Right from the beginning of Bandipora, the road takes serpentine curves helping one to enjoy the beautiful and charismatic landscape. The view and scent of the alpine forests take one to the zenith of leisure. On the way, you can have an aerial view of Asia’s largest freshwater lake, Wullar Lake. The high-altitude meadows are lush green, with large flocks of grazing livestock. One cannot imagine the creativity of nature particularly the iconic pyramidal Habba Khatun peak and the serpentine Kishaganga River. One has to go through the Razdan pass to reach Gurez.
Log Huts
A large population of Gurez still lives in the traditional log huts. The log huts are being made in such a way that suits the topography of the area. Big wooden logs are used to construct the huts which protect the men and livestock from the harsh climatic conditions of the winter.
Unique culture and traditions
Though 100% of the population is Sunni Muslims still the area has uniquely inherent traditions and cultures for each and every aspect of life.
Angling in Kishanganga River
The river originates from Kaobal and traverses through the whole valley of Gurez. In Gurez it is joined by another tributary called Burzil Nallah. The ice-cold water of the river is the habitat for the brown rainbow trout. A 330 MW power project is being constructed on this river in Gurez.
Iconic Triangular “Habba Khatun Peak”
Besides having the sight of the great Himalayan range the valley is enclosed on all the four sides with big mountains, most unique among these being the Iconic Triangular “Habba Khatun” peak on the eastern side named after the queen of “Yousuf Shah Chak” a former ruler of Kashmir. The peak separates the Gurez and Tulail areas of the valley. Tulali i.e Barnaie is located 16km from the main Dawar town.
Silk Route
The valley was a resting place for the ancient traders of the silk route. People could go to Askardoo, Chilas, Hunza, Nagar, Gilgit, Tajikistan and to various other parts through this route.
Medicinal plants
The valley is a heaven for a large number of medicinal plants. The same has and continues to attract a large number of botanists to visit the area. Some of these are Black Cumin, Artemisia, Podophyllum, Aconitum, etc.
