Mugal Road - Jammu to Srinagar
Mugal Road - Jammu to Srinagar
Mugal Road - Jammu to Srinagar
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4.5
34 reviews
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Very good
12
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2
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0
Terrible
0
Maroof B
3 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
This is one of the 3 Routes to Reach Srinagar from Jammu.
Although its a bit tough one and Closed for 4-5 months due to snowfall
If you travelling in July Aug than before travelling confirm about Landslides as it's quite frequent on this road.
Also carry good amount of food in your car so if you stuck in any Road block
You can survive for few hours.
After crossing Peer ki Gai
You won't find any good restaurants till Surankot.
Last tip: Drive via this road only if you are perfect in driving and have a great control over your vehicle as it's beautiful and dangerous ride at the same time.
Although its a bit tough one and Closed for 4-5 months due to snowfall
If you travelling in July Aug than before travelling confirm about Landslides as it's quite frequent on this road.
Also carry good amount of food in your car so if you stuck in any Road block
You can survive for few hours.
After crossing Peer ki Gai
You won't find any good restaurants till Surankot.
Last tip: Drive via this road only if you are perfect in driving and have a great control over your vehicle as it's beautiful and dangerous ride at the same time.
Written 13 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anil Tandon
20 contributions
Jul 2021 • Family
If you are coming to kashmir via benihal the most followed route by tourist,you miss the most beautiful and scenic part of kashmir.
I will suggest that you should go via benihal and enjoy two beautiful tunnels on way .you should make your return journey via Mughal Road from Srinagar to Shopian,Peer ki gali,Rajouri and jammu.
This is a well built road with breathtaking views and beautiful waterfalls.
I will suggest that you should go via benihal and enjoy two beautiful tunnels on way .you should make your return journey via Mughal Road from Srinagar to Shopian,Peer ki gali,Rajouri and jammu.
This is a well built road with breathtaking views and beautiful waterfalls.
Written 13 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aarunik Gupta
Hyderabad, India220 contributions
Dec 2018 • Friends
Mughal Road, which was completely operational for the public by mid 2012, gives the access to the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India, other than NH44.
This road is full of beautiful landscapes but is dangerous as well, especially during winters when it is covered with snow.
We experienced the true meaning of Nature while traveling through this road.
People visiting Kashmir should drive through the Mughal Road if the want to experience the real beauty of Kashmir.
This road is full of beautiful landscapes but is dangerous as well, especially during winters when it is covered with snow.
We experienced the true meaning of Nature while traveling through this road.
People visiting Kashmir should drive through the Mughal Road if the want to experience the real beauty of Kashmir.
Written 1 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Manas Upadhay
Kolkata (Calcutta), India324 contributions
Apr 2014 • Family
Trip to Heaven
As suggested by my colleague Mr. Kaushik Acharya, I had prebooked my cab from Kolkata itself. Mr. Acharya has also suggested the name of the driver as he had already taken his service and was quite satisfied with him. I should make a special mention of the courteous and efficient service provided by our Cab driver Mr. Md. Ishaan. His Tavera car was good and clean and we were very happy with the way he drove the vehicle. He had quoted a price of Rs 20,000 for the entire journey (10 days) i.e. from Katra to Srinagar and Pahalgam and back to Srinagar, Please note that since I wanted my privacy and wanted to go at my own time, hence I opted for this option of going by a private car. Shared Taxi and Bus Service are also available from Katra to Srinagar.
After taking an early morning walk around in Katra, we started our long awaited journey for Srinagar at 7.00 a.m. We were happy to see the cab already waiting for me. The drive from Jammu to Srinagar on National Highway 1A is unbelievably scenic! Everything looked picture-postcard perfect and lush green. The only thing that startled us is the presence of gun-toting, army personnel throughout the highway. They stand in complete attention staring at every vehicle passing by. We had read about their heavy presence in the area but seeing them and their hard work in person was a completely different experience.
Katra to Srinagar is a 265 kms drive and this is a tricky drive with sharp bends and curves in the valley. Also you run into Army convoys very often and this slows down your speed considerably as it becomes difficult overtaking huge columns of army trucks. Unfortunately we got stuck in the middle of an Army convoy near Ramban and our journey all the way out of the road was very slow.
Earlier we had decided to stop at Patnitop for relaxation and refreshment. Patnitop was nice sunny and bright and offered us a very scenic view of the mountain ranges and that’s it, there was nothing much to do except to enjoy the ambiance.
Enroute we stopped at Ramban for our lunch. I could never have imagined that I would see something like dhabas in Kashmir! But guess! I saw a whole range of dhabas - vaishno, shudh-shakahari, veg-non veg, and Punjabi Dhabas arrayed along the way! If anything that connects India together, whether rural or urban, conflict-zones or peaceful, is the presence of these food-joints on its roads. Their sight on the road leading me to a place called Kashmir – the supposedly militancy-infested region for ages, was so pleasant, so reassuring that nothing that is reported in papers, news-channels, internet mattered at all! Our driver kept on insisting us to try some sweets called Patisa at Kud which is famous in the local but we decided to give it a skip as we already had our lunch.
