Best Places To Visit In Kashmir – “Heaven Of Earth”

Kashmir is one of the oldest holiday destinations in India. The place is situated in the top end of India, in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Since the region shares a border with the neighboring country, Pakistan, it is also a highly politically sensitive area in the country. When it comes to tourism, the region is known by the name “Paradise on Earth”.

This name is credited on account of the spectacular landscape the place owns. The climate with a relatively lesser temperature, when compared with the other places and states in the nation is also a peculiarity attracting people from different parts of the world.

Monuments, pilgrim spots, art, and handicrafts are also so special about this place. The exotic cuisine and drinks of the place are also worth trying coupled with the cool climate of the place. Following the best places to visit in Kashmir

Places To Visit In Kashmir

Gulmarg

Gulmarg is one of the best places to visit in Kashmir. The top-rated activity in the area is skiing and it is loved by adventure buffs visiting the place. This location is situated in the district of Baramulla in Jammu & Kashmir. October to March would be ideal months of the year to visit the location and engage in the activities and experiences in the region.

Himalayan mountain ranges with all their pride and prestige stand high in the region. The snow-capped visuals of the peaks are on the list of best places to visit in Kashmir. The gondola is another attractive stuff you will find in Gulmarg. This is designated as the “Highest Cable Car in the World”. Experiencing this ride in the landscape of Kashmir would exhilarate you in the best way possible. 

Srinagar 

This city in the union territory of Jammu & Kashmir is the largest and also its summer capital. The city is developed from the banks of the river, Jhelum. The valley of Kashmir accentuates the magnificence of Srinagar in every possible way. The colorful gardens in the city mark the charm of Kashmir in the heart of every traveler for a lifetime.

The snow-laden environment of the city is also quite popular and distinctive of the landscape of Kashmir. Houseboats are one of the most extensive sights possible in the location. The boat rides through the picturesque lakes and waterbodies of the city have been one of the most loved tourist activities of the region. You can also try delicious dry fruits from the city since they are freshly grown and processed from the fruit orchards of Kashmir. 

Pahalgam 

Pahalgam is another popular hill station town that tourists seek with great enthusiasm in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The magnificent trails of snow-laden mountains of the Himalayas make the town worth visiting on your Kashmir vacation. The Amarnath Cave Temple and the associated myths make the place religiously significant and sometimes crowded with pilgrims from different parts of the world.

The Amarnath Yatra is one occasion during which the town is flooded with pilgrims, photographers, cultural enthusiasts, and many more categories of visitors. A wildlife sanctuary is also the specialty of the hill station town making it a favorite for biodiversity enthusiasts and nature lovers too. You can explore and experience different varieties of flora and fauna from the sanctuary and also from the natural environment of Pahalgam town. 

Sonamarg

The hill station town of Sonamarg is pronounced in different ways according to the different regional dialects. Sonmarg and Sonamarag are among them. It is one of the best places to visit in Kashmir. This town is located in the district of Ganderbal in Jammu & Kashmir. During the historic times, the significance and prominence of this town were the most.

When it comes to the international trade that happened between the countries of India and China, the most important route was the Silk Road. This road of trade connectivity passes through the town of Sonamarg. Ladakh base camps are also found in plenty of locations. April to June would be the best months of the year to experience the best and most out of Sonamarg.

Wildflower blossoms found almost everywhere in the location of Sonamarg steal the heart of every tourist. If you would like to explore the town in a serene and slow mode, try avoiding the months of July and August since the roads would be crowded with the Amarnatha Yatra pilgrims. 

Kupwara 

Kupwara is also a town in Kashmir famous for its tourism significance and the natural landscape. Most of the tourists visiting the location are either biodiversity enthusiasts or nature lovers. The varieties of species found in the nature of the town can excite you with the abundance and diversity of mother nature.

