The hill stations in Azad Kashmir that work best as a summer escape from Islamabad are Dhirkot and Banjosa, three to four hours away, and Pir Chinasi, an hour's climb above Muzaffarabad. Sudhan Gali, Las Danna and Chikar are higher and quieter but further to drive, and their accommodation is mostly small government lodges. All of them are reached by road without a jeep, and all are between about 1,650 and 2,900 metres, cool in June when the plains are at their hottest.
This guide compares them on the things that decide a short trip: how long the drive is, what the road is like, and where you can actually sleep.
| Hill station | District | Height | From Islamabad | Where to stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dhirkot | Bagh | About 1,670 m | About 130 km, 3.5 to 4 hours via Kohala | Town hotels, AJK Tourism huts |
| Banjosa | Poonch | 1,981 m | 3 to 4 hours to Rawalakot, then 18 km | AJK Tourism rest house, guesthouses |
| Pir Chinasi | Muzaffarabad | About 2,900 m | Muzaffarabad, then about 30 km of hill road | Hotels in Muzaffarabad |
| Chikar | Jhelum Valley | About 1,830 m | Muzaffarabad, then about 55 km | AJK Tourism guest house |
| Sudhan Gali | Bagh | About 2,100 m | Via Muzaffarabad and Chikar, or via Bagh | AJK Tourism and PWD rest houses |
| Las Danna | Bagh | 2,625 m | About 160 km to Bagh, then 15 km | AJK Tourism rest house |
What counts as a hill station in Azad Kashmir?
Nothing in Azad Kashmir is quite like Murree or Nathia Gali. There are no Mall Roads and very few large hotels. What you get instead are small hill towns and ridges in pine forest, a few hours from Islamabad, where the air is cooler and the weekends are quieter.
That means planning differs. In Murree there is a hotel on every road; at most of these places the choice is a handful of rooms, often in a government rest house booked through the AJK Tourism and Archaeology Department, so arrange where you are sleeping before you set off.
Dhirkot: the closest from Islamabad
Dhirkot is a hill town at about 1,670 metres in Bagh district, 25 km up from the Jhelum at Kohala. From Islamabad it is roughly 130 km on the Murree road and then the Kohala–Dhirkot road, a drive of three and a half to four hours. It is the easiest of the Azad Kashmir hill stations for a first trip.
The town has hotels and guesthouses, and AJK Tourism runs three tourist huts. Neela Butt, a ridge at about 2,000 metres some 6 km away, has an AJK Tourism lodge and wide views over the hills. Dhirkot takes snow in winter, and the road from Kohala is steep and winding, so drive it in daylight.
Suits: families wanting two nights somewhere cool without a long drive.
Banjosa and Rawalakot
Banjosa is a man-made lake at 1,981 metres in pine forest, 18 km from Rawalakot. Rawalakot itself is about three to four hours from Islamabad on the road through Azad Pattan. Around the lake there is an AJK Tourism rest house with a few rooms, tourist huts and private guesthouses, and the town has more hotels. Above Rawalakot, Toli Pir is a high meadow ridge reached by road, best as a day trip from the town.
In a normal year this is the best short trip in Azad Kashmir. In 2026, though, Rawalakot has been the centre of the region's protests, with road closures, strikes and a long internet shutdown, so read the safety section below before you plan. Our Banjosa Lake guide and our guide to places to visit in Rawalakot cover the area in more detail.
Suits: couples and families with two or three days, when the town is calm.
Pir Chinasi: the big view above Muzaffarabad
Pir Chinasi is a hilltop shrine at about 2,900 metres, around 30 km east of Muzaffarabad. The road is paved but narrow, with dozens of hairpin bends, and takes about an hour or a little more from the city. At the top there are meadows, the shrine of Syed Hussain Shah Bukhari, tea stalls and views over Muzaffarabad and the surrounding ranges.
Most people visit as a half-day trip and sleep in Muzaffarabad, which has the widest choice of hotels in Azad Kashmir, including the Pearl Continental in Upper Chattar. It is the highest of these hill stations, so even in June take a warm layer. Our Pir Chinasi guide covers the road and facilities.
Suits: anyone passing through Muzaffarabad, and people who want height and a view without a long trip.
