It was the third day for us in Kashmir, a lovely morning and still undecided which part of Kashmir was to be explored that day. I got a chance to talk with a senior member of another tourist party staying in the same guest house who incidentally were leaving that day only for Delhi. Knowing that we were planning to go to Gulmarg or Pahalgam that day , the Gentleman suggested that though these were popular tourist destinations and almost everyone visited there but if we were going to see snow then it would be useless to go and he suggested further to go to Sonamarg instead where we could feel chilly winds, huge tracts of Snow on THAJIWAS glacier at Sonamarg. I presented the summary of this chat to my family members and it was decided unanimously that… Barf to Dekhni Hi Hai…… so no Gulmarg and Pahalgam at least for that day and everyone was ready for Sonamarg. Though our woolens were still packed as Srinagar was not so cold but that Gentleman suggested that we would need our woolens at Sonamarg for sure.A light breakfast and all were ready to go by 9.30 A.M.  I especially instructed the driver of our vehicle to check the tyres and other basic things of the vehicle as we had to go about 90 km from Srinagar.

Sonamarg is on the way from Srinagar to Leh road and is a popular destination to visit. Road condition somewhere is good but at some places the condition of road is very bad. We passed through 2 check posts out of which one was of Rashtriya Rifles. On the way to Sonamarg one can see a lot of army people, reason perhaps at that time was that Yatra to Sri Amarnath was about to start in a few days and security had been enhanced, may be. After travelling about 40 km, river Indus becomes your companion and one can just soak into the beauty of clear and very fast flowing water of this river. While we were observing the beauty of river Indus, the news from Mr. Bhajji (our driver) that one of the tyres had got puncture came as a bolt from blue. Luckily the puncture shop was near the point where tourists stop for some time to gauge the beauty of river Indus. So this came as a breather for us also and we got about half an hour to stop by on the bank of this majestic river whose water was as clear as purity.

River Indus with all its fury

(more…)

Kashmir was once called Heaven on Earth, and one of the most beautiful places in the world. However, in last couple of years, terrorism has faded its charm – A place home to Himalayan Ranges. Yet the previous year, Kashmir recorded the maximum number of tourists ever. The alluring beauty of Kashmir gives you a reason to live and visit this place again and again.  The famous Dal lake where you can stay in houseboats, a five star luxury beyond the hotels that offers you the options to choose your cuisine according to your own taste and enjoy your meals while looking at the hustle and bustle of the Dal. The Shikaras, Kashmiri handicrafts like shawls, woodcarvings, dried fruits, saffron and the Kashmiri Culture are some of the attractions.
Here are the top reasons to visit Kashmir:

1. Beauty:  Needless to say, Kashmir offers such breath taking views that it becomes extremely difficult for one to go back home! From the very beautiful Tulip, Nishat, Chashma Shahi and Mughal Gardens to the marvelous hill stations like Gulmarg, Pahalgam & Sonamarg; Kashmir has it all.

Dal Lake

(more…)

Hello Ghumakkars

We had spent two days in Srinagar, and were off to Gulmarg. If you still haven’t read the previous posts then click here. After spending some quality time in Gulmarg, we left for Srinagar. We still had to cover Mughal Gardens & Pari Mahal. After the long drive from Gulmarg, we visited both the gardens and headed back to the hotel. I have already published a photo essay on all the gardens; Click here if you haven’t seen the same. Moving on, next day was our third day in Srinagar. According to the itinerary, we had to leave for Sonamarg. We woke up around 7:00 AM, had a tea & fortunately, this time it was made from Amul Milk .We left the hotel at 9:00 AM and Mr. Rouf was waiting for us on the other side of the lake.

A Kashmiri riding a Shikara

(more…)

Hello Everyone!

As they say beauty is in the eyes of beholder. And that is so true of the Valley. In Kashmir there is as much hidden as revealed. So the Valley has to be seen with the eyes of the soul. These words were true as soon as I visited Kashmir “The only Paradise on Earth”! It was the month of October’11 & the year was about to end. I desperately wanted to go on a journey. The traveler in me was hungry! So, We decided to plan a trip to Kashmir. My Dad made the necessary booking & arrangements. We were to leave Lucknow on 5th Nov’11 (2 days before Eid) & the trip was for ten days. I was so excited that I used to literally mark the days on a calendar. Each day I used to chant Kashmir! Kashmir! Kashmir! which definitely irritated my family! Days flew by, and the bags were packed. We took off from Lucknow and reached Delhi the same evening.As we had a connecting flight the other day so we stayed in my Mausi’s residence. Next day, in no time we were in Kashmir.

Snow capped mountains

(more…)

Hello Folks,

It’s the second last month of the year & the peak season is about to begin. To avoid the rush & hustle bustle, my family decided to visit Kashmir. We planned a 9 day trip and the ghumakkar in me was just waiting for the journey to start off! ;)
Days flew by and now the trip’s over.We had loads of  fun & here in this post I’ll be sharing the best pics of the journey! They are none other than of flowers (tulips, roses etc.) of the very famous gardens of Srinagar i.e. Mughal Gardens, Shalimar Gardens & Chashmashahi etc.

So, without any further delay, let me take you all to a world of the very beautiful flowers.

Extraordinary Rose

(more…)