Teetwal (Tithwal)
Border village on the Kishanganga with a new Sharada Devi temple
Best time to visit Teetwal (Tithwal)
- Jan, best avoided
- Feb, best avoided
- Mar, best avoided
- Apr, peak season
- May, peak season
- Jun, shoulder season
- Jul, shoulder season
- Aug, shoulder season
- Sep, peak season
- Oct, peak season
- Nov, shoulder season
- Dec, best avoided
peak shoulder off-season avoid
- Go: April to May and September to October
- Shoulder: June to August and November, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
- Skip: December to March
Teetwal (Tithwal) season by season
Winter December to February Do not go
Dec-Feb the 3,100 m Sadhna Pass closes with every snowfall and Karnah is cut off for days at a time; you can be stuck either side.
Summer March to May Prime time
March is still a gamble on the pass. From April the road clears and the river runs full; May afternoons already touch 30 C by the water.
Monsoon June to September Prime time
Jun-Aug is warm, hazy and thundery by late afternoon; September brings the maize and walnut in and the ridges sharpen up again.
Autumn October to November Prime time
October and early November are the pick: cold nights, clean light on the far bank, and the temple courtyard to yourself.
What Teetwal (Tithwal) is actually like
One street of Pahari houses, a temple and gurdwara compound with rooms, soldiers everywhere; nights are just the river.
Getting to Teetwal (Tithwal)
Kupwara to Tangdhar by shared sumo over the Sadhna Pass (3h), then 12 km down to Teetwal; carry ID for the checkposts.
Practical ways in: road
Trip facts
- How long to stay
- 2 days
- Budget
- Shoestring
- How busy
- Quiet at its peak
- Solo travel
- Doable solo with some planning
- Altitude
- 1071 m
- State
- Jammu and Kashmir
- Coordinates
- 34.3943, 73.7741
Common questions
When is the best time to visit Teetwal (Tithwal)?
April to May and September to October is peak season in Teetwal (Tithwal). June to August and November is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid December to March. March is still a gamble on the pass. From April the road clears and the river runs full; May afternoons already touch 30 C by the water.
How many days do you need in Teetwal (Tithwal)?
2 days is the usual stay. One street of Pahari houses, a temple and gurdwara compound with rooms, soldiers everywhere; nights are just the river.
How do you get to Teetwal (Tithwal)?
Kupwara to Tangdhar by shared sumo over the Sadhna Pass (3h), then 12 km down to Teetwal; carry ID for the checkposts. Practical ways in: road.
Is Teetwal (Tithwal) expensive, and does it get crowded?
Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs quiet at the busiest time of year. Doable solo with some planning.
Nearby, and where to go next
-
Bangus Valley (Bungus)
Jammu and Kashmir
Fir-ringed grass bowl behind Kupwara, only tents and Bakarwal dohkas
40 km from Teetwal (Tithwal), roughly about 1 h by road
-
Lolab Valley (Sogam)
Jammu and Kashmir
Walnut-and-paddy valley behind Kupwara with the Kalaroos caves
80 km from Teetwal (Tithwal), roughly about 2 h by road
-
Wular Lake (Watlab)
Jammu and Kashmir
India's largest freshwater lake, seen from the Watlab orchard shore
100 km from Teetwal (Tithwal), roughly about 3 h by road
-
Gulmarg
Jammu and Kashmir
India's top ski resort - Gondola to 3,979m, real powder
100 km from Teetwal (Tithwal), roughly about 3 h by road
-
Loran Valley (Poonch)
Jammu and Kashmir
Maize terraces and pine in the old Lohara kings' valley
120 km from Teetwal (Tithwal), roughly about 3 h by road
-
Manasbal Lake
Jammu and Kashmir
Lotus-choked lake under Nur Jahan's Jarokha Bagh terrace
130 km from Teetwal (Tithwal), roughly about 3 h by road
-
Doodhpathri
Jammu and Kashmir
Milky Shaliganga meadows under pine, Kashmir's gentler Gulmarg
140 km from Teetwal (Tithwal), roughly about 4 h by road
-
Srinagar
Jammu and Kashmir
Houseboats on Dal Lake, Mughal gardens, J&K's summer capital
150 km from Teetwal (Tithwal), roughly about 4 h by road
More places to visit in Jammu and Kashmir
- Aharbal Falls Jammu and Kashmir
- Bangus Valley (Bungus) Jammu and Kashmir
- Bani (Sarthal Devi) Jammu and Kashmir
- Basohli Jammu and Kashmir
- Bhaderwah Jammu and Kashmir
- Doodhpathri Jammu and Kashmir
- Gulmarg Jammu and Kashmir
- Gurez Valley (Dawar) Jammu and Kashmir
- Katra (Vaishno Devi) Jammu and Kashmir
- Kokernag & Verinag Jammu and Kashmir
- Lolab Valley (Sogam) Jammu and Kashmir
- Loran Valley (Poonch) Jammu and Kashmir
- Machail (Paddar) Jammu and Kashmir
- Manasbal Lake Jammu and Kashmir
- Mansar Lake Jammu and Kashmir
- Martand Sun Temple (Mattan) Jammu and Kashmir
- Naranag Jammu and Kashmir
- Noori Chamb (Behramgala) Jammu and Kashmir
- Pahalgam Jammu and Kashmir
- Patnitop Jammu and Kashmir
- Sonamarg Jammu and Kashmir
- Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir
- Tulail Valley (Badugam) Jammu and Kashmir
- Warwan Valley (Inshan) Jammu and Kashmir
- Wular Lake (Watlab) Jammu and Kashmir
- Yusmarg Jammu and Kashmir