Gurez Valley Tour Packages: Over the Razdan pass to the Kishanganga
Log-built villages, the Kishanganga river and the pyramid of Habba Khatoon peak, a long mountain drive north of Srinagar. Gurez is Kashmir before tourism, and it repays the effort of getting there.
Best time
Jun–Sep
Ideal length
2 to 3 nights in the valley
Price
from ₹19,500 per person
Altitude
About 2,400 m (Dawar); the Razdan pass is well above 3,000 m
The honest version
Gurez lies in Bandipora district, roughly 120–130 km and five to six hours north of Srinagar. The road passes Wular Lake, climbs through forest to the Razdan pass and drops into the valley of the Kishanganga. It usually opens around May or June and closes with the first heavy snow, typically in November.
Dawar is the main village, overlooked by Habba Khatoon peak, named after the sixteenth-century Kashmiri poet-queen. The people here are Dard-Shin, with their own language and wooden houses unlike anything in the main valley. Further upstream, the Tulail valley is quieter still.
Stays are homestays, guesthouses and simple camps. Mobile coverage is limited, and the valley sits close to the Line of Control, so Indian travellers carry photo ID for checkpoints and foreign nationals face restrictions. We check current access before every trip.
Where you'll go
5 places worth the drive.
Dawar
The main village, under Habba Khatoon peak
Kishanganga river
Riverside walks and log-built villages
Tulail valley
Further upstream, even quieter
Razdan pass
The high crossing on the way in
Wular Lake
One of Asia’s largest freshwater lakes, on the road north
Signature experiences
What we build every Gurez Valley trip around.
Best months to travel: Jun–Sep. Fly into Srinagar International Airport (SXR), about 30–45 minutes from the city; Gurez is 5–6 hours by road.
- The drive over the Razdan pass
- Habba Khatoon peak above Dawar
- Dard-Shin villages and wooden houses
- A night or two with almost no other visitors
Plan your time in Gurez Valley
Frequently asked
Gurez Valley questions we hear every week.
Something not covered here? Ask us directly — we answer within a few hours.
Can Gurez be a day trip from Srinagar?
No. It is five to six hours each way over a mountain pass. Plan at least two nights in the valley.
Is Gurez open to tourists?
It is open to Indian tourists in season. Conditions near the Line of Control can change, so we confirm the latest position before every departure.
What are the stays like?
Simple homestays, guesthouses and camps. Expect clean rooms and home-cooked food, not hotel facilities.
Plan your Gurez Valley trip
Same-day quote. Same team for the whole trip.
Tell us your dates, group size and rough idea. We come back with a custom itinerary and honest pricing within a few hours — no obligation, no follow-up spam.