A weekend is enough for Sudhan Gali and Ganga Choti if you drive up on day one, sleep near the trailhead, and walk to the summit for sunrise on day two before heading home. This itinerary lays out that plan, with the two return routes so you can pick the one that suits your trip.
Sudhan Gali sits at about 2,100 metres in Bagh District, Azad Kashmir, and is the base for the walk up to Ganga Choti, a 3,045-metre peak roughly 8 km away on foot, part jeep track and part footpath.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Duration | 2 days, 1 night |
| From Islamabad | About 180 km to Sudhan Gali, roughly 5 to 6 hours by road |
| Overnight | Sudhan Gali (closest to the trail) or Bagh (more hotel choice) |
| Trek | About 8 km, part jeep track, to the Ganga Choti summit |
| Best months | June to September |
Day 1: Islamabad to Sudhan Gali
Leave Islamabad by mid-morning. The drive runs on the Kashmir Highway and Murree Expressway to Kohala Bridge, then into Azad Kashmir and on to Bagh, around 160 km and four to five hours depending on traffic and stops. From Bagh, it's a further 21 km up a narrower hill road to Sudhan Gali, adding 30 to 45 minutes. Budget five to six hours door to door, more if you stop for food or photos on the way.
Settle into your accommodation in the afternoon, whether that's the AJK Tourism rest house, a private hotel in the Sudhan Gali bazaar, or a room in Bagh if you'd rather have more choice and don't mind the shorter extra drive the next morning. Our Sudhan Gali hotels guide and Bagh hotels guide cover both. Eat an early dinner and get to bed early; the next morning starts before dawn.
Day 2: sunrise at Ganga Choti, then home
- Wake around 4am. If you're staying in Sudhan Gali, you're already at the trailhead. From Bagh, add 30 to 45 minutes of driving before you start walking.
- Walk or take a jeep partway up. A jeep can cover a large part of the climb on the track, leaving a shorter footpath section to the summit. Walking the whole way from Sudhan Gali takes longer and should start earlier.
- Reach the summit for sunrise. Time your start so you're on or near the top as the sky lightens, typically meaning you leave the trailhead well before first light.
- Spend 30 to 45 minutes at the top, then start back down before the day gets hot and before any afternoon cloud builds, which is common in the monsoon months of July and August.
- Breakfast in Sudhan Gali or Bagh, then pack up and start the drive home.
- Choose your return route: back the way you came via Bagh and Kohala, or via Chikar and Muzaffarabad if you'd like to pass through the AJK capital and take a different road back to Islamabad. The Chikar route is longer in places but avoids retracing the same road.
Aim to be back on the road home by early afternoon, which gets you back to Islamabad before dark.
Fitting it to your group
This plan assumes reasonably fit adults comfortable with an early start and a few hours of walking at altitude. For families with young children or anyone who doesn't want a pre-dawn walk, skip the sunrise timing and do the summit walk mid-morning on day two instead, accepting a higher chance of cloud but a much easier schedule. For a slower trip, add a second night in Sudhan Gali or Bagh and split the drive and the trek across three days instead of two.
What to pack
- A headtorch, since the walk up starts in the dark if you're aiming for sunrise
- A warm layer for the summit, which is cold at 3,045 metres even in summer
- Sturdy walking shoes; the footpath section is uneven in places
- Water and snacks, filled up before you leave Sudhan Gali
- Cash, since card facilities are unreliable in the area
- Your CNIC, and be ready to show it if asked at any checkpoint
Is it safe to travel here?
Azad Kashmir saw significant unrest in 2026: Joint Awami Action Committee protests from June led to over 50 deaths by some rights groups' counts and weeks of mobile and internet shutdowns, with the AJK government at one point asking tourists to stay away. The UK currently advises against all but essential travel to most of Azad Kashmir, though Bagh District is not on the Line of Control itself. Check current UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advice and recent local news before you go.
Frequently asked questions
Can Ganga Choti be done as a day trip from Islamabad?
Technically yes if you leave very early, but it makes for a very long day given the five to six hour drive each way plus the trek. A weekend with one night in Sudhan Gali or Bagh is a much more comfortable pace.
Do I need a guide for the walk?
No, the route is well used and not technical, though a local driver or guide for the jeep section is easy to arrange in Sudhan Gali if you'd rather not navigate it yourself.
Which return route is better, Bagh or Chikar?
Bagh and Kohala retraces a known, more direct road. Chikar and Muzaffarabad is a way to see a different part of Azad Kashmir on the way back, at the cost of a longer overall drive.
Is the trek suitable for children?
Older children who can manage a few hours of walking at altitude generally do fine, especially with the jeep option covering part of the distance. A pre-dawn sunrise start is a harder ask for young children than a mid-morning walk.