Group tours from Lahore, private trips on any date
Our Shogran tour packages all start in Lahore. The 4-day group tour spends two nights in Naran for Lake Saif-ul-Malook and Babusar Top, then a night in Shogran with the jeep up to Siri Paye. Couples can take a private honeymoon package with two nights in Shogran, or a longer trip that adds Hunza and the Khunjerab Pass. For a quiet weekend from Islamabad or Lahore, we arrange private Shogran trips with your own car and driver on the dates you choose.
Shogran valley is a forested plateau at about 2,360 metres above Kiwai in the lower Kaghan Valley, in Mansehra district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is about 34 km from Balakot and roughly five hours from Islamabad, much closer than Naran. A short, steep road climbs from Kiwai through pine forest to a ridge of hotels facing Malika Parbat and Makra Peak. About 6 to 8 km higher, on a jeep track, are the Siri Paye meadows at close to 2,900 m. The best months are May to October, and unlike Naran, Shogran can usually still be reached in winter snow.
Shogran is small, so most of the sights are a jeep ride or a walk from the ridge.
Every tour below goes up to the Siri Paye meadows from Shogran. Prices are per person; the honeymoon packages are private, with your own car and driver.
| Tour | Days | Nights in Shogran | Price per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naran Babusar Top with Shogran and Siri Paye, group | 4 | 1 | PKR 23,000 |
| Naran Shogran honeymoon package | 6 | 2 | PKR 85,000 |
| Hunza honeymoon with Naran, Khunjerab and Shogran | 8 | 1 | PKR 125,000 |
| Naran Hunza honeymoon | 9 | 1 | PKR 135,000 |
| Naran, Shogran and Hunza honeymoon | 11 | 2 | PKR 150,000 |
Shogran is close enough for a weekend, which is why so many families and couples go. We arrange these as private trips with a car and driver from Lahore, Islamabad or Rawalpindi, a room on the ridge and the Siri Paye jeep. Send your dates on WhatsApp or through the contact page for a quote.
| Plan | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekend from Islamabad | Drive to Kiwai, up to Shogran, ridge walk | Siri Paye by jeep, drive home | |
| 3 days from Lahore | Overnight drive or early start, Kiwai Waterfall, Shogran | Siri Paye by jeep or on foot | Drive home |
| 3 days in winter | Drive to Kiwai, jeep up to Shogran in the snow | Snow walks on the ridge | Drive home |
Shogran is in the lower Kaghan Valley, in Mansehra district. Coming up the N-15 from Balakot, the road to Shogran turns off at Kiwai, beside Kiwai Waterfall, and climbs the east side of the valley through pine and deodar forest. The plateau at the top is small: a ridge of hotels, cottages and tea shops, with open slopes in front and forest behind.
Across the valley you see a line of peaks. Malika Parbat, about 5,290 m, is the highest in the Kaghan Valley. Makra Peak, 3,885 m, rises right above Siri Paye, and Musa ka Musalla, 4,419 m, is further south. On a clear morning they are all in view from the ridge.
Naran is about 60 km further up the main valley road, an hour and a half to two hours away, so many people combine the two on one trip.
Shogran is the village and hotel area on the plateau, where you sleep. Siri is a small lake, little more than a large pond, on the jeep track above Shogran. Paye is the wide, open meadow just beyond it, at about 2,900 m, with grazing horses and cattle and the view of Makra Peak. People say Siri Paye for the whole upper area, and a jeep trip from Shogran stops at both.
There are no hotels at Siri or Paye, only tea stalls and seasonal huts, so the meadows are a day trip from Shogran.
May to October is the main season. June to August is green and lively, September is the clearest month, and December to February brings snow. Siri Paye is at its best from June to September, after the snow on the jeep track has melted.
| Season | Weather | Roads | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring (April to May) | Cool days, cold nights, late snow up high | Shogran open; Siri Paye track may be blocked by snow | Quiet stays, lower prices |
| Summer (June to August) | Mild days, rain showers in July and August | Everything open; mud after heavy rain | Siri Paye, families, the busiest time |
| Autumn (September to November) | Dry, clear, cold nights | Open until the first heavy snow | Mountain views, couples |
| Winter (December to March) | Snow, freezing nights | Kiwai road often passable by jeep; Siri Paye closed | Snow trips, with few hotels open |
Because of its height, Shogran stays cool when the plains are at 40°C. Summer days are around 20°C, and nights fall to single figures, so even in July you need a warm layer after sunset. Siri Paye, about 500 m higher, is colder and windier, and cloud can roll in over the meadow at any time of day.
