Gurez valley needs no paid permit for Indian travellers: you carry your original Aadhaar, passport or voter ID and get registered at the checkposts on the road over Razdan Pass. Our most-watched Gurez reel, about 239K views since June, walks through the places we take guests once they're past those checks: Habba Khatoon spring, the Kishanganga river, Bagtor village, Wazirthal, Tulail, Chakwali and Dawar. This post is the practical side of that reel: the permit, the road from Srinagar, and what a Gurez trip with us looks like, including what changes now that it's late October.
Watch it on our Instagram: the best places to explore in Gurez valley (June 2026)
One honest note first. All three clips in this post were filmed in June, when the valley is green and the campsites are full. In late October nights get cold, and Razdan Pass can shut for a day or more whenever it snows. It already did once this month. So read the road section before you book anything.
Gurez at a glance
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Where | Bandipora district, north Kashmir, on the Line of Control |
| Main town | Dawar |
| Route from Srinagar | Srinagar, Bandipora, Tragbal, Razdan Pass, Dawar |
| Distance | About 55 km to Bandipora, then the 85 km Bandipora-Gurez road (roughly 125-135 km to Dawar) |
| Highest point | Razdan Pass, about 3,558 m |
| Permit (Indians) | No paid permit. Original photo ID, registered at the checkposts |
| Foreign passport holders | Written permission from the Deputy Commissioner, Bandipora, arranged before you go |
| Usual season | Roughly late May to October, depending on snow on Razdan Pass |
| Our fare | Call or WhatsApp us for a quote for your dates and car |
Gurez valley permit: what you actually need
Indian travellers
There's no permit to apply for online and nothing to pay. What you need is your original government photo ID: Aadhaar, passport or voter ID. Army and police posts on the way, starting at Tragbal above Bandipora and again near Dawar, check it and write down your details and the car's. A photocopy or a phone screenshot can get you turned back, so keep the real card in your day bag, not in the boot under the luggage. The same goes for every person in the car, children included if they have an ID.
Two rules guests sometimes forget: don't photograph army posts, bunkers, bridges or soldiers, and leave the drone at home. Drones are held at the checkpost in this border zone.
Tulail and Chakwali
Our reel goes past Dawar to Tulail valley and Chakwali, close to the last villages before the LoC. Your Dawar registration may not cover these forward areas, and a separate check or permission at a local post can apply. We confirm it in Dawar the evening before, so the morning drive doesn't end at a barrier.
Foreign guests
Gurez was opened to foreign tourists in 2025, but only with prior written permission from the Deputy Commissioner, Bandipora. We don't arrange this permission for foreign guests, so you'd apply for it yourself, a few days ahead, and carry the written approval. Our Keran valley guide covers the other border valley, which has its own permit system.
The road from Srinagar to Gurez
The first stretch, Srinagar to Bandipora, is easy: about 55 km through Sumbal, with Wular lake off to the side as you get near Bandipora. Fill the tank in Bandipora. After that the road climbs hard through Tragbal, crosses Razdan Pass at about 3,558 m and drops into the valley along the Kishanganga to Dawar. Plan on most of a day: an early start from Srinagar, a tea stop, the checkposts, and you reach Dawar by afternoon. Don't plan the drive back for the same day.
Is the Gurez road open in October?
Usually, yes, but it closes whenever Razdan gets snow. This year the 85 km Bandipora-Gurez road was shut on 13 October 2026 after fresh snow at Razdan Pass; Razdan Top had nearly five inches. It was cleared and reopened on 14 October, and on 15 October traffic was still allowed only from Bandipora towards Gurez. Last year the road closed after snow on Razdan on 5 November 2025. Nobody can give you a fixed closing date, and we won't pretend to. What we do on the morning of a Gurez trip is check the day's road status with the traffic police and our drivers, and if Razdan is shut we swap the day for something else rather than send you up there.
Our post on Kashmir's first snowfall of 2026 has what fell on 13 October, and Kashmir in November explains why we'd tell you to do Gurez in October or wait for next summer.
