Info Required : Naran And Azad Khasmir Trip

[syedbhai]

Asalam o Alikum

we are Planing the trip in End of may or Start of June , to Azad Kashmir and Naran site.
we are 9 person all from lahore .
we estimate Budget is 5000 or 6000 per person.

we will use local transport(Bus, jeep).
we have camp also so its not the problem if we do not get any hotel.

i have 2 plan in my mind

1. Plan 1 ( 4 days trip)

Day 1 (Thursday)
Left Lahore 1 PM
Night Stay at Muzafarabad

Day 2 ( Friday)
Left Muzafrabad at 8 am
Visit area are
1. Sharda
2. Halmat
3.Kal

( if there is other place that we can visit place Tell me)

night stay at Sharda ( because i think we can go Nori Top from there, Explain?)

Day 3 ( Saturday)

left Sharda at 8 am

Visit the Areas
1. Nori Top
2. Lolu sir Lake
3. Babu sir top
4. Lalazar
5. Naran

night Stay at naran

Day 4 ( Sunday)

Visit Area
1. Lake Saful Malook

and return Back Lahore at 12:00 night

2. Plan 2 ( 5 Day trip)

Day 1 (Wednesday)
Left Lahore 1 PM
Night Stay at Muzafarabad

Day 2 (Thursday)
Left Muzafrabad at 8 am
Visit area are
1. Sharda
2. Halmat
3.Kal

( if there is other place that we can visit place Tell me)

night stay at Sharda ( because i think we can go Nori Top from there, Explain?)

Day 3 (Friday)

left Sharda at 8 am

Visit the Areas
1. Nori Top
2. Lolu sir Lake
3. Babu sir top

night stay at Jhalkat

Day 4 (Saturday)

left Jhalkat at 8 am

1. Lalazar
2. Saiful maluk
3. Naran

night Stay at Shugran

Day 5 ( Sunday)

Visit Area

1. Shugran
2. Siri and Pay

return lahore and reach at 12:00 pm night

(so please Provide your value able Comment which will be Best for us.)

[imarshad]

Day 2 ( Friday)
Left Muzafrabad at 8 am
Visit area are
1. Sharda
2. Halmat
3.Kal

( if there is other place that we can visit place Tell me)

night stay at Sharda ( because i think we can go Nori Top from there, Explain?)

Over ambitious and not possible.... If you leave Muzaffarabad at 0800 AM you will reach Kel at round about 8PM (By using the bus service). So all you will be doing is traveling and no enjoyment and in the morning you will be leaving Kel at about 0600 AM to reach Sharda at 0800AM for the next part of journey.
I advice you to do the following.

Day2:
Leave Muzaffarabad with the first bus (I think it is at 0600AM)
You will pass through Nuseri, Athmuqam, Dowarian, Sharda and reach Kel in the evening. (The time to reach Kel is dependent upon the construction work on the road). Sometimes you need to stop for at least 30-45 minutes on the same spot for the ongoing work on the road.
Night stay in Kel.

Day3:
Visit either Taobut or Shonter valley. Also if you have some time in the evening/afternoon hike up to Arang Kel.
Night Stay in Kel or also you could leave for Sharda in the last bus it you can catch it.

Day4:
Leave for Sharda with the first available bus. You will reach Sharda in about 2 hours.

For details about these places visit my following thread of Neelum valley.
https://www.pakwheels.com/forums/road-trips-vacations/142596-exploring-neelum-valley-10-13-july

[imarshad]

night stay at Sharda ( because i think we can go Nori Top from there, Explain?)

Day 3 ( Saturday)

left Sharda at 8 am

Visit the Areas
1. Nori Top
2. Lolu sir Lake
3. Babu sir top
4. Lalazar
5. Naran

I don't think the Noori Top will be open in the last week of May. It depends upon the amount of snow. So you should make certain that it is open while you are planning to cross it. In July it is definitely open but not so sure about Start of June though...
If the top is open and you can cross it in 2-3 hours then you can visit the places that you have mentioned though you will be rushing through all of them without enjoying much.

[syedbhai]

we have plan to hire a jeep from Muzaffarabad to Kel and also from Kel to Sharda so wts do u say our time will be safe or not . and how much jeep will take the fare from us.

on more thing if we go back to Muzaffarabad and then use via balakot and then naran wts time will be taken to complete it. it can complete in given day( as u said that the road will not open at nori top)

[sajidahmed]

sorry for inserting my query, what about the petrol availablity in ajk, specially in
Rawalakot, Bagh, Muzaffarabad, and in the way of neelum

[asifcae]

first of all i agree entirely with imarshad.
noori top will not be open specially after late snowfall recieved ths year. i think u shud delay trip to end june start july for that route.
secondly u keep atleast 1 week for the trip. atleast 7 dayz.
if u r nin kel u shud not miss shounter valley and Taboat, nikrun valley etc.

u shud limit ur time for naran spots. (they can be done quickly) give more time to kashmir spots.
best of luck.

for pics of the suggetsed area u can visit my flickr photostream on the following links:

Lakes - a set on Flickr

Landscapes - a set on Flickr

[asifcae]

@ sajid ahmed:

fuel is no problem in Rawalakot, Bagh, Muzaffarabad
on way to nelum u can get ur tank ful at atthmuqam. after that u can get deisel in Kel but Petrol mite b a problem there so if u have deisel car u r safe and if u have petrol u get ful at athmukam.
i have also been to kel on my mehran on petrol so NP.

