e national animal of Pakistan, the magnificent Markhor. Chitral shares much of its history and culture with the neighboring Hindu-Kush territories of Gilgit-Baltistan, a region sometimes called "Peristan" because of the common belief in fairies (peri) inhabiting the high mountains. The region that now forms the Chitral was a monarchical, independent state until 1895, when Britain negotiated a treaty with its ruler, the Mehtar, under which Chitral became a semi-autonomous princely state within the Indian Empire. Chitral retained this status even after its accession to Pakistan in 1947, finally becoming an administrative district of Pakistan in 1969, disestablishing the Princely state. Chitral is the largest district in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, covering an area of 14,850 km². Part of the Malakand Division, it is the northernmost district of Pakistan. It shares a border with Gilgit-Baltistan to the east, with Kunar, Badakshan and Nuristan provinces of Afghanistan to the north and west, and with the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa districts of Swat and Dir to the south. A narrow strip of Wakhan Corridor separates Chitral from Tajikistan in the north. The altitude is approximately 1,494m with an area of 14,850 km square and Population of Approximately 447,362 people reside in Chitral.   Chitral is located in the northwestern region of Pakistan, very well known for its peaceful people and beautiful landscapes, and hilly regions. The people residing in kalash are thought to be of Turkish as well as Persian origin. A popular belief is that the Kalash tribes are the direct descendants of the soldiers of Alexander the Great. The people of the region are also very famous for their extremely unique dresses and dances which they carry out, they are very fond of music as well. Also you can get to see or maybe hunt, if you pay for it, the Markhor; national animal of Pakistan. The animal in itself is splendid, strong and tall. It depicts the splendor of mother-nature. The main language spoken in the district of Chitral is Khowar, whereas the people of Kalash speak kalasha which is also known as Kalasha-mondr. Urdu is widely understood by everyone in the region and so is Pashto, whereas the latter is spoken a lot as well. The majority of the people in the district Chitral are Sunni-Muslims where as there are a lot of Shias as well. However the People of kalash and various tribes of it are thought to believe in various gods and believe in very old rituals and religions. The best time to visit Chitral is April to May. It’s not a good idea to visit Chitral in summers. The sun is harsh and hot in summers. You can visit Chitral May, August, October and December to witness several of the cultural festivals.