Lohigal-An-Trek
Duration 4 days
Distance47. 5km
Standardmoderate
SeasonJuly-mid-September
StartMadaglasht
FinishIstor
Zone and PermitOpen, no permit
Public Transportyes
SummaryForested slopes, meadows, springs, wildflowers, friendly herders, big snowy peaks and a gentle pass make this one of Chitral’s most enjoyable treks.

Lohigal An is a nonglaciated pass at the Shishi Gol’s head that leads north- east to Lohigal Gol, a southern tributary of Golen Gol. It’s also the easternmost of three passes that connect Shishi and Golen. The other passes are Dok An, which branches north from Lohigal An’s south- west side, and Roghili An. Lohigal An is usually approached from Madaglasht because of the more gradual ascent; the descent from the Lohigal An’s north side into Lohigal Gol is steep. Herders on the Madaglasht side refer to the Lohigal An as Ghuchhar Sar An. This trek combines easily, from Chhatar Ghuni (see Day 3), with the more strenuous Phargam An trek.

Planning

Maps

The US AMS 1: 250, 000 topographic map Churrai (NJ 43- 1) covers the trek, but the 1: 253, 440 topographic map Chitral (I 42- F) shows the lower Shishi Gol and Golen Gol. The Dok An and Lohigal An appear very close to each other, and the placement of their labels is misleading. At first glance, it appears that Dok An is mislabeled as Lohigal An and Lohigal An as Dok An. Istor is labeled as Ustur. The British survey of India 1: 63, 360 topographic maps 43 A/1 and 42 D/4 cover the trek in more detail.

Getting TO/From The TREK

To the Start

Chitral- Drosh vans depart regularly from Chitral’s Ataliq Bazaar. Drosh- Madaglasht special hire and Chitral- Madaglasht .

From the Finish   

Jeeps only go as far as Istor, above Izghor, although the road continues to Chhatar Ghuni and Dukadaki. Istor- Chitral jeeps two hours, departing in the early morning. Special hires. You can also walk on the road between Istor and the Chitral- Gilgit road in four to five hours and look for a ride there.

The TREK

Day 1 : Madaglasht Ghuchharsar Ghari

4- 6 hours, 14km, 905m ascent

Follow Shishi Gol’s true right (north) bank north- east. Pass through fields and pastures two to three hours (10km) to Deozari. After 500m, another trail branches east up the Andowir Glacier’s outwash stream. Some maps show a route to the Andowir An at the glacier’s head that leads to Dir’s upper Panjkora Valley just south of Thalo An. The route, however, is over crevassed glaciers, rarely used, and neither feasible nor advisable for trekkers. The trail to the Lohigal An continues another hour, or 1.5km, from this junction through trees to Ruagol Ghari. From this Gujar settlement, follow the trail up, steeply at times, one to two hours to the huts at Ghuchharsar Ghari (3505m). Several good camp sites are nearby.

Day 2 : Ghuchharsar Ghari to Krui Uts          

4½– 6 hours, 11km, 856m ascent, 780m descent

Follow the stream’s true right (north) bank. In one hour, the route to the Dok An branches north, climbing quickly to that pass. The trail continues north- east one hour to Lohigal An (4361m) with a good view of Ghuchhar Sar (6249m). In Khowar, ghuchhar means ‘waterfall’; Sar ‘head’. Descend into the upper Lohigal Gol through flower- filled meadows for 6.5km, or two to three hours, to huts at Krui Uts (red spring, 3581m).

Day 3 : Krui Uts to Chhatar Ghuni  

4- 5 hours, 13.5km, 581m descent

Head north, following the Lohigal Gol’s true left (west) bank a short way, then cross to the opposite bank. Continue downvalley through several summer settlements to the confluence of the Lohigal Gol and Golen Gol at Chhatar Ghuni (3000m). Camp anywhere in this valley with springs and meadows.

Day 4: Chhatar Ghuni to Istor

3-4 hours, 9km, 300m descent

Descend Golen Gol to Istor (2700m).

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