News

Project documents the mountaineering itineraries of Pakistan’s Swat District

21.12.2021

In 2021, a group of 11 Italian climbers together with Pakistani mountaineers travelled to the upper valleys of Swat in Pakistan to complete a further step of the “Swat Project”. Mountain Wilderness International and the International Association for Mediterranean and Oriental Studies (ISMEO) have been jointly running this project since 2017, with the support of the Mountain Partnership Secretariat.

The Swat Project’s main objective is to accurately survey and document all of the possible trekking and mountaineering itineraries of the area. It will publish a practical guidebook on the outdoor activities offered in this part of Pakistan. Mountain Wilderness International aims to use this guidebook – to be published in English and Urdu – as a springboard for the institution and implementation of a Swat Kohistan National Park that would include some small portions of Chitral, Dir and Kandia.

The areas covers a breathtaking sequence of landscapes, with dense forests of fir, Himalayan cedar and birch tree, and small crystalline lakes and glaciers, surrounded by peaks that – despite not being particularly high by Asian standards – are quite impressive nonetheless. Due to the relative proximity of major urban centres, this unique natural jewel risks degradation if the growing influx of tourists is not effectively monitored and managed. A national park would be one possible solution to help regulate the influx.

Divided into small groups, the Mountain Wilderness trekkers explored three separate and demanding itineraries in the first half of September, often confronting unknown routes, glaciers and mountain passes nearly 5 000 metres in altitude. “We are proud of this great success,” declared Carlo Alberto Pinelli, veteran mountaineer and group leader.

Nevertheless, the exploration is still far from complete. In 2022, with the support of the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Italian Development Cooperation, Mountain Wilderness International and ISMEO plan to send a larger group of mountaineers to Swat, not only to conclude the survey of all potential treks but also to summit the main Swat peaks along new challenging itineraries. The 2021 undertaking was sponsored by the Italian Academic Alpine Club.

The guidebook is scheduled for publication by the end of 2022.

News by Carlo Alberto Pinelli, veteran mountaineer and member of Mountain Wilderness International

Photo: ©Andrea Bollati