The spell of dhabas got taken over by the famed Jawahar Tunnel after four hours - 2.5 km long tunnel built by carving the entire mountain from the middle connecting valley of Srinagar with Jammu and takes around twenty minutes to cross it. Roughly two-thirds way to Srinagar is the Jawahar Tunnel, which connects Kashmir Valley with Jammu. It provides round-the-year connectivity of the region with the rest of the country. It is about 2.5kms long. Built at an altitude of 2194m and through the heart of a mountain, this tunnel is considered to be an engineering marvel in its own right.
Across that tunnel, starts the Valley. The moment we came out, it appeared as if we had stepped into something unearthly. All of a sudden, vast expanse of green steppe greeted our view, surrounded by snow-capped mountains. As we exited it, few of the sign-board welcomed us with captions like “First View of the Valley.” “Welcome to Kashmir, Paradise on Earth”; it was a heartwarming sight! 2 kms later a viewpoint called Titanic Viewpoint gave us our first glimpse of the valley: green mountain peaks with green paddy fields at the base; simply beautiful! This spot is dedicated to a brave Border Roads Organisation officer who laid his life for the country. Believe me, they have actually constructed a platform which resembles the deck of Titanic and you have a small platform under it for people to stand on and click pics "Titanic Style". We spent around 30 mins here. You will find a lot of vendors selling Kashmiri handicraft here. Avoid buying and wait till you get to Srinagar.
As our car rolled down the road, the beauty of valley unfolded with views of chinars, rural villages, and the snow-peaked mounts beyond. Each one appeared one by one with coquettishness of a doyenne, as if. Kashmir is like that only. As a flower unfurls itself, petal by petal, so does the beauty of Kashmir - it presents itself to the viewer, layer by layer.
About 24kms before Srinagar, in a little village called Awantipur, stands the ruins of a 9th century temple. It is right by the highway with a parking lot across the street. The Archaeological Society of India has done a good job of maintaining the compound within which the temple, or what’s left of it, stands. There’s a green lawn bordered by flowering plants in the forecourt and around the ruins as well. Only the tall platform and some crumbling walls of the temple remain today. Ruins of smaller shrines stand at the 4 corners of the temple courtyard. A couple of authorized guides offered to give us a more detailed explanation of the temple’s history and origin but we were in no mood for it. So we simply walked around, took a few pictures and left.
Just before hitting Srinagar, we passed the village of Pampore, which is world famous for its saffron production. We saw fields upon fields of saffron on either side of the main highway. The saffron flowers bloom in late August turning the current green fields into varying shades of purple; it must be quite a sight! The village market had several ‘authorized’ or ‘genuine’ stores selling ‘best quality’ saffron, which was quite tempting. But I decided to do a little more research or at least ask around before making a purchase.
Slightly delayed on our schedule, we got to Srinagar around 7 pm in the evening and headed straight to our Hotel. As said earlier we had pre-booked two double deluxe, lake facing rooms at the Shah Abbas Hotel right on the banks of Dal Lake. We decided to stay at this hotel for two major reasons 1) its beautiful and very quiet location, availability of ATMs, Quality Restaurants, Cyber Café at nearby places 2) you can go for a Shikara Ride as the hotel is right next to ghat no. 5., Even if you don’t like the shikara ride you can simply go for a morning or evening walk on the boulevard road anytime you want and trust me it will be an amazing experience. We took a walk in the hotel garden which was beautiful full of flowers and a lot of birds. We decided to take a shikara ride late evening but had to drop the idea as it was too cold for my baby.
Now about the hotel:
Pros: It was a pleasant experience staying in Shah Abbas hotel for six days. Dal lake view is available from front side rooms which is really a treat to watch both in day & night (with lights of boat houses giving a beautiful reflection in water) (don’t forget to mention lake view room while booking). Moreover, hotel is located just stone's throw away from Nehru Park & famous Shankaracharya Temple. Major restaurants (dilli da dhaba, NATHU sweets, Lhasa, Shamiyana, Punjabi Rasoi) are also in vicinity. Hotel Manager Mr Gillani and some of the staffs are very cordial & their service is really great.
Cons: Hotel restaurant is not meant for pure vegetarians and the food quality is average. Lighting arrangements in the rooms was very poor, and in spite of our repetitive request they were quite reluctant to fix the problem. We had complained in the reception but it went in vain. One thing which I need to share is that there are many hotels in the Boulevard Road (as mentioned in my other post : Hotels Near dal Lake – Pictorial Presentation) some of which are really good.
As suggested by my colleague Mr. Kaushik Acharya, I had prebooked my cab from Kolkata itself. Mr. Acharya has also suggested the name of the driver as he had already taken his service and was quite satisfied with him. I should make a special mention of the courteous and efficient service provided by our Cab driver Mr. Md. Ishaan. His Tavera car was good and clean and we were very happy with the way he drove the vehicle. He had quoted a price of Rs 20,000 for the entire journey (10 days) i.e. from Katra to Srinagar and Pahalgam and back to Srinagar, Please note that since I wanted my privacy and wanted to go at my own time, hence I opted for this option of going by a private car. Shared Taxi and Bus Service are also available from Katra to Srinagar.
