GULMARG
Gulmarg’s Legendary Beauty, Prime Location And Proximity To Srinagar Naturally Make It One Of The Premier Hill Resorts In The Country . Orginally Called ‘Gaurimarg’ By Shephe, Its Present Name As Given In The 16th Century By Sultan Yusuf Shah Who Was Inspired By The Sight Of Its Grassy Slopes Emblazoned With Wild Flowers . Gulmars Was A Favourite Haunt Of Emperor Jehangir Who Once Collected 21 Different Varieties Of Flowers From Here . Today Gulmarg Is Not Merely Amountain Resort Of Exceptional Beauty – It Also Has The Highest Green Golf Course In The World, At An Altituden Of 2650m, And Is The Countries Premier Ski Resort In The Winter. The Journey To Gulmarg Is Half The Enchanment Of Reaching There – Roads Bordered By Rigid Avenues Of Poplar Give Over To Flat Exoenses Of Rice Fields Interspersed With Picturesque Village. Depending On The Season , Nature’s Colours Could Be The Trranslucent Green Of Spring, Summer’s Rich Emerald, Or Autumn’s Golden Hues, When Scarlet Chilies Festoon Windows Of Village Homes . After Tangmarg, The Climb To Gulmarg Begins Through Fir-Covered Hill Sides . At One Point , Known Simp
PAHALGAM- THE VALLEY OF SHEPHERDS
Situated At The Conluence Of The Streams Flowing From Sheshnag Lake And The Lidder River, Pahalgam (2130 M) Was Once A Humble Shephered’s Village With Breathtaking Views. Now It Is Kashmir’s Premier Resort , Cool Even During The Height Summer When The Maximam Temperature Does Not Exceeds 25’c .A Number Of Hotels And Lodges Cater To All Preferences And Budgets, Luxurious To Unpretentious Trekkers Lodges . Including J&K TDC Huts. Around Pahalgam Are Very Places Of Interest , And Because The Resort Is Set Between Fairly Steep Hills, It Is Worth Hiring A Pony Rather Than Walking .Pony Fares Are Posted At Prominent Locations. The Most Beautiful Of Thes E Is The Huge, Endulating Meadow Of Baisaran, Surrounded By Thickly Wooded Forests Of Pine. Hajn, On The Way To Chandanwari, Is An Idyllic Spot For A Picnic. Filmgoers Will Recognize It Instantly Ads It Has Been The Location Of Saveral Movie Scenes . Pahalgam Has Within It No Fewer Than Eight Tiny Villages One Of Which Is Mamal. There Is A Shiva Temple Here, Generally Considered To Be Kashmir’s Oldest Existing Temple, Dating To The 5th Century. Pahalgam Is Also Associated With Amarnath Yatra.Chandanwari(2895 M), 16 Kms From Pahalgam,
SONAMARG-THE MEADOW OF GOLD.
The Drive To Sonamarg Ids Through The Sindh Valley Which Presents Yet Another Spectacular Facet Of Country Side Of Kashmir. Situated At Ana Altitude Of 2730 M, Sonamarg( ‘ The Meadow Of Gold’)Has , As Its Backdrop, Snowy Mountains Against A Cerulean Sky. The Sindh River That Meanders Through The Valley Abounds With Trout And Mahaseer.Ponies Can Be Hired For The Trip Up To Thajiwas Glacier, Which Is A Mojor Local Attraction During The Summer Months . Sonamarg Is The Base Of A Major Trek That Passes Along Saveral Mountains, Lakes- Vishansar, Kishansar, Gadsar, Satsar And Gangabal. Sonamarg Is Also The Take Off Station For A Drive To Ladakh Across The Zojilla, A Major Pass In The Great Himalayan Range Through Which The Srinagar- Leh Road Passes. Sonamarg Is Also A Base For Undertaking The Yatra To The Amarnath Cave During Sawan Purnima.
ACCOMODIATION:
Kashmir Offers Variety Of Accomodiations In Srinagar Ands In All The Mountain Resorts Like Gulmarg , Pahalgam , Sonamarg, Yusemarg Etc. Besides The Good Amount Of Hotels Of All Categories There Are Are JKTDC’s Hutments Also But As Many Tourists Are Attracted To Srinagar By The Charm Of Staying On A Houseboat , Which Provides A Unique Experience Of Living On The Water Cedar-Pannelled, Elegant Bedrooms With All The Conveniennces Of A Luxury Hotel. Srinagar’s Thousnads Or So Houseboats Are Morred Along Sections Of A Dal And Nigeen Lakes And River Jhelum,Each Decorated Fancifully And Named Romantically And Even Whimsically. Like Hotels, Houseboats Vary In Degree Of Luxury And Have Been Accordingly Graded By The Department Of The Tourism . A Luxury Houseboat Is ,Like A Luxury Hotel Has Fine Furniture, Good Carpets And Modern Bathroom Fitting, While The ‘D Category'(The Lowest Category) Of Houseboats , Like Low-Budget Hotels Is Spartanly Furnished. Like Hotels Too, Houseboats Vary Widely In Their Locations .Some Overlook The Main Road , Others Look Out Into Lotus Gardens And Yet Others Face Tiny Local Markets And Villages, All Right In The Middle Of The Lack!All Houiseboats , Regardless Of Category Have Highly Personalized Service . Not Only Is There Always A “Houseboy” For Every Boat, But The Owner And His Family Is Never Far Away. The Cost Per Day Of Hiring A Houseboat Includes All Meals And Free Rides From The Houseboat To The Nearest Jetty And Back, As No Houseboat On The Lakes Is Directly Accessible From The Banks.
ADVENTURE TOURISM ACTIVITIES:
Besides The Leisure Tourism Offers Some Of The World’s Best Adventure Sports Activities Which Include Trekking , Mountaineering, Snow And Water Skiing , Skitouring, Paragliding, White Water Rafting, Mountain Biking, Summer School, Camps, Angling, Zorbing, Mountain Biking And Golfing At World’s Highest Golf Courses.