My Most Memorable Trip CONTEST #5

My most memorable trip in my life so far was my TRIP TO SWAT & KALAM in February 2026.

I am someone who has always loved mountains. I am not a beach person, I am not a city person. My heart feels peace only in the northern areas of Pakistan. The tall pine trees, the huge mountains touching the sky, the cold fresh air that hits your face, and the rivers with crystal clear water that's my kind of happiness. So me and my sister planner a trip to Swat and Kalam in February, I didn't think for even one second. I just said yes.

February is special for Swat. It is not green like summer. It is completely white. Everything is covered in snow. And I wanted to see that white heaven with my own eyes.

The Journey Begins

We started our journey from Kohinoor Faisalabad at 11pm. We had our booking with travel agency TRAVEL WITH ZUNAIR. We had packed heavy jackets, gloves, caps, and extra socks because we knew it would be freezing. The journey to Swat is long, almost 10-11 hours, but the excitement was so high that we didn't feel tired. We were playing songs, cracking jokes, and counting down the hours.

First Stay At BHERA

Our first stay was at bhera....it is a refreshments point. We stayed there for about half an hour and then again continued our journtto Swat.As we entered the Swat Motorway and then Mingora, the weather started to change. The sky became cloudy and the air became cold. And then we saw the first glimpse of snow on the mountains in the distance. Everyone in the bus shouted. It was like a dream. It was early in the morning about around 7:00am... Too much peaceful and beautiful sight. We Reached there at 7:30 am and had our breakfast there and again stayed there for about 1 an hour.

The Snow Resort

The next stop was the Resort, we al were sleeping in the Bus and then suddenly our guide shouted...we reached at our resort. We all woke up early and went to the famous snow resort. I had seen snowy resorts in pictures from Turkey and Switzerland, but this was right here in Pakistan, and it was even more beautiful.

The whole area was a big open ground covered with 3-4 feet of snow. There were so many activities. Some people were doing skiing, some were on snow bikes, some were doing snow tubing where you sit on a big tube and slide down the slope, and children were making snowmen.

The most amazing thing was the Chair Lift. We bought tickets for the chair lift that takes you to the top of the mountain. When I sat on that chair lift, I was a little scared at first because it goes very high. But as it started moving up slowly, my fear turned into pure wonder. It was about 30 minutes ride.

Below me was the entire valley ....! all white. The small houses, the frozen river, the pine trees loaded with snow everything looked like a miniature model. As we went higher, the wind became colder and stronger, hitting my face. When we reached the top, we were literally above the clouds. The view from the top was something I cannot describe in words. On all four sides, there were only snowy mountains, white peaks shining in the sun. I stood there for 10 minutes without saying anything. I just wanted to save that moment in my heart forever. We took hundreds of photos there, but no photo can do justice to what eyes can see.

After coming down, we tried skiing on the snow. I had never skied before in my life. The instructor gave us long ski boots and skis. I thought it would be easy, but it was very difficult. As soon as I tried to stand, I fell down. My sister was laughing so hard. I fell three times, my gloves and jacket were full of snow, but on the fourth time, I managed to slide a little. That feeling of sliding on soft, fresh snow was so thrilling. Even though I fell again and again, I was laughing like a child. We all were. In that moment, we were not adults with jobs and tensions. We were just kids playing in the snow.

By the time we reached Kalam, it was evening and it was getting dark.The whole Kalam bazar was covered in snow. The shops had yellow lights on, smoke was coming out from hotels, people were selling hot pakoras and chai, and children were playing in the snow. We checked into our hotel a beautiful wooden hotel made of pine wood. The room was warm because of the heater, but outside the window, everything was white.

I will never forget that first night. I woke up at 2 AM and looked out of the window. The snow was falling silently under the street light. It was the most peaceful scene I have ever seen.

Day 2: Mahudand Lake and Swat Lake....!

Jewels in the Snow

The second day was for lake visits. Our guide told us that in winter, the road to Mahudand Lake is very difficult because of snow and sometimes blocked, but luckily this year it was open for jeeps with chains.

We hired a 4x4 jeep. The jeep ride itself was an adventure. The road is bumpy, narrow, and full of snow. On one side there is a mountain and on the other side a deep valley. But the driver was expert.And then we reached Mahudand Lake. Trust me, I have never seen something so beautiful in my life.

https://play.3speak.tv/embed?v=wardah/7yfixj79

Mahudand Lake is located at a high altitude, surrounded by the Hindu Kush mountains. In February, it was half frozen. The water was a mix of bright turquoise and deep blue colour, so clear that you could see the reflection of the snowy mountains in it. The lake was silent. The water was chilled cold, so cold that you cannot even touch it for more than two seconds. All around the lake, there were huge mountains covered with thick snow, like white walls protecting the lake. There were a few small wooden boats stuck in the snow near the shore.

We sat there on a big rock for almost an hour. There was no signal, no noise, no crowd. Just us, the lake, and the mountains. The silence was so powerful. We had hot Kashmiri chai and omelette from a small dhaba nearby. That hot chai in -8 degree temperature felt like the best thing in the world. I felt so close to nature and to Allah there. I realized how small we are and how beautiful this world is.

On our way back, we also visited another small Swat Lakewhich is more like a river spot where water gathers. It was also frozen from the sides.

Bonfire

At night we all had a bonfire time. It was such a cozy time enjoying fire while snow covered mountains in the surrounding.

Day 3: Ushu Forest - The Magical White Forest

On the last day, before going back, we visited Ushu Forest. Ushu Forest is about 8 km from Kalam. It is one of the most beautiful and dense forests in Swat.

In summer, it is green. But in February, it was a completely white forest. The tall pine and deodar trees were all covered with snow from top to bottom. The branches were bending because of the weight of the snow. The ground was covered with a thick white carpet of untouched snow. When we walked, our feet would go inside 1 foot of snow.

Sunlight was coming through the gaps of the trees, and the snow was sparkling like diamonds. It was so quiet inside the forest. We could only hear our footsteps and the sound of snow falling from trees. The air inside was so fresh and cold that every breath felt like it was cleaning my lungs. Our noses and ears were red because of the cold, but we didn't want to leave.

We took many videos there. My sister was saying that it looks like Narnia. And it truly did. It felt like we were in some fairy tale movie.In the evening, we had to leave. We had a bonfire arranged by the hotel. We sat around the fire, ate chicken tikka, sang songs, and shared our memories of the three days. Everyone was saying this was the best trip of their lives.

Now, months have passed since February 2026, but that trip is still fresh in my mind. That white Kalam, the scary but beautiful chair lift ride to the mountain top, falling again and again while skiing, the frozen and magical Mahudand Lake with its bright blue chilled water, and the silent, sparkling Ushu Forest.

If you are a mountain lover like me, you must visit Swat and Kalam in winter at least once. Yes, it is very cold, sometimes -10 degrees, and roads are difficult, but the beauty you will see is something you will never see in summer. Summer has greenery, but winter has magic.

That was my most memorable trip, and no other trip can ever replace it.