After taking an early morning walk around in Katra, we started our long awaited journey for Srinagar at 7.00 a.m. We were happy to see the cab already waiting for me. The drive from Jammu to Srinagar on National Highway 1A is unbelievably scenic! Everything looked picture-postcard perfect and lush green. The only thing that startled us is the presence of gun-toting, army personnel throughout the highway. They stand in complete attention staring at every vehicle passing by. We had read about their heavy presence in the area but seeing them and their hard work in person was a completely different experience.
Katra to Srinagar is a 265 kms drive and this is a tricky drive with sharp bends and curves in the valley. Also you run into Army convoys very often and this slows down your speed considerably as it becomes difficult overtaking huge columns of army trucks. Unfortunately we got stuck in the middle of an Army convoy near Ramban and our journey all the way out of the road was very slow.
Earlier we had decided to stop at Patnitop for relaxation and refreshment. Patnitop was nice sunny and bright and offered us a very scenic view of the mountain ranges and that’s it, there was nothing much to do except to enjoy the ambiance.
Enroute we stopped at Ramban for our lunch. I could never have imagined that I would see something like dhabas in Kashmir! But guess! I saw a whole range of dhabas - vaishno, shudh-shakahari, veg-non veg, and Punjabi Dhabas arrayed along the way! If anything that connects India together, whether rural or urban, conflict-zones or peaceful, is the presence of these food-joints on its roads. Their sight on the road leading me to a place called Kashmir – the supposedly militancy-infested region for ages, was so pleasant, so reassuring that nothing that is reported in papers, news-channels, internet mattered at all! Our driver kept on insisting us to try some sweets called Patisa at Kud which is famous in the local but we decided to give it a skip as we already had our lunch.
The spell of dhabas got taken over by the famed Jawahar Tunnel after four hours - 2.5 km long tunnel built by carving the entire mountain from the middle connecting valley of Srinagar with Jammu and takes around twenty minutes to cross it. Roughly two-thirds way to Srinagar is the Jawahar Tunnel, which connects Kashmir Valley with Jammu. It provides round-the-year connectivity of the region with the rest of the country. It is about 2.5kms long. Built at an altitude of 2194m and through the heart of a mountain, this tunnel is considered to be an engineering marvel in its own right.
Across that tunnel, starts the Valley. The moment we came out, it appeared as if we had stepped into something unearthly. All of a sudden, vast expanse of green steppe greeted our view, surrounded by snow-capped mountains. As we exited it, few of the sign-board welcomed us with captions like “First View of the Valley.” “Welcome to Kashmir, Paradise on Earth”; it was a heartwarming sight! 2 kms later a viewpoint called Titanic Viewpoint gave us our first glimpse of the valley: green mountain peaks with green paddy fields at the base; simply beautiful! This spot is dedicated to a brave Border Roads Organisation officer who laid his life for the country. Believe me, they have actually constructed a platform which resembles the deck of Titanic and you have a small platform under it for people to stand on and click pics "Titanic Style". We spent around 30 mins here. You will find a lot of vendors selling Kashmiri handicraft here. Avoid buying and wait till you get to Srinagar.
As our car rolled down the road, the beauty of valley unfolded with views of chinars, rural villages, and the snow-peaked mounts beyond. Each one appeared one by one with coquettishness of a doyenne, as if. Kashmir is like that only. As a flower unfurls itself, petal by petal, so does the beauty of Kashmir - it presents itself to the viewer, layer by layer.
About 24kms before Srinagar, in a little village called Awantipur, stands the ruins of a 9th century temple. It is right by the highway with a parking lot across the street. The Archaeological Society of India has done a good job of maintaining the compound within which the temple, or what’s left of it, stands. There’s a green lawn bordered by flowering plants in the forecourt and around the ruins as well. Only the tall platform and some crumbling walls of the temple remain today. Ruins of smaller shrines stand at the 4 corners of the temple courtyard. A couple of authorized guides offered to give us a more detailed explanation of the temple’s history and origin but we were in no mood for it. So we simply walked around, took a few pictures and left.
Just before hitting Srinagar, we passed the village of Pampore, which is world famous for its saffron production. We saw fields upon fields of saffron on either side of the main highway. The saffron flowers bloom in late August turning the current green fields into varying shades of purple; it must be quite a sight! The village market had several ‘authorized’ or ‘genuine’ stores selling ‘best quality’ saffron, which was quite tempting. But I decided to do a little more research or at least ask around before making a purchase.
Slightly delayed on our schedule, we got to Srinagar around 7 pm in the evening and headed straight to our Hotel. As said earlier we had pre-booked two double deluxe, lake facing rooms at the Shah Abbas Hotel right on the banks of Dal Lake. We decided to stay at this hotel for two major reasons 1) its beautiful and very quiet location, availability of ATMs, Quality Restaurants, Cyber Café at nearby places 2) you can go for a Shikara Ride as the hotel is right next to ghat no. 5., Even if you don’t like the shikara ride you can simply go for a morning or evening walk on the boulevard road anytime you want and trust me it will be an amazing experience. We took a walk in the hotel garden which was beautiful full of flowers and a lot of birds. We decided to take a shikara ride late evening but had to drop the idea as it was too cold for my baby.
