Kafardarra Kandao Pass is a climb of 3.3 kilometers (category 3). The climb finishes at 917 m above sea level. It is located in Shahzadi, خیبر پختونخوا, پاکستان. The average gradient is 4.3% with a maximum of 11.3%. The climb has 140 meters of elevation gain.
Difficulty breakdown: At 3.3 km for 140 m of elevation gain and an average gradient of 4.3%, this 3rd category climb is well within reach of a regular rider, but it's not one to underestimate. The KM 0.5-1.0, KM 1.0-1.5 and KM 2.5-3.0 sections, all at 4%, call for a sustained, steady effort, while KM 1.5-2.0 at 6% is the toughest stretch of the first half. The real difficulty peaks between KM 3.0-3.3 with 10% over 273 m, right after the breather of KM 2.0-2.5 at 2%.
Tips for managing your effort:
1. Pace yourself from the start. Sit in endurance pace on KM 0.0-0.5 at 2% to keep something in the tank for the ramps of KM 1.5-2.0.
2. Make the most of the recovery on KM 2.0-2.5. This 2% section lets you recover, settle your cadence and get ready for the sharp increase that follows.
3. Tackle KM 3.0-3.3 with the right gearing. Shift into an easier gear and keep a high cadence to get over the 10% ramp without blowing up.
Several riders who have been through there point out the name change straight away: the pass no longer goes by Kufardarra Kandao, but Islam Dara (sometimes written Islamdara Kandao).
It sits at Dir Maidan, and the riders who've posted about it refer to the main pass at Meedan. They find it scenic and pleasant. The reports are very short and upbeat: some write "awesome", others just "all good".
The accounts say nothing about the road surface, the gradients, the traffic or the resupply options. So there's no way to tell whether the climb is hard or whether the traffic is a nuisance. For those points, your best bet is to ask riders who've done it recently.
3.3 km • 140 m D+
VAM: average climbing speed, based on elevation gain
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