Gurez Valley: road status, permits and how to get there

When the road is open

The road over the pass usually snows shut in winter and can close again in spring and autumn. These closures were reported in 2026:

1. 7 Mar 2026
   The Bandipora–Gurez road closed after snowfall at Razdan Top, Kashmir Life reported.
2. 17 Apr 2026
   Closed again after fresh snow at Razdan Top. The SDM Gurez said movement “shall remain suspended until further orders”, according to Kashmir Life.
3. 13 Oct 2026
   Closed after fresh snow at Razdan Pass, the “only road connectivity between Gurez Valley and the rest of Kashmir”, WION reported on 14 October.
4. 14 Oct 2026
   Cleared and reopened, the SDM Gurez said, after nearly five inches of snow at Razdan Top, Greater Kashmir reported.
5. 15 Oct 2026
   Closed again after fresh snow in the valley, ANI reported. Later that day it was partly restored, for vehicles travelling from Bandipora to Gurez only, a Border Roads Organisation official told Kashmir News Service.

A 2026 guide from Travel Coffee calls the road “usually most dependable from late May or June through September”. Searches for “gurez valley” in India peak in June too, in our Google Trends pull for 2021–2026.

Permits and ID

• Indian visitors: domestic tourists have been allowed since 2020, when the entry pass for people from outside the valley was removed, Outlook Traveller reported on 24 February 2025. Expect ID and registration checks on the way, so carry your original government photo ID and several photocopies, Travel Coffee advises. Guides disagree on whether any separate permit applies, so confirm locally.
• Foreign visitors: allowed since February 2025 with permission from the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Bandipora, according to Greater Kashmir on 23 February 2025. Send the request three to four days before you arrive; there was no online permit as of February 2025.

What to see

1. Habba Khatoon peak

   A pyramid-shaped peak named after the Kashmiri poet Habba Khatoon, according to the Bandipora district site.

2. The Kishanganga river

   It runs through the valley. The district lists rafting, with easier stretches in Gurez and harder ones from Tulail.

   

3. Tulail

   A starting point for trekking routes and the tougher rafting water, says the district site.

Getting there

• Route: Srinagar to Bandipora, then the 85 km Bandipora–Gurez road over Razdan Pass. Wular Lake lies between Bandipora and Sopore, according to the Bandipora district site; see the Wular Lake guide.
• Road time: an estimated 5½–7¾ hours from Srinagar, according to the Go Kashmir app as of 22 October 2026.
• By taxi: private quotes in 2026 run to roughly ₹15,000–₹16,000 for a two-day sedan round trip from Srinagar, or ₹17,000–₹18,000 for an SUV, according to Travel Coffee. These are market quotes, not official fares.
• By air: Srinagar airport is about 74.5 km from Bandipora, says the district site.

• Check the road status the day before; the Gurez administration announces closures.
• Carry original photo ID and photocopies for the checkposts.
• Foreign visitors: get the DC Bandipora’s permission three to four days ahead.
• Allow at least two days, because the drive alone is an estimated 5½–7¾ hours each way.

Gurez questions