What our Gurez reel shows
The reel opens on mist rolling off the slopes with the line "If you're visiting Gurez Valley, these are some of the best places to explore", then labels each stop on screen. In order:
- Habba Khatoon spring and the Kishanganga river: water coming off the hillside, then the wide green river with a lone tree on the slope (the photo at the top of this post).
- Bagtor village: wooden houses on a rise above a footbridge over the river.
- Habba Khatoon peak: the pointed peak above the valley, seen across yellow wildflowers. The reel also labels a river rafting stretch.
- Wazirthal, Tulail valley and Dawar: log houses and village lanes (more on Wazirthal below).
- Chakwali: open meadow by the river with sheep grazing.
- Khandiyal Top: a view down onto a village of tin roofs, with wild roses in front.
- Stays: a glass dome room labelled "stay at cocoon resort" and a row of riverside camping tents.
That's a lot for one trip. Dawar, the river and Habba Khatoon peak are close to the base. Tulail and Chakwali are a long day further east. With two nights in Gurez you see the Dawar side properly; with three, Tulail gets its own day.
Wazirthal: the village of about 200 people
Our Wazirthal reel (13 June 2026) walks through the village's wooden houses and narrow lanes. The caption says only around 200 people call it home. It's a lived-in village, not a museum, so ask before you photograph people or step onto anyone's stairs, and keep your voice down in the lanes. Wazirthal is in the Tulail direction, so it pairs with that day.
Where you stay: camps and the dome
Our Gurez campsite reel (16 June 2026) was filmed at a camp with an "I love Gurez" board and rows of tents. The caption explains why we use triple air-coated tents: they stay cooler in the morning and block the heat during the day, so you're not sleeping in an oven. That's a June problem. In late October the question flips to warmth, so for October dates we'd rather put you in a heated room or a well-insulated stay, and we'll tell you honestly which camps are still running for your dates. The full camping side of the valley is on our Gurez camping page.
How we'd plan a Gurez trip
- Give it at least two nights. The drive takes most of a day each way. A one-night trip is mostly windscreen.
- Put Gurez early in your Kashmir trip. If Razdan shuts for a day, there's still room to shift it.
- Carry cash from Srinagar or Bandipora. There's one J&K Bank ATM in Dawar and you shouldn't count on it. Mobile signal is patchy too, so download offline maps.
- Pack warm for October. A proper jacket, a cap and gloves for the evenings, even if Srinagar feels mild.
- Keep IDs in hand at every checkpost. It makes the stops quick.
- Ask about the rest of the north. Gurez fits well with a few days in Srinagar; our Kashmir tourist places guide helps you pick the rest, and our note on local guides covers when a guide is worth it.
We plan Gurez with a private car and driver from Srinagar. We don't publish a fixed Srinagar to Gurez taxi fare, because it depends on the car, the number of nights and if you go on to Tulail. Call or WhatsApp us for a quote for your dates. Our Kashmir cab service page lists the cars.
FAQ
How far is Gurez from Srinagar?
About 125-135 km to Dawar: roughly 55 km to Bandipora, then the 85 km Bandipora-Gurez road over Razdan Pass. Allow most of a day with the checkposts.
Do Indians need a permit for Gurez?
No paid permit. Carry your original Aadhaar, passport or voter ID; your details are recorded at the checkposts. Forward areas like Chakwali can need a separate check.
Can I see snow in Gurez?
Razdan Pass and the upper Tulail side got snow on 13 October 2026, and spring can bring fresh snow too, as a Gujarati group found when they came back from Gurez with us this spring (that story is in our Gujarat trip post). Snow on the road also closes it, so it's never guaranteed.
Plan Gurez with us
Tell us your dates and how many of you are travelling, and we'll check the road, the stays that are open and the right car. Call or WhatsApp 70060 85655 (call 7006085655), or our second number 9596044418. We're registered with J&K Tourism (JKEA00005366).
Photos: frames from our own Instagram reels (@traveletioskashmir), June 2026.
