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Shandur Pass: Shandur Top and Shandur Lake
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Shandur Pass: The Complete Travel Guide

Shandur Pass is a wide, lake-dotted plateau at about 3,700 m between Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan, famous for the polo ground that hosts Pakistan’s wildest polo tournament every summer.

Updated October 2026By The Golden Adventure team
Photo: Mudassir Ahmed / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (source)

Shandur Pass at a Glance

Shandur Pass is a high, open plateau on the boundary between Upper Chitral (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and the Ghizer district of Gilgit-Baltistan. It is best known for the Shandur Polo Festival, but outside festival week it is a quiet, windswept place of lakes, grazing yaks and huge skies, crossed by one of northern Pakistan’s great road journeys.

LocationUpper Chitral (KP) and Ghizer (Gilgit-Baltistan) boundary
AltitudeAbout 3,700–3,800 m (sources differ); polo ground about 3,700 m
Best time to visitJune to September; the road is usually open late April to early November
Getting thereAbout 212 km from Gilgit via Gupis and Phander, or 172 km from Chitral via Mastuj
Top sightsShandur Polo Ground, Shandur Lake, Laspur valley, Phander Lake
Known forThe world’s highest polo ground and the annual Chitral vs Gilgit-Baltistan polo tournament

Where Is Shandur Pass?

Shandur Pass sits in the eastern Hindu Kush, on the line where Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Upper Chitral district meets Gilgit-Baltistan. On the Chitral side the road climbs from Mastuj (2,359 m) up the Laspur valley through Harchin and Sor Laspur; on the Gilgit-Baltistan side it drops into the Ghizer valley towards Phander, Gupis and eventually Gilgit.

Unlike a classic narrow col, the top is a broad, flat plateau several kilometres across, with Shandur Lake lying on the open grassland and the stone-walled polo ground beside it. Wikipedia gives the pass an altitude of about 3,720–3,800 m, so expect thin air and cold nights even in July.

History & Polo at Shandur

Polo has deep roots in the mountain valleys of Chitral and Gilgit, and the modern tournament on the plateau is credited to a British political agent, Colonel Evelyn Hey Cobb, in the 1930s. The same Cobb is remembered locally for bringing trout to the Ghizer River, which is why the lakes on the Gilgit-Baltistan side are still known for fishing.

The game played here is freestyle mountain polo: six riders a side, very few rules, low stone walls instead of boards, and a field of roughly 200 m by 56 m, much smaller than a standard ground. Matches last about an hour, split into two halves with a ten-minute interval filled by music and dancing. Teams from Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan are selected in local qualifiers, and the rivalry is fierce: in June 2026 Gilgit-Baltistan beat Chitral 6–5 in the final, according to APP, ending Chitral’s 13-year winning run.

MUST-SEE EXPERIENCES

Top 8 Things to Do in Shandur Pass

Most visitors come for the polo, but the plateau and the valleys on either side reward a slower trip.

  1. 01
    Culture

    Watch the Shandur Polo Festival

    Thousands of spectators from across Pakistan and abroad crowd the stands for three days of freestyle polo between Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan. Between chukkas there is folk music, dancing and, in recent years, paragliding displays.

  2. 02
    Nature

    Walk around Shandur Lake

    The shallow lake on the plateau mirrors the surrounding ridges on still mornings. An easy loop on foot is the best way to adjust to the altitude on your first day.

  3. 03
    Adventure

    Camp on the plateau

    A temporary tent village goes up during the festival, and basic camping is possible at other times in summer. With no towns nearby, the night skies up here are exceptional.

  4. 04
    Viewpoint

    Drive down to Phander Lake

    The descent into Gilgit-Baltistan’s Ghizer valley leads to Phander, a turquoise lake in a green valley floor. It is one of the most photographed stops on the Gilgit–Chitral road.

  5. 05
    Culture

    Explore the Laspur valley

    Harchin, Gaht, Balim and Sor Laspur are the last villages below the pass on the Chitral side. Fields, poplars and stone houses make a gentle contrast with the bare plateau above.

  6. 06
    History

    See Mastuj and its old fort

    Mastuj, at the junction of the roads to Shandur and the Yarkhun valley, has the ruins of a fort first built in the 18th century and rebuilt several times since.

  7. 07
    Nature

    Fish the Ghizer lakes

    Trout introduced in Cobb’s era thrive in the Ghizer river system. Wikipedia reports very large fish in Handarap and Khukush lakes; ask locally about licences before fishing.

  8. 08
    Adventure

    Ride the Chitral–Gilgit road

    Crossing the pass links Chitral and Gilgit in one of northern Pakistan’s classic overland journeys. Rough sections mean a sturdy 4×4 and an experienced local driver are essential.

Best Time to Visit Shandur Pass

The road over the pass is generally passable from late April to early November, but snow can linger on the plateau into May and return in October. For green grass, open lakes and the most settled weather, aim for June to September.

Festival timing

The festival was long described as a 7–9 July event, but recent editions have been held earlier: the 2025 festival opened on 20 June and the 2026 final was played on 13 June. Dates are fixed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan governments each spring, so treat any 2027 date as unconfirmed until it is announced.

Festival week brings crowds, traffic and a busy tent village. If you want the plateau to yourself, come in late July, August or early September.

How to Get to Shandur Pass

There is no public transport to the top, so most foreign visitors travel by private 4×4 with a driver. You can approach from either side, and many travellers cross it as part of a Gilgit–Chitral loop.

