The most useful Azad Kashmir travel tips are practical ones. Carry your CNIC and enough cash for the whole trip, buy a SCOM SIM in Muzaffarabad before heading up the Neelum Valley, fill the tank before the mountains, drive only in daylight, and book rooms ahead for Eid and summer weekends. In 2026 there is one more: check the news before you set off, because protests and strikes have closed roads and cut mobile internet for weeks at a time.
This is a checklist for first-timers, whether you are driving your own car from Lahore or taking a coaster from Rawalpindi. It covers documents, money, signal, fuel and roads, dress, and how to behave near the Line of Control.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Documents | CNIC for every adult; foreign nationals need an NOC for areas near the LoC |
| Money | Enough cash for the whole trip; ATMs are mainly in Muzaffarabad and larger towns |
| Phone | SCOM is the network to rely on, especially in the Neelum Valley |
| Fuel | Fill up in Muzaffarabad before heading into the valleys |
| Driving | Daylight only; landslide risk highest in July and August |
| Hotels | Book ahead for Eid, 14 August and summer weekends |
| Drones | Banned across Pakistan since February 2026 |
Documents and checkpoints
Every adult in your group needs an original CNIC, not a photocopy or a picture on a phone. There are police and army checkpoints where you enter Azad Kashmir, at places like the bridge at Kohala, and more along the Neelum road, where you may be asked to register names and vehicle details. Keep the CNICs somewhere you can reach them, not in a bag on the roof.
Hotels in the Neelum Valley also record each guest's details and itinerary. Since January 2025 they have used a "safe tourism" app that reports to the district police, so that the administration can reach families in an emergency. Expect to give your CNIC number and your plans at check-in.
Foreign nationals need a No Objection Certificate for areas near the Line of Control, which covers most of the Neelum Valley. It takes time, so arrange it well before the trip, usually through a registered tour operator.
Is it safe to travel right now?
Pakistani visitors are still travelling to Azad Kashmir, but 2026 has been unsettled, and you should check the situation in the days before you go.
- Protests. Since June 2026, protests led by the Joint Awami Action Committee have left dozens dead, with the heaviest clashes around Rawalakot and Mirpur. Region-wide strikes have shut markets and stopped road traffic, most recently on 9 September.
- Internet cuts. Mobile internet was suspended across the region from 5 June. By mid-September it had been restored in Neelum, Mirpur and Bhimber, and broadband was back in Muzaffarabad, but mobile data there was still off, and Rawalakot and Sudhnoti remained offline.
- The Line of Control. In May 2025, during India–Pakistan tension, police and soldiers turned tourists back from the Neelum Valley. Closures like that can happen at short notice.
- Official advice for overseas visitors. The UK government's Pakistan travel advice says not to travel within 10 miles of the LoC at all, and to make only essential trips to the rest of Azad Kashmir. Your own government may say the same, and going against it can void travel insurance.
Read local news the day before, ask your hotel whether roads and markets are open, and never drive on a declared strike day.
Cash, cards and ATMs
Carry enough cash for the whole trip from Islamabad or Muzaffarabad. ATMs are concentrated in Muzaffarabad and the larger towns, and jeeps, guesthouses, chairlifts and tea stalls in the valleys want cash.
The 2026 internet shutdown made this more important: card machines and mobile wallets need a connection, and traders who relied on digital payments lost business for much of the summer. Keep small notes for tolls, parking and tea, and split the cash between two people. Our guide to the cost of an Azad Kashmir trip helps you work out how much to bring.
Phone signal and internet
In the Neelum Valley, SCOM, the Special Communications Organisation network, is the one that works reliably; other networks fade soon after you enter the valley. Buy a SCOM SIM in Muzaffarabad before you go up, taking your CNIC for biometric verification.
Even with SCOM, expect gaps. Download offline maps before you leave Islamabad, save your hotel numbers, and agree with family at home that no news for a day is normal. With mobile data still restricted in parts of Azad Kashmir in September 2026, check what is working before you rely on it.
Fuel, roads and driving hours
Fill the tank in Muzaffarabad before heading up the Neelum or out to the Jhelum Valley, and top up whenever you pass a pump in a bigger town. Pumps become scarce as the roads climb, and a queue of Eid traffic uses more fuel than you expect.
