Hotels in Shogran

Shogran is a forested plateau above the Kaghan valley floor, reached by an eight-kilometre climbing road that turns off at Kawai. The altitude of around 2,360 metres gives it cool summers and long views across to Makra Peak. Accommodation sits along the plateau in a mix of hotels, cottages and cabins, most with meadow or valley views. It is closer to Islamabad than Naran by about two hours, which makes it a realistic single-night stop or a soft first taste of the north.

Rooms run Rs 5,000 to Rs 11,000 a night off-peak and Rs 12,000 to Rs 22,000 in July and August. Cabins and cottages sleeping four to six work out cheaper per head for families. The main add-on cost is the jeep to Siri Paye, a rough ten-kilometre track above the plateau that ordinary cars cannot use; a return trip runs Rs 3,500 to Rs 6,000 per vehicle. Negotiate the waiting time at the top before you set off, not after.

The drive from Islamabad is about five to six hours via the Hazara Motorway, Mansehra, Balakot and Kawai. The last eight kilometres from Kawai up to the plateau is steep and narrow, and small cars struggle when it is wet; some visitors leave the car at Kawai and take a local jeep up. Kiwai waterfall sits at the turnoff and is where most travellers stop for trout. Naran is another two and a half hours further up the valley.

Season runs roughly April to October, longer than Naran because the altitude is lower and the access is shorter. Siri Paye holds snow into May and the meadows are at their greenest in July and August, which is also when the jeep track is busiest. Winter visits are possible when the road is clear, and a handful of properties stay open, but heavy snow can cut the plateau off for a day or two. Nights are cold from September.