Hidden paradise

The beautiful valley of Gurez, which was recently brought on the tourism map, is yet to catch the fancy of tourists because of its harsh climate and proximity to the LoC, reports Ehsan Fazili after a visit to Bandipore

THE beauty of the picturesque valley of Gurez in north Kashmir can rival even the Swiss Alps. But the valley’s harsh climatic conditions, with many parts being avalanche-prone, coupled with continued cross-border firing till about five years back have made life here difficult. Situated at over 8,000 feet above the sea level, this unique valley remains cut off from the world for more than seven months every winter as the only road connecting it to the state remains closed.

Tourism potential
THE development of tourism remains the main hope for the overall development of this landlocked valley. The potential areas are adventure tourism, trekking and fishing, which can attract a lot of foreign tourists. "There is lot of tourism potential in Gurez," said Farooq Ahmad Shah, Director Tourism Department of Jammu and Kashmir Government, which organised an inaugural two-day tourism festival in Gurez in July this year.