Snowfall Places in KPK: Where to See Snow

The most reliable snowfall places in KPK are Nathia Gali and the Galiyat above Abbottabad, Malam Jabba and Kalam in Swat, Thandiani, Shangla Top on the road from Swat to Besham, and Shogran in the lower Kaghan valley. Snow usually falls between late December and February, but it is less dependable than it was, and some winters bring little snow before late January. Naran, Kumrat and the high lakes are closed in winter, so don't plan a snow trip around them.

This guide goes through each place: how high it is, how far it is from Islamabad, what the road is like in snow, and who it suits. It ends with the part that matters most, which is how to drive to snow without getting stuck.

When does it snow in KPK?

The main snow months are December, January and February. At Malam Jabba, January is usually the most reliable month for snow on the slopes, and the ski season starts whenever there is enough cover: in 2024 the slopes were open by the middle of December. In the Galiyat the pattern has shifted, and most snow now falls in February rather than around New Year.

Snow is not guaranteed. The winter of 2025–26 was largely snowless in Swat until late January, and Kalam's hoteliers had a poor New Year as a result. Then heavy falls arrived across Swat, Shangla and the Galiyat over the following weeks, cutting roads and power. The lesson is to plan a snow trip at short notice, around a forecast, rather than months ahead around a date.

For forecasts, the Pakistan Meteorological Department publishes daily and tourist forecasts at weather.gov.pk. Our guide to the seasons covers what else in the north is open in winter.

Nathia Gali and the Galiyat

The Galiyat are a line of hill stations along the ridge between Murree and Abbottabad: Changla Gali, Dunga Gali, Khanspur, Ayubia and, best known of all, Nathia Gali, at about 2,400 metres. They are the closest snow to Islamabad, 80 to 90 km by road through Murree, and in good conditions about two to two and a half hours away.

What you get is snow on thick pine forest, and walks that are easy in summer and a different thing entirely in snow. The Pipeline Track between Dunga Gali and Ayubia, about 4 km and almost flat, is the one most families try. The climb to Mushkpuri, at about 2,800 metres, is a proper hike in winter and needs boots and someone who knows the path.

The catch is access. Heavy snow closes the Abbottabad–Nathia Gali–Murree road and the link roads, sometimes for days. In February 2026 a foot to a foot and a half of snow fell across the Galiyat and Thandiani, the main road was closed to tourists, the Barian–Nathia Gali road was shut every evening after 5 pm because of the landslide risk, and the district administration told visitors to stay away. The Galiyat Development Authority clears the town roads quickly, but the queues behind the snowploughs can be long.

Go on a weekday, book your room before you leave Islamabad, and aim to arrive by early afternoon.

Thandiani

Thandiani sits at about 2,750 metres, roughly 38 km north-east of Abbottabad, on its own ridge away from the Galiyat traffic. It is higher than Nathia Gali, gets heavy snow, and sees far fewer visitors.

That quiet comes at a price. There is much less choice of rooms than in the Galiyat, and after a heavy fall the road can stay blocked for days. In February 2026 every link road to Thandiani was blocked by snow. It suits people who want empty snow and are prepared to turn back if the road is shut; it is not a trip for small children in the middle of a storm.

Malam Jabba

Malam Jabba, about 40 km from Saidu Sharif in Swat, is where you go to ski. The resort is at about 2,800 metres, with a ski slope of roughly 800 metres, a chairlift that was rebuilt and reopened in 2016, and a Pearl-Continental hotel at the resort that opened in 2020. Skiing and snowboarding are the main activities, and in some winters there has been ice hockey and curling too.

In winter you need snow chains or a 4x4 for the final climb after fresh snow, particularly on the stretch from Manglor. Entry to the resort and the chairlift are charged separately, and prices have risen sharply in recent years, so check the current rates before you go rather than trusting an old blog.

Malam Jabba is the most organised snow trip in the province: you can drive to a hotel at the snow line, ski, and be back in Mingora for dinner. It is also busy when the snow is good, so book ahead.

Kalam and Matiltan

Kalam, at the head of the Swat valley at about 2,000 metres, gets some of the heaviest snow in Swat. In January 2022 it had about four feet of snow in a single spell, and the road was closed. In a good winter the town, the pine forest and the Ushu road are deep in white, and the Upper Swat Development Authority and the tourism department have backed snow festivals here and at Matiltan, as they did in early 2026, with snow kabaddi, tug-of-war and skiing.

