The Ushu Forest is the dense conifer forest that begins just upstream of Kalam, lining the river valley toward Matiltan and Mahodand. The trees are mostly deodar cedar and blue pine, with stretches of fir at higher elevations, and the woods come right down to the riverbank.
The valley road through Ushu is one of the most beautiful drives in Pakistan when the road is open. Stop at Matiltan for a view of Falak Sair (5,918 metres), the tallest peak of the Hindu Raj range. Day-walks branch off the road into side valleys; longer treks lead toward the alpine country above Mahodand.