Route library · Outstation · High passes
Delhi to the Gurez Valley
Gurez lies in the Kishanganga (Neelum) valley of north Kashmir, reached over the 3,300 m Razdan Pass from Bandipora. It is a Dard-Shin cultural pocket — log-and-stone houses, a distinct language, the striking pyramid of Habba Khatoun peak over Dawar — on a river that flows on into Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The Line of Control is close, the road opens only for the summer, and until recently it was effectively closed to tourists. It is a long, permit-checked, short-season expedition to one of the least-ridden valleys in India.
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At a glance
- Round trip
- About 1,800–2,000 km
- Riding time
- 3 days to Srinagar each way; a day over the pass
- Nights
- 6–7 nights
- Start point
- Delhi (via Jammu, Srinagar and Bandipora)
- Highest point
- About 3,300 m at Razdan Pass; the valley floor at Dawar is ~2,400 m
- Difficulty
- Challenging. Long NH-44 riding, the Kashmir valley, then a single high pass road that is narrow, slide-prone and army-managed.
- Surface
- Sealed for most of the route; the Bandipora–Razdan–Dawar stretch is patchy, with gravel, landslide sections and army convoy priority.
- Best season
- Mid-June to September, when Razdan Pass is open and clear. Snow closes the pass from roughly November to May. The valley can be shut to civilians at short notice for security reasons.
- Permits
- No permit for Indian nationals to the main valley (Dawar) at present, but movement is checkpost-controlled and can be restricted further up the Tulail valley toward the LoC. Carry ID for every rider; foreign nationals need special permission and are often refused. Follow all army instructions; no photography near defence positions.
The ride
Delhi → Jammu → Srinagar on NH-44 over two-and-a-half to three days — long, busy national highway with the Banihal tunnel and Jawahar tunnel. Base a night in Srinagar or Bandipora.
From Bandipora, climb Razdan Pass and drop into the Kishanganga at Dawar (the main town). Explore the Habba Khatoun peak viewpoint, the villages around Dawar, and — if open — the Tulail valley upstream toward Chorwan, with its Dard hamlets. Everything is checkpost-controlled; ask the army about the current limit each morning. Retrace over Razdan.
Day by day
Delhi to Jammu / Patnitop
NH-44 to Jammu or up to Patnitop (10–12 hours). Night here.
To Srinagar
The Banihal tunnel and the Kashmir valley to Srinagar (6–7 hours). Night in Srinagar.
Srinagar to Gurez
Srinagar → Bandipora → Razdan Pass → Dawar (5–6 hours, slow on the pass). Night in a Dawar guesthouse or camp.
Gurez valley
The Habba Khatoun viewpoint, the villages, the river. A slow day.
Tulail valley (if open)
Upstream toward Chorwan and the Dard hamlets, as far as the army allows. Night back at Dawar.
Gurez to Srinagar
Back over Razdan to Srinagar.
Srinagar toward Jammu
Begin the NH-44 return.
To Delhi
The final long highway day.
Fuel & services
- Fill up at Srinagar and top off at Bandipora — the last dependable pumps before the pass.
- There is a small pump at Dawar but it is unreliable and can be dry or rationed. Treat Bandipora as your last fuel: Bandipora to Dawar, around the valley and back is 150–200 km. Carry 5–10 litres of spare per bike.
- Dawar has JKTDC huts, a few guesthouses and homestays and seasonal camps; the Tulail villages have only homestays. Carry cash from Srinagar — there is an SBI at Dawar but do not depend on it. Supplies are limited; bring what you need.
Road & conditions
NH-44 is fast, heavily trafficked and prone to long closures for landslides and convoys, especially in the Ramban stretch — build slack into the plan. The Kashmir valley roads are easy. Razdan Pass is a narrow, patchy, unbarriered climb with gravel, landslide repairs, snow-cut walls into early summer, and army-convoy priority — ride it slowly, pull over for convoys, and cross early. Inside Gurez the roads are rough valley tar. Security conditions can change the route or close it entirely; take the army's word each day.
Bike, fuel & getting help
- Suggested bike
- Easier with more torque and travel — a 250cc-plus or a small ADV. A confident rider can do it on a commuter.
- Fuel gap
- One long stretch without a pump — fill up before it and top off where you can.
- Spare fuel
- Carry 5–10 litres of spare fuel.
- Emergency & logistics
- District hospital at Bandipora and (basic) Dawar; Razdan Pass is a narrow, army-managed climb with convoy priority and no help; NH-44 closes for landslides for hours or days; the valley is a Line-of-Control zone that can shut to civilians at short notice. Carry ID for every rider, a satellite messenger, and take the army's daily guidance as final.
Best time to ride
Mid-June to September, once Razdan Pass is reliably open and clear of snow. July and August are the safest bet for the pass and the warmest in the valley, though the NH-44 approach is at its wettest. From October the pass starts to close; by November Gurez is cut off for the winter. The valley can also be closed to visitors at short notice — check before you commit the whole group.
What to add to your kit
Beyond the standard ride kit: warm layers for the pass and cold valley nights, a rain shell for NH-44, ID copies for every rider, a satellite messenger, 5–10 litres of spare fuel per bike, cash from Srinagar, and a flexible schedule — NH-44 closures and pass weather both eat days.
Ride this with a group
We run Gurez as an 8–9 day short-season expedition — three days up NH-44 to Srinagar, over Razdan Pass into a Dard valley on the Kishanganga, with the LoC a ridge away and a riverside clean-up as the service action. Flexible dates, ID for everyone, army's word is final.