5 Popular Places To Visit In Kashmir

Very few places in the world yield a similar appeal to that of the Himalayan mountain system. Wrapped in an envelope of flora and fauna, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) is a sight to be appreciated and respected. There are quite a few places to visit in Kashmir. We have listed down a few.

 Check out these 5 places to visit in Kashmir

Srinagar

The summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar rises to a height of 5,200 feet on the banks of river Jhelum. Every year, tourists from all parts of the globe throng this place and witness the beauty of the Dal Lake. Apart from the house-boats and Shikaras, this place gains much tourist attention for the availability of saffron and other types of dry fruits. You’ll even be fascinated by a huge collection of carpets, shawls, and other handicrafts that are woven by skilled artisans.

Gulmarg

Gulmarg is one of the major hill-stations of this region due to its great location, natural beauty, and the nearness to Srinagar. The place owes its recent name to Yusuf Shah, the Mughal Sultan, who ruled it during the 16th century. He had changed the name of this place from “Gaurimarg” after being inspired by the wildflower and the grassy slopes.

The highest green golf course on Earth is situated here at an altitude of 2,650 meters. On the way to Gulmarg, the aromatic flowers and rice fields castes a spell of magic on visitors. You’re bound to feel engrossed by the fragrance of wildflowers and the stunning natural beauty of villages. Once you reach the “View Point”, you’ll be able to take a few snaps of the white-capped mountains while breathing in much of the fragrant air.

Sonamarg

Sonamarg, a place that’s often referred to as the Meadow of Gold is situated at a height of 2730 meters from the sea level. The vast stretch of blue sky and the snowy mountains at the backdrop invite you to spend a few hours with activities like angling as you find Trout in abundance within the meandering Sindh River. During the summertime, all weekend campers visit the Thajiwas glacier; you may choose to ride ponies while moving up. For nature lovers, this place yields a great natural habitat amid fir, silver birch, and pine while offering the fragrance of alpine and sycamore.

Pahalgam

Pahalgam is a small hill-town near Srinagar, which is known for its picturesque beauty. Conifer trees constitute about 90% of the forest, which has an abundance of plants all over the area. The vegetation that you come across has a wide variety of unique and endangered species. Alongside a wide range of mountain birds, wildlife enthusiasts will enjoy the presence of Rhesus Macaque, Leopard, Grey Langur, Brown Bear, Wild Bears, Musk Deer, and a few Hangul. The entire region is always on a high alert due to the continuous patrolling of the Indian army. However, tourists are bound to remain safe in this location.

Vaishno Devi

Vaishno Devi is one of the most popular places to visit in Jammu and Kashmir. This location owes much of its fame to the hills that are considered to be the abode of the Mother Goddess of Hindu mythology. For offering your prayer to the goddess, you’ll need to crawl up the steep slopes like thousands of other pilgrims.

The holy cavern shrine is situated much higher up the slope of a hill and develops a rare twinkling view at night. The shrine of Vaishno Devi claims a portion of the lower Himalayas and remains enclosed within the Trikuta Mountains. Lying at about 5,200 feet over the sea level, this holy shrine stands at a distance of 61 km to the north of Jammu. For those of you who’re pursuing spiritual and religious practices, it’s impossible to check out the pictures Mahasaraswati, Mahalakshmi, and Mahakali.

There are several other places to visit in Kashmir that every visitor would like to include on his list. However, this article focuses on the top 5 tourist hotspots that are a must-see when you’re visiting this state for the first time. If things tend to cross your budget, you may search for a few online coupon codes for flight and hotel booking that keep things within your reach.

While you are in Jammu and Kashmir check out the adventure things to do in Ladakh and places to visit on your tour to Ladakh.  If you need help in planning the itinerary for your trip check out our Kashmir tour packages and our bike tour to Ladakh.