Kel to Taobat | Taobat Bala-Most Scenic Route | Pakistan Motorcycle tour

AoA, Hello viewers,
Today is the 7th day of our "Azad Kashmir Motorcycle Tour" . We visited Taobat and Taobat Bala (Last village of Neelum Valley before LOC). We started our journey from Kel towards Taobat, the road from kel to Taobat is unpaved mud/gravel. Total distance from kel to Taobat is almost 40km which can be covered in almost 3 hours.


For previous episodes of our Azad Kashmir Motorcycle tour, click the links below.
Ep 01 : Islamabad to Muzaffarabad | Azad Kashmir Motorcycle tour.
   • Islamabad to Muzaffarabad | Azad Kash...  

Ep 02 : LESWA Bypass|Jagran| Kutton Waterfall-Kashmirmotorcycletour.
   • LESWA Bypass|Jagran| Kutton Waterfall...  

Ep 03 : Sharda to Kel - Landslide | Azad Kashmir Motorcycle tour.
   • Sharda to Kel - Landslide | Azad Kash...  

Ep 04 : Arang Kel - Heaven on Earth | Azad Kashmir Motorcycle Tour.
   • Arang Kel - Heaven on Earth | Azad Ka...  

Ep 05 : Kel to Shounter | Chitta katha Deck 1.
   • Kel to Shounter | Chitta katha Deck 1...  

Ep 06 : CHITTA KATHA LAKE - SHOUNTER | Most Beautiful Trek.
   • CHITTA KATHA LAKE - SHOUNTER | Most B...  


Taobat is a charming village, nestled on the banks of the River Neelam, in Gurez Valley, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. This unbelievably beautiful riverside hamlet is the last station of Neelam Valley located at distance of 200 kilometers from Muzaffarabad & 39 kilometers from Kel.

Gurez valley is divided into three regions. The area from Toabat to Sharda Peeth is administered by Pakistan as Neelum District, that between Kamri and Minimarg is also administered by Pakistan as Astore District, Gilgit-Baltistan, and that from Taobat to Abdullah Tulail is known as Gurez Tehsil and falls in District Bandipore of Indian Occupied Kashmir.

In 1895, the British author Sir Roper Walter Lawrence (1857-1940) called the Gurez Valley “one of the most beautiful scenes in all of Kashmir,” where the tourmaline waters of the Kishenganga River are framed by “mountain scarps of indescribable grandeur.” In his book "The Valley of Kashmir" which he wrote after traveling throughout the princely state and predicted that Gurez would soon become one of Kashmir’s most popular Himalayan tourist destinations.

The drive from Kel to Taobat is certainly one of the most beautiful in Pakistan in terms of its mesmerising scenic beauty . The route offers pretty villages (Janwai,Phulwei, JanderSeri, Sardari & Helmat) with wooden cottages, beautiful waterfalls, flower-covered meadows, heavily forested mountains & a roaring river with many connected nullas. In the end, sometime we realises that sometimes journey is more important than the destination.
Some more Details about Taobat.
• Muzaffarabad to Kel: 200-km in 9 to 10 hours drive.
• Kel to Taobat: 39-km is around 3 to 4 hours drive.
• Road Condition: From Kel onwards the road is unpaved mud/gravel surface.
• Neelam River: The 245 km long river covers 50-kms in the IOK & the remaining 195 km in Pakistan’s part of Kashmir.
• Neelam River: It enters in Pakistan near Taobat and merges in Jhelum River near Muzaffarabad
• Taobat: Comprises of 4 Settlements, Taobat-I & II, Taobat Bala & Upper Taobat
• Line of Control: Established in July 1972, the 861-km Line of Control separates Indian and Pakistani-controlled parts of Kashmir.

When is the best time to visit Taobat?
Taobat is a seasonal tourist destination. May-September is the peak season, while very few tourists visit during the winters due to the harsh weather and snowfall.

How to reach Taobat and Taobat bala?
Taobat is connected to Neelum valley road and is almost 200km from Muzaffarabad and 39 km from Kel. Road from Kel to Taobat is unpaved mud/gravel road.
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