Highlights
- 04 Night' Accommodation
- One Night Stay at Srinagar Houseboat
- Daily Breakfast
-
Gulmarg Sightseeing with Maharani Temple, St. Mary's
Church
- Full Day Excursion to Pahalgam
- Excursion to Sonamarg
Exclusions
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Optional enhancements like room or flight upgrades, or
local camera or video fees
-
Additional sightseeing, activities and experiences
outside of the itinerary
-
Early check-in or late check-out from hotels (unless
otherwise specified)
-
Breakfast, lunches, dinners and drinks (alcoholic and
non-alcoholic), unless specified in the itinerary
-
Any international and/or domestic flights, unless
explicitly mentioned as an inclusion
-
Excess baggage charges, and where applicable, baggage
not included in your fare
- Tips for services and experiences
-
Read useful information and terms for more on what is
included and excluded
Tour Plan
01
Day 1: Arrival at Gulmarg from Srinagar
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On arrival at Srinagar, you will meet our
representative and proceed towards Gulmarg. Enroute
you get to see the beautiful Tangmarg town and drive
ahead on a scenic drive of 14 kilometres to Gulmarg.
Check in hotel & rest of the day at leisure. Overnight
stay at Gulmarg hotel.
02
Day 2: Gulmarg Sightseeing + Transfer from Gulmarg to
Srinagar Hotel
-
After breakfast in the morning, check-out from the
hotel and proceed for sightseeing covering Maharani
Temple, St. Mary's Church and Gondola ride (cable car)
(Gulmarg Sightseeing to be covered by walk or pony as
the vehicles are not allowed for sightseeing and will
be parked in Hotel parking)
-
Maharani Temple is known to be built in 1915 by Mohini
Bai Sisodia, the wife of Maharaja Hari Singh - the
last Dogra king of Jammu and Kashmir. The temple
houses shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess
Parvati. It is here that the Rajesh Khanna – Mumtaz
starrer Aap ki Kasam was shot. You can enjoy pony
rides to Maharani Temple (at extra cost).
-
St. Mary's church was built during british rule. The
110-year-old St. Mary's Church in Gulmarg was given a
new look in 2003 with a renovated façade and the first
Christmas mass was held in 14 years. Saint Mary's
Church was constructed in early 20th century, it is
made of grey stone walls looks most scintillating
during the winters especially when surrounded by snow.
The green tiled roof, wooden decorated walls and the
overall size indicates it could be more like a
countryside chapel (at extra cost).
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The two-stage gondola lift ferries to and from
Kongdoori Mountain, a shoulder of nearby Afarwat Peak
(4,200 m / 13,780 ft). The first stage transfers from
the Gulmarg resort at 2,600 m (8,530 ft) to Kongdoori
Station in the bowl-shaped Kongdori valley. The second
stage of the ropeway, which has 36 cabins and 18
towers, takes skiers to a height of 3,747 m (12,293
ft) on Kongdoori Mountain, a shoulder of nearby
Afarwat Peak (4,200 m / 13,780 ft). The timing of the
Gondola ride is from 10 AM to 5 PM (subject to change
without prior notice, gondola operations are highly
dependent upon the weather at both stages) (at extra
cost).
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Later, proceed to Srinagar. Check-in to hotel for
overnight stay at Srinagar.
03
Day 3: Full Day Excursion to Pahalgam
-
After breakfast today, proceed to Pahalgam via
Pampore, Avantipura and the village of Bijbehara which
remains famous as the bread basket of Kashmir. We
switch from the national highway 1A at Khanabal and
drive through the second largest city of Anantnag.
From here the road turns scenic as we drive parallel
on Lidder River flowing from the opposite direction.
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In Pahalgam, you can visit Chandanwari (3288 metres
above sea level), Aru Valley and Betab Valley at your
own cost by union cabs.
