The Chitral season runs from June to September. By June the Lowari Pass and the road from Dir are reliably open (the tunnel has improved this, but heavy snow still closes the upper passes), the Shandur Pass to Gilgit opens by late June or early July, and the Kalash festivals follow through the summer: Joshi in mid-May, Uchau in August, and Chowmos in December.
Outside the summer window the valley is cold, very quiet, and dependent on flights from Peshawar (often cancelled by weather) or the tunnel road from Dir. Winter visits to the Kalash valleys for Chowmos are possible but demand patience and warm clothes; snow regularly closes the side roads.
The Shandur Polo Festival, held over three days in early July on the Shandur Pass, is the biggest annual event and fills every guesthouse in the region — book well ahead.