A few rules keep the driving safe:
- Drive in daylight only. Roads are narrow, often unlit and unfenced, and landslide debris is hard to see at night.
- Start early. Muzaffarabad is about 130 km from Islamabad, roughly three and a half to four hours, and the valley roads beyond are slower than any map suggests.
- Respect the monsoon. July is the wettest month in Muzaffarabad, with more than 300 mm of rain on average, and July and August bring the most landslides. Keep a spare day.
- Use low gear downhill, especially on the Kohala road and the climb to Pir Chinasi, and let faster local drivers pass.
Our Neelum Valley road condition guide goes stage by stage, and our travel guide covers mountain driving across the north.
Dress, photography and local customs
Azad Kashmir is conservative, especially outside Muzaffarabad. Loose clothes that cover arms and legs are the norm for men and women, and women will be more comfortable with a dupatta or scarf to hand, and should cover their heads at shrines such as Pir Chinasi. Swimwear by rivers and lakes draws attention.
Ask before photographing people, and don't photograph women without clear permission. If you are offered tea in a village, accept if you have time, and don't insist on paying unless it is a shop.
How to behave near the Line of Control
Much of the Neelum Valley and the Jhelum Valley road runs close to the LoC. At Keran, the far bank of the river is Indian-administered Kashmir. A few habits keep you out of trouble:
- Don't photograph army posts, bunkers, bridges or soldiers, and put the camera away at checkpoints.
- Don't go down to the riverbank where signs or soldiers tell you not to, and don't shout or signal across the river.
- Leave the drone at home. In February 2026 the interior ministry banned outdoor drone flying across Pakistan, including Azad Kashmir, until further orders. Near the LoC a drone will be treated as a security matter.
- Stay on the main road and in the villages unless you are with a local guide who knows which tracks are open.
- Follow instructions at checkpoints without argument, and turn back if you are told to.
Booking hotels and jeeps
In June, July and August, over the Eid holidays and on the 14 August weekend, the Neelum Valley is at its busiest, and the best rooms in Keran go early. We suggest booking three to four weeks ahead for those dates and confirming by phone the day before. On ordinary weekdays you can usually find a room on arrival. Before you pay, ask about heating, hot water, parking and a generator. Our guide to the best resorts in Azad Kashmir has a fuller checklist.
For jeep trips to Ratti Gali, Patlian or Taobat, the Neelum administration allows only well-maintained vehicles with licensed drivers. Book through your hotel or the local jeep stand, and agree the route, the waiting time and whether the price is one way or return before you set off.
Who Azad Kashmir suits right now
In a normal year, Azad Kashmir is one of the easiest mountain trips from Islamabad: gentle altitude, green valleys, and a Neelum trip that works for families with older parents. The drives are long rather than difficult.
In 2026, be more careful than usual. If your dates are fixed and you cannot move them around a strike or a road closure, or if you depend on your phone for work, somewhere like Hunza or the Galiyat may be the easier choice this year. If you can stay flexible and keep a spare day, the Neelum Valley was open to Pakistani visitors in September 2026. Our five-day Neelum Valley Escape builds in the driver, the bookings and the permits for the upper valley.
Frequently asked questions
Do Pakistanis need a permit to visit Azad Kashmir?
No. Pakistani citizens need only their original CNIC, which is checked at entry points and checkpoints. Foreign nationals need an NOC for areas near the Line of Control.
Which SIM works in Azad Kashmir?
SCOM works most reliably, and in the Neelum Valley it is often the only network with signal. Buy one in Muzaffarabad with your CNIC before heading up the valley.
Are there ATMs in Neelum Valley?
There are banks in larger towns such as Athmuqam, but don't rely on finding a working ATM. Take enough cash from Islamabad or Muzaffarabad for the whole trip.
Is it safe to drive at night in Azad Kashmir?
It is best avoided. Mountain roads are narrow and unlit, and landslide debris is hard to see after dark, so plan every drive to finish before sunset.
Can I fly a drone in Neelum Valley?
No. Pakistan banned outdoor drone flying nationwide in February 2026 until further orders, and near the Line of Control a drone is treated as a security issue.
What should women wear in Azad Kashmir?
Loose clothes that cover arms and legs, with a dupatta or scarf to hand for villages and shrines. Muzaffarabad is a little more relaxed than the valleys.
