KAGHAN – The 2024 tourist season in the Naran Valley has officially concluded as the district administration has closed all tourist destinations in Naran and beyond for visitors. According to the district administration sources, tourists are now restricted to traveling only as far as Shogran and Kaghan, while the Kaghan Development Authority (KDA) and the district administration have issued advisories discouraging travel to the Kaghan Valley. Deputy Commissioner Mansehra Khalid Iqbal while issuing a video message regarding the closure of tourism season in upper Mansehra district said that the Kaghan Highway, a critical route connecting the province to Gilgit-Baltistan, has been closed since early November due to heavy snowfall. Citing weather hazards, Deputy Commissioner Iqbal explained that the closure of Naran and its upper regions was necessary to ensure safety. He further noted that hotels in these areas have been shut, electricity and other essential services are unavailable, and police posts in the upper valley have been withdrawn. He warned that any violation of the restrictions could leave tourists in dangerous situations due to severe weather conditions. The road linking Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Gilgit-Baltistan via the Kaghan Valley has been rendered impassable since early November due to persistent snowfall. Despite the closures, a spokesperson for the Kaghan Development Authority confirmed that (KDA) staff would remain stationed in Shogran, Paras, and Kaghan to provide assistance and guidance to both tourists and locals in the valley.
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