We four friends started our trip from Kolkata airport on 22/09/2022 by taking the one stop Srinagar flight. It stopped at Chandigarh and then we reached the Srinagar airport at around 5 pm. I already booked a car for our trip to Gurez Tulleyl valley and requested him to pick us from the airport as well. For the first night I had booked the JKTDC Hotel Heemal in front of Dal Lake. When we reached the hotel, it was already dark outside. The reception area looked nice, but the conditions of the rooms were not up to the mark! But we didn't bother about the same since we were to leave next early morning for our exciting journey.
Although the driverji promised to arrive at 7am he came nearly at 8am and we immediately started. Due to some social events, there were road closures in the city, and we had to reroute again and again because of these closures. We were having some language issues with the driver because of which I had to repeatedly contact the owner to make him understand what I am trying to say. I read in different blogs, U-tube as well as FB posts that the route to Gurez passes by sides of Wular Lake. But he was of the different opinion. Ultimately taking helps from the locals on the way we reached Wular Lake and stopped there to take some quick photos.
Wular Lake, also known as Wolar (Kashmiri pronunciation: [wɔlar]) in Kashmiri, is one of the largest fresh water lakes in South Asia. It is located near Bandipora town in Bandipora district.The lake basin was formed as a result of tectonic activity and is fed by the Jhelum River and stream madhumati. The lake's size varies seasonally from 30 to 189 square kms. In addition, much of the lake has been drained as a result of willow plantations being built on the shore in the 1950s.
The lake is one of the 75 Indian wetlands designated as a Ramsar site. However, it faces environmental threats including the conversion of large parts of the lake's catchment areas into agriculture land, pollution from fertilizers and animal wastes, hunting of waterfowl and migratory birds, and weed infestation in the lake itself.
4 masketeers @ Wular Lake, Bandipora
We didn't enter Bandipora Town but used the bypass to go forward towards Razdan Pass, which is the highest point in this route and remains unreachable by road for six months of the year due to heavy snowfall. Since this whole terrain is extremely close to LOC, movements of tourists and civilians are restricted all through. We had to cross innumerable check points of military and paramilitary forces all through. Most of these people are extremely friendly as they had to face so much hardship and are so far away from their homes not to mention the hazards involved in their job! They are happy and a bit curious to find four senior citizen ladies' group from far off Kolkata at that remote place! Some asked in which part of Kolkata we live, some informed they were from Hills of W.B. and again some were posted either in Barrackpore or Fort William for quite some time. These are nice interactions which I find that at this age I love a lot. There was a time when I used to avoid interactions with unknown people being extremely shy!
Like all the passes, Razdan will give you a feeling that you are on the top of the World! Approaching it was fascinating views all around, as we slowly went up, up and up over the cobbled stone paved road. Just like all other trips roads and way side views are the most fascinating part. My mobile was clicking photos all the time click, click, click!
Ultimately getting soaked in the beauty of nature of Gurez valley we reached Dawar at around 3 pm! Our destination Kaka's Palace was easily found. It's the crowded part of the habitation which is basically a village actually. But now tourists from all over India have started to pour in here and if the Government doesn't take proper control of ill planned tourism explosion, the place will definitely lose its charm and beauty. The remoteness and difficulty to reach the place and limited scopes of staying options adds to its charm. We were allotted a simple four bedded room on the ground floor. The hotel is basic, but their hospitality is good. After we quickly got refreshed, we had our lunch. Sometime later we went to see the Habba Khatun spring near Dawar. Wherever you go in every few meters you will have to stop for checking of your IDs, various questions will be definitely asked by innumerous military outposts. The whole region of Gurez and Tulleyl Valleys are quite close to LOC. You will find barbed wire fencings everywhere along the roads, over the ridges, along the riverbank! I have not seen such strict vigils even in Drass or Kargil and even at Baltistan area when I visited Ladakh in 2014!
The area near the spring at the base of famous, folklore soaked peak Habba Khatun, Kishan Ganga River is flowing in its own rhythm. The spot is exquisitely beautiful, especially with the orange rays of the setting sun and golden fall-colored trees all around, everything appeared like fairytale, as if it's a painting of some famous painter! After returning we walked a bit around the place and went back to the hotel before it's dark! On returning we met the younger brother, Ejaz bhai. He then took us to the bank of KishanGanga which is flowing just behind the hotel! There we sat on the boulders and chatted, Habba Khatun slowly became dark as the last rays of sun faded. It was such a serene and satisfying ambience which can only be felt but can't be described! We had our dinner at around 8 pm, sat for a while in the campfire made at the hotel garden and retired soon. It was quite cold, so we took proper precautions.
