Skiing in Pakistan

Pakistan’s north has some of the most challenging and difficult, yet awesome mountain slopes covered with snow round the year for skiers to venture. But there are two officially designated skiing resorts which provide facilities for the skiers for overnight stay and other related equipment. Due to much selected visitation by skiers, the slopes are not at par with those which tourists are accustomed to in their own countries. Therefore these not very well groomed slopes may not be a suitable choice for the novices or the rookies.

The best site which is well maintained is located at Naltar, near Gilgit. The facility is operated by the Pakistan Air Force and has a High Altitude Skiing School located there. Accessible in jeeps, the resort provides a spectacular scenic beauty besides allowing joyful skiing. Naltar valley is 2,880 meters (10,500 feet), 47 Kilometer away and two hours drive from Gilgit via the west back of the Hunza River to Nomal village and from there northwest up to the Naltar. There is snow at Naltar till end of March. There are two ski lifts at Naltar and two slopes of 400 and 600 metres long. Currently the Ski Federation of Pakistan is organizing, conducting and offering ski courses in winter for beginners besides holding the annual National Ski Championships.

The skiing resort of Malam Jabba is the biggest facility in the Karakoram mountain range, located some 40 kilometres from the town of Saidu Sharif in the Swat valley. The resort was established due to joint efforts of the governments of Pakistan and Austria. Besides ski slope of about 800m with the highest point of the slope 2804m (9200 ft) above sea level, the Malam Jabba Ski Resort was equipped with modern facilities including roller/ice-skating rinks, chair lifts, skiing platforms, telephones and snow clearing equipment. He Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation had a beautiful hotel constructed at the foot of the ski slopes. Unfortunately the ski resort was badly damaged during 2008 when militants took control of the area. After Pakistan Army’s successful operation, and control over the area, the resort is under repair and renovation and is thus closed for the tourists for now.

Two trekking trails are located near the Malam Jabba resort. The first passes through the Ghorband Valley and Shangla Top and starts about 18 km from the resort. The other trail passes through the Sabonev Valley and is about 17 km from the resort.