Shah Jinali Pass- Beautiful Trek For Trekker

Saba Ghani

2 years of guide experience in Pakistan.

Overview

Shah Jinali Pass is a wider, flatter, and more planted passage connecting the northern end of Rich Gol to Yashkisht in the upper Yarkhun valley. This popular and relatively easy pass runs parallel to the Afghan border and is less than 8 km from the Wakhan Pass. This hike is usually combined with at least one other hike. Tourists mostly do the Shah Jinali trek with the Darkot and Thui passes to Gilgit, a moderate trek offering stunning views of the 6000m mountain range.

The trek to the Shah Jinali Pass is the most famous one. Many trekkers and hikers use this track because of its scenic beauty. It used to be a Royal Reserve in the past and is considered one of the best habitats for wildlife. This was one of the main methods by which the ambitious Central Asian rulers conquered Chitral.

Brief Description

The Shah Jinali Pass connecting the northern end of Rich Gol Yashkist is the upper part of the Yarkhun Valley, wider, flatter, and more prosperous. This popular and relatively easy pass runs parallel to the Afghan border. However, it is less than 8 km from the Wakhan Pass.

Moreover, Shah Jinali Pass crosses wide rolling alpine meadows and sparkling streams, allowing you to easily cross the trail King's Polo Field or Shah Jinali.

The scenic and fairly relaxing trek of Shah Jinali is combined with the stunning Thui Valley in the Hindu Raj Mountains between the Chitral and Gilgit regions. It is famous for its rare variety of flora and fauna and also for its vast plains.

From Upper Chitral's legendary Turikho Valley, hike the Shah Jinali trail, and easy walk through green pastures, beautiful alpine meadows, and summer settlements. The only difficult part to negotiate is crossing the Hoghost Bar Glacier and Thui Pass. Plus it is the ending, where everyone descends to Wadi Yassin and heads to Gilgit.

The best time to visit there

The best time to visit the Shah Jinali Pass is from March to September to avoid the harshness of the weather.

How to get there?

The trekking to Shah Jinali Pass can lead to 3 days if you camp at night for rest. The trek is easy but long. Starting from Rua to Dershal, then to Shahi Garhi, and afterward to Shahi Jinali Pass. From Shah Garhi, the journey gradually ascends to the Shah Jinali Pass. The grassy paths and breathtaking panoramas never get tiring. The summit of Shah Jinali is a vast and beautiful green meadow. If one decides to hike in 3 days, there are plenty of potential camping spots in Shah Jinali. However, it is 4,100 meters above sea level and there are layers of stones at the end of the plateau. From there it's a slow descent of 60 to 90 minutes to the summer settlement of Ishborodok. During the summer months, villagers from Yashkisht and Shust come here with their livestock.

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Shah Jinali Pass