Karjai Fort, Khuiratta: The Dogra Fort on the Peak

Karjai Fort is a large stone fort on a peak above Karjai village in the Bannah valley, near Khuiratta in Kotli district, Azad Kashmir. The AJK archaeology department dates it to the Dogra period and describes it as a major defensive post; local tradition makes it older and links it to the Mughals. It is a ruin with no facilities, reached by local roads and a climb, and it lies very close to the Line of Control, so access is the first thing to check.

This guide covers what is known about the fort, what survives, how people reach it and what else is nearby.

Where is Karjai Fort?

Khuiratta (also spelt Khoi Ratta) is a tehsil town about 29 km south-east of Kotli city and roughly 154 km from Islamabad. Before 1947 it lay on a trade route between Rajouri and Mirpur. Today it is only about 7 to 8 km from the Line of Control.

The fort stands on Karjai mountain above Karjai village in the Bannah (Bana) valley. A Daily Jang feature by Umair Hassan in March 2021 put it about 17 km from Khuiratta town, on a high ridge at about 2,500 feet. OpenStreetMap marks the site a few kilometres north-east of Khuiratta, which suggests the 17 km is a road distance along winding hill roads.

Who built Karjai Fort?

Nobody knows for certain. The AJK Tourism and Archaeology Department describes Karjai as a "massive fort" of the Dogra period, built for defence, whose size and position on the peak suggest it was the central defensive post of the area.

Local accounts reported by Daily Jang go further back. Some say it is about 350 years old and was built on the orders of the emperor Akbar. Others credit a governor of Kashmir named Malik Zafar, who is said to have used it as a summer retreat for his daughter, Raj Mahal Begum. Neither story has documentary support that we could find, and the two do not fit together neatly, so treat them as local tradition. The safest summary is a hilltop fort that was in use under the Dogras and may stand on an older site.

What is left to see?

From the Daily Jang description and the archaeology department's notes:

• Walls and bastions of stone set in lime, enclosing the hilltop.
• Lookout points placed to watch the approaches.
• Rooms, now mostly collapsed, with old fireplaces still visible in some walls.
• A well for water storage, now overgrown.
• An underground chamber, sealed.

The 2021 report described the fort as badly damaged by weather and official neglect, and we found no record of conservation since. Before 1947, it said, a route ran from here towards Rajouri, on what is now the Indian side of the Line of Control. The position explains the fort: it overlooks the valley and the old routes east.

How do you reach Karjai Fort?

There is no published trail description, and we could not confirm how far you drive and how far you walk. What can be said:

1. Get to Kotli, then drive about 29 km to Khuiratta. Our hotels in Kotli guide covers where to stay.
2. From Khuiratta, ask the way to Karjai village and the qila. Use the OpenStreetMap pin, but expect local roads to be narrow and unpaved in places.
3. The last part to the peak is a climb. Wear proper shoes, carry water, and go with someone local who knows the path.

Do not go in the monsoon months of July and August, when slopes are slippery, or in the heat of a summer afternoon. October to March is the sensible window.

What else is near Khuiratta?

The Khuiratta rock-cut caves at Kot village, known locally as Parian di Khothian, are 7th to 8th century rock-cut chambers right by the town. The shrine of Mai Toti Sahiba at Pandli Sharif, about 4 km from Khuiratta, is covered in our guide to shrines in Azad Kashmir. For other heritage trips in the region, see our experiences page.

Is it safe to visit Karjai Fort?

This is the key question. Khuiratta and the Bannah valley are within a few kilometres of the Line of Control, and the UK government advises against all travel within 10 miles of it. Overseas visitors should not plan this trip without checking their own government's advice, which can void travel insurance.

Pakistani visitors do go to Khuiratta, but the area near the Line of Control can be restricted at short notice, and Kotli district was affected by the deadly unrest in Azad Kashmir from June 2026, with long phone and internet shutdowns. Check local news, ask the police in Khuiratta whether the area is open, and follow any instruction at checkpoints. Do not photograph military posts. Our Azad Kashmir safety guide has the wider picture.

Is Karjai Fort worth the trip?

For hill walkers who like ruins and can get local help with the route, it is a real find: a big, little-visited fort on a peak above the Bannah valley. Combined with the rock-cut caves, it makes a full day from Kotli.

It is not for families with small children, anyone who needs a clear path and facilities, or visitors unwilling to check access near the Line of Control. If you want an easier fort visit in the region, Throchi Fort near Gulpur is closer to Kotli, though it is viewed from outside.

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