MINGORA: Thousands of tourists, both locals and foreigners, have thronged Malam Jabba, the ski resort in Swat, to attend the snow and winter festival.

Lauding the natural beauty of the area, they said that Malam Jabba was like a paradise for tourists as it was offering all sorts of fun to the adventure seekers and nature lovers.

They tourists enjoyed snow tubing, snowboarding, snow hiking and trekking, ride in chairlift as well as the newly introduced ice skating in the scenic valley of the mighty Hindukush range.

A couple from Belgium said that Swat was an amazing valley. “We are excited to see such an amazingly scenic spot. Malam Jabba is beautiful and peaceful place having a unique peak with forests around and full of snow and snow-related adventure here,” Nicholas and Emile told Dawn.

Natural beauty of ski resort mesmerises foreigners

They said that they enjoyed a perfect nature amid the high peak mountains. They advised the foreign tourists to visit the area to enjoy natural beauty and have adventure.

Amel, another tourist from France, also praised the natural beauty of Malam Jabba and said that it was worth visiting valley. She praised the hospitality of Pakhtuns and said that the beautiful people of the beautiful valley excelled in hospitality.

“The valley is beautiful with unique landscape and hospitable people. I must say that tourists from around the world should come here and experience this amazing beauty,” she added.

Many tourists enjoyed ice skating, especially the youth, and did not want to stop when they entered the ice rink. A special trainer was also present to train the newcomers.

“At first the newcomers hesitate to take part in the ice skating but once they adjust themselves, they don’t want to go out of the ice rink,” said Asmat Ali, an ice skating trainer.

Jan Verduyan, the general manager operations of Hashoo hotels in Pakistan, was also among the tourists, who said that Malam Jabba, with so many amusements would, no doubt, be the future destination for national as well as foreign tourists.

The tourists also enjoyed yoga on the 9,000 feet high peak of Malam Jabba.

They said that it was for the first time in their life to have enjoyed amazingly fresh air while doing yoga and attaining spiritual and physical strength, which they could not find anywhere in the country.

Umair Sami, the director of Samson Group, said that the event was meant to attract tourists for winter tourism where they could enjoy different activities.

However, ski competitions could not be arranged in the resort owing to less quantity of snow. The organisers said that ski competitions would be held after the next snowfall in the valley.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2019