5.0
I travel with Pakistan Travel Diaries on 12th March to Kashmir. I was amazed with the services in Neelum Valley Tour Package that I opted for. Wonderful and satisfactory service 💥
Noor Sehar
Verified Traveller
Taobat and Arang Kel Tour 4 Days 3 Nights from Lahore
5.0 (3 reviews)4 Days / 3 Nights·easy·Group Tours·Neelum Valley, Pakistan
Tour Overview
Our Taobat and Arang Kel tour, 4 days and 3 nights from Lahore, goes right to the end of the Neelum Valley. It is a group trip for people who have seen Keran and Sharda and want the quiet villages beyond Kel, where the road turns into a jeep track along the river.
We leave Lahore at 11 pm the night before day one and pick up Islamabad guests on the way. After breakfast in Muzaffarabad we drive up the valley, stopping at Dhani Waterfall and Kutton Waterfall, and spend the first night in Keran or Sharda.
On day two we drive to Kel and switch to local jeeps for the track to Taobat, the last village in the valley, with its wooden houses, river and pine slopes. We walk up to Taobat Bala and spend the night in the village. On day three we come back to Kel, take the cable car across the river and walk up to Arang Kel, then return to Keran or Sharda for a BBQ and bonfire.
On day four we drive home and reach Lahore late at night. Three nights in hotels and guest houses, breakfast and dinner, tolls and a tour guide are included. The jeeps to Taobat and the cable car at Kel are paid locally. Rooms are shared by 3 to 4 people.
Destination Guide:Neelum Valley
Tour Highlights
5 experiences- Dhani and Kutton waterfalls
- Jeep track from Kel to Taobat, the last village in the Neelum Valley
- A night in Taobat and the walk up to Taobat Bala
- Cable car at Kel and the walk up to Arang Kel
- BBQ and bonfire in Keran or Sharda
Journey Route
4 Days / 3 Nights · 10 stops
From
PKR 22,000 / person
- Duration
- 4 Days / 3 Nights
- Group size
- 1 to 10 travellers
- Difficulty
- easy
- From Lahore
- PKR 22,000 per person
- Child, 3 to 9 years
- PKR 15,500
- Child under 3
- Free
- Couple in a private room
- PKR 51,500 per couple
- Vehicle
- Toyota Coaster, local jeeps from Kel to Taobat
- Rooms
- 3 to 4 people per room
Day by day
Taobat and Arang Kel tour 4 days itinerary
Times are a guide and can shift with the road and the weather.
Day 1
Muzaffarabad and the waterfalls to Keran
We leave Lahore at 11 pm the night before from Thokar Niaz Baig or Barkat Market, with a short stop at Bhera, and Islamabad guests join on the way. Breakfast is in Muzaffarabad at about 8 am. We drive up the Neelum Valley with stops at Dhani Waterfall and Kutton Waterfall and reach Keran or Sharda in the afternoon. Dinner and the night are at the hotel.
Day 2
Kel and the jeep track to Taobat
Breakfast is early, at 7 am, and we drive past Sharda to Kel. There we switch to local jeeps for the track up the river to Taobat, about three hours. In the afternoon we walk through the village and up to Taobat Bala for the view down the valley. Dinner and the night are in a hotel or guest house in Taobat.
Day 3
Back to Kel and up to Arang Kel
After breakfast the jeeps take us back down to Kel. We take the cable car across the Neelum River and walk uphill for about half an hour to Arang Kel. If you would rather not walk, a doli (a chair carried by porters) can be hired at Kel. After time on the meadows we come back down and drive to Keran or Sharda for a BBQ dinner and a bonfire.
Day 4
Keran to Lahore
Breakfast is at 7:30 am and we leave at about 10 am. After a short stop in Muzaffarabad we drive on to Islamabad, where Islamabad guests get off, and reach Lahore late at night.
The full package
What's Included
Everything covered by the price — and the few things to budget for separately.
