Samsara Hill View Resort

Getting to Bagh

The nearest airport to Bagh is Islamabad International Airport, about 100 km away in a straight line from the centre. Arrivals usually continue by road, and the drive is slow, with the last stretch possibly needing a vehicle with good clearance. From Muzaffarabad, the road south to Bagh takes around two hours, depending on conditions.

Around Bagh

Bagh is a hill station in Azad Jammu & Kashmir, and the surrounding country is high ground. Rawalakot, the nearest sizeable hill town, sits at about 1,600 m in a wide bowl of hills, with houses climbing the slopes on either side and orchards beginning where the streets end. Villages of stone and timber houses sit among terraced fields around Rawalakot, and shepherds move flocks up the slopes in spring. Apple and pear trees flower in April, and the harvest comes in late summer and autumn. Banjosa lake, about 20 km from Rawalakot, is a small reservoir in pine forest with a walking path and a park. In Rawalakot town, the bazaar is the focus of activity.

Around Bagh, several other places make useful stops or days out. Haveli lies nearby in the same district. Murree grew as a summer retreat in the 19th century and still follows the ridge above the Kashmir Road. A day in Nathia Gali is enough for the bazaar, a walk on the ridge and a short forest path. Muzaffarabad sits where the Jhelum and Neelum rivers meet, a busy town in Azad Kashmir with hill views and a mountain road to the north. Abbottabad is a working town rather than a resort. Check current travel advice before setting out, as rules for the district can change.

Bagh through the year

The best months for a visit to Bagh are April to October, and March, July, August and November are also good. January, February and December are possible, though winter has its own quiet appeal for those prepared for snow. The air in the hills is cool in summer and the pace is slow.

Places to stay in Bagh: what to expect

Hotels in Bagh are a small group, mostly simple to mid-range, so expectations are best set around straightforward hill-town comfort rather than polished resort standards. Almost all list car parking, which suits travellers arriving by road, and most list a restaurant, a 24-hour front desk and a shuttle service, useful for families and for those without their own transport. Family rooms, heating, room service, a garden and air conditioning are each listed by some hotels, so it is worth asking about heating in the cooler months and about family rooms when travelling with children. Drivers and families on a road trip through the hills are the most natural fit for this kind of stay.

Staying in Bagh: questions