Hi!
Urgently need some expert/guru level advice? Thanks in advance 
1- I am planning a Neelam Valley - Naran Valley tour starting late June till early July. We are two families with kids who are in early to mid teens, three servants, and a driver. The driver would be driving an almost new Hi-Ace and I would be driving a Prado TZ 2005 (about 50,000 KM done; superb condition.
2- Both the driver and I have significant experience of driving in hill/mountains terrains.
3- I have seen almost the whole norther areas - but that was up till about 15 years back and things have changed a lot since then. During the recent years, I have taken the family to Galliats, Thandiani, Kaghan, Shogran, and Naran. Now they want to see Neelam Valley + Fairy Meadows + Lalazar + Dhana Meadows + Toli Pir.
4- We are willing to take a couple of Jeeps (where needed due to Jeep-able treks) - but no idea about rates and places where we can hire them.
5- The family is more inclined to visit lakes, streams, and falls, water locations, especially fishing (one or two fishing spots - but no idea where to get fishing gear up there?).
6- I don't want to take them to places that are accessible by foot only or places where may be security concerns. Otherwise all of us are pretty adventurous.
The above information would come handy when you would very kindly give me some up-to-date advice/suggestions.
My probable itinerary is as follows - that I would adjust as per your recommendation and advice:
1) Day 1 - 1000 hours departure from Islamabad in one Prado and one Hi-Ace for Toli Pir - via Azad Patan- Kahuta Road. Arrive at Tolipir by 1400 hours. Stay at Tolipir overnight (any good family hotels at Tolipir that I should reserve in advance? Anybody has telephone numbers? Would Hi-Ace go up Tolipir? Thanks?)
You can stay at Ghorimar Rest House / Tourist Lodge and your vehicles can also go till this location.
These 2 threads will help:
https://www.pakwheels.com/forums/road-trips-vacations/204618-trip-banjosa-toli-peer-tatta-pani-9th-10th-11th-november
https://www.pakwheels.com/forums/road-trips-vacations/213166-successful-kashmir-trip-april-2013-a-3
Found this link as well
https://www.pakwheels.com/forums/road-trips-vacations/212122-journey-toli-peer-top-3#post3807169
2) Day 2 - 1000 hours departure from Tolipir for Muzafarabad - via Sudhan Galli Road. Arrive at Muzafarabad by 1500 hours. Quick meal. 1600 departure from Muzafarabad for Kundal Shahi/Kutton. Stay at Kutton. (Which is the best hotel/lodge for family? Any telephone number? Thanks?)
Stay at Kutton Rest House. Amazing place for family stay.
Get information from this thread:
https://www.pakwheels.com/forums/road-trips-vacations/216464-road-trip-kutton-sharda-kel-gli-2010-taobat-arang-kel-04-06-13-09-06-13-a
3) Day 3 - Stay at Kutton. (Any good places to visit around Kutton? Can we do both Jaghran and Salkhala in the same day? Or any other place to visit nearby? Thanks?)
Take jeeps from Kutton and visit deep Jagraan Valley till the point jeeps can go. It is beautiful area and your family members will love it.
Salkhala is on main Neelum Valley road and u can visit it while moving ahead to Keran.
4) Day 4 - 1000 hours departure from Kutton for Keran. Arrive at Keran (with a short trip to Athmaqam) by 1500 hours. Stay at Keran (Which is the best hotel/lodge for family? Any telephone number? Thanks?). Visit to Neelam Village. If there are better places, please suggest? Thanks.
Stay at Valley Trackers Tourist Lodge in Keran if u want better facilities and comfort.
Contact details here:
Neelum Valley
If u want a little adventure and better night views then stay at AJK Rest Houses in Upper Neelum Village, Keran. Hire one or two cottages and enjoy the wonderful views. But facilities are not good here.
VT are not in all Neelum Valley. For other locations, please use AJK Tourism Guest Houses. Details in below thread:
https://www.pakwheels.com/forums/road-trips-vacations/194018-neelam-valley-hotels-rest-houses-advance-booking
You need advance booking for both VT and AJK Tourism.
5) Day 5 - 0900 hours departure from Keran for Sharda. Short visit to Dawarian on the way. Arrive at Sharda by 1330 hours. Stay at Sharda. (Which is the best hotel/lodge for family? Any telephone number? Thanks? Any good places to visit around Sharda? Or any other place to visit nearby? Thanks?)
There is nothing in Dowarian to visit and if it is day time then it might be quite hot.
In Sharda, cross the river and you can either stay in VT or there are other guest houses as well. Ignore road side hotels as they are not good for families.
Visit the university ruins, fort ruins and try to explore the actual Sharda village on higher slopes.
You can save a day here by reaching Kel on same day and not staying in Sharda.
Next day either start your Shounter Valley journey or the family can do Arang Kel trek. It is 5-6 hours return journey but views at Arang Kel are just amazing.