Now about the hotel:
Pros: It was a pleasant experience staying in Shah Abbas hotel for six days. Dal lake view is available from front side rooms which is really a treat to watch both in day & night (with lights of boat houses giving a beautiful reflection in water) (don’t forget to mention lake view room while booking). Moreover, hotel is located just stone's throw away from Nehru Park & famous Shankaracharya Temple. Major restaurants (dilli da dhaba, NATHU sweets, Lhasa, Shamiyana, Punjabi Rasoi) are also in vicinity. Hotel Manager Mr Gillani and some of the staffs are very cordial & their service is really great.
Cons: Hotel restaurant is not meant for pure vegetarians and the food quality is average. Lighting arrangements in the rooms was very poor, and in spite of our repetitive request they were quite reluctant to fix the problem. We had complained in the reception but it went in vain. One thing which I need to share is that there are many hotels in the Boulevard Road (as mentioned in my other post : Hotels Near dal Lake – Pictorial Presentation) some of which are really good.
Written 19 January 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
UjjalBhakat
Hooghly, India169 contributions
May 2016 • Family
A newly built road from Rajuri to Srinagar named Mughal road is an alternative route in the summer. The highest point is called Pir ki gali. In the ancient days Jahanjir et al used this road to reach the Mughal Gardens at Srinagar from the Delhi Sultanate. Multiple Sarais were made to rest in the night en route. One of the Sarai is now a days being use as a HQ of a group of Indian Army at Thanamandi.
Written 28 July 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
adil a
16 contributions
Mar 2016 • Friends
What an amazing sightseeing place it is. One of the best. There are many places to stop and make breathtaking pictures everywhere on the road. The quality of road is worst and is under developed. No place to stop for tea snacks or even water. If you traveling from that road forget about washroom.
Written 16 March 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dipmart
Delhi4 contributions
Aug 2013 • Family
Kashmir: The Rhapsodic Shangri la
Militancy and the social tempestuousness that engulfed the State however restrained me from taking the long-cherished inclination to visit the paradise on earth. As the situation has vastly improved and paradise almost regained, I along with my spouse, daughter and son-in-law set forward to visit the Venice of the east. It may sound clichéd, but the undeniable truth is that Kashmir is really a paradise on earth. Kashmir laden together with angelic beauty drenched inside tranquility and also serendipity really deserve this nickname. Its leggiadrous scenic resplendence is indeed nonpareil. And the mesmerising beauty of Dal Lake will make one drool. What's more? The boat rides on the shikaras on the lake can be exquisitely stunning and fascinating. Kashmir has been romanticised by everyone from the 16th-century Mogul emperor Jahangir (who, when asked on his deathbed if he wanted anything, whispered "Kashmir, only Kashmir") to Salman Rushdie (who spoke of "the lush valleys, the lakes, the streams, the saffron meadows – the intense physical beauty and culture of enormous harmony") and Led Zeppelin (Ooh my baby, let me take you there). But the sight of ubiquitous combat-ready armed forces patrolling their designated area with the tenacity of eagles in their nests is eye-soaring. It is more disheartening to know that State’s expenditure on Central forces, barring the Army, has gone up to almost Rs 2,400 crore.
The flight was on time and we after a journey mostly spent insatiably looking out of the window at the changing scenery outside. As the flight touched the tarmac of Srinagar airport, it was slightly warm in the afternoon. Our driver Imtiaz was waiting for us at the airport. Soon we were at Rest…A…While guest house, where we were welcomed by Mr. Rahil, twenty-five-year-old ferociously handsome and modestly articulate owner of the guest house. After a brief tea session we headed for Sankaracharya Temple. Overlooking the beautiful town of Srinagar, the ancient shrine offers splendid views of the valley and the snow covered mountains of the Pir Panjal range. The great philosopher Shankaracharya stayed here during his visit to Kashmir to revive Sanatan Dharma, after which this temple was renamed after his name. The Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is believed to be the oldest shrine in the Kashmir valley. From there we went to Chashma Shahi. It has tastefully laid garden in terraces, which commands a magnificent view of the Dal Lake below and surrounding mountain ranges. The cool water of the spring is highly refreshing and digestive. Almost adjacent to it, we reached to Nishat Bagh. It is the largest of the gardens with several terraces and a central water course flowing elegantly through it.
Next day we left for Pahalgam. Set in a pristine village lying next to the meandering Lidder River is picturesque Pahalgam, 96 km from Srinagar. The pony ride from base to the valley was back breaking and grueling; mortiferous yet intriguingly fascinating as the giant and gorgeous hills were beckoning. Surrounded with fragrant pine forests, the idyllic resort includes a golf course and spots for angling. There is something about the pure and invigorating air of this empyrean, perhaps dense pine and cedar forests make it oxygen rich. The nearby forested slopes are home to the Himalayan brown bear.
