Srinagar city and side trips : A trip report

kshastry · Jun 29th, 2007, 17:34

Hi All,

Hope many of you find this to be useful. I spent a week in the Srinagar valley this June (07) and also managed to make few side trips of the surroundings. Special thanks to friend Gary Wong (fellow IM'r) who provided great tips.

Security situation :

I found Srinagar to be quite normal and peaceful. Ofcourse there is heavy presence of military. But that doesn't come in the way of any tourist activities. There could be occassional frisks when travelling in hired vehicles. The main tourist hub around Dal lake (Boulevard and Dalgate) were buzzing with tourists till about 10:30 pm. But "Lal chowk" market area would close at about 7 pm. I didn't heard of any street crime, mugging or theft. Overall it felt safe.

Weather :

Well, June is the midst of peak season and it was actually hot during the day. It was pleasant towards the evening. There were odd showers (mostly in the nights). The days were often bright and clear. This is perhaps the best time (May till September) to undertake outdoor activities like trekking and climbing.

Transport :

I won't write about how to getting into Srinagar.

From airport there is a JKSRTC coach service to Tourist Reception center (TRC). It costs Rs.35 for a single ride. There is a booth in the Arrivals hall where one can purchase ticket.

Within Srinagar and surrounding, there is no problem to move around. Auto Rickshaws are available even past the midnight. However it is advisable to negotiate before hiring. They tend to charge double the fare after 9 PM.

There are plenty of local "coach buses" (TATA 407s) used by locals and run by private operators. But I won't recommend them. They run without a time table. They are often overloaded and its almost impossible to find a seat. The routes are put up in Urdu. These coaches are driven dangerously with a suicidal zeal. They mostly originate from "Bat-maloo" bus station.

JKSRTC has proper coach services to all major towns and cities in the valley and other parts of Kashmir, and even to Delhi/Jammu. The tickets can be booked at TRC. There are also plenty of taxi vehicles (Tata Sumo / Omni / Indicas) available for hire. Govt has put up rates applicable for different destinations (in all taxi stands) and one can bargain around that price.

Stay:

Even during the peak season, I feel there is no need to do any advance booking of a Hotel room or Houseboat. However if you are touring with your family, then it may be good to have some name to spend a night, just to escape the harrasment from touts waiting to bait you. There are good number of hotels suiting all budgets. Arrange for one or two night stay in some place, and then explore around to find the place that suits your taste and budget.

I stayed in a "guest house" run by a Kashmiri family. Well it was almost a home stay type of thing. They have few spare rooms in their house and they rent it out. They can provide food upon request. The location was OK. It was about a KM from Dal gate. I really liked the whole experience of being able to stay close to a Kashmiri household and experience a bit of their life. The hosts were quite humble and eager to please. Rooms were clean. It had cable TV. Food was excellent! (I being a strict veggie).

The owner of this place, Mr.Javed speaks good English and was a nice fellow. He was quite helpful and provided some great tips for site seeing and shopping. The best thing was that he didn't pestered me to buy Kashmiri stuff or expensive houseboat stays. Infact I didn't stay in HB at all as I was much comfortable staying in his guest house.

He can also arrange trekking trips around Srinagar valley and other outdoor activities. He spoke about his experiences of taking people on treks spanning about 6 days. He seem to know great trekking routes and also a tempting "Lake-to-lake" trip done wholly on Shikaras (From Dal to Wulan to Anchar and back). He has access to necessary gear and transportation.

I highly recommend Mr.Javed's place if you are an outdoor type of person, or want to experience Kashmiri way of life, or want to just explore things on your own without being harassed. This place may not be suited for typical Indian families with small children or elders.

If you want the contact details of Mr.Javed, please PM me.

Side trips:

Gulmarg, Sonmarg, Pahalgam and Yousmarg are the popular destinations from Sringar. Each of them can be done as a day trip. JKSRTC offers return trip day tours for these places. Tickets can be booked at TRC. It is recommended to book tickets atleast one day in advance. Buses depart around 8:30 am and return back to Srinagar by 9 PM.

