How to Reach Leepa Valley from Islamabad

To reach Leepa Valley from Islamabad, drive to Muzaffarabad, follow the Jhelum Valley road east for 45 km to Naili, cross the river and climb to Reshian, the gateway village. From Reshian a mountain road crosses the ridge and drops into the valley; most visitors change to a hired jeep here, although a newer metalled road now lets ordinary cars through in dry weather. The whole journey is about 230 km and takes around seven hours without long stops.

That makes Leepa closer on the map than it feels on the road. This guide takes the route one stage at a time, explains where the jeeps take over, covers the public transport options and gives a realistic total time from Islamabad.

The route in five stages

1. Islamabad to Muzaffarabad. Over the Murree hills on the Murree Expressway, down to Kohala and the bridge into Azad Kashmir, then along the river to Muzaffarabad.
2. Muzaffarabad to Naili. East on the Jhelum Valley road (the old Srinagar road), past Garhi Dupatta and Hattian Bala, with the river beside you most of the way.
3. Naili to Reshian. At Naili a side road crosses the Jhelum and climbs steadily to Reshian, the last village before the ridge.
4. Over the ridge. From Reshian the road climbs through forest past Dao Khan and over the top, then descends a long series of bends into the valley.
5. Into the valley. The newer road enters at Moji and runs on to Leepa village; the older jeep track comes down towards Nokot and its rice terraces.

Islamabad to Naili: the paved part

The first stretch is the easy one. Islamabad to Muzaffarabad by the Murree and Kohala road is roughly 125 to 135 km and takes about three and a half hours, more on summer weekends when Murree is jammed. There is a longer alternative through Abbottabad, Mansehra and Garhi Habibullah, which helps when snow or holiday traffic blocks Murree; our guide to Islamabad to Muzaffarabad compares the two.

In Muzaffarabad, keep to the road that follows the Jhelum upstream, south-east and then east, towards Chakothi. It is paved all the way and passes Garhi Dupatta after about 20 km and Hattian Bala, the district headquarters, at about 40 km. Naili comes five kilometres later.

If you have time on the way back, the stops along this road are covered in our guide to the Jhelum Valley from Muzaffarabad to Chakothi.

Naili to Reshian: the climb begins

At Naili the Leepa road leaves the main road, crosses the Jhelum and starts to climb. Reshian, about 22 km on and 67 km from Muzaffarabad, sits at 1,674 metres. It is a small bazaar village with a couple of basic places to eat, and it is where most visitors leave their own car.

Reshian is also the checkpoint for the valley. Have your CNIC ready and expect to register your name and vehicle. Leepa runs along the Line of Control, and the soldiers here have the final say on whether visitors can go on, so ask them about the day's conditions before you set off over the top.

Reshian to Leepa: where the jeeps take over

Beyond Reshian there are two ways into the valley:

• The newer metalled road climbs to Dao Khan, a forest spot about 4 km from Reshian at around 2,500 metres with government rest houses, then crosses the ridge at Sher Gali and comes down to Moji and Leepa village. A 2024 Express Tribune feature and a 2025 Azadi Times guide both describe it as passable for ordinary cars.
• The old jeep road, known locally as the Defence Road, goes over the higher ground usually called Reshian Gali, at about 3,200 metres, and zigzags down towards Nokot. It needs a 4x4 and a driver who knows it.

In practice, most visitors still hire a jeep at Reshian. The newer road has rough patches, slides come down on it after rain and snow, and a local driver knows which road is open that day and where the terraces and viewpoints are. A jeep also lets you go down one road and come back the other.

Agree the details before you get in: which sectors you want to see, how long the driver will wait at each, and whether the price includes bringing you back to Reshian. A full circuit of the valley with stops takes most of a day. Our guide to the Leepa Valley road condition goes into the ridge crossing, the slide spots and the car-or-jeep decision in detail.

By public transport

You can reach Leepa without a car, but it takes planning:

1. Islamabad or Rawalpindi to Muzaffarabad. Coasters and vans run through the day. After the fuel price rise in March 2026 the standard fare rose to about PKR 900 one way, and luxury coasters were listed at about PKR 2,200 in August 2026. Fares have changed several times this year, so check at the terminal.
2. Muzaffarabad to Reshian. Buses and vans run daily from Muzaffarabad's old bus stand. They are slow on the climb from Naili, so take an early one.
3. Reshian to Leepa. Shared jeeps run into the valley, or you can hire a whole jeep. Shared seats are cheaper but leave when full, and the last ones go early in the afternoon.

Travelling this way, you will not get from Islamabad to Leepa in one day unless you start before dawn. Most people on public transport spend the first night in Muzaffarabad or at Dao Khan.

How long does it really take?

On a clear day with no delays, count on about seven hours of driving from Islamabad: three and a half to Muzaffarabad and roughly three to four more to Leepa, including the jeep section. With breakfast, registration at Reshian and changing vehicles, that becomes most of a day.

Two ways to split it:

• Leave Islamabad by 6 or 7 am and sleep in the valley or at Dao Khan the same night. This works in June and July, when the days are long.
• Break the journey in Muzaffarabad and go on to Leepa the next morning. This is better with children or older parents, in autumn when daylight is shorter, and whenever you would otherwise be crossing the ridge late in the day.

Either way, don't plan to cross the ridge after dark. Rooms in the valley are few, so book before you set off; our guide to Leepa Valley hotels and guesthouses covers where to stay.

From Lahore, drive the M-2 to Islamabad first and treat the trip as three days minimum, with a night in Islamabad or Muzaffarabad on the way.

Before you set off

• Carry your CNIC for every family member who has one, and keep it handy at Kohala and Reshian.
• Take cash. Withdraw what you need for the whole trip in Muzaffarabad or earlier. Jeeps, guesthouses and food in the valley are paid in cash.
• Fill the tank before the climb. Fuel beyond the Jhelum Valley road is sold informally at Reshian and in the valley, not at proper pumps.
• Don't rely on mobile data. Since 5 June 2026 mobile internet and broadband have been suspended across Azad Kashmir during the political protests, and the suspension had passed 100 days by late September. Download offline maps and save phone numbers before you cross at Kohala. Even in normal times, coverage in the valley is patchy, with SCOM and Ufone the networks most likely to work.
• Check the weather. Rain brings slides on the climb from Naili and on the ridge, and snow closes the ridge from about December to April. Our guide to the Leepa Valley itself covers the season and what to see once you arrive.

Is it safe to travel to Leepa Valley?

Pakistani tourists do visit Leepa every summer, but it is a Line of Control valley, and the situation can change quickly. Indian shelling hit the valley on 8 May 2025, during the India–Pakistan confrontation, and firing across the LoC in the Leepa sector was reported again in late October 2025. The ceasefire has broadly held since.

Azad Kashmir has also been unsettled since June 2026 by protests led by the Joint Awami Action Committee, with deaths in clashes, strikes that shut roads and the long internet suspension. In early June the AJK government asked visitors to leave for two weeks.

Before you go, check local news and ask the police in Muzaffarabad or at the Reshian checkpoint about the current situation. If you are travelling on a foreign passport, the UK government advises against all travel within 10 miles of the LoC, which covers all of Leepa; your own government's advice may be similar, and going against it can void your travel insurance. Foreign nationals should also check whether an NOC is needed. For help deciding whether and when a trip makes sense, see our trip planning page.

Frequently asked questions