“The army checkpoint officer looked at my permit, then at me, then back at the permit. 'You're going alone?' he asked. I nodded. He shook his head slowly. 'The road is bad. No phone signal for 80 km. If something happens, nobody will know.' I went anyway. The road was terrible. The valley was the most beautiful place I'd ever seen. I understood, for the first time, why some places stay hidden — getting there is a filter that only the truly curious pass through.”
— Uddip
The Gurez Valley road opens in late May or early June. In 2025, it opened on June 2nd. I was at the pass on June 3rd.
Coming down from Razdan Pass into Gurez is one of the most beautiful drives I have ever experienced. The Kishanganga River - turquoise from glacial melt - runs through the center.
This scouting trip directly became our Gurez journey. Explorer-tier pricing applies - ₹42,000/person.