 Kashmir is a land of myriad beauties, best described only with a poet’s imagination. Flanked by two major Himalayan ranges this “Paradise on Earth” is impeccably filled with vast acres of verdant hills, breathtaking lakes, picturesque gardens, fir and pine forests, sparkling springs, milky glaciers, lush meadows and the list goes on… The most popular tourist attraction here is perhaps the heavenly Houseboats floating on the picturesque Dal Lake. You have not really been to Kashmir until you have stayed on a Houseboat. Every approaching season in Kashmir has charm of its own. Spring from March to May is the time when a million blossoms carpet the Valley. In Summer (from May till August) the whole Valley is mosaic with shades of green. While Winter wrapped the Valley with silvery snow, Autumn heralds an experience only matched with those beautiful stanzas from John Keat’s “Ode to Autumn”. Attractions
Dal Lake - Dal Lake is the most popular tourist spot in Kashmir. It is the place where a visitor can witness the true picture of Kashmir. Experience the paradise in the comfort of impressively laid house-boats, floating in the lake with stunning views. A ride in aesthetic Shikaras will take you through a maze of intricate waterways passing by the majestic house boats, old wooden houses, floating shops and floating vegetables gardens. You will find shops here sell everything from sarees to shawls as well as ornaments to works of art and craft, all having a touch of the Persian culture and the Mughal era.
Shankaracharya Temple - Nestled on a picturesque hill location, this beautiful Shiva Temple is named after the great philosopher – Shankaracharya who visited the place about 10 centuries ago. It is built on a high octagonal plinth approached by a flight of steps.
 Wular Lake - It is the largest fresh water lake to be seen in the territory with a length of 10 miles (16 km) and 6 miles (10 km) breadth. There is a small island called "Zaina Lank" in the center of the lake, which was constructed by famous King Zainul-Abi-Din. The beguiling beauty of Wular Lake is beyond any description; for some it’s the formidable size of the lake, and for others it’s the changing character with every few miles that makes Wular an interesting tourist spot.
Mughal Gardens - Overlooking the picturesque Dal Lake, the three Mughal Gardens- Chesmashahi, Nishat and Shalimar form the most popular places for picnics and excursions in Kashmir. These famed gardens with terraced lawns, cascading fountains, paint-box-bright flowerbeds still recall the legendary Mughal Era in India.
Leh - Nestled in the snow-covered fringes of the Himalayas, Leh is one of the most popular Buddhist site and an important center of Tibeto- Buddhist culture since ages. It has quite a few amazing places to offer like the Leh Palace, Namgyal Tsemo Gompa, Sankar Gompa, Shanti Stupa and Soma Gompa. Another most striking sight of Leh is the traditionally attired group of women, selling fruits, vegetables and household articles, spinning and knitting and exchanging gentle banter between them and with passer by.
Get There
By Air : There are regular flight services to Srinagar from Delhi, Mumbai and Jammu by Indian Airlines. They leave from Delhi directly, from Delhi via Jammu, and from Bombay via New Delhi and Jammu. Jet Airways also operate daily flights to Srinagar from Delhi as well as Jammu.
By Rail : Jammu Tawi (305 kms) is the nearest railhead for Srinagar, where trains arrive from Delhi, Calcutta, Pune, Mumbai, Kanyakumari, Ahmedabad, etc.
By Road : Srinagar is connected with Jammu by the National Highway 1-A. It is a good, all-weather road with several sharp inclines and hairpin bends. The famous Jawahar Tunnel that connects Jammu with the Kashmir Valley across the Pir Panjal range falls en route. |
