KASHMIR VACATIONS

KASHMIR-‘THE PARADISE ON EARTH'

The principal region of the state of Jammu and Kashmir , the Kashmir valley is very aptly described as the ‘paradise on earth’ .The astoundingly beautiful Kashmir was a favourite with the Mughal emperors who spent most of their non working days enjoying the beauty of Kashmir.

Located in the high mountain zone of the state, the Kashmir valley has a temperate climate. The average temperature of the valley ranges between 10-30 degree celsius. Most of the rain in the valley falls during season of spring, that stretches from March to May. The valley is replete with magnificient flora and amazing fauna.The stunnnigly beautiful Chinar trees are found in almost every part of the valley. Apart from Chinar, the dense forest of Kashmir also houses deodar, pine and fur, walnut, willow almond and cider. The fauna of the region includes Snow Leopard, Musk deer, wolf, Markhor, Red bear, Black bear and Leopard.

The summer capital of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar is located in the Kashmir valley at an altitude of 1730 m above the sea level.It is connected to Delhi through daily Indian airlines and Jet airways flights, some of which are direct whereas others are via Jammu .There are also weekly Indian airlines flights that link Srinagar to Leh .The nearest railhead of Srinagar is Jammu which inturn is connected to all parts of the country. A few places are worth visiting in the Kashmir valley.

Tourist Hot Spots

Pahalgam
Situated along the banks of river Lidder,this famous resort town has retained its natural beauty despite being near to Srinagar about (96 km away). Adventurous tourist take immense pleasure in undertaking trekking to Kolahoi Glacier via Aru village. Sledging at the frozen Glaciers as well as Alpine skiing are major sources of attraction. Apart from these, the place is also an angler’s delight as river Lidder is full of trouts. Not only professionals but also beginners can boast of catching few trouts. However a fishing licence is required for this purpose. Pahalgam is the main base camp to Amarnath caves.

Gulmarg
Located in the Baramulla district, the extraordinarily beautiful Gulmarg is surrounded by dense forest of tall conifer. Its bowl shaped meadow filled with wild flowers draws tourists from worldwide.The premier source of attractions are trekking and golfing in summer and skiing in winter. The highest green golf course in the world, situated 2680 m above sea level, is in Gulmarg.Tourists also take immense delight in taking a walk to Khilanmarg to view the breathtaking beauty of the the Himalayan peaks.

Dal Lake
The stunning beauty of Dal lake which lies in the Srinagar district, has been an inspiration for poets worlwide. The lake is divided in four parts by causeways known as Gagribal, Lokut Dal, Bod Dal and Nagin. The lake houses the world famous shikaras and houseboats that provide more personalized service to their guests than the hotels in the area. The tourists undertake a short /whole day shikara ride for sightseeing purpose or even go shopping for handicrafts in the shops within the periphery of the lake. Adventure tourists have enough opportunity to go trekking, water surfing, skiing, kayaking and canoeing.

Shalimar Garden
Known for his love for Kashmir, emperor Jehangir planted the Shalimar garden for his beloved wife Nur Jahan. It is surrounded by magnificient Chinar trees that not only shade the garden but also enhance its beauty along with numerous fountains and stone pavilions.Tourists enjoy the exquisite beauty of the garden by taking a long walk or can even arrange a picnic. For those interested in shopping, there are shopping stalls opposite the garden.

Chashmashahi Garden
The Chashmashahi garden or the ‘ the Royal Spring’ though the smallest of all the garden laid down by Mughal emperor in Kashmir, is impressive in its beauty. Built by Shah Jahan in 1632 AD in the Srinagar district, the garden is known for its natural spring of water.There are also innumerable fruits and flower plants and a few chinar trees in the garden .Picnics and long walks in the garden are major source of attraction.