Since the arrival of COVID, all our quick trips came into a halt. But then we managed a three day off from our work through long weekend in august and decided to go Kashmir. It’s a first time for us and we were very excited to visit the Indian Switzerland. Since we have already visited Switzerland before, our expectation remained very high for Kashmir. Though we planned our trip during Independence Day, but we did not face any unrest or did not feel insecure.
Day 1
We landed Kashmir on a saturday pleasant morning. Since we had a morning flight, we were fortunate to see the entire Himalayan range with beautifully sparkling snow cladded peaks which gave us a sense that we are about to enter the heaven on earth.
We booked our entire stay in a house boat on Dall Lake, and trust me, it was one of the best experiences of our Kashmir trip. After having breakfast, we got ready for our first day trip to Gulmarg. Gulmarg, the meadow of flower, is famous for its beautiful blooms during spring and snow-covered valley during winter. During august, Gulmarg presents itself with partial snow and green meadow. You can either spend a lazy time by visiting the shooting spot of Bobby (the famous bollywood movie starred Rishi Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia) or you can take gondola (the cable car) to reach either Phase I or II and enjoy the beautiful Himalayan range from Kashmir Valley. During august, Phase I generally don’t have snow but you can enjoy snow in Phase II with a little trek of a kilometer. I should mention two disclaimers here, one, you don’t actually need a guide to enjoy Gulmarg. Try to enjoy the beauty on your own. Second, if you want to get the iconic pashmina shawls, buy at your own risk. Pack some dry foods, drinks in your backpack and enjoy the beauty of Gulmarg while spending the day at the meadow. Since, we were first timer, and did not pack food with us, finally had our lunch at Tanmarg at five in the evening.
We had our evening coffee and dinner at houseboat and here I need to mention about Mahmood Bhai who relentlessly gave us the best of foods and always stayed awake till we finish. We are generally a late to bed type and Kashmiris are early to bed kind.
Day 2
On our second day, we planned for Pahelgaon/Pahelgam. This place is a little far from that of Gulmarg, so we started early and en-route we bought zaafraan or saffron, dry fruits from a very reliable shop and had best Kaava ever. Also, on our way to Pahelgaon, we stopped at Apple Valley, had fresh apple juice in the apple garden, also bought apple from the farmers. We also stopped at Lidder Valley and the pollution free pleasant air made us fall in love with Kashmir at each and every moment. There are multiple package options available for taking the pony ride and you can always bargain on the deals and price. But few points never to be missed, which are, Kashmir Valley, Baisaran, Dabyan Valley, Waterfall and Denow Valley. For this trip, you need to have the entire day and by the evening you can come down to Srinagar again. Many tourists stay in Pahelgaon for the Baishnodevi pilgrimage.
Day 3
Sonmarg is the farthest of the other two place we visited. While reaching this spot, you can come across many small glaciers and the Zoji-La tunnel which connects Kargil. When we went, the tunnel was under construction, but by now, it has become operational. During winter, Sonmarg remains under snow for six to seven months and the regular supply to Drass and Kargil gets halted and hence this tunnel. The pony rides up to the glacier is exciting and memorable. You can carry your lunch and can opt for having it near the glacier of Sonmanrg, or can return to the base and can have lunch from the choice of restaurants. Many tourists opt to spend night in Sonmarg, and the place have many hotel options.
On our way back, we quickly visited the famous Rose Garden of Srinagar, Chashme Shahi. Since it was August month, we could not see the Tulip Garden, but if you are planning to visit in March to May, you can see the bloomed Tulips.
We made a quick trip to Kashmir through Srinagar, but there are other available routes too. Many people opt to take the route of Jammu, keep Kargil, Drass and other places in the tour plan.
So, if you are planning to visit Kashmir, but have limited time to invest, this tour plan can help you plan your days. Bon Voyage!
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