Included
- Toyota Coaster from Lahore, with pickup in Islamabad
- 3 nights: 2 in a hotel in Keran or Sharda, 1 in a hotel or guest house in Taobat, 3 to 4 people per room
- Breakfast and dinner each day as per the itinerary
- BBQ dinner and bonfire
- Fuel, tolls, parking and the driver's and guide's own costs
- Basic first aid kit
- Tour guide for the whole trip
Not Included
- Jeeps from Kel to Taobat and back (shared, paid locally)
- Cable car ticket at Kel, and a doli or porters if you want one
- Lunch
- Snacks, bottled water and soft drinks between meals
- Laundry, phone calls, shopping and personal expenses
- Travel insurance
- Extra hotel nights and meals if a landslide or road closure makes the trip longer
- Tips for the driver and guide (optional)
- Anything not listed above
Meals on this tour
- Breakfast
- Paratha, omelette, milk tea, and channay or aloo bhujia
- Dinner
- Chicken karahi, korma or pulao, or biryani, with daal or a vegetable dish, chapati, raita, a cold drink and water. The guide picks the dish each day
- BBQ night
- Chicken BBQ (leg or chest piece) with a bonfire
- Lunch
- Not included. We stop at a restaurant on the way and you pay for your own
What to pack
- Documents
- Original CNIC, and a B-form for children
- Luggage
- One bag of about 10 kg and a small backpack for the day
- Also bring
- Toiletries, a water bottle, a raincoat or umbrella and a trekking stick
Warm clothes even in summer, because nights in the upper Neelum Valley are cold. Bring walking shoes with a good grip, a cap, sunscreen and any medicines you take. Carry cash, since there are few ATMs, and a power bank, because mobile coverage is patchy after Athmuqam.
Gallery
Travellers' Voices
Guest Reviews
★ 5.0 · 3 reviews
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the tour leave from in Lahore?
The coaster leaves at 11 pm the night before day one, from Thokar Niaz Baig or Barkat Market. Islamabad guests are picked up on the way. We confirm the exact pickup point when you book. Departures from July to September, WhatsApp us for the next date. There is no extra charge for joining in Islamabad. The pickup point is near the motorway or GT Road so the coaster stays on its route, and we share the exact spot with booked guests before departure.
How much does the Taobat and Arang Kel tour cost?
PKR 22,000 per person in a room shared by 3 to 4 people. Children aged 3 to 9 pay PKR 15,500 and children under 3 travel free. A couple who want a room to themselves pay PKR 51,500 in total. The jeeps to Taobat and the cable car at Kel are paid locally.
Why is the jeep to Taobat not in the price?
The coaster cannot drive beyond Kel, so local jeeps take the group up the track to Taobat and back. The fare is set by the jeep drivers on the day and shared by the people in each jeep, so we pay it there rather than fix it months ahead.
Where do we stay in Taobat?
Taobat has a few small hotels and guest houses with basic rooms. Electricity and hot water can be limited, so it is simpler than Keran or Sharda. We confirm the place a few days before departure.
How hard is the walk to Arang Kel?
It is short but steep: about half an hour uphill after the cable car. Go at your own pace, or hire a doli at Kel if you would rather not walk.
Show 7 more questions
Can foreign nationals join this tour?
This tour is for Pakistani citizens and CNIC holders. Taobat, Kel and Keran are within a few miles of the Line of Control, where foreign passport holders need a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Ministry of Interior, arranged well in advance. Tell us your nationality when you book.
Is lunch included?
No. Breakfast and dinner are included. For lunch we stop at a restaurant on the way, and you pay for your own.
What happens if I am late at the pickup point?
The coaster waits about 15 minutes and then leaves. A missed departure counts as a no-show and is not refunded, so please be at the pickup point on time.
Can I leave the tour early?
Yes, but the days you miss are not refunded, and the trip home from there is at your own cost.
What is the cancellation policy?
A 30% advance confirms your seat. Cancel more than 7 days before departure and we refund 75% of what you paid; 5 to 7 days before, we refund 50%. Cancellations in the last 4 days, and no-shows, are not refunded.
When is the best time to go on the Taobat and Arang Kel Tour 4 Days 3 Nights?
July to September. Snow and slides often block the jeep track beyond Kel until late June, and by October the upper valley is cold and the track can close after the first snow. July and August are the greenest months, and the track can be slow after rain.
Is there a shorter, longer or different option than the Taobat and Arang Kel Tour 4 Days 3 Nights?
If you have less time, our 3-day Arang Kel tour skips Taobat and spends both nights in Keran. The 4-day Ratti Gali Arang Kel tour swaps Taobat for the jeep and walk to Ratti Gali Lake.
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