The June story

The Dawar-Tulail road along the Kishanganga is the valley's spine — drive or walk it slowly. Traditional habari houses in every village deserve attention: interlocking wooden beams, carved window frames, and ground floors designed to stable livestock in winter while families live above. The Dard-Shin are welcoming but private — ask before photographing homes or people. The trek toward Habba Khatoon peak (named for the 16th-century poetess) is a moderate half-day climb offering views across the LOC into Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The geopolitical reality is tangible: you are standing in a valley that was closed to its own countrymen until 2007, bordered by a line that has caused three wars. Guesthouse rates: ₹1000-2500 in Dawar. Food is basic — rice, dal, mutton, and bread. No alcohol is available. The river is too cold and fast for swimming but the sound of the Kishanganga at night, from a wooden guesthouse balcony, is one of the great sleeping-sounds of the Himalayas. Carry a power bank — electricity is intermittent.