Indulge in the romantic spur of houseboats, historic gardens, distinctive Kashmiri wooden mosques and a mild summer climate combine to make Srinagar one of India’s top domestic tourist attractions. Srinagar’s three main areas converge around Dal gate, where the southwestern nose of Dal Lake passes through a lock gate. Northwest lies the fascinatingly chaotic Old City. The busy commercial centre is southwest around Lal Chowk. The city’s greatest draw card is mesmerisingly the placid Dal Lake, which stretches a southwestern channel-spur towards the city centre, paralleled by the hotel-lined Boulevard. A bright array of houseboats here forms particularly colourful scene. The famous Mughal gardens are strung out over several kilometers around the lake.
Surrounded by high peaks, the Lidder and Seshnag rivers tumble down picturesque, deep-cut mountain valleys covered with giant conifers. The surrounding mountains contain many beauty spots and over 20 lakes to which countless guides and horsemen are more than keen to take you for a ride. The most popular hike of all is the multi-day pilgrimage to Armanath. The main accommodation centre is the sprawling low-rise resort town of Pahalgam with over 230 hotels and guesthouses, several manicured parks, temples for different religions and a super mountain-ringed golf course. Rafting a 2.5km stretch of the Lidder is possible from a point 12km west of Pahalgam.
For a short, easy unguided walk, heading up the very pretty Lidder Valley towards Aru gets you fairly rapidly away from the worst of the pilgrim crowds. Given around three hours, horsemen will be more than happy to take you on a standard road-less circuit to a lake, viewpoint and upland meadow. Guesthouses are likely to encourage you to go for longer treks that take you well into the glorious alpine scenery. While the landscapes are undoubtedly lovely, prices tend to be far higher than for equivalent hikes in Ladakh, so if your time is limited, think carefully as to which area suits you better.
Pine-fringed Gulmarg is the nearest in India, to gets to a ski resort. It’s not so much a town as a twisting 4km-long loop of road ringing the undulating ‘Meadow of Flowers’ for which it’s named. The meadow is given some visual focus by the modest 1890’s Anglican Church of St Mary’s sitting on a lonely hillock, accessed off the dead-end road linking historic Gulmarg Golf Club to the 1965 neo-colonial style Hotel Highlands Park. However, the main reason to come to Gulmarg is to venture up through the backing stands of mature pines towards the bald ridge of Mt Afarwat. This can be done on foot or with ponies but is easiest using the two-stage gondola cable car that whisks you to 3747m for outstanding clear-day views, reputedly encompassing Nanga Parbat, the world’s ninth-highest mountain across in Pakistan. The gondola’s base-station is around 1km west of the bus stand.
Surrounded by soaring sharpened peaks and Sound of Music scenery, Sonamarg is a strip-town marring an otherwise gorgeous alpine valley. Sitting on both sides of the Kargil–Srinagar road, it makes a possible trekking base or a meal-stop before or after crossing the nerve-jangling 3529m Zoji La pass. It's also a staging point for yatra-hike pilgrims en route to Amarnath’s holy ice lingam via Baltal Camp, a summer-only pandemonium of tents around 15km east.
An easy way to savour the spectacular scenery is walking up the parallel valley to the fingertips of Thajiwas Glacier. Walking takes around an hour starting along the track between the Hotel Glacier Heights and the Army camp through a zone of newly developing buildings then curling left around the forest ridge. A more obvious route starts from around, where you could alternatively engage small horses or take a taxi roughly half-way.
Itinerary
Day 01: Arrive - Srinagar
On arrival at the Srinagar airport and transfer to Houseboat. In evening Shikara ride in world famous dal lake. Later return houseboat and overnight stay at the houseboat.
Day 02: Srinagar to Sonamarg
After breakfast proceeds to full day excursion of Sonamarg which is one of the most beautiful drives from Srinagar. Sonamarg also called Meadows of Gold is located at a height of 2692 meters. You may take a pony ride (at your own cost) to Thajiwas Glacier where snow remains round the year. Overnight Stay in your hotel.
