[Yogesh Sarkar]

Destination: Srinagar (Kashmir)

Route: Delhi - Ambala - Ludhiana - Jalandhar – Pathankot - Jammu - Udhampur - Banihal - Srinagar

Distance: 890 kms

Type of destination: 4 days or more.

Description: Srinagar, once called paradise on earth due to its beauty and magnificent vistas, but in past decade due to militancy, numbers of tourists visiting the valley came down sharply. Yet the beauty and charm of Kashmir still remains and even today it is considered as the queen of hills stations. With the situation stabilizing somewhat in recent years, there has been an upsurge in tourist’s visiting the valley. The Kashmir valley changes its look every few months and the effect of four seasons (spring, summer, autumn and winter) is distinctly visible on the valley.

Places to visit

Dal Lake: Whether you stay in a hotel or on a houseboat in Dal Lake, a shikara ride (type of boat) is highly recommended followed by a stroll on the banks of the lake.

Shankaracharya Temple: Situated on top of Takht-e-Suleiman hill is a sight to behold. Built in 6th century AD, is a must visit.

Hazratbal Mosque: this beautiful white colored masque situated on the banks of Dal Lake is one of the most significant masques in Kashmir since it houses hair of Prophet Mohamed; it is also the only domed masque in Srinagar.

Gulmarg: A drive/ride to Gulmarg (65kms from Srinagar) is highly recommended, not only for the beauty it has to offer, but also for the fantastic 13kms drive from Tanamarg. This fantastic set of twisties is a dream come true for any rider/driver, however do take a cautious approach since the turns here have habit of opening in to more turns or tightening sharply.

Sonamarg: For the better part of 85km drive/ride to Sonamarg (Srinagar - Kargil highway) one finds himself/herself driving/riding among some of the world’s most beautiful vistas, Sonamarg i.e. meadows of gold is a fantastic place to spend some time. Roads till Sonamarg are mostly in good condition barring a few rough patches.

Tips: A word of caution, drive/ride carefully on the Jammu - Srinagar highway, since the traffic plying on this route is reckless to say the least. Also due to the militancy there are armed soldiers posted every few hundred meters. It’s best not to venture out on the highway at night and late in the evening.

Accommodation: Srinagar has plenty of accommodation options to offer, including lavishly decorated houseboats. Here is a list of hotels in Srinagar http://www.jktourism.org/cities/kash...list-hotel.htm

Link to trip log: www.yogeshsarkar.com/trips/ladakh05/day15.htm

Additional links: J&K Tourism website

[anupmathur]

Destination: Srinagar (Kashmir)

Route: Delhi - Ambala - Ludhiana - Jalandhar – Pathankot - Jammu - Udhampur - Banihal - Srinagar

Distance: 890 kms

Type of destination: 4 days or more.

Srinagar has plenty of accommodation options to offer, including lavishly decorated houseboats. Here is a list of hotels in Srinagar http://www.jktourism.org/cities/kash...list-hotel.htm

May I mention here for the benefit of those who might be under the impression that a houseboat might be very expensive, that in fact they come cheaper than a good Hotel with a Dal Lake view. eg. a three bedroom full boat cost Rs 3000/- this July, during the Amarnath yatra days. Any other time of year they would be considerably cheaper!
Highly recommended. They also give out single rooms I am told. And other than a houseboat, Srinagar actually has nothing to offer except Delhi-style traffic, congestion and frustration! Stay at Pahalgam or Gulmarg or best of all at Sonamarg.
Also, from Jullunder, can do Udhampur without having to touch Pathankot or Jammu, both of which are bad news.
Cheers.

[Yogesh Sarkar]

Anup I agree with the congestion part, but staying near the Dal Lake area takes all that away or maybe it was due to the fact I was there in September.

Still yet to spend the night in a house boat, maybe I will do that if I go to Srinagar in public transport some day. Just can't think of parking my sweetheart far away from me.