Moreover, the dense forests found everywhere in the town are also the best to reinstate the rustic wood vibes of Kashmir. Sat Barran also known as “Seven Doors” is one of the most loved tourist attractions of the town. You can also visit a cave in the Madmadav forest area which is also significant when it comes to active tourism in the area. 

Beetab Valley

This is also another tourist attraction found in the Kashmir region. The place is quite near to the above-mentioned town of Pahalgam. You can reach the location at a distance of 15km from the Pahalgam area. Hagan Valley and Hajan Valley are the other names of the place. It is situated in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The river of Lidder is another attractive element in Beetab Valley tourism. A Bollywood superhit movie called “Beetab” had been shot from the location of the valley. It is this movie that gave the place the name called “Beetab Valley”. The Himalayan mountain ranges and their royal beauty give the place the best backdrops ever.

Thus it becomes the perfect location to spend a romantic holiday or to shoot a visually splendid movie or song. On account of this fact, a lot of honeymoon couples as well as several photoshoot teams are found in the place around the year. 

Anantnag

Anantnag is a district in the union territory of Jammu & Kashmir. Islamabad is the other name by which the district is known among the people. You need to travel a distance of 50km from Srinagar, the capital city of Kashmir to reach the location of Anantnag. If you are culturally and historically driven, you must pay a visit to “The Kashmiri Pandit Colony” located in a place called Vessu in Anantnag.

This is a colony filled with people who took refuge in the place during times of political turbulence in the 1990s. The Shiva Cave Temple mentioned above has also got due prominence while talking about the tourism of this place. The Martand Sun Temple is also worth visiting if you have religious and spiritual interests in your trip. 

Dal Lake

This is one of the most sought destinations in the happening tourism in Kashmir. Even those who are visiting the place since their older days are not seen missing out on the experiences and vibes of the place. The lake is situated in the city of Srinagar, Kashmir’s summer capital.

While taking the whole territory of Jammu & Kashmir, the Dal Lake is the second largest. Due to the live tourism and the developments that happened in the area, it is regarded as an urban lake. The lake is visited by locals and international and domestic tourists alike.

The best recreational activities in Kashmir tourism are possible from the Dal Lake and its premises. Pir Panjal Mountain ranges provide breathtaking scenery and joyous vibes while spending time in the lake and engaging in the activities available. 

Pulwama

The district of Pulwama in Kashmir is worth visiting in so many aspects. The abundance of the district in agricultural produce like paddy and saffron is one among them. You should definitely take a visit to the saffron and rice fields in Pulwama which would be an enchantingly rich experience you can ever have in Kashmir.

Pulwama is also known as “the Anand of Kashmir” since it is also known for its supremacy in dairy production. On account of the excellence in rice production, it has also got the name, “the rice bowl of Kashmir”.

Apart from the agricultural side, the district is also popular for its natural springs, exciting biodiversity, relaxing grasslands, waterfalls, and so on. Avantishwar Temple, Payer temple, and Khankha Tral are some of the religious and historical centers where you can visit in Pulwama. 

Vaishno Devi

This is a Hindu pilgrimage location in Kashmir. The temple is in the structure of a cave where the main deity of worship is the Hindu Goddess, Vaishno Devi. Bhavan Katra is the exact location of the temple in Kashmir.

If you wish to take a journey to the temple of Vaishno Devi either in the form of a pilgrimage or just in the form of a casual visit, the best time would be the months between March to October. But it is during the time of Navaratri that the temple would be in a festive mood with a lot of pilgrims paying their visit and doing the honors for the Devi.

Since the temple is located in the Trikuta mountains in Kashmir, reaching the location of the temple is not going to be a walk in the park. You would have to walk through rough and risky paths to reach the temple. 

Shalimar Garden

This is a beautiful garden located in Srinagar, the capital city of Jammu and Kashmir. Chinar Chowk in Shalimar is exactly where you should go to visit this excellent tourism landmark in Kashmir. Shalimar garden is built and designed by adapting the Mughal form of architecture and methodologies.

