The valley is replete with natural vegetation and flowers of wild nature. The vast green plains look like natural tapestries, as if spread by divine hands.

The valley of Kashmir has unique geographical features. Being home to the rarest of natural beauties, Kashmir hosts some of the most wondrous places in the world. When we think of Kashmir, the first thing we visualise is the beautiful Shikaras in Dal Lake, the exquisite Mughal Gardens, the cascading Shrunz and Aharbal waterfalls, the magical Betaab valley, the stunning Sonamarg and the glorious Gulmarg. True, Kashmir being one absolute Jannat or heaven on earth is brimming with natural splendour in every corner, but you still have more places in the valley which are unheard of and unexplored yet. One among them is Chattabal, surrounded with serene Himalayan ranges and meadows of pine and fir.
Chattabal of Chitergul-Shangus area is just 32 km from district Anantnag and merely 20 km away from the famous Mughal Garden of Achabal, situated in the lap of Pir Panjal mountains. Chattabal is not really a name that many tourists know about. Not many people go in that direction, primarily because it is not high on the list of places to visit in Anantnag. The majority of the folks you will find up there will just be the locals from Anantnag or any of the nearby villages. The valley is replete with natural vegetation and flowers of wild nature. The vast green plains look like natural tapestries, as if spread by divine hands. It has two routes through which people can reach the place: one is from Achabal/ Shangus road, and the second is from KP road/ Kehribal.
There are many sites in Kashmir yet to be explored for tourism, among which Chattabal with vast tourism potential can provide many attractions to its visitors in terms of scenic beauty, floristic and faunistic diversity, and pollution-free environment. Chattabal with its ideal setting will surely capture the hearts and the minds of all visitors to the region. The lush greenery and landscapes will leave you reinvigorated. The drive to Chattabal is utterly enchanting – you get to see the off-highway face of Kashmir. Village after small village with houses surrounded by greenery, fields, orchards and forested hillsides watered by numerous streams. Chattabal is a scenic out-of-the-way spot where the Chattabal river flows through an open valley, while snow-covered peaks loom over the end of the valley. Fern, willow and chestnut paint the hillside close to the riverbed a lightish green, whereas pines in the upper reaches lend a darker hue. Carry a packed lunch and have it next to the gurgling river. You might meet a group of nomadic Bakarwals on their way up from the Jammu region.
Chattabal can also serve as a destination for adventure tourism as the famous Maegam Top is adjacent to the area. Trees that grow and festoon Chattabal are deodar, kail, pine, fir,poplar, willow and other medicinal herbs. Chattabal is abundant in natural beauty and therefore, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir should develop it as an attractive tourist spot. The exploration of Chattabal will help in reducing the ever-increasing tourist pressure on the already developed tourist destinations.
The next time you are in Kashmir or if you are residents of the valley, do not forget to explore the beauty of this south Kashmir destination and add more to your offbeat travel experience this summer!
[email protected]

Bhatt Shaista Amin