Family Trip to Keran & Sharda from Lahore [29 Jun - 1 Jul, 2019] (66 hours)

[erfaan1]

2 adults, 3 kids (10m to 6y) and one teenager
Car: Toyota Passo 2014 (imported in 2017)
Total Distance covered: 1290km
Total Petrol: 3000+2700+1100+2800+1200 = 10800/-
Tolls: 680 + 60 + 680 + 60 = 1480/-
Hotel: 3500 x 2 = 7000/-
Food: 1000 + 1100 + 100 + 200 + 1100 + 2200 + 2000 + 2500 + 350 = 10550/-
Misc.: 2000/-

Checklist:

Car:

• Transmission oil changed 1 month ago
• Changed engine oil, oil filter & air filter on day 0
• New daewoo battery installed 2 months ago
• New tires installed 3 months ago (air pressure checked from Lahore).
• Spare tire air pressure checked.
• Checked brake oil, coolant & wiper water.
• Duplicate car key in custody of other person
• Petrol tank full
• Car serviced
• Car is NOT modified for extra ground clearance.

Medicines:

• Panadol infant drops
• Panadol syp.
• Panadol & Panadol Extra tab.
• Movelet (I need a massage on shoulder and neck after long hours of driving)
• Flagyl syp.
• Flagyl tab.
• Motillium syp.
• Motillium tab.
• Spoon for medicines
• Antial syp.
• Mospel/on/off lotion for mosquitos (very important)
• Saniplast
• Good quality Sunblock (very important when traveling to north with kids)

Kids Stuff:

• Milkpac quarter litter packs
• Juices
• Flavored milk
• Chips
• Biscuits
• Cupcakes
• Cerelac Sachet
• Milo Chocos
• Pampers
• Wipes (Very handful even if you don't have kids)

Edibles

• Large bread
• Chicken Spread & veg. spread small
• Nestle 5L bottle
• Bread sticks from Jalal Sons
• Bananas (Not fully ripen to survive 3 days)

Other items:

• Original CNIC of adults (very important)
• Clothes for 3 days (regular clothes. weather was ok. Full sleeves to avoid sun burn. One extra upper for rain/night)
• Shoes
• Socks
• Towels
• Sunglasses for everyone
• Hats for everyone (to avoid sun burn)
• Plastic glasses
• Bowl & spoon for cerelac
• Cotton bedsheets (we always put our own bedsheets on top of the ones provided by the hotel)
• Surf sachets
• Swiss knife
• Scissors
• Thread & Needle
• Tissue box & rolls
• Big size shopping bags (to be used as trash bin in car. We did not throw anything out of the car other than fruit seeds).

Travel:

Day 1:

• Left Lahore at 4:30am after Fajr. Idea was to cover M2 travel before it gets too hot.
• Stopped at FWO services just before Ravi toll plaza & loaded 2000 rupees in Mtag
• Reached Bhera at 6:25am for toilet break. Luxury Toilets by Hascol are very good addition to M2. Kids under 10 are free and 50 rupees for everyone else.
• Reached Tehzeeb Bakers in Islamabad blue area at 8:55am
• Spend about half an hour there and had breakfast in the car.
• Refilled petrol tank from barakaho Attock Petroleum
• Left for Muzaffarabad via Murree Expressway. Google maps recommends going via Musiari link road but we avoided that because of lots of turns and steep ascend. Going straight from express way was not a good idea as well because of extra distance and road condition. Took turn from Lower Topa and then started journey on Bhurban road. It was Saturday morning but not much traffic on that road.
• I was expecting bad patch just before Kohala bridge but that road is ok now.
• In Muzaffarabad went straight on bypass after crossing the bridge.
• Took turn towards city where bypass ends
• Reached Neelum View hotel at 1:35pm. Ordered food, used toilets & offered Zuhr. Food was ok but view was very good.
• After lunch went inside the city towards Bank Road. Got Scom sim for 200/- and loaded 300/- balance. Scom now works in Keran. No other mobile will work after a few kilometers from Muzaffarabad. Good to have a way stay in contact.
• Got fuel from Muzaffarabad Shell adjacent to Neelum View Hotel
• Left Muzaffarabad at 3:30pm
• Most of the neelum road is newly constructed. Dam site in Noseri is still bad part.
• Road till Athmuqam is very good.
• Reached Keran at 7:50pm. It was raining. We had already booked the hotel. It was Kashmir Colour Hotel for 3500/- per night. Room was okay but quite big.

