Shandur Polo Festival – 12 Days
An overland journey across the Hindu Kush to the high Shandur plateau, with flexible time for polo, mountain communities and the crossing toward Gilgit.
Request a private date around the festival.
| Dates | Reference | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Summer; 2027 dates pending | Private inquiry | Official programme pending |
Planning status: The Shandur festival dates and fixtures for 2027 are not announced. In 2026 officials moved the event to June 11–13 from its traditional July window. We publish no fixed 2027 departure or guaranteed match. Shandur is about 3,700 metres high; cold, wind and altitude symptoms are possible. Camp standards and access must be confirmed in the quote. No fixed 2027 departure is offered until the organisers confirm the programme and access.
Accommodation, group size, programme access and transport shape the final quote. We provide written terms before booking.
Dates, price and event access remain subject to official confirmation.
Request dates & priceDownload PDF itineraryScenes from Shandur
Polo on the high Shandur plateau
Shandur brings teams and supporters from Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan together on a high mountain plateau. The event schedule is officially set each year and has shifted before; this route reserves three days near the ground to account for match timing, weather and travel conditions.
Islamabad → Swat → Chitral → Mastuj → Shandur → Phandar → Gilgit → Islamabad. Distances and overnight stops may change with current roads, access and the event programme.
The journey in detail
Day 1 · Arrive Islamabad
Meet the team, review altitude and road plan.
Day 2 · Islamabad to Swat
Drive north with cultural and landscape stops.
Day 3 · Swat to Chitral
Cross the Lowari corridor and overnight in Chitral.
Day 4 · Chitral to Mastuj
Continue along the upper Chitral valley at a measured pace.
Day 5 · Mastuj to Shandur
Ascend toward the high plateau; settle into the agreed camp or lodge.
Day 6 · Shandur polo day
Attend accessible matches according to the official programme.
Day 7 · Shandur final event day
A second full day for fixtures and local festivities, subject to organizers.
Day 8 · Shandur to Phandar
Cross into Gilgit-Baltistan and descend to Phandar.
Day 9 · Phandar to Gilgit
Continue through the valleys with time for stops.
Day 10 · Gilgit to Besham or Chilas
Begin the return by road; exact overnight is set by current access.
Day 11 · Return to Islamabad
Complete the road journey and rest.
Day 12 · Departure
Airport transfer or private extension.
Season and contingency: Planning status: The Shandur festival dates and fixtures for 2027 are not announced. In 2026 officials moved the event to June 11–13 from its traditional July window. We publish no fixed 2027 departure or guaranteed match. Shandur is about 3,700 metres high; cold, wind and altitude symptoms are possible. Camp standards and access must be confirmed in the quote.
Follow the Shandur Polo Festival route.
Every itinerary day is mapped. Select a D-number marker for the day’s focus. Overnight and festival access can change with the official programme.
- Day 1 · Arrive Islamabad — Meet the team, review altitude and road plan.
- Day 2 · Islamabad to Swat — Drive north with cultural and landscape stops.
- Day 3 · Swat to Chitral — Cross the Lowari corridor and overnight in Chitral.
- Day 4 · Chitral to Mastuj — Continue along the upper Chitral valley at a measured pace.
- Day 5 · Mastuj to Shandur — Ascend toward the high plateau; settle into the agreed camp or lodge.
- Day 6 · Shandur polo day — Attend accessible matches according to the official programme.
- Day 7 · Shandur final event day — A second full day for fixtures and local festivities, subject to organizers.
- Day 8 · Shandur to Phandar — Cross into Gilgit-Baltistan and descend to Phandar.
- Day 9 · Phandar to Gilgit — Continue through the valleys with time for stops.
- Day 10 · Gilgit to Besham or Chilas — Begin the return by road; exact overnight is set by current access.
- Day 11 · Return to Islamabad — Complete the road journey and rest.
- Day 12 · Departure — Airport transfer or private extension.
Route lines are indicative and intended for journey planning, not field navigation. Actual roads, stops and festival access are confirmed locally.
What is planned and what is included.
Accommodation plan
| Islamabad | 1 night |
|---|---|
| Swat | 1 night |
| Chitral | 1 night |
| Mastuj | 1 night |
| Shandur area | 3 nights |
| Phandar | 1 night |
| Gilgit | 1 night |
| Chilas or Besham | 1 night |
| Islamabad | 1 night |
Indicative overnight pattern. Specific properties, room categories and any event-area camp are confirmed in the written proposal; daily placement may change with the festival programme and access.
Journey profile
- Format: Private, locally guided cultural journey
- Walking: Flexible, according to access and guest pace
- Roads: Confirmed against current conditions
- Vehicle support: Provided throughout
- Best season: Summer; 2027 dates pending
Clear arrangements from the beginning.
Services Included
- Airport transfers on the stated arrival and departure days.
- Private ground transport, fuel and driver for the agreed route.
- Twin-share accommodation and breakfast as detailed in the final proposal.
- English-speaking local guide and coordination of visits.
- Listed ordinary site admissions where expressly itemized in the proposal.
Services Not Included
- International flights, visa and any special event entry or camping charges not listed in the proposal.
- Lunches, dinners, personal purchases, donations and tips unless quoted.
- Travel insurance, medical costs and changes caused by weather, roads or official restrictions.
- Any service or entry not expressly listed in the written proposal.
Before you plan
Confirm passport, visa, registration and any permits with the relevant authorities well before travel.
Carry modest layers, sun protection, comfortable walking shoes and personal medication.
Respect worship and community spaces; seek consent before portraits or video, and observe site photography rules.
Allow for route changes, traffic and weather. The guide may alter or omit a stop when access is inappropriate or unsafe.
Explore more Experience Pakistan journeys
You may also enjoy Kalash Chilam Joshi Spring Festival, Peshawar, Chitral & the Kalash Valleys.
Make this journey your own.
Tell us your preferred dates, group size and accommodation style. We will check the official programme, access and ground arrangements before proposing a private departure.
Enquire about this journey