RouteDistanceNotes
Gilgit → Gupis → Phander → ShandurAbout 212 kmPaved for much of the way in Ghizer, rougher near the top; a full day with stops
Chitral → Booni → Mastuj → Sor Laspur → ShandurAbout 172 kmChitral–Shandur Road; jeep track in the upper Laspur valley
Islamabad → Chitral—By road via the 10.4 km Lowari Tunnel (opened 2017), or by PIA flight when operating
Islamabad → Gilgit—Domestic flight (weather permitting) or two days by road on the Karakoram Highway

From Gilgit-Baltistan, the approach is the one we usually recommend to foreign travellers, partly for road conditions and partly because of the advisory picture on the Chitral side (see Practical Tips below).

Getting Around on the Plateau

Once on top you can walk to the lake and polo ground, but distances across the plateau are bigger than they look. Keep your vehicle and driver with you: there are no taxis, fuel stations or shops beyond what appears temporarily during the festival. Mobile signal is patchy at best.

Where to Stay near the Pass

Accommodation on the pass itself is very limited. During the festival a temporary tourist tent village is set up with basic facilities, and travel writers have described a simple year-round hut on the top. Most travellers sleep lower down and drive up for the day:

  • Phander and the Ghizer valley (Gilgit-Baltistan side): small hotels and guesthouses near the lake.
  • Mastuj and Booni (Chitral side): guesthouses and simple hotels.
  • Camping: possible on the plateau in summer with your own or your operator’s equipment; nights are close to freezing.

During festival week everything fills up fast, so book well ahead or bring tents.

Suggested Shandur Itineraries

Festival trip from Gilgit (4–5 days)

Day 1 Gilgit to Phander. Day 2 Phander to Shandur, settle into camp. Days 3–4 polo, music and lake walks. Day 5 return to Gilgit.

Gilgit–Chitral crossing (6–8 days)

Gilgit, Phander, a night on the plateau, then down through Laspur to Mastuj and Chitral, with time for the Kalash valleys before flying or driving south. Check the advisory notes below before planning the Chitral leg.

Quiet summer detour (2–3 days)

Add Shandur to a Gilgit-Baltistan trip as an out-and-back from Phander outside festival week for lakes, yaks and empty skies.

What to Pack for Shandur

  • Warm layers, a down jacket, hat and gloves: nights are cold even in midsummer.
  • Sun protection: high-factor sunscreen, sunglasses and a brimmed hat.
  • A warm sleeping bag if you will camp.
  • Cash in Pakistani rupees; there are no ATMs on the plateau.
  • Snacks, water purification and any personal medicines, including for altitude.
  • Power bank and offline maps.

Our Pakistan packing list covers the basics in more detail.

Combine Shandur with Nearby Destinations

On the Gilgit-Baltistan side, Ghizer and Phander are the natural partners, and Gilgit is the gateway for flights and the Karakoram Highway. On the Chitral side, the road from Mastuj continues north up the Yarkhun valley towards Broghil Valley, and south to Chitral town and the Kalash valleys.

Culture & Etiquette

Chitral and Ghizer each have their own languages and traditions, but both are conservative, Muslim regions, so dress modestly, ask before photographing people (especially women), and accept tea when it is offered. At the polo ground, keep well back from the walls: riders and horses can crash into the crowd.

Practical Travel Tips for Shandur

Safety and travel advisories

Be aware that the US State Department currently places all of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which includes the Chitral side of the pass, at Level 4: Do Not Travel. The UK FCDO advises against all travel on the N45 from Mardan to the edge of Chitral city (including the Kalash valleys), while Gilgit-Baltistan is not on its list of restricted areas. These advisories can affect your travel insurance, so read them yourself before booking.

Many foreign visitors therefore reach the pass from Gilgit-Baltistan. No part of Pakistan can be called risk-free, and we will always tell you honestly what is possible at the time you travel.

Registration and permits

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa launched an online Foreign Tourist Registration portal in July 2025 for areas such as Chitral that need prior permission. Expect police checkpoints where passports are recorded. See our guide to NOCs in Pakistan.

Altitude, money and connectivity

At about 3,700 m some visitors feel headaches or breathlessness, so sleep lower the night before if you can. Carry cash, and do not rely on mobile data.

SHANDUR PASS TRAVEL

Shandur Pass Highlights at a Glance

Shandur Pass is where Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan meet on a high, open plateau: a lake, a stone-walled polo ground and a horizon of Hindu Kush ridges.

Come for festival week to see freestyle polo at its most intense, or in late summer for silence, yaks and starry nights. Either way, plan transport and accommodation in advance.

For background on the festival and its results, see the Shandur Polo Festival entry on Wikipedia.

Plan your Shandur Pass trip

Shandur Pass FAQs

How high is the Shandur Pass?

Sources give about 3,700–3,800 m. The polo ground is at roughly 3,700 m, making it widely described as the highest polo ground in the world.

When is the Shandur Polo Festival held?

Traditionally around 7–9 July, but recent festivals have been in June (20 June 2025 opening; 13 June 2026 final). The 2027 date is set by the provincial governments, so check before booking flights.

Is Shandur Pass safe for foreign tourists?

The US State Department advises against all travel to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which includes the Chitral side of the pass, and the UK FCDO advises against travel on the N45 to Chitral. Gilgit-Baltistan, the other side, is not on the FCDO’s restricted list. Read both advisories, check your insurance, and travel with a licensed local operator.

Can I drive to Shandur in a normal car?

We do not recommend it. Parts of the road on both sides are rough and unpaved, so a 4×4 with an experienced mountain driver is the sensible choice.

How long does it take to reach Shandur from Gilgit?

The distance is about 212 km via Gupis and Phander. Allow a full day with photo stops, or break the trip with a night at Phander.

Is there accommodation on the pass?

Only very basic options. A tent village is set up during the festival; at other times most travellers stay in Phander, Mastuj or Booni, or camp.

When is the road over Shandur open?

Usually from late April to early November, depending on snow. June to September is the most reliable window.

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