Area guides / Azad Jammu and Kashmir / Neelum Valley
Area guide
Neelum Valley
A green river corridor of villages, alpine lakes, and meadows
Region
Azad Jammu and Kashmir
When to go
June to September, once the upper valley road and the alpine lakes clear of snow.
Getting there
Drive the Neelum Valley road from Muzaffarabad, Keran a few hours in, Kel and the upper valley a long day. Travel with current border-area guidance.
Spots
3 key places
Overview
About Neelum Valley
The Neelum River carves a long green valley up the Azad Kashmir frontier, riverside villages at Keran and Sharda, the meadow village of Arang Kel above Kel, and the glacial Ratti Gali Lake high in the side valleys.
Drive the Neelum Valley road from Muzaffarabad, Keran a few hours in, Kel and the upper valley a long day. Travel with current border-area guidance.
Up the valley
Most travellers move slowly, village to village, Keran, Sharda, and Kel, taking side trips up to Arang Kel and Ratti Gali rather than a single dash.
Travel sensibly
Neelum runs along the Line of Control; carry documents, follow local guidance, and travel with an operator who knows the current access.
Field Guides
All places →
Keran & Upper Neelum
Keran is a riverside village where the Neelum Valley narrows to a green corridor, the river running fast between forested slopes with the far bank close across the water. It is a popular base for exploring upper Neelum.
Ratti Gali Lake
Ratti Gali is a glacier-fed alpine lake high above the Neelum Valley, reached by a jeep track and a final climb from Dowarian. In summer the surrounding bowl fills with wildflowers and reflected snow peaks.
Arang Kel
Arang Kel is a mountaintop meadow village set on a shelf at roughly 2,554 m above Kel in the upper Neelum Valley, reached only by a one-kilometre chairlift across the river or a steep foot trail, there is no road. Wooden Kashmiri houses, open pasture, and dense pine forest sit in near-total quiet, with the peaks flanking the Line of Control visible to the north. Known locally as the 'Pearl of Neelum Valley,' it was for generations simply a shepherds' summer grazing ground before becoming one of Azad Kashmir's most sought-after overnight stops.
Where to stay
All stays →GreenPak stays in this area are listed on the region guide.