Gabral Valley


The Gabral Valley is a valley in the Swat District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It is located in the south slopes of the westernmost end of the Himalayas. Its lower end is at the town of Gabral, about 20 km north from Kalam and 120 km north of Islamabad, at an altitude of 2290 m. The valley covers about.
The main part of the valley extends for about 38 km northwards of the town of Gabral. Its highest end is at, about 6 km east of the peak of the Kharakali. The Gabral River, a tributary of the Utrar River, runs through most of the valley. Hundreds of houses are scattered through the southernmost 7 km of the valley, but some farms are seen for the next 7–8 km. A road runs parallel to the river for about 14 km, until 2 km below Lake Kharkhari.

Demographics

Major

The Gujjar are the main and major ethnic group in Gabral Valley. They speak Gujari, Pashto and Kohistani languages and own lands in the region.

Minor

Other minor tribes/communities in the valley are Koshitanis and Ajars.

Flora and fauna

The natural resources of the region include several medicinal herbs that are collected for local use and export.

Kharkhari Lake

Kharkhari is a small lake in Gabral Valley, about 400 m long and 250 m wide. It is traversed by the Gabral River. It is located about 41 km by road from the town of Kalam, 16 km north of the town of Gabral and 9 km north of the Gul Bandaj bridge, at an altitude of 5160 meters.