Hello Co-Hivers,
Through my post, I want to take you to the magical world of Kashmir through my eyes and words. Enjoy the trip!
Kashmir is the northern most state of India and is called India’s jeweled crown. It is said to be one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Politically Kashmir has been under a lot of pressure. However, the valleys of Kashmir let you in the world of incredible views and forget history.
Route and Mode
We travelled with two of our closest friends Keshav and Priya (who are married and crazy). We took a flight from Delhi to Srinagar (Winter capital of the state of Jammu & Kashmir). From Srinagar we took a local taxi on rent for our trip of 7 days. Junaid was our driver for the trip.
Stop 1 The Apple Orchards on way to Pahalgam
We started our trip from Srinagar to our first place of visit – Pahalgam (pronounced as “Pa-hal-gaam”). Junaid had a huge collection of Bollywood (Hindi/ Punjabi) songs. We understood that he is a long route driver and hence keeps his music ready for long trips.
On our way to Pahalgam, there was a long stretch of apple orchards . On and on, huge farms of apple trees. We decided to stop outside one orchard where they were even selling fresh apple juice and apples in small movable shops. To our surprise, in one of the farms there were kidney beans also being grown. We went in the apple orchards and were joyous like children. Keshav and Hemant went on their own trip to experience kidney beans harvest. They bought 2 kgs each! Priya and I were singing childlike songs and clicked pictures. We had our breakfast in a nearby restaurant and ate flatbread stuffed with spicy potato and onions. We had apple juice as well (this was obvious)
Look at the apples hanging over my head
On route Pahalgam – we stopped for lunch at a highway restaurant. Priya is much of an explorer when it comes to food. We all are vegetarian (we do not consume meat / fish / egg). In the available options, Priya got her muse. In Kashmir, people grow lotuses and they use lotus-stem to create vegetarian dishes. We tried one, the taste was weird however, we finished the dish. Hemant does not like taking a chance with his food. He went with the traditional cottage cheese dish with flatbread.
Pahalgam
We reached Pahalgam in the evening and rested in our river side BnB. The BnB was indeed beautiful and gave us a breath-taking river view. In the night we all gathered around the bon fire and played our favourite music on our phones. Music gives you a view of each other’s heart and soul.
View from my room's window
Next day we started for local sightseeing in a local Taxi. 🚗 Our first spot was Aru Valley. Kashmir is a state of valleys. There are valleys of flowers, of waterfalls and greens. Aru was surrounded by huge mountains. The mountains were tall, literally sky scraping tall. These were covered with pine trees and Deodar trees. The land was hilly too and was covered with grass. There were hill horses and local people around taking tourists for a ride around the valley. We were on foot. We walked, shot dancing videos, took pictures, sat silently and in the end made a move.
(Meet Priya & Keshav from left, Hemant - Mr. Husband and me in the right)
🚗 Our next spot was Betaab Valley pronounced as (Bey-taab). Valley is named after a Hindi movie -Betaab which was shot in that valley. This was somewhere at foot of the mountains.
How did Betaab look ? Betaab had long stretch of gardens and a river running by its side. There was a pathway built between the river and the gardens. On this pathway there were some food stalls, some chairs for tourists. We girls craved for ice-creams and boys accompanied.
Husband holding couple scoops
River had teal blue water, clear as crystal and cold as ice. We spent our evening in Betaab and drove back to the BnB.
🚗 On our third day of the trip we decided to do Tulyan valley trek in Pahalgam mountains. It was a 7km trek, up the mountain, and this could only be done on a horse. The last 2km needed to be climbed on foot. We never thought it was going to be tough, but this was the toughest thing I had taken up physically in years. The horse had to literally climb up a raw, rocky and a real mountain. The horses were on edge, at a moment the horse slipped with Priya on it. It was too risky, but the adventurous kid in us didn’t hold back.
