Elum Mountain: Highest Peak in Buner

Elum Mountain also known as Mount Ilam or Elum Ghar is located between the Swat and Buner districts of Pakistan at an elevation of 2,800 meters. Elum Mountains are located to the west of Pir Baba’s shrine in the Buner district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Until 1947, the mountains were a significant pilgrimage site for the Hindus. The Buddhist believers believe that Buddha gave up his life on the mount.

Elum Mountains are very popular among hikers due to the amazing scenery it offers while hiking. The mesmerizing sight of streams and lakes while going up the mountain is surely an amazing experience. Archaeologists have also discovered the ruins of Indus Valley Civilization around the Elum Mountains and they believe that there may be some other ancient remains under the mountain. The locals call the top of the mountain “Jogiano Sar”. The Elum Mountains have great significance importance for the Hindus. The mountain is home to snakes and cobras. A famous proverb associated with the Elum Mountain is “When a snake reaches its youth, it goes to Mount Elum”.

The youth and villagers celebrate a festival of Jashn-e-Elum each year in which they get out of the heat of the valley and stay at the cooler mountain for some days.

Elum Mountain being a well-known tourist destination attracts thousands of tourists each year. If you are also planning to visit the mountains then some of the hotels that you may consider are Holiday Inn Swat, Hotel Hilton Palace, City Star Hotel, and Serene Hotel Swat. The average cost for a day’s stay at Serena Hotel Swat is 100 US Dollars. The mountains will surely capture your heart so do not forget to visit them but be aware of the snakes around.