My trip to Srinagar, and Ladakh... please take a look at the schedule

vinaykumar

Hi guys,
I have been lurking on this forum for quite some time,
what a great group of people! Love your posts.
Anyways getting to the point,
Here is my trip plan...
This trip is with my Parents.

30th August
Arrive at Srinagar airport, site seeing and night stay at Srinagar. JKTDC house boats on Jhelum River.


31st August
Site seeing in Srinagar and post lunch head to Pahalgam and stay overnight at Pahalgam.

1st September
Site seeing in Pahalgam overnight at Pahalgam

2nd Sept
Head to Gulmarg in the morning. Site seeing in Gulmarg and night stay at Gulmarg. JKTDC Cottages.

3rd
Gulmarg to Kargil. overnight stay in kargil.

4th
Kargil – Lamayuru - Leh

5th
Leh. Take rest to acclimatize.

6th
Khardungla pass, and Nubra valley [Diskit]
7th
Diskit - Leh return.

8th
.Leh- Pangong Tso. Overnight at Spangmik

9th
Back to Leh

10th

Leh.[buffer day]

11th
Checkout and return to Delhi


It is pretty much finalised, I have one doubt.... 2 days in Pahalgam vs 2 nights in Gulmarg?

Also,
I hear great things about Sonamarg too, but I cant seem to be able to fit it, it would become too hectic with too much travel.

Gulmarg vs Sonmarg, What would you guys choose? I cant decide :

No Thanks to my hectic working hours, I am yet to make hotel bookings, with 1 week left to go, so I need to freeze the itinerary as soon as possible.

Thanks
Vinay

Indizen

Hello, and welcome to IndiaMike!

Indizen

Why are you opting for the house boats situated on the Jhelum river?
It is much better to opt for a boat in Dal Lake, or even more so at Nageen Lake.
What is your budget for the house boats?

Ms Princess W

I would agree. The river houseboats are generally right next to the road (noisy).

ujjwal

HI Vinay,
i just drove to Manali - Leh - Srinagar and returned day before yesterday. So we visited Sonamarg as well. I would recommend sonamarg over gulmarg. Or you can visit gulmarg on your way to sonamarg.
Sonamarg is 80 kms. from Srinagar. Add another 40 from gulmarg to srinagar and about 60 from pahalgam to gulmarg. This gives u a drive of 180 kms. wich can be done without much difficulty, if u start early.

Moreover Gulmarg to kargil is about 260+, and road nearing Zo-jila are a bad spectacle. So it may get difficult for your parents. I would advise you to start early from pahalgam and visit gulmarg on your way to sonamarg.

Next day you can start for kargil from the same road with Kargil now only 130 kms.
This would reduce the stress levels and prepare you better for leh.

if ii was not able to clear out some thing, feel free to ask.
All the best.

vinaykumar

Thank you indizen, Miss Princess W, ujjwal.

I am in touch with jktdc by mail, and Jhelum riverside houseboats was the option given to me.
Does JKTDC have houseboats on Nagin lake?
Well budget is a tricky topic...
I am trying to balance it by opting for around 2k a night in Kashmir, and affordable 500 rupee acco in Ladakh.
I think I shall chose Sonamarg over Gulmarg then.
I have heard good things about jktdc guest house at Sonamarg, I shall ask for availability there.
Gulmarg, well I may or may not go there. There is simply no time.
I would love to do the gondola ride, but maybe some other time...
Could you guys please answer one more query?
2 nights in Pahalgam vs 2 nights in Sonamarg? which would you prefer?
Thanks guys

Ms Princess W

Oh, goodness - you can get a nice houseboat on either lake for rs.2k a night. Don't stay on the river if you have that kind of budget to work with!

vinaykumar

Mr Ujjwal, how is the weather now in Ladakh?
is it cloudy and raining? Is it cold now?
Thank you
p.s I am going ahead with 2 nights in Pahalgam and 1 night in Sonamarg.
Please let me know if this is ok, or should I do 1 night in pahalgam and 2 nights in Sonamarg.
Thanks so much everyone, will post pics and trip log on my return.

vinaykumar

Hi guys,
I am resurrecting an old thread...