Our happiness to complete the climb
We were excited about the beauty of the place, but we were scared too. The horses moved fast and our knees, backs and shoulders hurt. It took us 2.5 hours to reach the top. Post that we had to ourselves climb ahead. We girls had a tough time.
Self clap for the climber in me
But when we reached the top of the mountain, what we saw cannot be explained in words. See the picture. We could not believe our eyes. This day I realised beautiful things in life come at a cost.
Don't believe the happiness in the picture, knees hurt bad haha !!
On the way back, we were very tired, hungry and hurt. Literally hurt.
Gulmarg
🚗 Next morning, we started for Gulmarg (pronounced as Gul-maarg). This place had meadows and grasslands and of course surrounded by tall mountains. It is fully covered by snow in winter months, but we were seeing a green beauty. Oh! what a sight. The entire town was around white fenced greenlands.
There was a Gondola ropeway in Gulmarg that takes you to appx. ~3700 meters height. It is cold and covered with snow. The Gondola ride is in itself exhilarating. Few pictures from our Gandola ride and from the top. (I took a pain killer that day and went to sleep thereafter. Other three excited kids went around Gulmarg. The trek earlier, was still giving me muscle pain)
Twinning with husband and enjoying Gondola
Sonamarg
Next station yayy !! “Sonamarg” (pronounced as So-on-maarg). Junaid drove for 4 hours at a stretch and we reached in noon. And oh boy!, Boys had booked such an amazing hotel. At the backside of the hotel, there was a river flowing. And we could see it from our room’s window. It was a five minute walk to the river.
Lounging at the river bank at the backside of hotel
While Hemant and I wanted to chill in the hotel that day and explore few areas around by walking, Priya and Keshav wanted to go around Sonmarg. Everyone has their own way of vacationing and when you go out with friends, it is necessary everyone walks an extra mile to come on the middle ground.
🚗 That day we played cards in the hotel room, went out for lunch and went out for 3-4 hours to visit the zero point area (Zojilla Pass). Zero point area is called so, as, it is the starting point of “Leh, Kashmir” and also that the weather is so extreme that zero life can survive there. We clicked pictures, had some mountain noodles (Maggi) and Kahva (local Kashmiri sweet tea-like drink).
Picture says it all
🚗 Next day we started for Thajiwas Glacier. It is called to be a glacier as it is snow covered in winters. Whole Sonmarg is like that in winters and closed for tourism. We went to the glacier on horses. Though I do not appreciate animal extortion, however this is a means of earning in Kashmir and the best way to support locals. Glacier had a river flowing. Horsemen not only helped us cross the river on our horses but clicked some amazing pictures for us. They even took re-takes, haha ! Mr. handsome husband also got his dashing pictures clicked from me. Have a look !
Air blown hair, horse rides and handsome husband
River crossing at Thajiwas
Beauty
Srinagar
Last 2 days of the trip we spent in Srinagar. Srinagar is a city of gardens. Gardens with amazing flowers, cabanas and ancient Mughal architecture. We visited the 🚗 Pari Mahal garden and fort & got dressed in local festive outfits and got ourselves clicked
Don't know the meaning of this pose HAHA
🚗 We went to the Hazratbal mosque and prayed.
🚗 In the evening we went to the Dal lake, and indulged in a Shikara boat ride. There is an incredible market in the lake (yes literally in the lake) that sell wooden artifacts, woollens, fruits and a lot of local things. (Traders also carry some stuff in Shikara boats in the lake and catch you in the middle of your boating and offer their products.
This is our picture from the boat ride at Dal Lake and the local markets surrounding us.
🚗 From Srinagar we flew back to our base - New Delhi. When I summarise this post, I feel a lot of emotions on what we saw, what we felt, but I want to conclude in few words. “Kashmir’s beauty is soul stirring”. Something changed in us when we came back, our chords with nature got struck, we were more romantic and yes we missed those 7 days!!
*Bye Bye !! *
