kashmir in Dec -Jan

Hiya everybody...I reallly would love to go to kashmir dec-jan time this year but Ive been told by many that this is not the season to go, that it is far to cold, the tourist industry shuts down etc...I would like to know if that is true. Is kashmir stilll enjoyable in the winter...can i make a holiday out of it.

Thank You

Hi phoenix, i'll be in Kashmir from 14 Dec to 20 Dec this year. I think it shouldnt be too cold. In fact, we're going to Gulmarg for a skiing trip
I know a family that's going to srinagar/gulmarg in december too. and a friend went there before last year in december. it was cold i think but not unbearably...

If im not wrong, it gets colder in end dec. Have to ask the experts about this. Can someone provide temperature/weather information about kashmir for december? It would help phoenix and me. thanks.

I think you shouldnt have much problems with cold since you"re from UK? haha...

try:
http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/w...3?s=4534&refer==
gives all kind of paremeters of tem and weather

Hi,

We are planning a similar trip in end december, the plan is

24th Dec - amritsar
25-27 dec - Jammu ( incl vaishnodevi)
28-31 dec - srinagar.

I am hoping that the weather & Militants co-operate and we have a good holiday.

will be doing the jammu - srinagar strech by road -

1. please advice if we should take a bus or shared jeep.
2. Should we travel instead from jammu to pahalgam stay overnight and get to srinagar the next day.
3. What would an indicative off season tariff for a safe houseboat ( b/c category ).. any recomendations are welcome.

thanks in advance for your replies

mani

jeeps r mostly sumos,,,,,,,,, but if u know someone in jmu u can get a ride in a maruti car fromm jammu to srinagar(all maruti suzuki cars get to srinagar by some driver ,,,,an inside news),,,,, very cheap and comforting,,,,,,,,,,,, house boats r negotiable all the time,,,,,,,, go to srinagar first and then take a tour to gulmarg and the rest ,,,,,,,,,,, life is good and bad there so all good and bad things can happen to u ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, normally dosent apply to all so be good,,,,,,,,,, and yes just one wine shop,,,,,,,,, thats what i remember,,,,,,, although u can get anything for a price,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, cheers

these maruti cars i mentioned r driven by company ppl to srngr r brand new and only driven by drivers for delivery to new customers in srngr
not like taxis ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, cheers//////

regarding assault powers post,think sonmarg and/or phalagam much nicer than gulmarag,if going to phalagam stay in a place looking on the river (have address if want)

Hi

Dec and Jan is the best time to visit kashmir.Skiing in Gulmarg commences during this period and I think it is the peak tourist timein Kashmir.

Hi

I was in Kashmir in Feb/March this year and back again in October.

It will be cold - last week they had the first snow - I think the only thing you need to watch is that if the road between Jammu and Srinagar gets blocked - I know in Dec last year it was closed for a few days and then again in March this year when I went it was a bit of a nightmare with landslides.

Best bet is to take a jeep from Jammu to Srinagar - it was about 9 hours when I last went - if you want to go to Pahalgam you'll have to change in Anantnag - its about an hours run from there - so its really no difference timewise whether you go Jammu-Srinagar or Jammu-Pahalgam - price wise I paid 200r going up and 450r coming down (from Anantnag) - it just depends on the demand and the summer capital was moving when I came back.

I've seen it in both seasons - yes you can have a holiday and Gulmarg would definately be a place to visit but the Moghul gardens won't look their best - recommendations I don't know the a/b system I did stay on a houseboat but I'm not sure they are open for business that time of year but I have their number and wasn't hassled by the paper mache men, shawl sellers etc whilst I stayed there - can recommend the Dal view hotel on the Boulevard just above the J & K bank - really helpful staff and all rooms have a balcony - maybe a place to set your bags before checking out the houseboats.

There's some photos of winter in Kashmir on my blog if you're interested -http://aliceinwtravels.blogspot.com/
- you may need to go back to July to see them - kinda long term work in progress at the moment.

It's a great place to go in my mind - whatever time of year - and if you like a beer on an evening yes there is only one shop in Srinagar on the Boulevard.

People I need help !!!
I wanna go to Gulmarg in friday for snowboarding !!
are ski lift r working ?
i am going from delhi
can u tell me the cheapest solution for getting there ?
also the cheapest accommodation and renting centre
thx a lot
desperate girl from jaipur

Interesting, in the old days the Maharaja's government left Srinagar for Jammu in the winter..

hi alexis,

you can rent snowboards in gulmarg. i just checked with a friend in kashmir and he said you can do so. i'm pretty sure he is right.

i didnt remember seeing ski lifts when i was in gulmarg. But the gondolas are definetly working. it's really worth a ride to the top to see the himalayas range! gorgeous!

cheapest way to get to gulmarg would probably be from srinagar. get a private jeep and drive down to gulmarg. roads are safe.

Even now the Government of Jammu and Kashmir shifts from Srinagar to Jammu every winter. Its called the annual "Durbar Move". Nowhere else in India !

There are as well as the big gondala little ski lifts on and around the golf course at Gulmarg - but I'm no skiing expert - so these maybe for the beginners

The cheapest way to get there from Srinagar is to take a bus to a place called Batmaloo on the outskirts of the city - then take a shared jeep to a place called Tangmarg (around 40r's)where you can grab another jeep to Gulmarg (around 20r's).

I think the government moves because Srinagar gets cold and the road tends to get blocked in the winter and Jammu is too hot in the summer - never knew the move had a name though.

Hi.............all

I am going to kashmir 29th Nov and have a plan of visiting Sonmarg,Gulmarg and Pahelgam .
Just guide should I spend on day in visiting Patnitop as I am seeing these palces?

Please tell some others sports worth seeing from srinagar .