Field guides / Azad Jammu and Kashmir / Chikar
Field guide · Nature
Chikar
Chikar is a cool hill station about 46 km from Muzaffarabad, reached via Hattian Bala on a spur off the main Jhelum Valley road. It's a modest, low-key summer retreat rather than a developed resort, but it's also the access point for two of the area's more distinctive sights: the earthquake-formed Zalzal Lake nearby, and the trek up to Ganga Choti further along via Sudhan Gali.
Chikar is a cool hill station about 46 km from Muzaffarabad, reached via Hattian Bala on a spur off the main Jhelum Valley road. It's a modest, low-key summer retreat rather than a developed resort, but it's also the access point for two of the area's more distinctive sights: the earthquake-formed Zalzal Lake nearby, and the trek up to Ganga Choti further along via Sudhan Gali.
Why go
- ✦Cool hill-station climate
- ✦Access point for Zalzal Lake
- ✦Gateway to the Ganga Choti trek via Sudhan Gali
A Base for the Side Valley
Chikar itself is unassuming, pine forest, meadows, and modest guesthouses, but it anchors a small cluster of sights that reward the detour off the main Jhelum Valley road, from the sobering Zalzal Lake to the popular Ganga Choti trek.
Plan It with GreenPak
Best combined with Zalzal Lake as a half or full-day detour from the Jhelum Valley road, use Plan a trip to decide whether to add the longer Ganga Choti trek.
Planning tip
When to go, April to October; a genuine summer escape from the lowland heat.
Getting there, About 46 km from Muzaffarabad via Hattian Bala, a side road off the main Jhelum Valley route.
Allow, A half-day stop, or a base for a night if combining with Zalzal Lake and Ganga Choti.
