Back from awesome Trip To Kashmir

Hi All,

Thanks for all the help and support
I am back from my wonderful trip to the paradise----Kashmir.
Sharing my experience with you all

Day 1-5th Aug=> Started from Pune by Jammu Tawi train at 5.30 PM
Train was on time.Had fun in the train by passing the time with the passengers,watching movie(as i was carrying my lappi).Getting down at some stations to have a look.Taking snaps and eating and sleeping

Here is what I did in the whole trip
Day 3-7th Aug=> reached Jammu tawi station at 10.15AM
Day 3-7th Aug=> Jammu tawi to Patnitop(night stay)
Day 4-8th Aug=>Patnitop to Pahalgam(night stay)
Day 5-9th Aug=>Pahalgam sight seeing(night stay)
Day 6-10th Aug=>Pahalgam to Srinagar
Day 7-11th Aug=>Sonamarg
Day 8-12th Aug=>Gulmarg
Day 9-13th Aug=>Srinagar Local sight seeing
Day 10-14th Aug=>Srinagar->Delhi->Pune


I will post in details
In short I had a blast,went to waterfall,apple garden,mountain view,temple in patnitop,enjoyed the traffic,saw landslide,saw the beautiful lidder river,betab valley,chandawari(snow),shanka rycharya temple,skhikar ride,lotus garden,lilly flowers,went to thajiwas and hapat gand glacier,played in the snow,went to gondola ride,went to qutab minar,india gate,metro train.

Keep reading for the next post in detail

Nice start Sonal. Would love to see some pics, and read a more detailed trip log.

am waiting for more

great to hear from that you make all the tour safe and soundly to kashmir valley

So we reached Jammu tawi station at about 10 AM.
It was a rainy day.Though we were carrying raincoats and umbrella we got wet,but still it was fun.

We went to the tourist centre to find some help and to know the rates.We had not taken any pakage or booked any hotels in advance as we wanted to explore more.
The tourist centre in jammu was not of that much help as they were trying to sell there pakages of around 30k-40k.We decided not to go with that and we directly went to the pre paid taxi centre.
You can get sharing cab as well as own vehicle Ac/non Ac
Sharing cab cost 500 per head
We went with innova for 4k from jammu tawi station to srinagar.
We had a plan in mind but it changed and we loved it instead
The driver was a good guy.
His name is girdhari lal
Mob Number:09906094817
He offered us a pakage,initally we were not ready as he was saying 2k per day for 7 days.But after some bargain we said ok to him
So the deal was 13k for the whole trip including the jammu to srinagar.
So with the help of him we made a rough plan
Day 1-jammu tawi station to patnitop and stay thr
Day 2-patnitop to pahalgam
Day 3-pahalgam
Day 4-pahalgam to srinagar
Day 5-srinagar to sonmarg and back
Day 6-srinagar to gulmarg and back
Day 7-Srinagar local sight seeing
Day 8-Srinagar to airport(on our own)

So we started with him not knowing that we are going to get stuck in huge traffic jam due to landslides.
We got stuck near a diversion to patnitop by the CRPF and asked to take the bypass where there was traffic jam due to landslide
We started from jammu tawi at 10.30 and reached patnitop at around 3 PM after stopping inbetween for lunch,tea breaks.On the way we also had sonpapdi which is famous in that place.We also got chance to visit a small temple of vaisho maa on the way.The scenary was awesome on the way.And road was crowded with army vans.All in all it was a different experience for us.
We reached patnitop at around 3PM.The driver said he has a friend over there and he can help us in getting a hotel.HE took us to the beautiful goverenment huts.We instantly felt in love with the place.After some bargain the total cost was agreed to 1200 with dinner and breafast.
As we were having the evening we thought of going around and exploring the place.
there was a garden near our hut,we went there and started clicking pics.2 ponywallas offered us to take the pony.They agreed for 900 for 2 horse to take us to the apple gardens,patnitop view point,temple and an awesome waterfall in the woods.
We went through the huge pine tress,passed many flim spots and then reached the apple garden.It was not that good as we expected.It was a private garden and 30rs per head was charged to enter it.Then we went to the view point,it was worth visiting there.We could see the entire patnitop from there.
Then the actual part came as we went to the awesome waterfall in the woods.It was 120 feet high waterfall.
At night we had delicous homemade food and went to sleep early to begin our longest journey tommorrow.

Points to be noted
1.Dont book any packages in advance
2.If you dont have much time dont go by jammu tawi to srinagar by road as it is mostly blocked due to traffic jam and takes more time than the usual time 8 hours.
3.The cost of prepais taxi from jammu tawi to srinagar by car is 4k and that by air is 5k so better opt for flight.
4.In patnitop you can go to the apple garden and view point on your own no need of pony.Also you can go the temple by car.
5.Dont go by sharing cab as it will be hectic instead go by private car
6.Do visit the waterfall as it is awesome in patnitop but if you are alone dont take the risk as it is in the woods.
7Always bargain hard with everyone.