[anupmathur]

maybe I will do that if I go to Srinagar in public transport some day. Just can't think of parking my sweetheart far away from me.

YS, you going on public transport!!?? Or most of us for that matter!
I'm not completely stupid. Go tell it to someone else that you're taking the JK Tourism bus to Srinagar!!
I see what you mean, but for the first time in my life I left MY 'sweetheart' (with a whole lot of baggage inside) in a public 'parking lot' just to stay in a houseboat. Because all went well, I'm heartily recommending it; I'm sure if my car had been 'fingered' in my absence, I'd have been screaming Murder! Goes without saying I promised the attendant a healthy tip and contracted him to also give my 'sweetheart' a good wash (yes I actually allowed him to put his grubby hands all over her!).
BTW, the traffic and the jams on Boulevard Road (the one along the Dal Lake) were west-Delhi variety which would put south-Delhi to shame.
Cheers.

[hitanshu]

And other than a houseboat, Srinagar actually has nothing to offer except Delhi-style traffic, congestion and frustration! Stay at Pahalgam or Gulmarg or best of all at Sonamarg.

Completely agree.

Srinagar is a okay place (much friendlier than drass) but frankly dal lake was oh so boring despite mist and clouds over it. Cmon, a houseboat is just a floating room. It can't trump the glacier/valley experience of sonamarg, EVER!

Nothing, I repeat nothing, trumps the first view of Sonamarg valley for diesel-smoked eyes. Sonamarg is true heaven. Srinagar, lesser said, the better.

[Yogesh Sarkar]

Anup I love to travel on my motorcycle, but that is not to say I don't like to travel in a train or a bus. They might not be as much fun as a bike or self driven car, but they add another dimension to travel, especially state transport buses and sleeper class in trains.

[hitanshu]

Waise, over the weekend i discovered the true source of strength of our army jawans: travel everywhere in gypsies - that @*#@)#@)(# suspension is truly back breaking. Surviving it would make anyone an ironman

[anupmathur]

Waise, over the weekend i discovered the true source of strength of our army jawans: travel everywhere in gypsies - that @*#@)#@)(# suspension is truly back breaking

Hitanshu, it's not that bad. I mean the Gypsy. You always keep 350 or 400 kilos payload before heading out to bad roads. And radials were a must. The behaviour then is a vast improvement over a near-empty Gypsy with stock cross-ply tyres. (Couldn't afford to shell out 50K extra those days for alloy wheels to reduce unsprung weight).
I used one for 7 years (1994-2002) and we hugely enjoyed our trips - thought seldom went to the harsh ride quality etc... because no one really 'suffered', including my (then 70 yrs old) mother.
Some of my friends in Manipur had added permanent 'ballast' to their Gypsys - 4 or 6 sandbags of 50 kg each!
I'm not stuck in a time-warp; I believe it is by far the most adept at 'doing' our himalayas! That is, if 'Travel you must' with 'go-anywhere' capability is the paradigm.
Waise, do tell what happened over the weekend to turn you into such a philosopher and social scientist.

[hitanshu]

Oh well, I never doubted the go anywhere capability. I and Cougar went to Phansad wildlife sanctuary for a good session to see/click some leopards. The gypsy took up all the bad terrain (some 27km trail) like no one's business. But it made me bounce in the return trip like I was a baby on a trampoline - and with me running a heavy fever, it got worse!

It had the ply radials and besides me and cougar as ballast - there was none else.

I've realized that the car whenever/whichever I buy, would be a city slicker, that can take some abuse - and will hire a gypsy when duty calls

As is, wildlife safaris in gypsy isn't my thing. I am much the watch tower variety, unlike the "trek 1km in a 1ft wide trail to see leopards" stuff that cougar is made of. I was $hitting bricks while going on that trail to the hide. So for rest of trips, most other cars will do

[LLL]

Also, from Jullunder, can do Udhampur without having to touch Pathankot or Jammu, both of which are bad news.
Cheers.

can you pls elaborate on this route?