Next morning after breakfast we started for sightseeing of Tulleyl Valley. We went upstream of Kishanganga, the river was flowing all along beside us. The scenery is breathtakingly beautiful all along the path. We visited Achhoora, Barnoi, Purana Tileyl, Sheikh Pora, Badoab, Gujran, tourists are not allowed to visit after this check post. We went to Angaikot while returning, a picture-perfect spot on KishanGanga where you will find a tantalizingly hanging wooden plank bridge over the fast-moving river which falls to Kishanganga! Locals are crossing the wobbly bridge even with huge loads on their back!
The thing which is striking is that we found co-educational Government schools all over the places in such remote areas! The girls and boys are found to be playing and having fun together which appeared so reassuring and positive to me! People all over these two valleys are extremely friendly as well.
Dawar, KishanGanga
Habba Khatun from the base
It was an extremely satisfying day outing, although the road condition at several places is extremely precarious! We heard it before hand so to me it didn't pose any problem and our driversaab was equally good, otherwise the trip might have got truncated at any point of time. We returned to our hotel at dusk feeling extremely happy of the total experience. In general, if you have many expectations from any tourist spots beforehand, I have found that it becomes slightly anti-climax at the end! But Gurez-Tulleyl valleys are exceptions since these places have heavenly beauty.
Next day we planned to check the nearer places at Gurez. We were more relaxed that day and started after breakfast in an easy pace. Early morning, we went to the Kishanganga behind our hotel pretty early when only street dogs are found! Habba Khatun and Kishanganga, the romantic pair soaked in their beauties welcomed us warmly! After spending sometime there and walking randomly on the back streets we came back to get ready.
The hotel manager suggested us to go to the farthest point first which is quite close to LOC, Waqtor! This is about 25 kms from Dawar. We crossed Kishanganga and retraced back the path in which we came the first day. Just crossing Kishanganga, the first check post which intercepted us just outside Dawar inquired about our destination routinely, the person posted was extremely friendly and introduced us to his boss as well. He informed us that he was posted in Fort William for quite some time etc etc. He informed that Bagtore is out of bound for tourists, but we can go up to the check post near the spot. We proceeded further crossing the Kishanganga dam, some more villages, all of which are picture perfect. After crossing the dam and going further for some time we reached the one main check post near Ismarg, where at the time of arrival we were issued passes for Dawar which was supposed to be handed over when we ultimately leave this place. Here again some routine checking, and clarifications were needed and then we went straight upwards in the right in an acute angle to reach the check post of Bagtore/Waqtor. the personnel there informed the driver that tourists can't go any further. He pleaded with him saying that three memsaabs have come all the way from Kolkata and even for a short while must be allowed on humanitarian ground! I don't know how he managed it, but we were happy when he said that we were given 20 mins time to explore the place and return back! We were elated and proceeded further. Above we found beautiful grass land- Bugiyal cascading over the hilltop! The weather had turned foul with biting wind, it started to drizzle as well. But we explored the place as much as possible on foot. Villagers all over we found are preparing for the bitter winter months ahead, in the fields they are harvesting beans, potatoes and other cash crops. The women folk were calling us in such a friendly manner, inviting us to their homes for a cup of tea and nastas, your heart will simply melt! We ventured through dart road beside the bugyal on foot, the left side of which is lined with double fenced barbed wires. We could see another army post in front at a little distance away. I intended to go there and ask if we could go further across that point. But as soon as we reached there the person on guard asked how we could come here quite sternly and what is our mode of transport (the car was not visible from so far). My friend beside me became quite tensed and later on told me the guy was scrutinising me from top to bottom. He said there's nothing to explore further and we must go back. Well, we definitely did that. A small boy of early teen was watching us from far off from the start, when we went to the army post he went back to report it to our driver. As soon as we returned to the bugyal, he came almost running to inform that our driver has said that his car will be confiscated if we delay further. I asked him how far is LOC from here? He showed us some houses and mountain behind those in front and said those houses are in Pakistan! For them LOC means nothing, they are not diplomatic, it's either India or Pakistan! We started back, took some more photos on the way back at the viewpoint and again near the dam. The weather was spoil sport though as it was continuously drizzling. Near the dam we explored once more on foot where we found a local family from some nearby place has come for picnic. The lone male member came forward and started chatting with us. He first invited us for sharing food with them repeatedly and then asked about our whereabouts and informed that he used to work in Government Finance Department and retired recently. Also came to know that there you don't attain a particular age to retire but it's a fixed number of years for which you serve! Everywhere the local's hospitality is so striking that you will feel the warmth of their hearts. It made me extremely happy and repeatedly mused that we are so wrong in our assessment about the people of this unfortunate State. We arrived near Dawar and to the first check post where that friendly person gave a warm welcome smile and asked us how the trip was over there and where did we go. I was excited to narrate about Waqtor and have seen the houses at Pakistan! Immediately he retorted "how could you go there?! Do you know at any time bombing and firing may start, you could have died!" My friends got scared. But I knew he is exaggerating it!
