A Look at the Shandur Polo Festival Held Every Year in Chitral
The Shandur Polo Festival is an annual sporting event held in July at the Shandur Pass in Chitral District. The festival is held annually at the highest polo grounds and is attended by thousands of local and international tourists and lovers.
The festival was organized for the first time in two years since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Pakistan. More than a dozen teams participated in the festival from the areas of Gilgit and Chitral. The local administration made the necessary arrangements for the event. The beginning of this year’s Shandur Polo Festival was marked by a colourful opening ceremony featuring thrilling performances by paratroopers and paragliders who received applause.
The final match was played between the Chitral Polo and the Gilgit-Baltistan teams, which was very close. However, Chitral won the title this year by defeating the rival by one goal.
If you are planning to attend the festival next year or want to know more about it, here is a brief overview of this event.
ABOUT THE SHANDUR POLO FESTIVAL
Initiated in 1936, the Shandur Polo Festival invites locals and tourists to a 3-day event of games, music, and dancing organized by the Tourism Corporation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Held in the first week of July every year, tribes from all over Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan participate in the festival.
A freestyle polo match is then held during the event between the local teams of Chitral and Gilgit. An interesting fact is that freestyled mountain polo is the purest form of the sport, and this is how it has been played here for decades. Being played freestyle, there are no umpires to regulate the gameplay, and the only rule is: there are no rules!
Thus, the game is fast-paced and often cringe-worthy, especially since many players have injuries, including broken bones and dislocated shoulders. That doesn’t stop them from playing the game, though. It’s a trip to the medic for a quick patch-up, and they’re back on their horses, ready to beat their opponents.
The Shandur Polo Festival garners a lot of international attention every year, and tourists from all over the globe travel to attend it. It is a challenging feat, though. Reaching the polo ground is a thrill, and the ride is even more complicated once the event ends.
THE FESTIVAL’S LOCATION AND DATE
The Shandur Polo Festival is held annually from the 7th to the 9th July at the Shandur Pass in Chitral District. What’s unique about the venue of this event is that Shandur Pass is home to the highest polo ground in the world, known as Shandur Top, which sits at an elevation of 3,700 meters, or more than 12,000 feet. If you’re planning to attend the festival, it is recommended that you get there on the 6th of July and get in on all the festivities.
HOW TO REACH SHANDUR PASS?
Lying midway between Gilgit and Chitral, the Shandur Pass is accessible via a road, which you must traverse in a jeep. It is worth noting that travelling on this road is a challenge that is not recommended for the faint-hearted. To reach Gilgit or Chitral, take a flight or opt for a nearly 12-hour drive from Peshawar or Islamabad. If you choose to take a flight, please adjust your itinerary by two days, as flights might be delayed due to bad weather. If you’re going by road, a stopover is recommended in the middle of the long road trip to make it more manageable.
WHAT TO DO AT THE SHANDUR POLO FESTIVAL
The Shandur Polo Festival is a sporting event deeply rooted in the local culture. Thus, you will be entertained by folk music and folk dance performances, along with a chance to watch a polo match being played at the highest polo ground in the world, which is impressive.
Since the festival is held in Chitral District, home to the Kalash Valley, you will also find the tribal people of Kalash joyfully celebrating, singing, and dancing at Shandur Pass during the event.
Other activities that you can enjoy here include trekking and hiking in the beautiful surroundings, which contain snow-covered mountains, flowering fields, and green meadows. Things to do at the nearby Shandur Lake include trout fishing and rafting. You can enjoy horseback riding, archery, and paragliding as well.
LODGING FOR THE SHANDUR POLO FESTIVAL
Shandur Pass turns into a camping village for the duration of the Shandur Polo Festival, offering accommodation facilities to local and foreign tourists. It’s an opportunity to spend three days amidst beautiful surroundings with plenty of cultural activities to keep you engaged. Local eateries and merchants also set up stalls in the vicinity where food, local crafts, and souvenirs are available.
If you want to stay longer in the region, Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) also has many motels in the nearby cities of Chitral, Gilgit, Besham, Bamburet, and others. There are also several tour operators that you can contact if you want to join in the festivities without the hassle of making arrangements for the journey yourself.
