Jammu Kashmir Travel

Jammu & Kashmir the northernmost state of India, situated mostly in the Himalayan ranges. Srinagar is the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir, while Jammu is the winter capital. The state has three division namely Jammu, the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh. Kashmir is famous all over the world for its charming natural beauty. The mountainous land of the state is broken by stretches of valleys, rivers, glaciers, plateaus and several mountain lakes. The hill stations of Jammu & Kashmir offer leisurely or adventurous holiday amidst breathtaking scenery. The state has a very rich history and a distinct culture, the people of different religions like Hindus, Muslims and Buddhist faiths live in perfect harmony. Besides the state have some of the most sacred Temples, Mosques, Monasteries, and Caves. A visit to this 'Paradise on earth,' surely lingers for a long time in the memory of the tourists.

Major Attractions

» Dal Lake
The sweet water lake located in Srinagar, is one of the most famous tourist attractions of Jammu & Kashmir. The 6.4 Km long and 4 Km wide lake houses many world famous Shikaras and Houseboats, which have attractive names. The lake has two enchanting islands - Sona Lank (Gold island) and Rupa Lank (Silver island), which are popular picnic spots. The lake offers the adventurous activities like Shikara rides, Kayaking, Canoeing and Angling etc. The visitors can stay and experience the Kashmiri hospitality in the houseboats.

»Shalimar Bagh
The garden is most beautiful of all the Mughal gardens in Srinagar. It was by Mughal Emperor Jehangir for his wife Noor Jehan in 1616. The garden has four massive terraces and it gets water from Harwan Lake. The top most of the four terraces called as the 'Abode of Love' was used by the emperor and the ladies of his court. The garden is lined with about 150 fountains, which look beautiful with electric lights.

Numerous varieties of flowers blooms in the garden in the spring and autumn seasons.

»Nishat Bagh
The garden is 11 Kms from the district headquarters of Srinagar. Built in 1633, Nishat Bagh is one of the largest Mughal gardens. Situated on the bans of Dal lake it offers the splendour view of the lake.

»Harwan Lake
The clean and pure water lake, situated amidst the mountains, reflects the high peaks of Mahadev in its water. Harwan lake is source of water for nearby huge garden. The vast green carpeted green lawns of the garden is very famous for picnics and excursions.

»Pahalgam
Pahalagam is located in Anantnag district, at a distance of around 96 Kms from Srinagar. The popular hill station is situated at a height of 7,200 ft above sea level. Pahalgam attracts large number of tourists throughout the year, as it is one of the finest health resort of India. The hill resort has a golf course at a height of 2,400 metre above sea level. Pahalgam is base for the pilgrims of Amarnath.

»Gulmarg
Gulmarg is situated in Baramulla districts, 56 Kms southwest of Srinagar. Surrounded by lush forests of tall conifers, Gulmarg is famous for its unmatched beauty. The hill station located an altitude of 2730 metres, is dotted with beautiful bluebells, daisies, forget-me-nots and buttercups. Gulmarg is popular for its Golf course, and it is premier resort for winter sports in the country.

»Hazratbal Mosque
The only domed mosque in Srinagar is situated in Hazratbal village, on the banks of the Dal. Hazratbal mosque houses a hair of the prophet Mohammad, which is displayed to the public on religious occasions. The mosque located opposite to Nishat Bagh offers the splendour view of the lake and the nearby mountains.

»Amarnath
One of the major dhams of Hindus, Amarnath is 145 Kms east of Srinagar.

There is a popular ice Shiva-linga at Amarnath which changes its size with in different seasons. The size of the linga also changes as the moon waxes and wanes. The cave temple of Amarnath is the venue of Amarnath festival, which held every year on the full moon day of Sravana (July-August), when the linga attains its maximum height.

» Kargil
The town located 204 Kms west of Srinagar and 234 Kms east of Leh is the second largest urban centre of Ladakh. Located in the centre of the Himalayan mountains the town offer enough adventure activities. Kargil is the base for visitors to the beautiful Zanksar valley.

»Leh
Leh is situated in the amazing land of Ladakh, surrounded by the world's highest mountain ranges the Himalaya and the Karamoram. Ladakh is situated at altitudes ranging from 2,750 metre at Kargil to 7,672 metre at Saser Kangri in Karakoram. Leh is famous for its nine-storeyed palace built by Sengge Namgyal, the 17 th century ruler of Ladakh. The historical monument mostly in ruins offers the spectacular view of the Leh town.

»Kashmir Valley
The Kashmir valley is famous all over the world for its beautiful valleys. The popular valleys of Kashmir are Lidder valley, Sindh valley, Lolab valley and Wangat Valley.

Reaching
»Air
The Jammu airport is the major airport, situated at a distance of 8 Kms from the city centre. The airlines operates flights for Kashmir Valley, Ladakh and the Jammu region from Delhi and Amritsar.

» Rail
Jammu Tawi railway station is the main railway station. The trains connect Jammu with most of the major cities and towns of the country.

»Road
National Highway 1-A connects Jammu with Punjab and also to the rest of the state. The state transport corporation buses and private buses run to most of the big towns and cities in north India