I managed to do only Gulmarg and Pahalgam trip. Gulmarg had snow on the peaks even at this time of the year. It has a Golf course and some expensive looking cottages. There are pony rides available from main bus station to visit one of the "Glacier" type snow meadows. It costs a total of Rs.600-800 per return ride. You may hire fur coats and boots for Rs.100 if you have come unprepared. Its really cold in the mountains. One can do sledging or skiing there (at extra cost). There is also a Gondola (cable car) up the mountain.

Pahalgam is mostly scenic and its a gateway for Amarnath yatra. On the way the bus stops at Pampore (well known for Safforn trade), Avantipur (ancient Hindu temple ruins) and Martand (Surya temple). At Pahalgam itself one can hire a taxi to go to either Chandanwari or Aru. I recommend trip to Aru.

I think I will stop now. Any critiques and questions are welcome!

Here are some pictures.

steven_ber · Jun 29th, 2007, 18:05

Great report kshastry, very useful and great photos.

Getting to Srinagar.

There will be a train to Srinagar early next year, it left Delhi yesterday but is experiencing delays. (only joking)

The new line to Srinagar is expected to be completed early next year.

There are flights to Srinagar from Leh (Indian Airlines), Mumbai (Go Air & Air Sahara), Jammu and Delhi (many airlines from Jammu and Delhi).

indraprastha · Jun 29th, 2007, 18:09

please let me know the safe and less expensive mode to reach Baltal on my yatra to Amarnathji Cave.I can take bus or van used by public

shahronakm · Jun 29th, 2007, 18:14

Thanks for your trip report.
The first pic. is excellent.

Ronak.

Nick-H · Jun 29th, 2007, 18:18

And another vote of thanks from me.

shahronakm · Jun 29th, 2007, 18:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by steven_ber

Getting to Srinagar.

There will be a train to Srinagar early next year, it left Delhi yesterday but is experiencing delays. (only joking)

The new line to Srinagar is expected to be completed early next year.

I will plan my trip to Srinagar once the train starts.
Say from Jammu to Srinagar by train & Srinagar to Jammu by road. Both the journeys will be equally rewarding scenery wise.

Ronak.

kshastry · Jun 29th, 2007, 22:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by indraprastha

please let me know the safe and less expensive mode to reach Baltal on my yatra to Amarnathji Cave.I can take bus or van used by public

Less expensive way is to take JKSRTC bus from Srinagar to Sonmarg (cost Rs.170). At Sonmarg take a shared Sumo ride to Baltal (Rs.50). From Baltal I have heard, a pony would cost Rs.1800-2000 for a return ride to holy cave.

Make sure you have the registered permit with you. Good luck!

daveuk · Apr 13th, 2008, 23:47

Any news on the train from Delhi to Srinagar ? I am planning to try the journey in June 08.

Cheers

Dave

indraprastha · Apr 14th, 2008, 12:34

Please log into www.irctc.co.in go to plan my travel you search all the trains in India.Hope now the service is up to Jammu
Love Always ,
Ravi

ps - Can I stay over nite at Vaishnav Devi Temple and make a second darshan with the same ticket

ashwinnaagar · Apr 16th, 2008, 00:26

hi
i really liked ur review.
can you give the contact no. of the above said guest house and its tariff?
thanks

travelbyte · Jun 2nd, 2008, 00:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by kshastry

If you want the contact details of Mr.Javed, please PM me.

Hi,

Apologies if this is meant to be quiet obvious, but how do I "PM" you?

I would like to have the contact number of Mr. Javed. My husband and I are travelling to Srinagar next weekend. (Please refer thread titled "Itinerary for 2nd week oj Jun" )
Thanks a lot.