There is a channel from the Northeast region of Dal Lake leading to this prestigious and proud garden in Kashmir. Farah Baksh and Faiz Baksh are the other names of the garden. Since “The Garden of Delight” and the “Nishat Bagh” are much close to the garden, you can visit three of them on a go.

Jahangir, the Mughal emperor is the founder of the garden. The garden is spread over a vast area of around 31 acres. You should not forget to visit a beautiful waterfall located inside the garden. Shalimar Garden is one of the ideal places to visit in Kashmir if you are a nature lover.

Jama Masjid

This is one of the most popular and most visited mosques in the territory of Kashmir. Located in Srinagar itself, you should travel to the Nowhatta Kathi Darwaza Road to reach this mosque. This gigantic mosque has the capacity to accommodate more than 33000 people inside it. The commissioning year of the mosque is 1394CE according to the historical record available. The construction got completed in the year, 1402 CE.

Indo-Saracenic style of architecture is another peculiar feature of the mosque. Since the mosque is located in the Old City, it has got all the vintage look and feels it requires. There are a total of 4 domes in the mosque. Sultan Sikandar is the one who took the initiative to build such a magnificent mosque in Kashmir. 

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— Jammu & Kashmir Tourism (@JandKTourism) December 23, 2022

Yusmarg

This tourist attraction in Kashmir is located in the Forest Block region. The translated meaning of the place Yusmarg is “the meadow of Jesus”. It belongs to the Budgam district in Kashmir. Yusmarg is in a distance of 53km from the capital city of Srinagar. This is kind of an underrated tourist destination in Kashmir.

But if you take to attempt to spare your time for Yusmarg at least once, you will definitely fall in love with the place. The place is extremely spectacular with unending green pastures and would fill your mind and heart with the delight of nature.

You won’t be distracted or disturbed by the usual crowds found in the other parts of Kashmir. This offbeat destination would be ideal for backpackers and honeymoon couples who would like to enjoy their private time in a serene location on their Kashmir vacation. 

Aru Valley

Aru Valley is among other important tourist places to visit in Kashmir. This is a typical Kashmiri village you can visit on your trip. However, tourists are seen in plenty in the location on account of the impressive beauty of the landscape of the village. The green meadows are the prominent feature you can see in the Aru Valley region.

After all the activities and lively tourist visits you would have in Kashmir, this would be an ideal location to sit back and relax. Taking a stroll through these meadows or lying down leisurely on these cool grasslands would give you the best vibes ever.

Adventure enthusiasts are also fond of this location since there are a lot of base camps here. So, if you would like to take a trek to the glacier of Kolahoi, Katrinag Valley and the lakes of Tarsar-Marsar Aru Valley is where you should go. The popular Bollywood movie, “Highway” has its location in the Aru Valley. 

Amarnath

This is the most talked about pilgrim destination for Hindus, which you can find in the Kashmir region. The location is famous for the Shiva Linga, occurring naturally in the shrine. This linga is made up of snow and there have not been any human interferences to it to date. Pilgrimage to this location is allowed only once a year, that is the Shravan months.

During this time, you will see a whole lot of pilgrims traveling to the shrine and the entire Kashmir would experience a greater crowd and rush. These months are selected for the holiest Amarnath Yatra since the Shiva Linga would acquire its maximum waxing phase then. You need to travel a total of 16km in order to reach the shrine of Amarnath. 

Kashmir’s Ideal Season To Visit

March to August

How to Reach Kashmir?

Nearest Airport

Srinagar Airport

Nearest Railway Station

Jammu Tawi Railway Station (JAT)

Conclusion

These are the best places to visit in Kashmir. Best for those who are inclined to the delight and pleasure of snowy chilled nature and the majestic Himalayas. Perfect for romantic getaways and backpackers. Pilgrims are also welcome to this location with a bunch of multi-religious destinations. 

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