Baboon Valley is not a much-visited place compared to other areas of Kashmir, but It’s a stunning location with breathtaking majesty. The beautiful section of the Neelum Valley is known as the Baboon valley. It’s approximately 13000 feet above sea level. If you want to encounter genuine nature, this valley has all kinds of magnificent and picturesque views. Waterfalls, verdant meadows, springs, snow-covered mountain peaks, and glaciers are available for tourists. The Baboon valley is a lush, green, and unspoiled valley. The road leading to Kutton waterfall branches off from it, and jeeps may get there in three hours from Kundal Shahi or Karan side.
Several tents and hotels are available in Karka and Domelian villages on the Keran Valley side and on the Jagran side. In addition, hotels are available in Shaal and Ghural villages, 98 kilometers away from Muzaffarabad. The following locations are just a few that surround this valley: Ratti Gali Lake, Keran, Jabri Top, Jabri Forest, Kandor Stadium, Doarayan Jungle.
It’s a lovely lush Green village amid dense forests. You can see a few waterfalls and a stream here. A small market for essential food items is available there now. Unfortunately, there are no hotels available, but as soon as tourism gets a boost in Pakistan, hotels will hopefully get started very soon.
Ahead of Domaili, the jeep reaches Baboon Valley. A lovely meadow in the jungle. You may stay the night here or camp if you like. Annual teams from all around Pakistan compete in tournaments at this location. So you are welcome to spend the night at their campsites.
It is a beautiful destination that should be visited, especially by individuals who want to see snowy green meadows, snow, and tranquillity at the same time. So if you’re going to organize a trip to the Neelum valley, Top Baboon Valley should be at the top of your list.
The Baboon valley is found in the remote highlands of Azad Kashmir. It’s a trip of around 8 hours from the Upper Neelum. Therefore, it would help if you used 4×4 vehicles to get there. There are two main routes to visit the Baboon Valley. One starts at Kutton, and the other begins at Keran. The distance between the Baboon valley and Muzaffarabad is 98 kilometres. Because of the lack of construction, though, the road is hazardous.
The Baboon valley’s weather is just as unpredictable as the rest of the northern areas. You can never tell when it will start raining after a sunny day, particularly in this region.
There are several leisure options, such as a trip between Dabba and Baboon Top. However, it will take 6 hours to reach you there.
It’s also a secure location in the Neelum Valley for international and domestic visitors. It’s only accessible on foot, so it makes an excellent day trip.
Baboon Valley was the highlight of our trip; it was the only location in Kashmir where we were able to see snow-covered mountain peaks and experience touching the snow. The combination of snow and the lush green mountains made Kashmir the most distinctive place we visited during our tour.
Our journey to Baboon Valley began in Keran, where we set off on a jeep ride at 7 AM. After a beautiful two-hour drive, we reached Domail village, a charming stop on our way to the final destination. We spent twenty minutes discovering the delightful village before resuming our journey. Another half hour later, we arrived at Baboon Valley, located at an impressive altitude of 12,730 feet.
1. Avoid having breakfast before the jeep ride to Baboon Valley, as the bumpy roads can easily upset your stomach (it happened to me, and I couldn’t enjoy the hike fully).
2. There is a steep hike from the drop-off point where the jeep leaves you, and to get a good view, you will need to trek up to the viewpoint, which may take 30-40 minutes, so be ready for that.
3. Before you start hiking, take deep breaths and rest for 15 minutes to adjust to the low oxygen levels and high altitude. The oxygen is so sparse that you can’t even ignite a lighter properly. Hence, hiking can be quite challenging, so make sure to take breaks after short intervals.
