Planning a Trip to Pahalgam? This Itinerary Will Help You Plan in a Better Way! #Travelprompts

Pahalgam is a beautiful town of Jammu & Kashmir and is located approximately 90 kms from Srinagar. There are numerous locations to explore in Pahalgam where you will try to lose yourself in the purity and freshness of nature and then your soul will be nourished in the aura of calmness.

Taxis are available on the Airport that charge around Rs. 3500 for single side drop. If you are not having a plan to stay there for more than one night then its better to book the cab for to and for journey connecting to your next location. Make sure you book your taxi inclusive of all tolls and taxes.

Book your hotel on the banks of Lidder river that flows through Pahalgam and can be seen along the road. You can spend your mornings on the banks of river with a cup of hot tea/ coffee, enjoying the beauty of golden hour as the sun rises from behind the mountains and listening to the music of waves as they hit the rocks.

On the way to Pahalgam from Srinagar, have your first stop in the Apple Orchids and satisfy your taste buds with the fresh, non-sprayed, non-waxed apples that are sweet and juicy. You can buy a box of apples for your trip and can take them back to your place also as they don’t rot for around 10-15 days as the weather is cold out there and the price they offer, is also good which is approx. Rs.100 per kg.

After reaching Pahalgam, check in at your hotel and leave the luggage there. Take a jacket and a cap with you as its gets cold at places you are going to visit in Pahalgam.

There are two ways to explore your first location in Pahalagam i.e. MINI SWITZERLAND. There are 5-6 locations to explore there. Either you can explore the locations by trekking or on horses. The treks are going to be quite time consuming and if you want to explore all locations in a day, horses may be preferred. The horse owners/guides will ask for around Rs. 5000/- for covering all locations. However, the rates are well negotiable and a horse be booked within a price range of Rs. 2000-2200/-

1. MINI SWITZERLAND

Yes, this place is known as Mini Switzerland of India. The vast gardens covered with tall pine trees and with scenic beauty of the snow clad mountains, with lakes and waterfalls all around, makes it an epitome of Heaven on Earth. Enjoy a cup of hot tea with a bowl of Maggi, sitting in these gardens, admiring the beauty of nature. Similar type of valleys to explore are Dabyan Valley and Denow Valley, which are along the way to your round trip that starts from Pahalgam base.

2. KANI MARG

Kani means rock and Marg means Road. This place presents beauty of snow clad mountains with colored layers of mountains and valleys.

3. WATERFALL:

This is the most beautiful location after Mini Switzerland. The chilled yet refreshing water of the molten snow and flowing down from the mountains, making its way through the rocks, makes it a mesmerizing waterfall. A perfect place to sit and relax by dipping your feet in the cold water and enjoying the moment, far away from the worldly rush and noise. The overall journey will take place atleast 5 hrs with halts at all locations to give you enough time to enjoy and create memories.

COME BACK TO THE BASE CAMP AND HEAD TO YOUR HOTEL FOR A RELAXING NIGHT !!!

The second leg of Pahalgam has various places to visit on the way, main being the Betaab Valley and Chandiwari. If you are a trek lover and have ample time then you can plan to explore Achabal, Verinag and Mattan also. However, for a family trip, exploring Betaab Valley and Chandiwari is enough and is time consuming too. Following is the Govt. approved rate list for your trip to these places. Though, various types of vehicles are available but for small families Vans are quite enough and they are the cheapest too.

4. BETAAB VALLEY:

The famous Betaab valley is situated around 20kms from Pahalgam. The valley got its name from the famous Bollywood blockbuster movie of 1983 - BETAAB, that was the debut movie of Actor Sunny Deol paired with debutant Amrita Singh. A famous tourist destination, with vast gardens, beautiful views of mountains and water streams. The valley an be explored on foot or on horses . Approximate price per horse for exploring the complete Betaab valley covering all locations inside is Rs.500/-.

The bridge on which the song 'Ishq Wala Love' of Bollywood movie Student of the Year was shot, is also located in Betaab Valley. Also the house shown in Bollywood Blockbuster movie Bajrangi Bhaijaan, where Munni’s mother was staying and the scene showcasing the reunion of mother and daughter was shot here.

The Pandav caves can also be seen from the Betaab valley. These are the caves where Pandavas took shelter while they explored this place and also discovered the holy Amarnath Cave. The place is bit far from Betaab Valley but is approachable by Car.

5. CHANDIWARI

The valley is very important and famous from spiritual point also as the first leg of Amarnath Yatra starts from here. The first screening for starting your journey towards the holy cave is done here. The valley an be explored on foot or on horses . Approximate price per horse for exploring the complete Chandiwari valley covering all locations inside is Rs.500/-.

As you start exploring you will see a beautiful mountain top on your left which is known as PISSUTOP, which is known the main uphill point from where you can see the holy Amarnath cave. A very famous saying in hindi says:

Hath mein Soti, Pet mein roti, tabhi chad paogi pissu ki choti.

Meaning: If you hold a hard stick in hand and have satisfied your hunger, only then you can reach the heights of PISSUTOP.

The journey is bit tiring as its to be done mainly on the rocks. But a beautiful reward in the form of a mesmerizing waterfall awaits you at the end which soothes your soul and relaxes your mind. Dipping your feet in the cold water eases your muscles and releases all the tiredness from your body.

Betaab valley and Chandiwari takes around 5 hrs to explore. So if you have time you can extend your trip to Aru Valley or can come back to Pahalgam for your journey towards next destination.

Have you been to Pahalgam? Do let me know about your experience in the comments below.