Next morning we set out for splendid Sonamarg, which is 84 km from Srinagar situated at an altitude of 2370 metres in the valley carved out by the waters of Sindh River. The beauty of blooming valley, full of alpine flowers and towering conifers with incredible Indus meandering through it and snowy summits in the backdrop is to be witnessed to believe. The natural adorableness and the absorbing amplitude of attributes can be explored at its best. Its sheer scenic beauty seems to keep the visitor wide-eyed at its unwearying enchantment. At one point of time I could feel the profound mysticism that reverberates in the hills. It is the perfect El Dorado of scenic beauty.
On the fourth day, we slightly delayed our departure for Gulmarg, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Kashmir valley, 57 km from Srinagar and at a height of 2,730 metre is literally a meadow of flowers. A two-hour drive from Srinagar, down roads lined with towering poplars and we arrived at the luxuriant resort with breathtaking views of the splendid mountains and unspoilt expanses of green or white, depending on the season. As the burnt child dreads the fire, we too decided not sit on horseback again. So, we sauntered about three km to take gondola ride. With it being the highest cable car on the planet, the gondola provided the much needed transport for skiers up the mountain but on some occasions it would only go up the first phase due to safety concerns whenever there are strong winds and blinding snow on the top of the mountain. The cable car would also sometimes come to an abrupt stop in mid air for some reason and start running again after a few minutes. This would probably make some people anxious but then again it gives time to enjoy the beautiful scenery around. While returning, we plunged into the long-cherished yearning for shikara ride at languorous Dal Lake.
Srinagar's Dal Lake is not only famous for its scenic beauty and its sikaras (boats) but also known for its floating market. But this ride through the floating market had an organic feel to it.
Dusk on the Dal Lake is the most magical. The houseboat lights, the birds settling down in their thoughtless nests, the changing colours of the sky from a brilliant cerulean to a warm tangerine, my favourite reference though are the omnipresent shikaras as they go from their brilliant yellow to shades of red and then the silhouettes that are the photographer's delight.
Finally on the day five, we nonchalantly got ready to bid au revoir to the nature’s grand finale of resplendence. Saying goodbye isn’t the hard part, it’s what we leave behind that’s tough.
--- Dipankar Guha
Militancy and the social tempestuousness that engulfed the State however restrained me from taking the long-cherished inclination to visit the paradise on earth. As the situation has vastly improved and paradise almost regained, I along with my spouse, daughter and son-in-law set forward to visit the Venice of the east. It may sound clichéd, but the undeniable truth is that Kashmir is really a paradise on earth. Kashmir laden together with angelic beauty drenched inside tranquility and also serendipity really deserve this nickname. Its leggiadrous scenic resplendence is indeed nonpareil. And the mesmerising beauty of Dal Lake will make one drool. What's more? The boat rides on the shikaras on the lake can be exquisitely stunning and fascinating. Kashmir has been romanticised by everyone from the 16th-century Mogul emperor Jahangir (who, when asked on his deathbed if he wanted anything, whispered "Kashmir, only Kashmir") to Salman Rushdie (who spoke of "the lush valleys, the lakes, the streams, the saffron meadows – the intense physical beauty and culture of enormous harmony") and Led Zeppelin (Ooh my baby, let me take you there). But the sight of ubiquitous combat-ready armed forces patrolling their designated area with the tenacity of eagles in their nests is eye-soaring. It is more disheartening to know that State’s expenditure on Central forces, barring the Army, has gone up to almost Rs 2,400 crore.
The flight was on time and we after a journey mostly spent insatiably looking out of the window at the changing scenery outside. As the flight touched the tarmac of Srinagar airport, it was slightly warm in the afternoon. Our driver Imtiaz was waiting for us at the airport. Soon we were at Rest…A…While guest house, where we were welcomed by Mr. Rahil, twenty-five-year-old ferociously handsome and modestly articulate owner of the guest house. After a brief tea session we headed for Sankaracharya Temple. Overlooking the beautiful town of Srinagar, the ancient shrine offers splendid views of the valley and the snow covered mountains of the Pir Panjal range. The great philosopher Shankaracharya stayed here during his visit to Kashmir to revive Sanatan Dharma, after which this temple was renamed after his name. The Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is believed to be the oldest shrine in the Kashmir valley. From there we went to Chashma Shahi. It has tastefully laid garden in terraces, which commands a magnificent view of the Dal Lake below and surrounding mountain ranges. The cool water of the spring is highly refreshing and digestive. Almost adjacent to it, we reached to Nishat Bagh. It is the largest of the gardens with several terraces and a central water course flowing elegantly through it.
Next day we left for Pahalgam. Set in a pristine village lying next to the meandering Lidder River is picturesque Pahalgam, 96 km from Srinagar. The pony ride from base to the valley was back breaking and grueling; mortiferous yet intriguingly fascinating as the giant and gorgeous hills were beckoning. Surrounded with fragrant pine forests, the idyllic resort includes a golf course and spots for angling. There is something about the pure and invigorating air of this empyrean, perhaps dense pine and cedar forests make it oxygen rich. The nearby forested slopes are home to the Himalayan brown bear.
