ENCHANTING KASHMIR

Srinagar, Gulmarg and Pahalgam are the three places that are often visited and offer natural beauty in abundance. It sits 5000 ft above sea level, and is aptly called heaven on earth. It is a land that thrives on the fragrance of varieties of blossoms, coloring up your mind with so many breathtaking images of beauty at its best.

Kashmir is ideal for honeymoons and family holidays. Skiing during December to early March is preferable—however, the Valley remains covered in snow then, so tourism does slow down. March to October is the best time to visit the valley of Kashmir. This covers spring, summer and autumn in Kashmir, which is the best time to be here.

How to get there: Srinagar airport is the closest (14 km from the city). There are regular flights from Mumbai, New Delhi, and from Jammu to Srinagar. Jammu Tawi is the closest railway station (approximately 305 km away). There are trains from cities like Kolkata, Pune, Mumbai and New Delhi. Additional trains also operate on this route during the holiday season.

Attractions: Nishant Gardens, Shalimar Gardens, Chasma Shai, Pari Mahal, Dal Lake, floating vegetable market, nagin lake, Shankaracharya Temple, Shikara rides, gondola rides and the Mughal Gardens are some of the many tourist attractions in Kashmir.

Momentos: The markets of Srinagar offer a vast variety of the most refined crafts – from pashmina shawls, as light and soft as the breeze that blows across the Dal, to intricately handwoven carpets, delicately carved woodwork and glittering copperware.