We visited Kashmir in May 2024. Having lived in India for many years, this was my first visit to key places in Kashmir like Srinagar, Gulmarg and Pahalgam. In one sentence, Kashmir is truly a paradise on earth. The snow capped mountains, rivers, lakes, pine trees were truly breathtaking.
We started our Kashmir trip with a journey to Maa Vaishno Devi temple. We had booked in advance for the special darshan, which allows devotees ample time in the sanctum sanctorum. The cable car trip to Bhairon temple was also smooth.
We had originally planned to take a scenic drive from Katra to Srinagar. However, there were heavy nonseasonal rains and the roads in Kashmir were flooded. As a result, we had to take a flight to Srinagar from Jammu.
In Srinagar, we stayed in a house boat on Nigeen lake. The entire boat was booked for our party of 6 people. The views of the lakes and the mountains from the houseboat were stunning.
We visited the Mughal gardens, Chashme Shahi Garden, the Shankaracharya temple and walked around the Dal Lake.
We did a day trip to Sonamarg, with stunning views along the drive.
Our next destination was Gulmarg, where we stayed at Khyber Himalayan Resorts and Spa. The hotel was great and the views from the hotel were amazing.
We visited the Maharajah Hari Singh palace; drove around the scenic spots with great views of the streams and mountains. We couldn’t take the scenic gondola ride, since these need to be booked online well in advance.
Our last stay was at Pahalgam. The horse ride to Mini Switzerland was challenging, but the scenery at the top was quite nice. There were also many activities at the top.
We visited many attractions around Pahalgam, Betaab Valley, Boota Pathri, etc.
Our maiden trip to Kashmir really showed the beauty of this place, definitely worth going back.
My Travels - by Sivamani 