Report and pictures of Amarnath Ji Yatra 2012

This pictute is of camps at Manigam

Traffic Jam on Leh National highway

Sonamarg beauty

@ Naresh Sehgal, Sir please guide me about which type of trekking shoes are good for the yatra , I have heard about the water proof trekking shoes are they really required or normal one will do? Please advice.....

Me and my friends are starting the yatra on 19 July from pahalgam and will come back via same route or will take Baltal route.

@ Mumbaitraveller301, Normal trekking shoes will do the work. No need of expansive waterproof shoes. I used Goldstar tracking shoes available for just Rs. 275.i Have completed four tracking (Kedar Nath,Hemkund Saheb and two times Amarnath ji) with this pair.
You should return via Baltal route . By this u will be able to see beauty of both routes.Less than 5 % persons use Pahalgam route for return.

@ Naresh Sehgal, its ok to return back from the Baltal route , but what about our extra luggage where to keep it in Pahalgam or in srinagar or to carry all the luggage along with us ?

If you are planning to take a different route for returning then it would be necessary to carry your extra luggage with you, else you would be required to return to that point again, which does not seem practical.

Generally we start journey from our home in such a way that only required items are with us, and we don't require cloakroom for storage of extra items.

Always Travel light!

Please guide me , below is the itinerary or days we have for the tour

18 July Mumbai to Srinagar [by air], airport to pahalgam by taxi
19 July will start the yatra [as booking has been done] pahalgam to sheshnag
20 July sheshnag to panchtarani
21 July pachtarani to holy cave

22 July please guide me from here , our return flight Srinagar to Mumbai is on 26 july afternoon, We are interested in doing Srinagar local and pahalgam local / rafting etc

Any idea about the taxi rates for :-
Srinagar airport to pahalgam
Baltal to Srinagar
Pahalgam to Srinagar

Any suggestions for budget hotels in Pahalgam & Srinagar

@ mumbaitraveller301, You can club 20 and 21 or 21 and 22.
If you start early from Sheshnag, You can reach Panjtarni at 3PM and you can proceed to Holy cave same day. It will take you 2 more hrs.It is just6 km out of which 4 km is down track.
or if you reach Panchtarni late, than start early next morning for Holy cave and after Darshan, proceed to Baltal.
Voth option can be done easily..

Fare : Srinagar airport to pahalgam: No idea
Baltal to Srinagar :Shared taxi are avilable @300-400 per person. For solo taxi you have to pay around Rs.2500

Darshan of Holy cave..

Naresh Ji, is there any clock room facility at Baltal where I can put my extra luggage for a day? If not, can you guide about any other reliable place at baltal?

This Picture (Darshan 2012)is taken from some site as camera and mobile phone are strictly prohibited in the Holy Cave .
Jai Bhole ki..Har Har Mahadev..



Mod Note
Photograph source: http://www.shriamarnathjishrine.com/the-holy-cave.html

@ Naresh Sehgal, thanks a lot

@helloravigarg: LOCKER FACILITY IS AVAILABLE BY SASB AT BALTAL.You can also keep the extra luggage at Langars/Bhandaras.

You should enter source of the photograph, as it is required on this Forum due to copyright issue!