At the time we crossed the river in the morning, our driverji informed us that he will take us to the helipad when we shall return. Naturally, me who is always eager not to miss anything of interest where there's no possibility of coming again, I eagerly tried to make him remember, what he said during our onward journey! He was somewhat ambivalent in his reply which appeared quite odd to me. Anyway, I'm the last person to keep any stone unturned when I decide on some venture is to be done! I goaded him, he drove for some time randomly which made it absolutely clear that he is clueless about his destination! I insisted he should ask the locals. Here I'm disadvantaged because of inability to say either the local language or good Hindi! He is most probably not used to drive tourists' taxis so his ability to venture in unknown places is extremely lacking that we could understand pretty well. The direction locals are giving which we are able to understand, he is failing! But I am not leaving the concept to see the remote area helipad as well. Next, he entered some extremely narrow lane and stopped at a village residential area where at such hour 2.30-3pm not a single soul is found anywhere! He randomly showed us a straight direction and told us to go and see it, because that lane is so narrow car can't go! We three started tentatively and I was loudly musing how can this be the route to helipad?! Do people get off from helicopter and walk with their luggage by such narrow lane to reach their destination? We still went forward for some time when I found a blanket peddler is coming from the opposite direction. He was quite astonished to find three completely stranger looking ladies without hijab in Western clothes are roaming at such odd place and such odd time!!! I asked him, "where is the helipad?" Now he was almost going to faint and must have thought that we three are lunatics landed from Mars to ask search weird thing, at such a weird place and time!!!! He exclaimed, "Helipad????!!! Where is helipad here? That's in Dawar!" Now it's my turn to get surprised and extremely shaken, "my goodness, this is not Dawar??!!!" He said no this is a village called XX (I forgot the name). He added "who told you here is Helipad? You have been taken for a ride surely". I requested him to accompany us to our car and say it to the driver. I was completely aghast and quite shaken as well. It's a remote village in border area and we three ladies are aimlessly roaming around! Anything could have happened as we read in stories. While returning we found clusters of men are loitering here and there who must have heard the strange venture of ours while we went forward and was curious to find out what's the matter! At the time of returning, we were not even sure if we are going back in right direction or not since there are many such narrow lanes which we didn't notice before. I found a shop which I failed to notice before and asked the shop keeper if he had seen us going in the other direction and he asserted vehemently yes! The poor guy must have been out of his wits when he suddenly found three strange ladies, at such odd hour, marching past his shop at their remote village which has nothing remotely related with tourism! He must have thought that he is daydreaming. Ultimately, we found our car and the driversaab oblivious of his surroundings and our conditions is eating biscuits. I simply blasted him and was almost hysterical, but nothing could perturb him. He simply said "you said you want to see cultivation lands. Madamji aap bahut joldi tej ho jate hay (you get angry too quickly madam!!!!) "!!!! I don't know what the locals instructed him but anyway we hurriedly left the place, leaving behind quite a few stunned men in that remote Gurez village. I'm sure they will tell this story to others for quite some time! We did not try to go to the helipad wherever that might be anymore. This story became our set laughingstock for the rest of the tour as well as I know it will be referred repeatedly in future frequently! And later the same thing happened when we were trying to find the military canteen at Dawar which we heard to be behind our hotel. We zigzagged up and down of Dawar but the driversaab even after repeatedly asking the locals failed to locate it and twice, he tried to take us to a local Court premises for reasons unknown to me! Ultimately, we directed him to a nearby shop which appeared to be the canteen we heard about from other travelers. On the later part of our trip driversaab understood that I hate when he lies and became much more polite and friendly. He is basically not bad but completely unsuitable for tourists. From the start he went on saying why are we going to such worthless places?! We should have rather visited Gulmarg, Sonemarg, Pahalgaon which are so beautiful. In fact, after we started from Srinagar, he even asked me after a few hours if I really think this place is really worth visiting!!! But later I found him to be constantly taking videos of the long, beautiful stretches of our route. But whenever I asked him if he is coming here for the first time, he always denied that strangely. I understood his self-esteem will be diminished if he admits that.
Then we went to Khandiyal top from where the river and Dawar, the valley looks wonderful. We returned back to Kaka's Palace for night stay. Our trip to this part of Kashmir, Gurez - Tulleyl Valleys ended here. Next, we are to venture Bangus-Lolab Valleys in Part 2.
Rainbow in front of Habba Khatun in the late afternoon when rain subsided
Since it was my idea as well as planning to visit this place, I was quite a bit tensed about its success. But after three nights stay in Dawar and exploring the valleys quite a bit all four of us were extremely happy and satisfied with our plan to come here! I felt vindicated. Jai Ho!!!!!