In winter the days stay a few degrees above freezing and the nights go well below zero. Heavy snow covers the ridge. Rain in July and August makes the Siri Paye track muddy and can close the Kiwai road for a few hours.
Every route goes to Kiwai on the N-15 first, then up the side road to Shogran.
| From | Distance | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lahore | About 560 km to Kiwai | About 9 hours by coaster | M-2, Hazara Motorway, N-15 |
| Islamabad or Rawalpindi | About 200 km to Kiwai | 4 to 5 hours | Hazara Motorway, N-15 |
| Balakot | About 34 km to Shogran | About 1 hour | Via Kiwai |
| Kiwai | Short, steep side road | About 30 minutes | Car in dry weather, jeep after rain or snow |
| Naran | About 60 km | 1.5 to 2 hours | Down the N-15 to Kiwai |
| Siri Paye | 6 to 8 km above Shogran | About 1 hour by jeep | Jeep track |
Take the M-2 to Islamabad, the Hazara Motorway to Mansehra and the N-15 through Balakot to Kiwai. By coaster it is about 9 hours to Kiwai including stops, which is why our group tours leave Lahore at 11 pm and reach Kiwai for breakfast. In a car, leave before dawn to be on the mountain road in daylight.
Join the Hazara Motorway at Burhan and follow it to Mansehra, then the N-15 to Balakot and Kiwai. It is about 200 km and 4 to 5 hours to Kiwai, plus half an hour up to Shogran. This makes Shogran one of the easiest mountain weekends from Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
The road from Kiwai to Shogran is narrow, steep and full of tight bends. A normal car can manage it in dry weather if you are used to mountain driving. After rain, or with snow or ice, take a local jeep from the stand at Kiwai.
Big vehicles do not go up. Our Toyota Coaster stops at Kiwai, and guests switch to jeeps for the ride to Shogran and on to Siri Paye. The coaster waits at Kiwai for the drive home.
The track from Shogran to Siri Paye is 6 to 8 km long and climbs about 500 m through forest and open slopes. It is rough and only suitable for jeeps. You have three ways up.
Jeep fares are set locally each season, so agree the price and how long the driver will wait at the top, usually an hour or two, before you set off. Come back down to Shogran before dark: the track has no lights, and cloud can cover it quickly.
| Option | Time up | Who it suits | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeep | About 1 hour | Everyone, including children and older people | Bumpy ride; the jeep waits and brings you down |
| Hike | 2 to 3 hours | Fit walkers | Steep in places, muddy after rain; start early |
| Horse | Short rides | Children and anyone who wants a ride | Hired on the Paye meadow; agree the price first |
Shogran has a handful of hotels and cottages spread along the ridge, plus a few simple guesthouses. Most rooms face the valley, and the ones with the best view of Malika Parbat sell first. Prices go up in July and August and on long weekends, so book ahead then. In winter only one or two hotels stay open.
There are no hotels at Siri Paye. In summer some people camp on the Paye meadow with a tent arranged in advance, but nights there are cold even in July.
Food is simple. You eat at your hotel or at the tea shops on the ridge: karahi, daal, rice, parathas and tea. The tea stalls at Siri Paye sell tea, pakoras and snacks in season. For trout, eat in Kiwai or Naran on the way.
Shogran is closer, quieter and set in forest, and it can usually be reached in winter. It suits families with small children, couples, and anyone with only a weekend from Islamabad. Naran has the big lakes and Babusar Top, more hotels and much bigger crowds, and it is only open from May to October.
If you have four days from Lahore, you do not have to choose. Spend two nights in Naran for Saif-ul-Malook and Babusar Top, then a night in Shogran on the way home. That is how our 4-day tour runs.
From December to February Shogran is usually under snow, and it is one of the few places in the Kaghan Valley you can still reach. The N-15 is normally open as far as Kiwai. The Kiwai road needs a jeep, and sometimes chains, and after heavy snow it can be closed for a day or more until it is cleared.