Regards,
travelbyte

ashwinnaagar · Jun 2nd, 2008, 12:11

hi i got the the number a few days back frm ksastry.
09906409022 . to 'pm' click on the person's name. You will get one option- send private message. message thru that.

nitin k · Jun 2nd, 2008, 12:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashwinnaagar

hi i got the the number a few days back frm ksastry.
09906409022 . to 'pm' click on the person's name. You will get one option- send private message. message thru that.

ha.. ha ha...

whats the point mr shastri said to PM???

ozman · Jun 4th, 2008, 00:57

Great report great pictures I am glad u didn't get riped off by touts and houseboat people, I thought train was scheduled star in the valley form Qazikud to Srinagar this July, I don't know how true it is, It would be awesome to go by train from Jammu to Srinagar
I was wondering if anybody has any information on tent hotel stay at Sonamerg I heard it is 3star accommodation any help be greately appriciated

Jun 29th, 2007, 17:34	#1
kshastry Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 121	Srinagar city and side trips : A trip report Hi All, Hope many of you find this to be useful. I spent a week in the Srinagar valley this June (07) and also managed to make few side trips of the surroundings. Special thanks to friend Gary Wong (fellow IM'r) who provided great tips. Security situation : I found Srinagar to be quite normal and peaceful. Ofcourse there is heavy presence of military. But that doesn't come in the way of any tourist activities. There could be occassional frisks when travelling in hired vehicles. The main tourist hub around Dal lake (Boulevard and Dalgate) were buzzing with tourists till about 10:30 pm. But "Lal chowk" market area would close at about 7 pm. I didn't heard of any street crime, mugging or theft. Overall it felt safe. Weather : Well, June is the midst of peak season and it was actually hot during the day. It was pleasant towards the evening. There were odd showers (mostly in the nights). The days were often bright and clear. This is perhaps the best time (May till September) to undertake outdoor activities like trekking and climbing. Transport : I won't write about how to getting into Srinagar. From airport there is a JKSRTC coach service to Tourist Reception center (TRC). It costs Rs.35 for a single ride. There is a booth in the Arrivals hall where one can purchase ticket. Within Srinagar and surrounding, there is no problem to move around. Auto Rickshaws are available even past the midnight. However it is advisable to negotiate before hiring. They tend to charge double the fare after 9 PM. There are plenty of local "coach buses" (TATA 407s) used by locals and run by private operators. But I won't recommend them. They run without a time table. They are often overloaded and its almost impossible to find a seat. The routes are put up in Urdu. These coaches are driven dangerously with a suicidal zeal. They mostly originate from "Bat-maloo" bus station. JKSRTC has proper coach services to all major towns and cities in the valley and other parts of Kashmir, and even to Delhi/Jammu. The tickets can be booked at TRC. There are also plenty of taxi vehicles (Tata Sumo / Omni / Indicas) available for hire. Govt has put up rates applicable for different destinations (in all taxi stands) and one can bargain around that price. Stay: Even during the peak season, I feel there is no need to do any advance booking of a Hotel room or Houseboat. However if you are touring with your family, then it may be good to have some name to spend a night, just to escape the harrasment from touts waiting to bait you. There are good number of hotels suiting all budgets. Arrange for one or two night stay in some place, and then explore around to find the place that suits your taste and budget. I stayed in a "guest house" run by a Kashmiri family. Well it was almost a home stay type of thing. They have few spare rooms in their house and they rent it out. They can provide food upon request. The location was OK. It was about a KM from Dal gate. I really liked the whole experience of being able to stay close to a Kashmiri household and experience a bit of their life. The hosts were quite humble and eager to please. Rooms were clean. It had cable TV. Food was excellent! (I being a strict veggie). The owner of this place, Mr.Javed speaks good English and was a nice fellow. He was quite helpful and provided some great tips for site seeing and shopping. The best thing was that he didn't pestered me to buy Kashmiri stuff or expensive houseboat stays. Infact I didn't stay in HB at all as I was much comfortable staying in his guest house. He can also arrange trekking trips around Srinagar valley and other outdoor activities. He spoke about his experiences of taking people on treks spanning about 6 days. He seem to know great trekking routes and also a tempting "Lake-to-lake" trip done wholly on Shikaras (From Dal to Wulan to Anchar and back). He has access to necessary gear and transportation. I highly recommend Mr.Javed's place if you are an outdoor type of person, or want to experience Kashmiri way of life, or want to just explore things on your own without being harassed. This place may not be suited for typical Indian families with small children or elders. If you want the contact details of Mr.Javed, please PM me. Side trips: Gulmarg, Sonmarg, Pahalgam and Yousmarg are the popular destinations from Sringar. Each of them can be done as a day trip. JKSRTC offers return trip day tours for these places. Tickets can be booked at TRC. It is recommended to book tickets atleast one day in advance. Buses depart around 8:30 am and return back to Srinagar by 9 PM. I managed to do only Gulmarg and Pahalgam trip. Gulmarg had snow on the peaks even at this time of the year. It has a Golf course and some expensive looking cottages. There are pony rides available from main bus station to visit one of the "Glacier" type snow meadows. It costs a total of Rs.600-800 per return ride. You may hire fur coats and boots for Rs.100 if you have come unprepared. Its really cold in the mountains. One can do sledging or skiing there (at extra cost). There is also a Gondola (cable car) up the mountain. Pahalgam is mostly scenic and its a gateway for Amarnath yatra. On the way the bus stops at Pampore (well known for Safforn trade), Avantipur (ancient Hindu temple ruins) and Martand (Surya temple). At Pahalgam itself one can hire a taxi to go to either Chandanwari or Aru. I recommend trip to Aru. I think I will stop now. Any critiques and questions are welcome! Here are some pictures. Attached Thumbnails

