Destinations info

Kashmir has a long history of being admired for the beauty of its landscapes. It has been described both as “Switzerland of the East” and as “Paradise on Earth”. In the past, Moghul emperors enjoyed it and built several gardens around Srinagar that are still a sight today. In the past century, up until the beginnings of insurgency in the early nineties, it was a popular destination for tourists from Europe and other Western countries. With the situation becoming calmer in the past ten years, it has become one of the top tourist destinations for people from all over India, especially in the spring and summer time, where it offers not only mesmerizing landscapes, but also very agreeable temperatures.

Historically, the religious beliefs of Kashmir were strikingly varied. In the 3^rd century BC it turned from a Hindu kingdom into a renowned center of Buddhism, before turning towards Islam in the 13^th/14^th century, mainly through Sufi mystics coming to the valley.

Kashmir has a rich cultural heritage, which is visible in its tradition of different handicrafts, such as paper maché, wood arts, fabrics made of cashmere or pashmina wool, and carpets.  The local cuisine is especially known for offering the famous “Kashmiri Wazwan”, a variety of aromatic, mainly meat-based dishes. A must have drink is the so called “Kahwa”, a sweet tea with saffron and almonds, or “Noon Chai”, a salty, milky, green tea.

Depending on the season in which you are visiting Kashmir, you will be able to see the blossoms of the famous saffron, countless apple trees, almond trees and, last but not least, the traditional walnut trees. The rapeseed fields in the Valley are very colorful during April, the rice fields at harvest season in October.

Srinagar (elev. 1600 m) is the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir. In the midst of hills lies the picturesque Dal Lake, inviting for a relaxing stay on a houseboat or a ride on a shikara-boat. Having been a residency for Mughal rulers in the past, the city also contains several Mughal gardens, and Asia’s biggest tulip garden (open in March/April). The colorful city center around Lal Chowk is a good place for shopping local handicrafts, and the Bund along the Jhelum River boasts several cafés with character. Several Hindu shrines and mosques in and around the city are also worth a visit, and the Hari Parbat Fort offers great views of the city.

Pahalgam (elev. 2150 m), located at the Lidder and Seshnag River, within a beautiful mountainous landscape, is one of the starting points of the yearly Amarnath Yatra, a famous Hindu pilgrimage, which takes place around the time of mid-July to mid-August. The village and nearby area offer river rafting, fishing, golfing, shopping, pony riding and local cuisine.

 

Aru Valley (elev. 2400 m), one of the side valleys, is only about 12 km further. It is more secluded and all the more picturesque. It is a starting point for treks, but also great for a walk or hike, and for pony riding – even short walks into the valley reveal great views in the midst of undisturbed, quiet nature!

 

Betaab Valley (elev. 2400 m), another side valley, is around 15 km from Pahalgam. It received its name and popularity from a Bollywood film in the 1980s. It hosts a park with a playground and a zip-line activity. About another 9 km further is a place called Chandanwadi Camp – even in late spring you will be able to find enough snow for a ride on a locally made wooden sledge down a mountainside. Beetab Valley is the furthest point on the Amarnath Yatra trek that can be reached by car. From here onwards, pilgrims need to walk or take a pony in order to reach the Amarnath cave temple (elev. 3800 m), a Hindu shrine, about another 32 km away.

Pahalgam (elev. 2150 m), located at the Lidder and Seshnag River, within a beautiful mountainous landscape, is one of the starting points of the yearly Amarnath Yatra, a famous Hindu pilgrimage, which takes place around the time of mid-July to mid-August. The village and nearby area offer river rafting, fishing, golfing, shopping, pony riding and local cuisine.

 

Aru Valley (elev. 2400 m), one of the side valleys, is only about 12 km further. It is more secluded and all the more picturesque. It is a starting point for treks, but also great for a walk or hike, and for pony riding – even short walks into the valley reveal great views in the midst of undisturbed, quiet nature!

 

Betaab Valley (elev. 2400 m), another side valley, is around 15 km from Pahalgam. It received its name and popularity from a Bollywood film in the 1980s. It hosts a park with a playground and a zip-line activity. About another 9 km further is a place called Chandanwadi Camp – even in late spring you will be able to find enough snow for a ride on a locally made wooden sledge down a mountainside. Beetab Valley is the furthest point on the Amarnath Yatra trek that can be reached by car. From here onwards, pilgrims need to walk or take a pony in order to reach the Amarnath cave temple (elev. 3800 m), a Hindu shrine, about another 32 km away.

Gulmarg (elev. 2600 m) is most famous as a destination for powder skiing/snowboarding in winter. The gondola has two phases, the first one leading to Kongdoori at about 3100 m and the second one to Apharwat at around 4200 m. Starting from Kongdoori, a chairlift can take you to a place called Mary’s Shoulder at around 3600 m.

From Kongdoori one can hitch a ride on a snowmobile or a local wooden sledge.

A special activity is the offer of Heliskiing.

Gulmarg also offers ski-lifts for beginners, each about 150 m in length, around the valley station of the gondola. Two of them are located next to the Gulmarg Ski Shop, a government operated ski/snowboard rental. This is another location where you will find plenty of offers for riding on a wooden sledge. Rides on an All-Terrain-Vehicle (ATW/Quad) are also available. Furthermore, there is an ice-skating facility in walking distance, which is operational when the temperatures remain below the freezing point for longer periods of time.

In summer, Gulmarg is nice for walks and hikes, or for taking a gondola ride and enjoying great views in fine weather. Gulmarg also has one of the world’s highest golf courses. Those who like pony riding will find many opportunities for a guided tour. The same applies to the ATWs mentioned earlier.

Sonamarg (elev. 2700 m), its name meaning “Golden Meadow”, is also great for walks, hikes, and horse rides, especially towards the Thajiwas Glacier. Furthermore, the Zoji La Pass, at about 3500 m above sea level, about 20 km away from Sonamarg, is an attraction as a high mountain pass that can be crossed by road. This is the road leading towards Kargil and eventually Leh/Ladakh. Due to high amounts of snowfall in winter, reaching Sonamarg from Srinagar can be a challenge, and closure of this important road/pass to Ladakh is frequent between the months of November to April.

 

Baltal, about 15 km from Sonamarg, is the second starting point for the annual Amarnath Yatra Hindu pilgrimage. From there the famous cave can even be reached via helicopter during the pilgrimage period; the other options for reaching the shrine, which is about 14 km away from Baltal, are walking or riding on a pony.