Shandur Polo Festival

Shandur Polo Festival
شندور چوگان میلہ
A polo match at Shandur
StatusActive
GenreSports festival
Begins7 July
Ends9 July
FrequencyAnnually
VenueShandur Top, Chitral Valley
Coordinates36°05′10″N 72°32′41″E / 36.0861°N 72.5446°E / 36.0861; 72.5446
Country Pakistan
Established1930
FounderColonel Evelyn Hey Cobb
Previous event2023
Next event2024

Shandur Polo Festival (Urdu: شندور چوگان میلہ) is a sports festival held annually from 7 to 9 July at Shandur Top in the chitral, of the Gupis-Yasin District of Gilgit-Baltistan. The polo tournament is played between the teams of Gilgit District and Chitral District, under freestyle rules.

Organized and financed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government, the tournament is held at Shandur Top which is the world highest polo ground at an altitude of 3,700 meters (the pass itself is at 3,800 meters). The festival also includes folk music, dancing and a camping village is set up. The polo tournament is featured in the first episode of Himalaya with Michael Palin.