Jun 29th, 2007, 18:05	#2
steven_ber Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: London, England. Posts: 8,659	Great report kshastry, very useful and great photos. Getting to Srinagar. There will be a train to Srinagar early next year, it left Delhi yesterday but is experiencing delays. (only joking) The new line to Srinagar is expected to be completed early next year. There are flights to Srinagar from Leh (Indian Airlines), Mumbai (Go Air & Air Sahara), Jammu and Delhi (many airlines from Jammu and Delhi). __________________ . How to get helpful replies to your transport/Itinerary questions. Train information.

Jun 29th, 2007, 18:18	#5
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 24,604	And another vote of thanks from me. __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Apr 14th, 2008, 12:34	#9
indraprastha Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: chennai India Posts: 9	Please log into www.irctc.co.in go to plan my travel you search all the trains in India.Hope now the service is up to Jammu Love Always , Ravi ps - Can I stay over nite at Vaishnav Devi Temple and make a second darshan with the same ticket Last edited by brownboy66 : Apr 14th, 2008 at 18:14. Reason: merged sequential posts

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Jun 29th, 2007, 18:09	#3
indraprastha Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: chennai India Posts: 9	please let me know the safe and less expensive mode to reach Baltal on my yatra to Amarnathji Cave.I can take bus or van used by public

Jun 29th, 2007, 18:14	#4
shahronakm Maha Guru Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Mumbai, India Posts: 1,356	Thanks for your trip report. The first pic. is excellent. Ronak.

Apr 13th, 2008, 23:47	#8
daveuk Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Spain Posts: 20	Any news on the train from Delhi to Srinagar ? I am planning to try the journey in June 08. Cheers Dave

Apr 16th, 2008, 00:26	#10
ashwinnaagar Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: pune Posts: 32	hi i really liked ur review. can you give the contact no. of the above said guest house and its tariff? thanks

Jun 2nd, 2008, 12:11	#12
ashwinnaagar Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: pune Posts: 32	hi i got the the number a few days back frm ksastry. 09906409022 . to 'pm' click on the person's name. You will get one option- send private message. message thru that.

Jun 4th, 2008, 00:57	#14
ozman Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: USA Posts: 14	Great report great pictures I am glad u didn't get riped off by touts and houseboat people, I thought train was scheduled star in the valley form Qazikud to Srinagar this July, I don't know how true it is, It would be awesome to go by train from Jammu to Srinagar I was wondering if anybody has any information on tent hotel stay at Sonamerg I heard it is 3star accommodation any help be greately appriciated

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