Our Story
Built for AJK.
By people from AJK.
TravelAJK exists because one of the most beautiful regions in all of Pakistan had no reliable, comprehensive, and honest directory of places to stay. We decided to build it ourselves.
Why We Exist
AJK deserves better than a WhatsApp group and a prayer.
Every year, millions of Pakistanis want to visit Azad Kashmir — Neelum Valley, Rawalakot, Banjosa Lake, Shounter. They search online and find outdated blog posts, inconsistent information, and phone numbers that no longer work.
Meanwhile, hundreds of guesthouses, resorts, and cottages across AJK are either invisible online or drowned out by generic travel platforms that treat AJK as a footnote.
TravelAJK is the fix. A single, verified, always-updated directory where travellers can find the right property for their trip and contact the owner directly — no middlemen, no booking fees, no inflated prices.
What We Stand For
Our Values
AJK First
Every decision we make is measured against one question: does this benefit AJK's tourism ecosystem? We are not a generic platform that added AJK as an afterthought. This region is our entire focus.
Owner Direct
We believe the best travel experiences happen when guests connect directly with the people who run a property. No call centres, no automated confirmations — real humans, real conversations.
Verified, Not Just Listed
Any platform can accept listings. We manually review every submission. If a property does not meet our standards, it does not go live. Quality over quantity, always.
Built for the Region
AJK has limited connectivity in many areas. Our pages are fast, lightweight, and optimised for mobile data constraints. WhatsApp integration is first-class because that is how business is done here.
How We Got Here
The TravelAJK Story
The Problem
After yet another trip to Neelum Valley where finding a decent guesthouse required five phone calls and a lot of luck, we decided to build the resource we wished had existed.
First 50 Listings
We drove to every major destination in AJK, met property owners, photographed properties, and built the first version of the directory with 50 verified listings.
Public Launch
TravelAJK went public. Within the first month, property owners started receiving enquiries from travellers who had never heard of their guesthouse before.
Booking System
We launched structured booking requests so the entire enquiry-to-confirmation flow stays on platform. Next: managed payments and a mobile app.
The People
Who Builds TravelAJK
Irwa Naeem
Head of Communications
Muzaffarabad
Responsible for communication within team, clients and vendors.
Sara Akhtar
Head of Listings
Rawalpindi
Reviews every property submission. Knows every valley, lake, and mountain pass in AJK. Has personally visited 90% of the listed destinations.
Waqas Ahmed
Bookings
Muzaffarabad
Responsible for managing bookings.
Zain Ali
Technology
Islamabad
Full-stack developer. Builds the platform that runs this directory. Believes good software should be invisible.
Want to be part of this?
List your property for free, reach thousands of travellers, and help us build the most comprehensive tourism platform AJK has ever had.