Hidden from the sights of mass tourism, enveloped by mighty peaks of the Himalayas, 200 km from Srinagar, a new tehsil, known as Tulail, or "the little Ladakh," was carved out of the Gurez Valley in 2014. Most of the population here speaks Shina (the local language of the Dards) and belongs to the Dardic tribe, and share similar traits to the inhabitant of northern Pakistan. However, over time, due to cultural integration, you can now see members of the Dardic culture adorning traditional Kashmiri attires like pherans, woollen capes, etc.
Tulail valley is only a mile wide and surrounded by lofty mountains similar to every other place in Kashmir. The southern-facing slopes are uniformly devoid of any forest. The only exception is at the western end of the valley, between Purana Tulail and Zergay, where the mountains are too steep to support vegetation.
Best Time To Visit Tulail Valley
The best time to visit Tulail valley begins from mid-May to September, when the valley blooms to life in all its glory. If you make it during the summers, you'd be surprised to see the gushing streams of river Kishanganga, charmingly flowing like poetry through the southern side of the valley.
The village of Barnoi is the gateway to Tulail. It connects the valley to Drass in Ladakh via Kabul Gali. However, trespassing through this treacherous pass is yet to open to common tourists and locals.
How To Reach Tulail Valley?
You must first travel to Gurez, which is located 123 km from Srinagar and 86 km from Bandipore, to get to Tulail. Tulail is a sub-valley in the Gurez division of Jammu & Kashmir's union territory. From Srinagar, a private vehicle can be rented, which will take roughly 5 to 6 hours to reach the valley. If you prefer to travel by bus, take a bus from Srinagar to Bandipore and another bus from Bandipore to Dawar hamlet in Gurez.
Places To Visit Around Tulail Valley
Visit The Mighty Peak Habba Khatoon
Habba Khatoon is one of the top tourist destinations in Gurez Valley. Ages ago, Mughal emperor Akbar arrested and imprisoned Habba Khatoon, a poetess whose husband was the king of Kashmir during his conquest of that region.
Currently, the term refers to a mountain visible from Dawar, the central municipality of Gurez. On the life of Habba Khatoon, a movie starring Dimple Kapadia, was also contemplated here, but it was never released.
Kishanganga River
Just before Dawar, there is a dam on the Kishanganga River that resembles a sizable lake. It's an excellent place to pause and snap photographs.
Khandiyal Top
It is located at the summit of a hillock that provides a 360-degree view of the entire town of Dawar, the lake at the Kishanganga dam, and the nearby villages. Another great location to observe the sunrise and sunset is there.
You must travel up the hill near the gas station to reach this location. Drive as far as you can, park, and then climb to the summit on foot. Ask for instructions because the roads will start to get narrow and complicated.
Army Cafe
It's a little cafe that the Indian Army runs. It was merely a canteen that the Indian soldiers visited till a few years ago. However, it is now a highly upscale and contemporary-looking cafe that is a popular hangout for tourists and residents.
Chakwali
The last village in the Tulail District that tourists can visit is Chakwali. The route currently ends here, and to the left is where Pakistan has taken control of Kashmir.
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