Chikar and Zalzal Lake
Chikar is a small town at about 1,830 metres in the Jhelum Valley district. The road leaves the Muzaffarabad–Chakothi road at Dhanni Baqalan, about 33 km from Muzaffarabad, and climbs on a concrete road to the town. Below it is Zalzal Lake, formed by a landslide in the 2005 earthquake; our guide to the lakes in Azad Kashmir explains the rough track and walk down to it.
AJK Tourism has a guest house in Chikar, but otherwise there is little to stay in, and most visitors come for the day from Muzaffarabad. Chikar also connects over the hills to Sudhan Gali and Bagh, which makes a good loop if you have a full day.
Suits: a day out from Muzaffarabad, or a quiet night on the way to Bagh.
Sudhan Gali and Ganga Choti
Sudhan Gali is a hill village at about 2,100 metres on the road between Chikar and Bagh. It is known for heavy winter snow and for Ganga Choti, a 3,045-metre summit about 4 km away. From Sudhan Gali, reaching the top is an uphill walk of about 8 km, or you can shorten it with an off-road vehicle.
Accommodation is a tourist rest house run by AJK Tourism and a PWD rest house, both simple. It is the best choice here for a walk with a big view at the end.
Suits: fit walkers and groups of friends happy with basic rooms.
Las Danna
Las Danna is the highest of the group at 2,625 metres, 15 km from Bagh town on a metalled road that continues towards Haveli district. It is a quiet ridge with forest and an AJK Tourism rest house of only a few rooms, so book before you go. Bagh is about 160 km from Islamabad, most of a morning's drive.
The roads beyond Las Danna lead towards Forward Kahuta, Haji Pir and the Line of Control. Stay where the tourist facilities are, and ask locally before going further.
Suits: people who have done Dhirkot and want somewhere higher and emptier.
Is it safe to go to the hill stations right now?
Pakistani visitors still go to all of these places, but 2026 has been a difficult year in Azad Kashmir. Since June, protests led by the Joint Awami Action Committee have left dozens dead, including in Rawalakot and Mirpur, and strikes have repeatedly stopped road traffic across the region, most recently on 9 September. Mobile internet was suspended from 5 June. Broadband was restored in mid-September, but mobile data was still restricted in places, including Rawalakot and Sudhnoti.
Before you go, read local news, ask your hotel whether roads and shops are open, and don't travel on a strike day. Overseas visitors should know that the UK government advises against all but essential travel to Azad Kashmir and against all travel within 10 miles of the Line of Control; your own government may say the same, and it can void travel insurance.
Which hill station should you choose?
For a first trip, go to Dhirkot, or to Banjosa if Rawalakot is calm. Both are close, both have enough places to stay, and neither needs a jeep. If you are already going to Muzaffarabad or the Neelum Valley, add Pir Chinasi for half a day.
Sudhan Gali, Chikar and Las Danna reward people who want quiet and do not mind simple rooms. None of them is somewhere to go on a whim during Eid, when the handful of rooms fill quickly.
If you want a lively hill town with restaurants, shopping and plenty of hotels, the Galiyat will suit you better; see our list of weekend getaways from Islamabad. For the Neelum Valley and the rest of the region, start with our Kashmir destination page.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the nearest hill station in Azad Kashmir from Islamabad?
Dhirkot and Rawalakot are the closest, each about three to four hours away. Dhirkot is reached via Murree and Kohala; Rawalakot by the road through Azad Pattan.
Which hill station in Azad Kashmir is highest?
Pir Chinasi, at about 2,900 metres above Muzaffarabad, is the highest you can drive to on a paved road. Las Danna, near Bagh, is next at 2,625 metres.
Do Azad Kashmir hill stations get snow?
Yes. Dhirkot, Banjosa, Pir Chinasi and especially Sudhan Gali all get snow in winter, and roads can be slow or blocked for a day or two after heavy falls.
How do I book AJK Tourism rest houses?
Through the AJK Tourism and Archaeology Department, whose office is in Muzaffarabad. Arrange the booking before you travel rather than turning up, especially for Sudhan Gali and Las Danna, which have only a few rooms.
Is Pir Chinasi worth visiting?
Yes, if you are in Muzaffarabad anyway. The road is steep and has many hairpins, so go with a confident driver, and take a warm layer for the top.