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Situated 16-km from Pahalgam, Chandanwari is famous
for snow sledging on a snow bridge. Taxi cabs can be
hired from Pahalgam for a roundtrip. The trip takes
about four-five hours on a semi-road that has the
Lidder river meandering on the one side, and lofty,
snow-capped mountains on the other. "Snow fights" is
what people generally indulge in here before they
sledge back down. Chandanwari is also known for its
natural attractions. It has some of the best picnic
spots and is reachable by road. The weather can be
very unpredictable at the place so do carry some warm
clothes and rain coats as well.
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Aru Valley is a pristine scenic village situated in
the region of Trans-Himalaya. Clear blue canopy over
the head, misty surroundings, whispers of the native
pines and conifer forests and beautiful meadows create
a captivating diorama for travelers thronging the
place. Though the village is the smallest hill station
in the state, but still its breathtaking beauty and
interesting activities like trekking, hiking and horse
riding make it one of the most popular tourist places
to visit in Pahalgam. Apart from the trekkers, the
village also caters to the skiing desires of tourists
who love to visit the place during winters. Aru Valley
is located at a distance of about 12 km from Pahalgam.
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Betaab Valley is a perfect gateway to enjoy the
heavenly pleasure of Mother Nature. Earlier known as
Hagan Valley or Hagoon, Betaab Valley got its present
name after the blockbuster Bollywood movie 'Betaab'
was shot there in 1983. The experience is even more
heightened by the musical whispers of several birds.
Being a precious jewel of Jammu and Kashmir tourism,
Betaab Valley is among a handful of Pahalgam tourist
places to visit that should not be missed. Situated at
a walking distance from the main center of Pahalgam,
the valley is also an excellent camping site for
trekkers and explorers.
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Later in the evening, return to Srinagar for your
overnight stay.
04
Day 4: Transfer from Srinagar hotel to Houseboat +
Excursion to Sonamarg
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After breakfast today, check out from your hotel.
Proceed to Sonamarg - a most beautiful drive from
Srinagar. Sonamarg is at 98 kms from Srinagar. We will
take about 3 hours to reach Sonamarg. Sonamarg is the
last stop of Kashmir District. This is where the
territory of Ladakh starts. Situated at an altitude of
2743 m above sea level. Sonamarg is absolutely true to
its name, which means 'Meadow of Gold'. The moment you
enter Sonamarg, the first thing that you will notice
will be the snow-covered mountain that forms the
backdrop of the town. Covered with alpine trees from
all sides, Sonamarg has the loveliest flower
collection in Jammu and Kashmir. You can visit the
Thajwas Glacier which is 3 kms from town by walk or
pony ride where snow remains round the year. Thajiwas
Glacier is among the most adventurous treks from
Sonamarg. The trek passes through lush greenery and a
frozen lake. From the glaciers, a path leads up the
Shakhdar Hill. Tourists can enjoy delightful views of
the glacier and its surroundings from the hill.
Tourists can enjoy a sledge ride in the area even
during the summer season. During the peak season,
sledges can be hired from the Gujars who offer rides
across the glacier. The area surrounding the glacier
is excellent for camping. The trek to the glacier is
one of the most amazing treks that you can experience.
You can also take a pony ride to the glacier (at your
own cost). The trek can be strenuous as it is uphill
and on the way tourists can see beautiful waterfalls
and streams. Tourists can walk across the glacier,
which is a unique and thrilling experience. The walk
can be slippery because of the snow but is worth a
try. One can also enjoy a gorgeous view of high
mountain pass Zojila which is at an altitude of 3528 m
above sea level. A little outside Sonamarg is a
sparkling blue lake surrounded by lush green meadow.
You can also go for long rafting expedition (at extra
cost). Later, in the evening back to Srinagar. Check
into your houseboat. Overnight stay at Srinagar
Houseboat.
05
Day 5: Departure from Srinagar Houseboat
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After breakfast check out & transfer for Srinagar
Airport to board the scheduled Flight for onward
destination.
