Gittidas is a stretch of high, open meadow at 3,678 metres on the N-15, in the upper Kaghan valley beyond Lulusar Lake and before the final climb to Babusar Top. In summer it fills with Gujar herders and their livestock, grazing the high pastures before the flocks are brought back down as autumn approaches, and it is one of the more scenic, least crowded stops on the road up to the pass.
This guide covers what Gittidas is, the herders who use it, and what a stop there involves.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Altitude | 3,678 m |
| Location | On the N-15, beyond Lulusar Lake, before the climb to Babusar Top |
| Distance from Naran | Roughly 48 km |
| Character | Open, high-altitude grazing meadows |
| Best time | Summer, when herders are present and the road is open |
Where Gittidas is
Gittidas sits on the Naran–Babusar road, past Besal and Lulusar Lake, at the point where the valley opens into the last broad meadows before the road climbs in earnest to the top of the pass. It is roughly 48 km above Naran, high enough that the vegetation has thinned to grass and low scrub rather than forest.
Early in the season, before the road has been fully cleared, this stretch often holds the deepest banks of snow left beside the tarmac, a sign of how much higher and more exposed it is than the valley floor at Naran.
The Gujar herders
Gujar nomads are a long-established part of the upper Kaghan valley's summer life, moving their herds of cattle and other livestock up to the high pastures each spring and bringing them back down in autumn, a seasonal migration known as transhumance. Gittidas is one of the places this happens: herders camp here through the warmer months, in traditional tents, grazing their animals on the open meadows before the first snows send them back down the valley.
For travellers, this means Gittidas is not an empty landscape but a lived-in one in summer, with herders' camps, grazing animals and, often, someone happy to sell fresh dairy products to passing visitors. Treat it as someone's working summer home rather than a photo backdrop: ask before photographing people directly, and don't wander through grazing animals or tents without an invitation.
What to expect if you stop
There is little in the way of built infrastructure at Gittidas: no permanent shops, no fuel, and only the same simple roadside stalls found elsewhere on this stretch, if any are open at all. What draws people to stop is the openness of the meadows themselves, the herders' camps, and the sense of arriving at the last high ground before Babusar Top.
Photography is the main reason most visitors pause here rather than driving straight through: wide grassy slopes, grazing animals, and mountains rising on either side, with none of the crowding found at Saif-ul-Malook or Babusar Top itself. Weather can turn quickly at this altitude, so don't linger if cloud is building, and keep warm layers on hand even in July.
Getting there
Gittidas is on the same road used to reach Babusar Top, so no separate trip is needed: it is a stop on the drive up from Naran, past Batakundi, Jalkhad, Besal and Lulusar Lake. Our Babusar Pass guide covers that full drive stop by stop, including road conditions and timing, and our Lulusar Lake guide covers the lake just below Gittidas on the same road.
Is it worth stopping at Gittidas?
Yes, briefly, if you are already driving to Babusar Top or beyond. It costs nothing extra in time to slow down here, and the meadows are a better photograph than the car park at the top of the pass. It is not a destination to plan a special trip around on its own; it works as one stop among several on a drive most visitors are already making.
For fitting Gittidas into a Kaghan valley itinerary, our trip planning page is the place to start.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Gittidas from Naran?
About 48 km, on the N-15 towards Babusar Top, beyond Besal and Lulusar Lake.
Who are the herders at Gittidas?
Gujar nomads, who bring livestock up to the high pastures of the Kaghan valley each summer and take them back down before winter, a seasonal pattern known as transhumance.
Is there anywhere to eat or buy fuel at Gittidas?
Not reliably. Fill up in Naran and treat Gittidas as a scenery and photography stop rather than a place to plan meals around.
When is the best time to visit Gittidas?
Summer, when the road to Babusar is open and the herders are present with their livestock. Outside the road's summer season, Gittidas is snowbound and inaccessible.
Is Gittidas the same as Babusar Top?
No. Gittidas is a stretch of meadow on the road below the pass, at 3,678 metres, while Babusar Top itself is higher, at 4,173 metres, and further up the same road.