Getting there is the hard part. Kalam is about 99 km beyond Mingora, and the road above Bahrain is still badly damaged from the 2022 floods. In snow it becomes slow, icy and at times impassable, and beyond Kalam the tracks to Ushu, Mahodand and Utror close altogether. Carry chains, allow a spare day, and check with your hotel that the road is open on the morning you drive up.

For more on how Kalam compares with Naran across the year, see our Naran vs Kalam guide.

Shangla Top and Yakh Tangay

Shangla Top, at about 2,100 metres, is the pass on the road between Khwazakhela in Swat and Besham on the Karakoram Highway, about 45 km from Besham. Pine forest and snowy slopes line the road, and in winter it draws day-trippers from Swat as well as people passing through. Yakh Tangay, further along the Shangla hills, is another spot that fills with snow.

Treat it as a place to stop, not a place to get stuck. In late January 2026 up to three feet of snow fell on Shangla Top and Yakh Tangay, the Alpuri–Shangla Top road was closed, power was out for about six days, and police registered cases against drivers who had gone up without chains despite warnings. If snow is forecast, check the road before you leave Khwazakhela or Besham.

Shogran and the lower Kaghan valley

Naran shuts for the winter. Snow closes the road beyond Kaghan and Paras from November until late April or May, and the hotels in Naran close with it. The lower part of the valley stays open, and in recent winters the district administration has pointed visitors towards Shogran, Kaghan, Paras and Balakot instead.

Shogran sits on a plateau at about 2,360 metres, about 34 km from Balakot. It gets plenty of snow, and the view across the valley is at its best on a clear day after a fall. The road up from Kiwai is steep and is often reachable only by jeep in winter, and it is prone to landslides when the snow melts. Arrange the jeep and your room before you go.

Further afield: Chitral and the Kalash valleys

Chitral is a long winter trip, but a rewarding one. The Lowari tunnel keeps the road to Chitral open through the winter, though its hours are sometimes restricted, and the Kalash valleys celebrate Chaumos, their winter festival, in December. It needs four or five days at least and careful planning; see our Kalash valleys guide before you commit.

Places that are closed in winter

Some of the best-known names in KPK are not snow trips at all, because you cannot reach them:

• Naran, Lake Saiful Muluk, Lulusar and Babusar Top, closed from November to late spring.
• Kumrat Valley above Thal, closed from about November to March.
• Mahodand Lake and the high valleys beyond Kalam, closed by snow.
• Gabin Jabba, above Swat, which is reached by 4x4 from Lalko and needs current information on snow and the road before you try it.

How to drive to snow safely

In January 2022 at least 23 people died in their cars in Murree, just across the border in Punjab, when thousands of vehicles were trapped by a snowstorm. Some died of cold; others of carbon monoxide when snow blocked their exhausts. The same roads and the same weather reach the Galiyat, and the same risks apply everywhere in this guide.

Before you go:

1. Check the forecast and any closure notices the evening before and again in the morning. If the district administration says don't travel, don't.
2. Book a room. Never plan to sleep in the car, and don't set out hoping to find somewhere when you arrive.
3. Fit or carry snow chains, and practise putting them on at home. Police in Shangla have registered cases against drivers without them.
4. Fill the tank and carry water, food, blankets, a torch and a phone power bank.
5. Leave early and be off the mountain roads before dark. Roads refreeze after sunset, and a stranded car is far harder to reach at night.

If you do get stuck:

• Keep the exhaust clear of snow if the engine is running, open a window slightly, and run the engine only in short bursts for heat.
• Stay with the car unless there is shelter you can see and reach safely.
• Call for help early. The KP tourism helpline, 1422, is free and runs around the clock.

Our travel guide has more on winter driving and roads across the north.

Which snow trip suits you?

• A weekend from Islamabad: Nathia Gali or Dunga Gali, on a weekday if you can.
• Skiing, or a proper hotel at the snow: Malam Jabba.
• Deep snow and a festival: Kalam, with a spare day for the road.
• Quiet: Thandiani, if the road is open.
• Snow in the Kaghan valley: Shogran, by jeep from Kiwai.
• Small children: Nathia Gali or Malam Jabba, with the room booked and a plan to turn back if the road closes.

If you would like a winter trip planned around the forecast, tell us your dates and how flexible they are.

Frequently asked questions