Keep reading for my next post from patnitop to pahalgam

wating for next post and do send pictures

I am waiting for more

Come on Sonal, what's next?? Don't keep us waiting for the feast!!

Asish Das

Sorry friends for replying so late.
So here we began our journey to Pahalgam.
We started our journey actually late as all our clothes were wet and we had to dry and pack them.
So we started our journey at 10 AM in the morning.
The weather was awesome as we started.We had lovely rajma chawal at a dhabba on our way.
Just few blocks and we were stuck in the traffic.Someone informed us that there was landslide yesterday.Some blamed the army as they were in huge number.Some said there was accident.No one knew what actually had happen untill we reached there.Some said it will take 2-3 days some said 1 week but i was hoping that it will only take us a few hours and we will be in pahalgam.I was busy planning that I will go on horse riding the same day or may be some local sightseeing around the town.Then sometimes I thought we might just screwed our trip,why didnt I go by flight.I will loose the day.Some panic,some fear,sometimes taking pics,sometimes chit chatting with the army ppl.The wait was the longest,but we had hope and no other option.
So the long wait was over.The traffic got cleared and our vehicle started moving
yupppie I was so happy.There were huge stones on the road due to landslide.There again an accident happen but thankfully it got sorted out and we were going towards our destination.
We passed through the dangerous Khooni nala,Shaitani nala and the tunnel.
We reached a beautiful Titanic View Point(The first view of kashmir valley).We stoped there for some time and enjoyed the beauty.
By that time it was 7.30 in the night and we could hardly see anything but we could here the Lidder river as we passed through the pahalgam.It was running along with us.I was waiting for the morning to see the beautiful place.
We stayed in "Hotel Heritage" as suggested by the driver.
He charged Rs900 for 1 night.
We had our dinner in the hotel in the town named "dana Pani" and went to sleep early as we wanted to enjoy the most in the morning

Tips
1.Always carry water and some eatables with you
2.Do visit Titanic view point its awesome and on the way
3.Bargain everywhere

Pahalam-Baisaran-Betab-Chandwari
As we didnt wanted to miss anything we woke up early in the morning and got ready by 8AM.
We thought not to have anything in the hotel and instead try something on the way.
We first thought that we will visit places around pahalgam and if we get time we will go to chandwari/aru.
As the hotel owner had horses so we thought he might give us in cheaper price but we were wrong but still somehow I managed for 600 per horse for 4 points that includes Baisaran,Pahalgam Valley,Dabaiyan valley and one more point I dont remeber sorry.We were not very looking forward to the waterfall as we find many in maharastra and also we had seen 1 in patnitop.
So we started our morning on the horseback.He just showed us the point saying this is pahalgam valley,this is dabyan not much.We clicked pictures thats it.It was not that exciting.We were going through the huge Pine trees,passing by the river.
Then we reached baisaran.It is a beautiful place with huge ground and Pine forest.Not that great but beautiful.We had our breakfast in one stall over there.In Kashmir they will charge you double at these places as they say they have to bring food at such height.
There were some kids with some animals like rabbit,shepherd asking us to take pictures with them for Rs 10.We took some pics.There were also some sellers trying to sell shawls and some materials.
After that he took us to 2 more points they were equally beautiful.We were back to hotel at around 1.30PM.As we were having time we thought ehy not try chandanwari that day itself.
We were lucky as we got the darshan of the famous Chaddi of Amarnath yatra which was there for 2 days.
We had our lunch in the Bhandara.Wow I must tell you it was awesome and delicious.
After that we went to the taxi stand as our vehicle cant be taken to chandanwari so we had to hire a cab.The rates were 450 for betab valley and 850 for chandanwari + Betab.We choose for both.
It is 16 km for pahalgam and took us around 30 minutes.Believe me its great place and I think best place in pahalgam.We saw glacier over there.Ohhhh the water was chilling cold but had fun.Again the pony wallas came asking to take us to the top,but we opted to walk.It is the starting point of amarnath yatra.Took many pics and then left for betab.Actually betab valley comes on the way but first we chose to go to chandwari and then to betab.
Betab valley is just beautiful blue water.We spent some time over there and then back to pahalgam.
We were still left with some time so we thought to go around the pahalgam.We went to the Aru side.It was white water over there.The same river changing colours.It was beautiful.Then we went to the view point,to have the view of entire valley.
Ohh it was awesome expreince.
We thought of going to shehnag lake next morning but some people informed us its not safe to go alone so we droped the plan and thought of starting to go to srinagar the next morning.

Tips
1.Be clear with the hotel owner about the rent whether it includes food or not.
2.Bargain hard with the pony wallas,they will show you the rate but dont worry you can still bargain
3.You can actually go to baisaran by vehicle.
4.If you love trekking do visit shehnag lake or tulian lake but in a group.
5.Do visit chandanwari/Aru.
6.There are many hotel options in pahalgam,but prefer near the river side

Some pics

http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...&ppuser=116276

hey sonal... amazing reading..
but i want more.. soon!

sure teetiana I will post soon

Hi
thanks for your thread. What happened?
Blast??
Ivana