Here is the complete trip plan
Day 1 (Islamabad to Keran)
Time Place Distance (KM)
0745 Faizabad (Rawalpindi) 0
1100 Jehlum Pul (Kohala) 110
We followed Murree Exp way but I think the normal root is prefered as Exp Way is still in progress
1200 Muzaffarabad 37
1 hr stay at Muzzafarabad
1515 Nauseri 42
Passed through Patika and Panjgran. This is the start point of Neelam Valley
1650 Kundal Shahi 34
Passed through Barian, Jura
1715 Athmuqam 10
Passed through Shahkot
1815 Keran 12
Neelam Valley. Across the river is the Indian Occupied Kashmir and you can see the Indian check post as well as the fence marking the LOC
Camped at Keran near the tourism resthouses. Has to bring cooking items from Nagdar (1km onward) and enjoyed the food cooked by the rest house cook (M Akbar).
Also enjoyed night rain during night at abt 3AM for abt 2hrs, but the view of Neelam Valley after that rain was the most beautiful during all the trip.
Day 2 (Keran to Kel)
0825 Keran 0
1210 Sharda 43
Passed through Nagdar, Lawat, Dowarian, Dudnial, Changan, Teja
Immediately after sharda, along with Surgan Nala, A 4x4 Jeepable Hike trek goes towards Noori Nar top and then Naran via Jhalkad, joining Kagahan and Neelam Valey.
One of our possible next destination.
Stayed here for about two hours as the Jeep needed some maintenance stuff. Also got information on next accessible points.
1545 Kel 19
A bumpy road from sharda to kel.
Some more maintenance of jeep here. Also got information on our next possible destinations and finally decided to go to ChittaKhatta in one day trip. Hired a jeep for next day for 2500/ return package.
Stayed at Purbat Hotel, which is ranked highest at this point (but it would have been better to stay at Camp, although the food was delicious).
Day 3 (Kel to Shunter and Back to Kel)
0555 Kel 0
Distance from here onward is unknown as the meter of the hired jeep was out of order
0905 Domel (Upper) 9 (apx)
A complete bumpy 4x4 road with Ass-Tore features but with pure nature beautiy during midway. Passed through Kalalot, Dukhra, Domel (Lower), Bela, Arkasi, Hoze. Mid point of Hoze and Domel Upper is the start point for ChittaKhatta Hike.
Here we had to change our minds from ChittaKhatta Trekking as locals advised us not to trek as the glaciers were not cleared and the path was dangerous. So we left that point for our next trip and after 40mins break moved to Shunter Valley
1030 Shunter Valley 2.5 (apx)
A more bumpy road with more Ass-Tore features. Stayed here for abt 2hrs and enjoyed the shunter valley, shunter pass and glacier there. Also visited a small lake, Shunter which was not in good condition at that time as the snow with dust was there in the lake. In end of July the snow melts and then this lake becomes one of the beautiful in the valley.
1300 Domel (Upper)
Enjoyed local lunch (Maize chappati, yougurt, beans with tea), and then started back to Kel at 1400
1645 Kel
Night stay at Parbat hotel
One important place we missed from Kel was Taobat (Halmat, Janwai, Sardi comes in midway). Local people recommended it as the best place in neelam valley, but due to shortage of time we have to come back as this is a complete one day plan, with 4x4 track of abt 3hrs one way.
Day 4 (Kel to Upper Neelam Valley)
0830 Kel
1040 Sharda
In mid way captured snaps at different streams and a forest. Stayed at Sharda for abt 2.5hrs. Enjoyed the valley from top after a 4x4 trek. Captured snaps at "Deo ka Killa" (Giant Castle), which was actually the temple of Buddhist.
1800 Upper Neelam Valley (Keran)
In the way enjoyed a bath at Dowarian by going upward on 4x4 track and also visited a trout hatchery. Instead of staying in the valley we moved to the top (a complete 4x4 road from Keran) to reach Upper Neelam Valley. A very very beautiful valley with utmost beauty. An area with lot of gardens full of different fruits, photographers heaven. Although tourism rest house were there as well, we prefered to camp here. The people of Upper Neelam Valley are very nice (in fact of the whole Neelam Valley). Brought water from a natural stream and found it more pleasant than the mineral water we took along with us.
Day 5 (Upper Neelam Valley to Islamabad)
0905 Upper Neelam Valley
0930 Keran
Stayed for about 20mins
1030 Athmuqam
1410 Patika
We got the news that the road is blocked due to land slide but we kept on moving.
1500 Yadgar
The place where the actual landslide had happened. Crossed the road with partial landslide but then has to stop as next slides had completely blocked the road. We had to wait for more than 5hrs to get the road cleared
2030 Muzaffarabad
1200 Islamabad
From Kohala we changed our route to go via Bhorban, Jhika Gali. When we reached Jhika Gali heavy rain started with area covered fully by clouds, even one can't see things beyond 10ft distance, but praise to Akif for his exceptional driving skills as he drove us through that dark blackout road when all of us were feeling very tired.