Next morning we set out for splendid Sonamarg, which is 84 km from Srinagar situated at an altitude of 2370 metres in the valley carved out by the waters of Sindh River. The beauty of blooming valley, full of alpine flowers and towering conifers with incredible Indus meandering through it and snowy summits in the backdrop is to be witnessed to believe. The natural adorableness and the absorbing amplitude of attributes can be explored at its best. Its sheer scenic beauty seems to keep the visitor wide-eyed at its unwearying enchantment. At one point of time I could feel the profound mysticism that reverberates in the hills. It is the perfect El Dorado of scenic beauty.
On the fourth day, we slightly delayed our departure for Gulmarg, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Kashmir valley, 57 km from Srinagar and at a height of 2,730 metre is literally a meadow of flowers. A two-hour drive from Srinagar, down roads lined with towering poplars and we arrived at the luxuriant resort with breathtaking views of the splendid mountains and unspoilt expanses of green or white, depending on the season. As the burnt child dreads the fire, we too decided not sit on horseback again. So, we sauntered about three km to take gondola ride. With it being the highest cable car on the planet, the gondola provided the much needed transport for skiers up the mountain but on some occasions it would only go up the first phase due to safety concerns whenever there are strong winds and blinding snow on the top of the mountain. The cable car would also sometimes come to an abrupt stop in mid air for some reason and start running again after a few minutes. This would probably make some people anxious but then again it gives time to enjoy the beautiful scenery around. While returning, we plunged into the long-cherished yearning for shikara ride at languorous Dal Lake.
Srinagar's Dal Lake is not only famous for its scenic beauty and its sikaras (boats) but also known for its floating market. But this ride through the floating market had an organic feel to it.
Dusk on the Dal Lake is the most magical. The houseboat lights, the birds settling down in their thoughtless nests, the changing colours of the sky from a brilliant cerulean to a warm tangerine, my favourite reference though are the omnipresent shikaras as they go from their brilliant yellow to shades of red and then the silhouettes that are the photographer's delight.
Finally on the day five, we nonchalantly got ready to bid au revoir to the nature’s grand finale of resplendence. Saying goodbye isn’t the hard part, it’s what we leave behind that’s tough.
--- Dipankar Guha
Written 27 August 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Scentedlotus
Sydney, Australia11,627 contributions
Oct 2014 • Couples
The rustling poplar leaves orchestrate a celestial welcome to all who travel the old Mugal Road Kashmir bound... Lush green pastures lie astride the corridor of tall trees and azure skies frame the horizon..centuries have witnessed caravans along this dusty route, all leading to the fabled city of Srinagar. In that place, surrounded by craggy peaks, lie lotus covered lakes and a myriad of ancient wooden house boats.. Long the retreats of poets and artists and those escaping the heat of the sun scorched plains below.. A line of poetry comes flooding back to me.. "Pale hands, I loved beside the Shalimar ....' Those fountained parks still entreat and delight the weary traveller today!
Written 30 October 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Roma M
Kolkata (Calcutta), India42 contributions
Apr 2013 • Couples
The easiest way to go to Srinagar is by flight. I chose to go up to Jammu by air and hire a car from there. This was useful in three ways. I had a chance to enjoy the roadside beauty of banihal, verinag,anantanag, kesar plantation of Awantipura etc. Having a vehicle at the disposal all the time at Srinagar was very beneficial, and since taxi charge is very high in Srinagar, I saved a lot.
The journey from Jammu to Srinagar, about 290 km, takes about eight hours including time for tea, lunch and little achars and preserved cherries shopping at kud.The hill road starts after udhampur. Halt for tea and little shopping at kud. Then you will hit another tourist spot, patnitop, followed by ramban. Awesome and picturesque. The rough scenic beauty after banihal, Jhelum river flowing side by side, greens of verinag and anantanag, old temple and roadside kesar plantation of awantipura, everything is awesome. After crossing banihal, as you reach nowgam, be ready for the memorable experience of travelling through the 3 km long jawahar tunnel. At awantipura, you are not far from Srinagar now, do not miss the roadside temple ruin of awantiswara.
If you do not stay in a houseboat, half of the charm of Srinagar is gone. But you have to be choosy. You will see row of houseboats at nagin lake, half of them out of business, heavily clustered, no privacy, contaminated water around full of excretions. It is better not to opt for those. My personal suggestion is that either contact “ shelter group of houseboats” ( 09906899368), or, if you are ready to spend and have a lifetime memorable experience, go for “ Butt’s clermont houseboats”(09419056761)/ buttsclermont@rediffmail.com. Be it location,ambience,food, facilities, treatment, you will be a VIP.
Srinagar has a complex network of lakes. The main lake is dal. The next is nagin, much smaller. There are three more small lakes scattered and connected in a complex manner. The rows of houseboats at dal are better, avoid those at nagin.
My plan was to see all main spots within Srinagar, enjoy dal lake shikara rides in the evening, and visit gulmarg, sonmarg and pahalgam.
Srinagar is full of gardens. I picked up a few- chashmeshahi, nishat garden, tulip garden and Nehru botanical garden. If you have time and if you are specially fond of it, you can go for few more. Of course, I want to mention lotus garden separately. A huge widespread swamp full of narrow canals and lotus all around. I hired a boat at Nehru park, dal lake for the trip.
