Pakistan celebrates Polo Festival at world’s highest polo ground

Tourists and locals attend the Shandur Polo Festival in northwestern Pakistan, which each year features local teams competing in freestyle polo, the oldest form of polo that exists only in northern Pakistan, where there are no rules for the game. Located at a height of 3,700 meters, Shandur, at the top of a mountain in Chitral in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, is home to the highest polo ground in the world and a festival dating back to 1936.

The festival brings together teams from Chitral and Gilgit, whose fierce rivalry and free-style polo matches have captivated spectators for decades. Thousands of local and international tourists gathered at the Shandur Pass to witness this unique cultural and sporting event.

The festival also featured folk music, traditional dances, local cuisine, and handicrafts, offering a vibrant glimpse into the heritage of northern Pakistan.