I had a fantastic trip, here are the pics...

http://picasaweb.google.com/vinay123/Kashmir#

http://picasaweb.google.com/vinay123/Ladakh#

Thanks ujjwal, Miss Princess, Indizen for your valuable information.

vivek.onyx

Hi Vinaykumar,

thanks for great pics.
can you give us rough estimate of this trip??

vinaykumar

Came to a lakh, all inclusive, for total 3 people.

Airfares:-
Pune-Delhi- 2.7k
Delhi-Srinagar- 3k
Leh-Delhi- 4k

Taxis:-

Srinagar Airport-> Nageen Lake 500, plus 200 for the shikara till the houseboat.
Trip to see 3 gardens + Shankaracharya temple + Drop to Pahalgam :- 2800 for the same taxi.
Pahalgam to Gulmarg- 1600
Gulmarg to Sonamarg- 3000-3500 [but we took a sumo till the foothills at Tangmarg for 300, then a Shared taxi to Srinagar's Batmaloo stand for 90 rupees each, then another 1600 from Batmaloo to Sonamarg]
Sonamarg to Kargil- 2800, but we paid him 3k keeping in mind the atrocious weather conditions at Zoji-la, and he was a great guy. very patient, cheerful. Stopped him a lot of times for pics :lol:
Kargil to Leh- 500 per seat [Shared Innova, very easy to get shared taxis from Kargil onwards]
Leh monastery sight seeing, Shey, Thiksey, Hemis and Stok palace. 1800 for whole Tata Safari[no sharing]
Pangong Lake - shared taxi, approx 1200 per head, overnight homestay at spangmik.
Nubra valley - again around 1200 return per person.
Night stay at Diskit.

Hotels:-

Please keep in mind we went in off season, so heavily discounted rates. Please check actual rates by calling them.

Srinagar-
Wagnoo houseboats' Lion of kashmir at Nageen lake. 2k per night.
3 bedrooms per boat.
1 double and one single bed, with attached bath, common dining and sitting room.
HIGHLY Recommended.

Pahalgam

Mount view hotel.
1600 per night, double bed with one extra mattress.
Recommended place. Good location RIGHT next to the Lider river. Each room has a good view of mountains and the river.

Gulmarg
Gulmarg Resorts.
Owned by the same guys as Pahalgam's Mount view.
Got a superb 2 room suite for 1200 bucks.

Sonamarg
JKTDC cottages, the best option in Sonamarg.
1050 for a cottage that had a kitchen, dining room, 2 double bedrooms, 1 of which had an attached bathroom.
basically a complete 2 bhk independent house, a 10 minute climb up a hill on steps. Fantastic view of the mountains, the valley and the National Highway 1D snaking through it.
Highly recommended of course

Kargil

Hotel Siachen
1200 for double room with extra mattress.
Recommended.

Leh :- Hotel Siddharth, old fort road.
Nezer guest house was full, so they got us this room in their "partner hotel"
NOT recommended, dont get me started

Hope this helps

vivek.onyx

Thanks vinaykumar, above information will realy help for my upcoming Leh trip in April 2010.

i was on Kashmir trip from september last week to oct first weekwith my family. we stayed at Wangnoo's Yaadgar Houseboat at Nagin Lake @1000/day. Mr. Ahmad Wangnoo very disappoint us. i will never ever recommond this HB to anyone

I will post my trip report very soon

Ms Princess W

Vinay, the photos are great. I'm glad you had a good trip and stayed on a beautiful HB (I'm not impressed with the appearance of those on the river at all!)

vinaykumar

Sorry to hear that Vivek,
I guess we were lucky. the houseboat we had was big and luxurious. Service was prompt and good. Mr Ahmed arranged for a good taxi guy too.
Best of luck for your Ladakh trip.
I would recommend that you do a roadtrip one way, and fly back to delhi.

Dear princess
You were the one who dissuaded me from getting the River HB's, so thanks for the tip.

natarajanps

nice trip vinay

please give ur valuable advice..i am planning to go kashmir in december first week ...not finalized any hotel in phelgam and gulmarg ..u booked hotels in advance or after landing there? hotel mount view with 1200 bucks is good..whethere it had centraly heated room or not... any idea about heevan group hotels..