As for places must for visiting, I chose hazratbaal, shankaracharya hill, parimahal, and char cheenar. You must plan to visit hazratbaal in the evening. Once you are there you will understand why I said so. Shankaracharya hill involves a very long stair climb. People with heart or knee problem take precaution. Parimahal will give you a fantastic bird’s eye view of all lakes and Srinagar. There are two char cheenars. The big one is included in the boat trip of lotus garden, the small one is included in the dal lake shikara ride from hazratbaal. So, after you have visited hazraatbaal in the evening, take a shikara next door, see the small char cheenar and enjoy the mesmerizing view of hazratbaal in the dark from the lake. An evening of the lifetime.
Another lifetime evening will be shikara ride in dal lake. The shikara stand is near Nehru park. If you are staying with buttclermont or shelter group, they will arrange your shikara ride. Otherwise also, shikara people are good and no cheating.
As for shopping, explore the floating market of dal lake. Shikara will take you through the narrow canals, mangrove forestation on both sides, shops are floating on the water, and you jump straight from the shikara to the shop, a unique experience. All kashmiri artifacts are available at one place, little bargaining and it is fair price. Only problem is to buy kesar. You will find it everywhere, at awantipura, in floating market, on the way to sonmarg, at pahalgam. But you are likely to be cheated everywhere. If you are staying with shelter group or butt clermont, ask them and they will use personal contact to get you relatively good quality kesar.
Now to move out of Srinagar. My plan was to visit gulmarg one day, sonmarg another day and after returning each day, to enjoy the evening shikara ride at dal which became quite addictive to me. Sonmarg is situated towards east of Srinagar while gulmarg is on the opposite direction, so you have to plan for separate trips. But while returning from gulmarg, if you wish, indulge in a little diversion and visit kheer bhabani temple. Gulmarg is about 50 km from Srinagar and takes one and half hour. The place is within miles from LOC so you have to bear with a number of army units around. See the temple of “jai jai Shiva Shankar” ( Rajesh khanna) fame, enjoy the ropeway trip, and, I will advise to spend a little time in the trout fisheries if you are a gourmet. At a very nominal rate, catch your trouts yourself with a net, get it fried , and relish.
Sonmarg is little far, about 85 km, known as “the meadow of gold”. The scenic beauty and the pony trip up to thajiwas glacier are wonderful. The pony trip will get scary at times, do not worry. In addition, you will be shown the shooting spots of satte pe satta and ram teri ganga maili.
I planned not come back to Srinagar from pahalgam. Instead, I planned to reach straight to awantipura from pahalgam through another route. Pahalgam, located about 95 km from Srinagar will take about 3 hours to reach. But in case your trip clashes with amarnath yatra, you will get struck before entering pahalgam and waste lots of time. Actually, chandanbari, the starting point of amarnath yatra is just 15 km from pahalgam, and all checks are done before entering pahalgam. There are quite a few good hotels in pahalgam. I will recommend pahalgam hotel. Location, food , accommodation, everything is good. The lidder river, flowers on the roadside, flora and fauna, horse riding, mouth watering fresh trouts, pahalgam gave me utter satisfaction. In addition, I had a look at betaab valley, about 15 km from pahalgam. A place of picturesque beauty.
I was looking to buy a good samovar at a reasonable rate, but could not find it anywhere in Srinagar. Finally I found it in the state emporium at pahalgam, and saw many other items with good quality and reasonable rate. You may try. ATMs are available here, do not worry.
A word of caution. Check the Srinagar news before setting course. Once there, have a word with staff where you are staying before going out. They like tourists, and in case any problem cropping up somewhere, they will caution you. Just a matter of precaution.
The journey from Jammu to Srinagar, about 290 km, takes about eight hours including time for tea, lunch and little achars and preserved cherries shopping at kud.The hill road starts after udhampur. Halt for tea and little shopping at kud. Then you will hit another tourist spot, patnitop, followed by ramban. Awesome and picturesque. The rough scenic beauty after banihal, Jhelum river flowing side by side, greens of verinag and anantanag, old temple and roadside kesar plantation of awantipura, everything is awesome. After crossing banihal, as you reach nowgam, be ready for the memorable experience of travelling through the 3 km long jawahar tunnel. At awantipura, you are not far from Srinagar now, do not miss the roadside temple ruin of awantiswara.
If you do not stay in a houseboat, half of the charm of Srinagar is gone. But you have to be choosy. You will see row of houseboats at nagin lake, half of them out of business, heavily clustered, no privacy, contaminated water around full of excretions. It is better not to opt for those. My personal suggestion is that either contact “ shelter group of houseboats” ( 09906899368), or, if you are ready to spend and have a lifetime memorable experience, go for “ Butt’s clermont houseboats”(09419056761)/ buttsclermont@rediffmail.com. Be it location,ambience,food, facilities, treatment, you will be a VIP.
Srinagar has a complex network of lakes. The main lake is dal. The next is nagin, much smaller. There are three more small lakes scattered and connected in a complex manner. The rows of houseboats at dal are better, avoid those at nagin.
My plan was to see all main spots within Srinagar, enjoy dal lake shikara rides in the evening, and visit gulmarg, sonmarg and pahalgam.
