Naran in winter is closed to visitors. Once the heavy snow arrives, usually in late November or early December, the district administration bans travel beyond Kaghan town until the road is cleared again in spring, and there are no hotels or restaurants open in Naran to go to. Visitors are still allowed as far as Kaghan town and Shogran, and Shogran, above Kiwai in the lower valley, is the winter snow trip in the Kaghan valley.
This guide explains how the closure works, what is open in each part of the winter, what a snow trip to Shogran involves, and how to do it safely.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Naran | Closed to visitors from about early December to late April |
| Last month you can reach Naran | November, until the heavy snow |
| How far you can go in winter | Kaghan town and Shogran |
| Babusar Pass | Closed from about November to late May |
| Best winter snow trip in the valley | Shogran, 2,362 m, by jeep or 4x4 from Kiwai |
| Vehicles on the Shogran road in snow | 4x4s and cars with chains (February 2026) |
| Emergency | Rescue 1122 |
Can you go to Naran in winter?
No. Not in the sense of driving up, staying in a hotel and seeing the lake. The winter closure has followed the same pattern for the last two seasons:
- Early November: the first heavy snow hits Babusar. On 6 November 2025, police rescued more than 150 tourists stranded in about 50 vehicles near Babusar Top and brought them down to Naran.
- Late November: the Mansehra administration banned all travel between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan through the valley until the next summer. In 2025 that order came on 27 November. Naran itself stayed open, but Batakundi and Saif-ul-Malook could be visited only between 11 am and 3 pm, and only with chains on the tyres.
- After the second heavy snowfall: travel to Naran and beyond is banned outright. On 10 December 2025 the administration barred visitors, and even locals, from going on to Naran and Batakundi. By then the families of the upper valley had moved down for the winter, the police posts along the road had been withdrawn, and no hotels or restaurants were serving visitors. Anyone breaking the ban faced legal action.
The winter before followed the same shape. On 30 November 2024 the deputy commissioner closed Naran and the sites around it, and visitors were told they could go only as far as Shogran and Kaghan.
The road reopens in spring, once the National Highway Authority has cut through the snow and avalanche debris. In both 2025 and 2026 that was in the second half of April. Our guide to whether the Naran road is open or closed goes through the spring sequence section by section.
What is open in winter, and where can you go?
| Place | In winter |
|---|---|
| Balakot and Kiwai | Open; on the main road below the closure |
| Shogran | Open to visitors; snow road from Kiwai |
| Siri Paye, above Shogran | Deep snow; only with local help and settled weather |
| Kaghan town | The furthest point visitors may drive |
| Naran, Batakundi, Saif-ul-Malook | Closed from about early December |
| Babusar Top | Closed from about November |
The practical limit, then, is the lower valley. Kaghan town is the end of the road for visitors, and the snow scenery most people are looking for is at Shogran, which sits on a shelf of forest and meadow high above the main road.
November: the last chance for snow in Naran
If you want to see Naran itself under snow, November is the only realistic month. Early snow on the peaks, empty hotels and cold, clear days make it a quiet, striking time. It is also a gamble:
- The closure can come early. One heavy fall is enough to shut Babusar, and the second can shut Naran.
- Many hotels and restaurants close through November as their owners head down the valley.
- Chains may be required for the upper valley, as they were in late November 2025.
Go only with a flexible return date, a room confirmed by phone the day before, and a car you trust in snow. If the forecast shows heavy snow, don't go.
Shogran: the winter snow trip instead
Shogran, at 2,362 metres, is where the Kaghan valley's winter visitors go. It is closer to Islamabad than Naran, the road is kept open, and it gets proper snow: in January 2025 about a foot of fresh snow fell there after a long dry spell.
Getting up in snow
You turn off the main road at Kiwai and climb about 7 to 8 km through pine forest. The Kaghan Development Authority clears the Shogran road in winter, but snow still decides who can drive it. After fresh snow in February 2026, the KDA allowed only four-wheel-drive vehicles and vehicles with snow chains on the Shogran road.
