Leepa Valley
Valley Of Wooden Villages And Rice Terraces On The Line Of Control In Hattian Bala District · Leepa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Leepa is a small, green valley in Azad Kashmir, reached over the Reshian Gali pass from the Jhelum valley, and it is known across Pakistan for its looks: villages of wooden houses with carved balconies and pitched roofs, many still painted in bright colours, set among walnut trees and terraced fields of red rice. In late summer the terraces turn gold, and in autumn the walnuts and fruit trees colour the hillsides. It is quieter and far less developed than the Neelum Valley, with a few guesthouses and campsites and very little else. Leepa is also a frontier valley. The Line of Control runs along the ridges at its head, and in years of tension the valley has been shelled and cut off; the 2021 ceasefire made it reachable again, but crises can close it quickly. The road over Reshian Gali is steep, rough and blocked by snow in winter. Visitors need to check conditions, and foreigners may need permission. For those who get there it is one of the most beautiful and least spoiled corners of Kashmir.
Leepa Valley, Hattian Bala District, over the Reshian Gali pass, Leepa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
The valley is inhabited year round, but the road over Reshian Gali is usually open roughly May to November and can close with snow or security restrictions. Army checkposts control access; foreigners may need permission (an NOC). Leepa is about three to four hours from Muzaffarabad. Guesthouses are few; book ahead in summer.