Srinagar is full of gardens. I picked up a few- chashmeshahi, nishat garden, tulip garden and Nehru botanical garden. If you have time and if you are specially fond of it, you can go for few more. Of course, I want to mention lotus garden separately. A huge widespread swamp full of narrow canals and lotus all around. I hired a boat at Nehru park, dal lake for the trip.
As for places must for visiting, I chose hazratbaal, shankaracharya hill, parimahal, and char cheenar. You must plan to visit hazratbaal in the evening. Once you are there you will understand why I said so. Shankaracharya hill involves a very long stair climb. People with heart or knee problem take precaution. Parimahal will give you a fantastic bird’s eye view of all lakes and Srinagar. There are two char cheenars. The big one is included in the boat trip of lotus garden, the small one is included in the dal lake shikara ride from hazratbaal. So, after you have visited hazraatbaal in the evening, take a shikara next door, see the small char cheenar and enjoy the mesmerizing view of hazratbaal in the dark from the lake. An evening of the lifetime.
Another lifetime evening will be shikara ride in dal lake. The shikara stand is near Nehru park. If you are staying with buttclermont or shelter group, they will arrange your shikara ride. Otherwise also, shikara people are good and no cheating.
As for shopping, explore the floating market of dal lake. Shikara will take you through the narrow canals, mangrove forestation on both sides, shops are floating on the water, and you jump straight from the shikara to the shop, a unique experience. All kashmiri artifacts are available at one place, little bargaining and it is fair price. Only problem is to buy kesar. You will find it everywhere, at awantipura, in floating market, on the way to sonmarg, at pahalgam. But you are likely to be cheated everywhere. If you are staying with shelter group or butt clermont, ask them and they will use personal contact to get you relatively good quality kesar.
Now to move out of Srinagar. My plan was to visit gulmarg one day, sonmarg another day and after returning each day, to enjoy the evening shikara ride at dal which became quite addictive to me. Sonmarg is situated towards east of Srinagar while gulmarg is on the opposite direction, so you have to plan for separate trips. But while returning from gulmarg, if you wish, indulge in a little diversion and visit kheer bhabani temple. Gulmarg is about 50 km from Srinagar and takes one and half hour. The place is within miles from LOC so you have to bear with a number of army units around. See the temple of “jai jai Shiva Shankar” ( Rajesh khanna) fame, enjoy the ropeway trip, and, I will advise to spend a little time in the trout fisheries if you are a gourmet. At a very nominal rate, catch your trouts yourself with a net, get it fried , and relish.
Sonmarg is little far, about 85 km, known as “the meadow of gold”. The scenic beauty and the pony trip up to thajiwas glacier are wonderful. The pony trip will get scary at times, do not worry. In addition, you will be shown the shooting spots of satte pe satta and ram teri ganga maili.
I planned not come back to Srinagar from pahalgam. Instead, I planned to reach straight to awantipura from pahalgam through another route. Pahalgam, located about 95 km from Srinagar will take about 3 hours to reach. But in case your trip clashes with amarnath yatra, you will get struck before entering pahalgam and waste lots of time. Actually, chandanbari, the starting point of amarnath yatra is just 15 km from pahalgam, and all checks are done before entering pahalgam. There are quite a few good hotels in pahalgam. I will recommend pahalgam hotel. Location, food , accommodation, everything is good. The lidder river, flowers on the roadside, flora and fauna, horse riding, mouth watering fresh trouts, pahalgam gave me utter satisfaction. In addition, I had a look at betaab valley, about 15 km from pahalgam. A place of picturesque beauty.
I was looking to buy a good samovar at a reasonable rate, but could not find it anywhere in Srinagar. Finally I found it in the state emporium at pahalgam, and saw many other items with good quality and reasonable rate. You may try. ATMs are available here, do not worry.
A word of caution. Check the Srinagar news before setting course. Once there, have a word with staff where you are staying before going out. They like tourists, and in case any problem cropping up somewhere, they will caution you. Just a matter of precaution.
Written 2 October 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Suhaif
Srinagar, India53 contributions
Mar 2016 • Friends
Hello all
Sajad from south Kashmir we all knw importance of mughal empire's era.. Today i wana give my experience on mughal road. Like 60 kms from srinagar city need full day for this trip. Don't forget took your food with you like snacks drinks etc. You can feel the freshness of natural waves. One of the most famous place on mughal road is PEER KI GALI Where you can enjoy real moments of life. Its adventure place. Roads or not maintained well so keep water bottels with u even you can not find anyy hotel or cafe on this road. But i promise u wil never forget the mughal road trip.
Sajad from south Kashmir we all knw importance of mughal empire's era.. Today i wana give my experience on mughal road. Like 60 kms from srinagar city need full day for this trip. Don't forget took your food with you like snacks drinks etc. You can feel the freshness of natural waves. One of the most famous place on mughal road is PEER KI GALI Where you can enjoy real moments of life. Its adventure place. Roads or not maintained well so keep water bottels with u even you can not find anyy hotel or cafe on this road. But i promise u wil never forget the mughal road trip.
Written 22 March 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
is it ok to travel in October 2016 to Srinagar via the Old Mughal road ??
Written 6 October 2016
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