posts in 2023. Stay on the valley roads and village paths, and don't head up towards the passes on the border.
Which way suits you?
- Families and first-time visitors: a private jeep from Chitral, with two nights booked in the valleys.
- Couples and budget travellers: shared jeeps, or a shared car to Ayun and a jeep from there, leaving time for the wait.
- An SUV or other high-clearance car: drive yourself, in daylight, and ask about the roadworks first.
- A low sedan: leave it in Chitral while the road works continue.
If you are driving up from Islamabad, remember that Ayun is on the main road south of Chitral town. On the way out, you can leave the valleys and head straight for Dir and the Lowari tunnel without going back through Chitral; our guide to the drive from Islamabad to Chitral by road covers that leg. For a plan that uses the valleys this way, see our five-day Chitral itinerary, and for how we fit places like this into a wider trip, our planning page.
Frequently asked questions
How far is the Kalash valley from Chitral?
Ayun, the turning for the valleys, is about 15 to 20 km south of Chitral town. Allow one and a half to two and a half hours from Chitral to Bumburet.
Can a normal car go to the Kalash valley?
A high-clearance car can, in dry weather. While the road from Ayun is being rebuilt, low sedans are better left in Chitral in favour of a local jeep.
Is there public transport to the Kalash valley?
Yes. Shared jeeps run from Chitral town, mostly in the afternoon, and more often from Ayun. Jeeps to Birir leave only when they fill.
How much is the jeep fare to the Kalash valley?
Fares change with fuel prices and the season, so ask your hotel for the current rate. Agree a private jeep's full price, including waiting time, before you set off.
Do I need a permit to visit the Kalash valley?
No special permit is needed. Everyone registers at the checkpost on the way in and pays a small entry fee; Pakistanis show a CNIC and foreign nationals a passport and visa.
Is the road to the Kalash valley open in winter?
It is kept open where possible, but heavy snow can block it for days, especially in December and January. Check locally before going, and allow a spare day.
