Eternal Kashmir with Flight

Upon arrival in Srinagar, you’ll be greeted by our representatives for your ride to Pahalgam. We’ll transfer there via Pampore, Avantipura, and the village of Bijbehara which is where Kashmir gets most of their fresh produce from. Enjoy the scenic drive that goes into the national highway 1A before entering Anantnag, the second largest city in Kashmir, then back to the wild as we drive along the Lidder River to Pahalgam.
Once we’ve arrived, we’ll head to the hotel for check-in for overnight stay at Pahalgam hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel in Pahalgam, we check-out and head to a tour of the local area. With so many gorgeous places to visit and sights to see, we suggest renting a local taxi who’ll be able to take you around the area on a private basis, exploring Pahalgam Valley.
Around 16kms from Pahalgam is Chandanwari, a lush area in the valley that’s famous as a snow-sledging area. Hail a cab from Pahalgram for a roundtrip here which takes around 4-5 hours back and forth. While the ride can be quite long, it is one that you can enjoy with the Lidder River flowing on one side and the snow-capped mountain on the other. Have fun in the snow and make some snowballs to throw at your friends before heading back down. For a less boring trip, you can sledge down the side for an unforgettable experience. There are also several picnic spots that are easily accessible from the road.
We can ride on to the next destination, which is a village in the Aru Valley. This beautiful village is snuggled amongst the green grass and lush forest of Trans-Himalaya. With clear blue sky hanging above and the mist that hints the slightly cool weather of this area, it’s the perfect getaway that lets you forget your hectic life. It is the smallest hill station in the state, but surrounded by the native pines and conifer forests, the meadows are truly mesmerizing. Trekkers love to just stop and take in the majestic view of this small paradise which is covered in white during winter.
From Aru Valley, we head to Betaab Valley that was previously known as Hagan Valley. It earned a new name after the movie Betaab was filmed here in 1983, hence the Betaab Valley. It’s not just a former film setting – this valley is a wondrous gorge of nature’s beauty where you can listen to the songs of birds and is often the destination tourists head to in Kashmir. For those who wish to drown in the sight and place longer, this place is a popular camping site as well since it’s located not far from Pahalgam.
We keep driving and exit the valleys for Srinagar and head up into Gulmarg, passing by the beautiful Tangmarg Town on your 14km ride. Head to the hotel for check-in before you rest for the rest of the night in Gulmarg.
(Breakfast)

After breakfast in Srinagar, get ready for a whole day trip to Gulmarg. Located over 52 km from Srinagar, Gulmarg is a hill station and town that has been visited by millions for its exquisite view of the Himalayan Mountain. You will be dropped roughly 1 km from the Gondola ride which will take you up to over 2.500m above sea level to Gulmarg Resort. You can choose to go by foot or pay extra for ATV or horse ride for a trip around the area. You can take pony rides to visit Maharani Temple & St. Mary’s Church at extra cost.
From the resort, the gondola can go further up to two stages of height if you wish to pay extra cost for the trips. The first stage starts from the Gulmarg Resort to the Kongdoori Station which is located within Kongdori Valley. While the second stage starts from the ropeway that has 36 cabins and 18 towers to near the Afarwat Peak at 3,747m height of Kongdoori Mountain, the shoulder of Afarwat Peak at 4,200m. The Gondola Ride starts at 10AM until 5PM and you can ride up at any time of the schedule.
While at the resort, you can visit the Maharani Temple, built in 1915 by Mohini Bai Sisodia who was the last Dogra King of Jammu and Kashmir. It was a royal temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, and also goes by the name Mohineshwar Shivalalaya. The wife of Maharaja Hair Singh would give her fervent prayers at this temple that is filled with tranquillity and peace. It is also surrounded by gorgeous view of Gulmarg.
The St. Mary’s Church that was constructed over 110 years ago still stand strong today with renovation that was done in 2003. It looks absolutely gorgeous during winter when it snows as the color white puts the green-tiled roof in stark contrast. The church gives the vibe of a countryside chapel with the overall decent size, decorated walls, and simple designs.
Once you’ve explored everything you want to explore and take in all the view you want, we’ll drive back from Gulmarg to Srinagar. We’ll spend the night in Srinagar.
(Breakfast)

After breakfast, we’ll start our whole-day tour through Srinagar and Dal Lake, visiting the famous and beautiful Mughal Gardens, following the traces of the royal families of old times around the old temples and shrines.
The Nishat Bagh is a terraced Mughal Garden that’s known for its beauty as the second largest one of its kind in Kashmir Valley. Visitors can enjoy an exquisite view of the Dal Lake from the bagh which name translates into The Garden of Gladness. On the back, you can see the Zabarwan Mountains and Pir Panjal mountain range.
Still around the lake is the largest Mughal Garden in India, the Shalimar Bagh. It’s easily an impressive place that also has a view of the lake and best visited during autumn and spring. The arched niches located behind the garden waterfalls is a unique structure that can only be found here and look very much out of this world at night when the oil lamps are lit.
Then to Chashme Shahi, yet another beautiful garden that’s built around a natural spring within the Zabarwan Range. It has such a fantasy-like view and was commissioned Ali Mardan Khan, Mughan Governor, featuring a large fountain, terraces, and water pools around the spring. To the east, you will see the Fairy Palace, or Chashma Shahi with the mountain range as the backdrop.
From the magical palace, we head out to Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, the largest in Asia, to see the land covered by tulips in April. It was opened in 2007 and has over 70 different varieties of tulips and is only 2 hectares smaller from the world’s largest garden at 30-hectare. Aside from tulips, several rose beds have been added, allowing tourists to revel in the beauty of this garden.
Jump back in time as you walk into the Shankaracharya Temple, a temple that dates back into the 4th century. It was built by Raja Gopadatya in the 4th century, in 371 BC to be exact, and overlooks the city from Gopadari Hill. The temple also features iconic Buddhist architecture of a circular chamber and was first known as the Gopadari Temple, named after the King. Later, the famous great philosopher Shankracharya came and stayed in this temple while visiting Kashmir. That was when the temple became known as the Shankaracharya Temple. Several repairs and renovations have taken place over the course of thousands of years, such as when Zain-ul-Abideen repaired the place after an earthquake, and when Maharaja Gulab Singh added stone steps to the main shrine.
We head to the left side of Dal Lake now and visit the Hazratbal Shrine, a shrine named in Kashmiri language to mean Holy Place. The Muslim shrine has been considered holy and houses Moi-e-Muqqadas, which is believed to be the hair of the prophet Muhammad.
With the lake just next to the shrine, we’ll head to the shore and get ready for a one-hour ride through Dal Lake. Shikara Ride is a form of traditional Gondola-like rowing boat, one that’s often used by locals for daily activities, such as fishing, seaweed harvesting, and transportation.
After the ride, we head back to the hotel in Srinagar for your overnight stay.
(Breakfast)

After breakfast, we’ll check-out and transfer you to Srinagar Airport for your scheduled flight. We’ll bid you goodbye as you head to your next destination.
(Breakfast)