Day 03: Sonamarg to Srinagar. (90 kilometers / 2 hrs drive)
After breakfast leave from Sonamarg. Drive towards Srinagar. Visit Srinagar half day tour of world famous Mughal Gardens visiting the Nishat Bagh (The garden of pleasure) and Shalimar Bagh (Adobe of love), Shankaracharya Temple, Pari Mahal, Hazratbal Shrine. Overnight Stay in your hotel.
Day 04: Srinagar to Gulmarg (60 kilometers / 1.3 hrs drive)
After breakfast proceed towards Gulmarg. Enroute you get to see the beautiful Tangmarg town and drive ahead on a scenic drive of 14 kilometers to Gulmarg. Arrive in Gulmarg early in the afternoon and check in at the hotel. Later, begin a short tour, boarding the Gondola cable car system (the 08 minutes ropeway). Descend back to Gulmarg after an hour and later indulge in some horse-riding. Stay overnight at hotel in Gulmarg.
Day 05: Gulmarg to Pahalgam (135 kilometers / 2 .5 hrs drive)
After Breakfast, we drive to Pahalgam via Pampore, Avantipura and the village of Bijbehara which remains famous as the bread basket of Kashmir. We switch from the national highway 1A at Khanabal and drive through the second largest city of Anantnag. From here the road turns scenic as we drive parallel on the Lidder River flowing from the opposite direction. In Pahalgam, check-in at the hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight stay at the hotel in Pahalgam
Day 06: at Pahalgam
After breakfast proceed to full day excursion of Pahalgam to visit the Chandanwari, Aru Vally. Also visit Betab Valley enjoy the bounty of Nature at Pahalgam, located on the bank of beautiful Lidder River, in the evening back to hotel. Overnight stay at Pahalgam.
Day 07: Pahalgam Airport Drop
After your breakfast, we will assist you with transfers to Srinagar Airport. However, on your way, you can make a brief stopover for Shopping and then for your onward flight.
Inclusions
Exclusions
Hotels Used & Package Cost
|
HOTEL CATEGORY |
Standard |
Deluxe |
Luxury |
|
SRINAGAR |
Hotel Golden Finger or similar |
Hotel City Grace or similar |
Hotel Royal Batoo or similar |
|
GULMARG |
Hotel Zam Zam or similar |
Hotel Gulmarg Resort or similar |
Hotel Heevan Gulmarg or similar |
|
PAHALGAM |
Hotel Highland Resort or similar |
Hotel Grand Akbar or similar |
Hotel Heevan Pahalgam or similar |
|
SONMARG |
Hotel Zam Zam or similar |
Hotel Glacier Height or similar |
Hotel Snow Land or similar |
|
COST (PER PERSON) |
20063 |
24339 |
34987 |
* Package valid up to 30TH SEPTEMBER 2015
Terms & Conditions:
Note:
In Case of exceptional circumstances where we are not in position to provide Hotels mentioned, shall offer similar Hotels
All tourists are advised to take comprehensive Insurance of their own
The timings given in itinerary and program may change without notice, keeping in mind local development
Visit to all Museums in program are subject to their remaining open on day of visit as per rules of competent authority
All Cost quoted are in Indian National Rupee
All expenses which are not included in the cost of package shall be paid directly by tourist at the time of checkout
The festival dates in India are based on Hindu system of astrology which is subject to the movement of moon in relation to earth. Therefore, there may be change in dates of festival by one day. We may alter the program by one or another to visit the festivals
All wildlife national parks remain closed from July till September due to monsoon
Supplements will be charged extra during festivals or fairs
Standard check-in time is 1400 hrs & check-out time is 1200 noon
Any hike in Govt. Taxes, Fuel etc., will attract a surcharge, to be paid prior to the departure date
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