[ranasherdil]

ya rite.. but for that you have sufficient budget. 2ndly i belive on sight seeing enroute...

I have completed Neelum Valley tour in 48 hours.

With amount below Rs. 2000/-.

I have visited sharda, Kel, Taobutt. These public transport stay almost all villages en-route. Night stay at Gilani Hotel Sharda = 350... Muzaffarabad to Kel and back Rs. 700. Kel to Taobutt return Ticket Rs. 400.

Day-1.
7.30 pm. Sat in Rocket Bus from Muzaffarabad to Kel.

Day-2.

5.00am reached Sharda

7.30 am reached Kel

8.00 am sat in public transport jeep from Kel to Taobutt.

11.30 am reached Taobutt (visited neelum river, taobutt village, Gagai nala, met with locals. (sheen people not kashmiri)

01.00 pm Sat in jeep for Kel

05.00 pm Kel

06.00 pm sat in bus from Kel to Sharda.

08.00 reached Sharda... stay at Gilani hotel

10.00 Gone to the valley of sleep.

Day- 3

07.00 am got up

08.00 am got the bus from sharda to Muzaffarabad.

Sight seeing enroute... Keran, Dawarian, Lawat, Titwal, Athmuqam, Kundal Shahi, Noseri pattika and Muzfarrabad earthquake fault zone... Red Fort Muzffarabad

06.00 pm reached muzaffarabad. (Met there the same bus, which carried me to Kel on my first day) They were astonished to see me there.. I completed.

Then I want to Go Balakot for night stay but, cudn't got a van. then i plied for mansehra for night stay.

Day-4

08.00 am set off from mansehra to kaghan valley... but back from Malakandi Landslide area.

In evening reached back to islamabad

Sat for Multan.

Day-5

07.00am Reached Multan

08.00 am Joined office..

This was my tour which i did.... you may take help from this...

[sajidahmed]

Thanks Asif & Rana

[ranasherdil]

1. Naran Lalazar and Lake saful malook can be seen in one day...

2. LuluSir and Babusar can be done in on day...

3. One full day is required from shugran sri pae etc.. but i think it might be difficult to travel to shugran, sight seeing sri pae and also come back on same day...

4. Noori top required one full day...

5. From Kel to Taobutt and return journey required one full day...

6. From Kel to Shounter valley, also required full day...

Thanks...
Thanks..

[syedbhai]

Thanks for @imarshad, @ranasherdil , @sajidahmed and @asifcae

actually Dates can be change like end of June , but we have only 4 or 5 days so can anyone plan a trip which will be good for us

because i think that in 4 or 5 days we can visit naran or Azad Kashmir so please give more Value able comments with new plan which will be best for us in 4 or 5 days

[sajidahmed]

If you have only 4 to 5 days then you have to chose one direction only, Either Visit AJK Or Visit Shugran Naran
In this way you can enjoy your visit otherwise it will be more tiring then fun

[syedbhai]

yap i said that either i visit AJK or Naran site so please can any body Made a Plan that will be best for u and we will visit maximum place.

[sajidahmed]

Plan-A
Day1: Islamabad-Rawalakot-Banjosa.
Day2: Banjosa-Toli Pir-Lasdanna.
Day3: Lasdanna-Bagh-Sudhan Gali - Dao Khan.
Day4: Leepa valley and back to Muzaffarabad
Day5: Back to home

(Ref: by Arshad)

Plan-B

Day1: Shugran
Day2: Naran - Lalazar - Saif ul malook - Naran
Day3: LuluSir and Babusar
Day4: Naran to either abbotabad or may visit to nathia Gali
Day5: Back to home

[asifcae]

yes i also agree u shud then only plan 1 location if u have only 4-5 dayz. either do kagahn valley fully or kashmir

[imarshad]

we have plan to hire a jeep from Muzaffarabad to Kel and also from Kel to Sharda so wts do u say our time will be safe or not . and how much jeep will take the fare from us.

on more thing if we go back to Muzaffarabad and then use via balakot and then naran wts time will be taken to complete it. it can complete in given day( as u said that the road will not open at nori top)

Again it is not practical to hire a jeep from Muzaffarabad to Kel.
The distances are
Muzaffarabad - Sharda (Roughly 140 KM)
Muzaffarabad - Kel (160 KM).
So the jeep fare will be very high and most probably out of your budget. Also since you are 9 people you cant fit into one jeep.
Anyways you can ask in Muzaffarabad Bus Stand about this and there might be some jeep driver of that area who might take you there cheaper. Also look for other options as well like booking a Hiace for Kel from Muzaffarabad.

I think you should skip Naran and just enjoy Neelum valley. I have been to both places but I can guarantee you that Neelum valley is much much more beautiful the Naran valley.

My suggestion will be.

Day1: Reach Muzaffarabad
Day2: Reach Kel
Day3: Shonter valley (If you have some spare time in the evening then hike to Arang Kel)
Day4: Taobut
Day5: Return to Muzaffarabad and Lahore.

[cyberaks]

do noori top have road or its just a mud track ?? can we go there on bikes ?

[asifcae]

Bikes go easily to noori top

[cyberaks]

Bikes go easily to noori top

can u tell me from naran chilas road which road takes to noori top and after noori top which place we will reach ??

[noman85]

Wasn't the road to neelum valley washed away by the floods??

whats the road condition now??