6) Day 6 - 1200 hours departure from Sharda for Kel. Arrive at Kel by 1330 hours. Stay at Kel. (Which is the best hotel/lodge for family? Any telephone number? Thanks?Any good places to visit around Kel? Or any other place to visit nearby? Thanks?) (Also, can new Hi-Ace go up to Kel? Can we hire more Jeeps in Kel or do we need to hire in Athmaqam?)
Consider the suggestion above. Come to Kel on previous day and use this day for Arang Kel.
7) Day 7 - Stay at Kel. Visit Shounter Valley, Shounter Pass, and Shounter Lake. (Would the Hi-Ace go there? What would be the best time to leave Kel in order to do the whole Shounter trip and be back at Kel before night?)
It will take 2 hrs to reach Domail Bala if u travel on hired jeeps which are under your use only. You can complete this whole visit in 7-8 hours. Start as early as possible. Visit Domail Bala, Shounter Lake and Shounter Pass waterfall. You cannot go to Shounter Pass. You can also see Hari Parbat peak near Shounter Lake.
Hire jeeps from Kel.
8) Day 8 - Stay at Kel. Visit Halmat, Tao Butt, Janawai, and Sardari. (What would be the best time to leave Kel in order to do all of this and be back at Kel before night? Also, is it even possible to do all this in one day or do we need one extra day here? Especially since we want some time for fishing too? somewhere. What to drop if we need extra day?)
This is again 8-9 hours return journey. And start as early as possible. There will be quite a few stays so keep that thing in mind as well. Once u r in Taobutt, u can do fishing as there is a fishing bridge over Neelum river and there is no restriction on fishing here.
However, it is hard to catch fish in this area.
Take a walk alongwith Gagai nallah for the remaining couple of km of jeep track ahead of Taobutt. Family will love it. Do it after lunch :)
9) Day 9 - 0600 hours departure from Kel for Sharda and, if Noorinar top/pass is open, let the driver drive the Hi-Ace to Jal Khad via Muzafarabad - Garhi Habibullah-Bisian Road (or a shorter route - if there is any). Take more Jeeps and from Sharda, cross Noori Top to Jal Khad (no idea of timing requirements? suggestions requested). Move towards Fairy Meadows and stay over night either at Fairy Meadows or as close as possible to Fairy Meadows (All suggestions are welcome?) If Noorinar-Jal Khad route is closed, we all take the Muzafarabad-Garhi Habibullah-Bisian Road (or a shorter route - if there is any) to Naran or some place of your suggestion (where there maybe a decent place to stay).
Nuri Top opens late in July so go straight to Muzaffarabad and use Garhi Habibullah - Bisian approach to Balakot.
Night stay in Balakot or Naran. It will take 6-7 hours till Muzaffarabad and then 3 more till Balakot. I think for family 9-10 hrs of travel is enough for a day unless u want to hit Naran on same day which will make the journey around 12-13 hours.
10) Day 10 - Kids want to cover Babu Sur Top, Fairy Meadows, both Rama Lake (if possible by Jeep), Lulu Sur Lake, & Dodipatsur Lake (if possible by Jeep), Lalazar, and Dhanah Meadows. I have no clue how to do this in a day unless we drop something as per your advice and make room for another day. I have no clue where to stay as well. Please advise everything? Thanks (No need for Saif-ul-Maluk, Shogran, Siri/Payee, or even Naran itself )
First of all Fairy Meadows approach is from KKH after Chilas and Rama Lake is in Astore Valley even ahead.
Danna Meadows is trek only of 2 days and is not for families at the moment.
Dudipat Sar Lake is also trek only of 2 days and is tough one so not advised for family.
Lulusar Lake can be visited by family on jeeps.
Once u r in Balakot / Naran, u need atleast 5 days to do Naran - Fairy Meadows - Naran journey provided Babusar Pass can be crossed by your Hiace. It is open at the moment for 4x4. And, Fairy Meadows is a very tough trek of 3-4 hours. But families do it on ponies / horses. If u have time and people are adventurous in the group then attempt it. The weather is extremely cold up there so be prepared for that as well.
So, considering your requirement, u should start early morning from Balakot and park your rides in Naran. Hire jeeps for a full day journey to Lalazar, Jalkhad, Lulusar Lake and Babusar Pass. Night stay in Naran or come back to Kaghan which is more peaceful.
11) Day 11 - Drive to Murree from where ever ? . Need to be back in Murree by 1800 hours max. Please advise.
Yes, u can do it if u leave Naran early in the morning. Use Abbottabad - Nathia Gali approach.
Looking at weather for late June and early July (links added below), there is a possibility that we may have to reverse the trip from Naran & Fairy Meadows area to Neelam Valley. Also need advice on that.
Weather Kel End June: Kel Month Weather - AccuWeather Forecast for Azad Kashmir Pakistan
Weather Kel Early July: Kel Month Weather - AccuWeather Forecast for Azad Kashmir Pakistan
Check weather at last minute and decide accordingly.
I know I am asking too much, but being a father has made me too cautious
Eagerly waiting for your responses. Thanks again...
