Gurez Valley (Dawar)
Dard-Shin log-house valley on the Kishanganga behind Razdan Pass
Best time to visit Gurez Valley (Dawar)
- Jan, best avoided
- Feb, best avoided
- Mar, best avoided
- Apr, best avoided
- May, shoulder season
- Jun, peak season
- Jul, peak season
- Aug, peak season
- Sep, peak season
- Oct, shoulder season
- Nov, best avoided
- Dec, best avoided
peak shoulder off-season avoid
- Go: June to September
- Shoulder: May and October, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
- Skip: November to April
Gurez Valley (Dawar) season by season
Winter December to February Do not go
Dec-Feb Razdan Pass is buried and Dawar is cut off; the valley is shut to outsiders for roughly six months a year.
Summer March to May Shoulder
Mar-Apr the pass is still shut; it usually clears in May, but late snow and slides make the first sumos a real gamble.
Monsoon June to September Prime time
Jun-Sep is Gurez at its best: 8-22 C, dry-ish, Habba Khatoon peak lit at dusk, and every homestay in Dawar open.
Autumn October to November Shoulder
Early Oct is gold and empty, then snow starts closing Razdan through November and the last sumos out get nervous.
What Gurez Valley (Dawar) is actually like
Wooden-house homestays in Dawar and Tulail, no hostels, patchy signal, and soldiers outnumbering travellers.
Getting to Gurez Valley (Dawar)
Srinagar 123 km via Bandipora and Razdan Pass, 5-6 h by shared sumo; carry original photo ID for checkposts.
Practical ways in: road
Trip facts
- How long to stay
- 3 days
- Budget
- Shoestring
- How busy
- Quiet at its peak
- Solo travel
- Doable solo with some planning
- Altitude
- 2400 m
- State
- Jammu and Kashmir
- Coordinates
- 34.6334, 74.8294
Common questions
When is the best time to visit Gurez Valley (Dawar)?
June to September is peak season in Gurez Valley (Dawar). May and October is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid November to April. Jun-Sep is Gurez at its best: 8-22 C, dry-ish, Habba Khatoon peak lit at dusk, and every homestay in Dawar open.
How many days do you need in Gurez Valley (Dawar)?
3 days is the usual stay. Wooden-house homestays in Dawar and Tulail, no hostels, patchy signal, and soldiers outnumbering travellers.
How do you get to Gurez Valley (Dawar)?
Srinagar 123 km via Bandipora and Razdan Pass, 5-6 h by shared sumo; carry original photo ID for checkposts. Practical ways in: road.
Is Gurez Valley (Dawar) expensive, and does it get crowded?
Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs quiet at the busiest time of year. Doable solo with some planning.
Nearby, and where to go next
-
Naranag
Jammu and Kashmir
Ruined 8th-century Shiva temples at the Gangabal trailhead
50 km from Gurez Valley (Dawar), roughly about 1 h by road
-
Lolab Valley (Sogam)
Jammu and Kashmir
Walnut-and-paddy valley behind Kupwara with the Kalaroos caves
70 km from Gurez Valley (Dawar), roughly about 2 h by road
-
Manasbal Lake
Jammu and Kashmir
Lotus-choked lake under Nur Jahan's Jarokha Bagh terrace
70 km from Gurez Valley (Dawar), roughly about 2 h by road
-
Sonamarg
Jammu and Kashmir
Meadow of Gold below Zoji La, base for the Great Lakes trek
80 km from Gurez Valley (Dawar), roughly about 2 h by road
-
Srinagar
Jammu and Kashmir
Houseboats on Dal Lake, Mughal gardens, J&K's summer capital
90 km from Gurez Valley (Dawar), roughly about 2 h by road
-
Gulmarg
Jammu and Kashmir
India's top ski resort - Gondola to 3,979m, real powder
120 km from Gurez Valley (Dawar), roughly about 3 h by road
-
Pahalgam
Jammu and Kashmir
Pine-forested valley base for Amarnath Yatra and easy treks
120 km from Gurez Valley (Dawar), roughly about 3 h by road
-
Drass
Ladakh
One of India's coldest towns, under the Kargil war ridges
130 km from Gurez Valley (Dawar), roughly about 3 h by road
More places to visit in Jammu and Kashmir
- Aharbal Falls Jammu and Kashmir
- Basohli Jammu and Kashmir
- Bhaderwah Jammu and Kashmir
- Doodhpathri Jammu and Kashmir
- Gulmarg Jammu and Kashmir
- Katra (Vaishno Devi) Jammu and Kashmir
- Kokernag & Verinag Jammu and Kashmir
- Lolab Valley (Sogam) Jammu and Kashmir
- Manasbal Lake Jammu and Kashmir
- Mansar Lake Jammu and Kashmir
- Martand Sun Temple (Mattan) Jammu and Kashmir
- Naranag Jammu and Kashmir
- Pahalgam Jammu and Kashmir
- Patnitop Jammu and Kashmir
- Sonamarg Jammu and Kashmir
- Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir
- Warwan Valley (Inshan) Jammu and Kashmir
- Yusmarg Jammu and Kashmir