Plan to visit Kashmir during last week of June'13

[AMITNOIDA]

I'm planning to visit Kashmir during last week of June'13. Total 9-10 days will be the duration of our tour from Delhi. The total member will be four (myself, my wife and our sons)

The places which I have shortlisted are :
Srinagar, Gulmarg, Sonmarg, Pahalgam

I like to stay at places, which are serene and away from hustle & bustle.

Please suggest beautiful place, houseboat, hotel / guest house worth seeing / staying there.

Few hotels, which I have heard as good are:

Srinagar - Hotel Madhuban at Nehru Park
Houseboat - Manila
Pahalgam - Himalaya House (New block)
Brown Palace in village Laripora above Pahalgam

Regards

Amit

 

[AMITNOIDA]

Will it be a too tiring journey, if I take an SUV and go by road.

1st day - Delhi to Jammu (night stay there)
2nd day - Jammu to Srinagar
3rd to 5th day - short day trips to Gulmarg, Sonmarg
6th day - Srinagar to Pahalgam
7th day - Stay at Pahalgam
8th day - Pahalgam to Jammu
9th day - Jammu to Delhi

Another option - Increase the duration of tour and cover Srinagar to Leh also (it will take at least 4-5 more days with night stay at Kargil and Leh)

Meanwhile, I have received a PM from a FM suggesting to explore Indiamike.com to get more idea. Thanks Sanchit.

Regards

Amit

 

[ghatgepatil]

Yes, it would be just too tiring a journey by road!

Better option would be fly to Srinagar, though, would be a bit too hard on the wallet OR take a train to Jammu and then arrange for the SUV from there. Also, would suggest to keep off Leh/Ladakh for this time around. Not due to the immediate Chinese intrusion, but more to do with our own hightened military activity in that zone. Many areas could be off bounds!

You should plan for 2 nights stay at Pahalgam. Its a nice, quiet picturesque location, though, might not be so quiet during your visit! The balance days can be spent in Srinagar,at some hotel facing the Dal, and with just one night in the Dal-located Houseboat. Just for the kicks! It is not so exciting as it seems in a houseboat, since they all are cramped up together. You would just be able to see a lot of bare rocks in Gulmarg now. Winter visit there is a no-miss though.

Fooding is yet another activity you should pursue seriously, in case you are a carnivore. Authentic Kashmiri cuisine is yummy eg. goshtaba, yakhni, rishta, tabakh maaz, trout fish dishes at Pahalgam etc.

Keep off acquiring any shawls in case you are not an expert at identifying pure pashmina from mixed variety. I prefer audio to this!!!!!