Day 2:

• Everybody wanted to have rest after last day's long journey. We started the day quite late. Left Keran at 12 noon after breakfast.
• The road is not as nice as it was earlier. There are a few landslide sites and a couple of stream crossing. Car hit a big stone while crossing a stream because of my stupidity. I was trying to keep the stone in the middle of 2 tires. But luckily, no harm was made.
• Reached Sharda at 2:30pm.
• Took motor boat for 1500/- whole boat. it was fun for kids
• Kids had some fun with slow streams joining the river
• Had lunch in Valley Trackers hotel.
• Left Sharda at 4:50pm
• Tried to cross the same stream by keeping on tire on bigger stone. This time, the stone hit the side lightly.
• Had 20 minutes tea & pamper change break near Doarian
• Reached Keran at 7:25pm.
• Went to Valley Trackers bonfire area. Had Dinner there. Taste & Ambience were really good. Weather was chill. Kids had to wear uppers.
• If you plan your trip a couple of weeks in advance, its best to book Valley Trackers hotel. That is THE place to stay in Keran & Sharda.
• Went back to hotel and packed most of the stuff for next day.

Day 3:

• Woke up at 8:00am
• Had to wakeup hotel staff for breakfast. Left Keran at 9:10am after breakfast. It was Monday morning, roads were mostly empty. Some parts of road, that had land sliding 2 days back, were either repaired or were being repaired.
• Car was really dirty. Had a car wash after Noseri. It took 20 minutes
• Reached Muzaffarabad at 12:35pm.
• Got fuel from same shell petrol pump. Used toilets in Neelum View Hotel
• Left Muzaffarabad at 12:50pm
• The road from Kohala to Burban had too much traffic in each and every town in between. Next time I would try Muzaffarabad -> Gari Habibullah -> Mansehra -> Abbotabad route.
• Reached McDonalds in Barakaho at 4:15pm
• Had Lunch, used toilets there and got chilled juices/icecream from CSD.
• Left Barakaho at 5:10pm.
• Stopped at Kalarkahar services for toilet & tea.
• Reached Lahore around 10:00pm

[centos]

Excellent description. Please share more pics.

I have never been to Kashmir other than Muzafarabad and it's PC hotel. I want to travel Kashmir this year. Please mention places to see there.

Thanks

[erfaan1]

Unfortunately I didn't take many pics. Do not expect PC like services beyond Muzaffarabad. Valley Trackers or Kutton Resort is your best option. Booking can be done online or via phone to their Muzaffarabad head office. You can visit Kutton resort (3 hours from Muzaffarabad). There is not much to see in Keran. You can go to Sharda and then if you have time, you can go further to Kel. Again, nothing much to see in Kel but driving on that road is a good experience. Kel is the base point for Arrang Kel, Taobat, Shontar & Chitta Katha.

Other points in Kashmir are Sudhan Gali, Ganga Peek (Via Bagh), Banjoosa & Toli peer (via Rawalakot). The best route for these points is GT Road -> Kahuta -> Azad Pattan -> Rawalakot -> Bagh.

PS: If you're planning a Neelum Valley trip this year, try to visit before rainy season starts.

[sajid65]

Excellent Trip with very good related information.
waiting for more pics.........

[rehankillbill]

Nice detail thread which really helpful for others thank for sharing with us but Irfan bhai do take pics in ur next trip so you can memorize ur journey into beautiful pictures