Only one or two hotels stay open, and heating and hot water are not guaranteed, so call ahead. The track to Siri Paye is blocked by snow all winter. Go midweek, keep a spare day in case the road closes, and carry proper winter clothing.
Do not count on an ATM in Shogran, and card machines are rare, so bring cash from Mansehra or Balakot for jeeps, horses, food and tea. Mobile signal is patchy on the ridge; Zong and Telenor are usually the best, and at Siri Paye expect little or none.
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Our 4-day group tour with Naran, Babusar Top, Shogran and Siri Paye is PKR 23,000 per person from Lahore (child PKR 16,000). Private honeymoon packages with two nights in Shogran start at PKR 85,000 per person. Private weekend trips are quoted for your dates.
Shogran valley is a forested plateau at about 2,360 m in the lower Kaghan Valley, Mansehra district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It sits above Kiwai on the N-15, about 34 km from Balakot and about 60 km below Naran. The Siri Paye meadows are 6 to 8 km above Shogran on a jeep track.
Shogran is about 200 km from Islamabad to Kiwai, plus a short, steep road up from Kiwai. The drive takes 4 to 5 hours to Kiwai by the Hazara Motorway and the N-15 through Mansehra and Balakot, and about 30 minutes more to Shogran. Summer weekend traffic around Balakot can add an hour or two.
Shogran is about 560 km from Lahore to Kiwai, then about 30 minutes up the side road. By coaster it takes about 9 hours to Kiwai, including stops, by the M-2, the Hazara Motorway and the N-15. Our group tours leave Lahore at 11 pm and reach Kiwai for breakfast the next morning.
Siri Paye is 6 to 8 km above Shogran on a rough jeep track that climbs about 500 m. The jeep takes about an hour each way, and fit walkers can hike up in 2 to 3 hours. Siri is the small lake on the way and Paye is the open meadow just beyond it, at about 2,900 m.
You can do either. Most people take a local jeep from Shogran, which takes about an hour and waits at the top before bringing you down. Fit walkers can hike up in 2 to 3 hours, but the path is steep in places and muddy after rain. Cars cannot use the Siri Paye track.
Jeep fares from Shogran to Siri Paye are set locally each season and rise on busy weekends, so there is no fixed fare to quote. Agree the price, the number of passengers and the waiting time at the top before you set off. On our Naran and Shogran tours this jeep is already included.
Yes, in dry weather a normal car can drive the short, steep road from Kiwai to Shogran if the driver is used to mountain roads. After rain, or in snow or ice, take a local jeep from Kiwai instead. Coasters and buses do not go up; our coaster stops at Kiwai and guests switch to jeeps.
The best time to visit Shogran is May to October, and Siri Paye is at its best from June to September, when the jeep track is clear and the meadow is green. September has the clearest mountain views. July and August are the busiest months and bring rain. December to February is for snow trips.
Yes, Shogran can usually be reached in winter, unlike Naran. From December to February it is under snow, the road from Kiwai needs a jeep and sometimes chains, and it can close for a day or more after heavy snow. Only one or two hotels stay open, and the Siri Paye track is blocked until spring.
No, there are no hotels at Siri Paye, only tea stalls and seasonal huts. Visitors sleep in Shogran and go up for the day by jeep or on foot. Some people camp on the Paye meadow in summer with a tent arranged in advance, but the nights are cold even in July.
Yes. Shogran is one of the easiest places in the Kaghan Valley for families: it is closer than Naran, quieter, and the jeep to Siri Paye is short. Children enjoy the horse rides on the Paye meadow. Bring warm clothes for the evenings, hold small children on the bumpy jeep track, and keep them away from steep slopes.
For a weekend from Islamabad, Shogran is better: it is closer, quieter and needs less driving. Naran is better if you want Lake Saif-ul-Malook and Babusar Top, but it needs at least three days from Lahore. With four days you can do both: two nights in Naran and one in Shogran on the way home.
Yes, if you start from Balakot or Kiwai, or arrive in Shogran early. Allow about 30 minutes from Kiwai to Shogran, an hour by jeep to Siri Paye, two to three hours at the meadows and the same back down. From Islamabad it is a very long day, so most people stay at least one night.
Tell us your dates, group size and budget and our Lahore travel desk will tailor a package for you. Call +92 311 1696777 or send an enquiry.