For most people the answer is a local jeep from Kiwai. The official return fare notified for 2026 was PKR 4,500 per jeep from Kiwai to Shogran, but that was set for the tourist season, so agree the price, and whether the driver will wait or come back for you, before you set off.
Staying overnight
Shogran has a small number of hotels, some of which stay open for the snow season. In winter, check before you travel that your hotel is actually open, how the rooms are heated, and what happens when the power goes off. Pine Park has run a hotel in Shogran since 1992; our Shogran guide covers the hotels and the walks in more detail.
What not to do in winter
Siri Paye, the high meadow above Shogran, is where winter trips most often go wrong:
- On 9 and 10 December 2024, heavy snow blocked the track between Shogran and Siri Paye, and more than 400 university students and teachers had to be rescued by Rescue 1122 through the night.
- In February 2025, two foreign tourists skiing at Siri Paye strayed towards Makra Peak, lost their way in the snow, and were found only after a ten-hour search.
In winter, stay around Shogran itself unless you are with someone local who knows the ground, and never set off up the mountain in the afternoon or with snow forecast.
Is it safe to travel in the Kaghan valley in winter?
The lower valley is visited all winter, and most trips go smoothly. The risk is the weather, not the place. A few rules make the difference:
- Check the forecast. The Pakistan Meteorological Department issues snow warnings for the Hazara division. If heavy snow is forecast, move your trip.
- Carry chains and know how to fit them before you need them, or leave the car at Kiwai and take a jeep.
- Drive in daylight only. The road is narrow and icy after dark, and a late start from Islamabad is how people end up on it at night.
- Keep warm clothes, water, food and a full tank in the car. If a snowfall closes the road for a few hours, you will be glad of them.
- Obey closure orders and police checkposts. If you are told the road ahead is shut, turn round.
- Keep your return date flexible. A heavy fall can close the Shogran road for a day.
In an emergency, call Rescue 1122.
Other snow trips from Islamabad and Lahore
If the lower Kaghan valley doesn't suit, the nearest snow to Islamabad is in the Murree hills and the Galiyat, which are closer and have more hotels open in winter. Our guide to snowfall places in KPK compares the options, with what each is like to drive in snow.
Should you plan a winter trip to Naran?
Plan a winter trip to Kaghan, not to Naran. Families from Islamabad and Lahore who want a night in real snow, pine forest and a quiet hotel will be well served by Shogran, as long as they go in a jeep or a proper 4x4 and keep a spare day. Anyone set on Saif-ul-Malook, Babusar or the upper valley should come back between May and October; our Naran weather by month shows what each month is like there.
If you would like us to plan a winter snow trip, or a summer Naran trip for when the road opens, send us your dates.
Frequently asked questions
Is Naran open in winter?
No. From about early December until the road is cleared in late April, visitors are not allowed beyond Kaghan town, and Naran's hotels and restaurants are closed.
Which month does Naran close?
Usually after the second heavy snowfall, in late November or early December. In 2025 the ban on travel to Naran came on 10 December, after travel to Gilgit-Baltistan through the valley had been stopped on 27 November.
Where can I see snow in the Kaghan valley in winter?
At Shogran, above Kiwai, and around Kaghan town, the furthest point visitors may go. Shogran is the usual choice, with hotels and a road the Kaghan Development Authority keeps clear.
Can a normal car go to Shogran in winter?
Only in good conditions and with chains. After snowfall in February 2026 the road was limited to four-wheel-drive vehicles and cars fitted with snow chains, so most visitors take a jeep from Kiwai.
When does Naran reopen after winter?
Once the National Highway Authority has cleared the road, usually in the second half of April. Saif-ul-Malook opens a little later and Babusar Pass in late May.
Is Saif-ul-Malook frozen in winter?
Yes, and it is out of bounds. The jeep track is under deep snow and the valley above Kaghan town is closed from about December to April.
