We had driven a long hot drive from Leh to Nubra valley the previous day, where we enjoyed a brief snow experience at Khardungla pass and a wonderful evening at the Hunder sand dunes (Leh Ladakh July 2022-Nubra valley). We had a delicious hot dinner at the resort, slept well and woke up feeling fresh for a long drive to Turtuk, a village close to the Siachen glacier and the border with Pakistan.
The blue path is Hunder to Turtuk and back, the green one is the drive the next day to Pangong lake
As everything in Ladakh, the drive to Turtuk was spectacular, in fact, much better than Turtuk itself. However, I was not to realise that till the end of the day. Turtuk had been propagated as a wonderful day excursion from Hunder, and I was looking forward to visiting this village reclaimed by India in the 1971 war.
A bright blue sky, clean gurgling glacial rivulets and scattered miniature chortens set the tone for the day. There was no one on the road for the most part, which tempted a really risky photograph.
The landscape was barren, with occasional villages in the few patches of green. All along, the river Shyok meandered somewhere near us, sometimes parallel to us, sometimes deeper below in the gorge as we drove along the higher mountain paths.
We drove ahead to a narrow path between the mountains, where the brilliant turquoise river roared deep below us.
We approached a bridge that crossed high above the river and saw many people standing there. Keen to see a good view, we were appalled to see them peering into the gorge to see a bus that had toppled over a few days ago into the river.
Saddened to see this cruel pairing of incredible beauty and tragedy, we hurriedly moved on. But one can’t stay pensive for too long on Ladakh roads, and especially not when a turn brings you to this visage.
The Ladakh Matterhorn reminded me of my Covid-canceled Zermatt trip, yet thrilled me. For where else would I see sand, turquoise river, multicolored barren mountains and the Toblerone mountain in one frame?
Shortly, we reached a beautiful memorial to the Siachen warriors. Set high on a mountain, a small museum showcased their difficult living conditions. Once again, we were humbled by the greatness and sacrifice of the Indian Army.
Tired by the heat, sobered by the last hour, we were relieved to reach Turtuk and then horrified to see the massive crowds. There was no parking available and our driver dropped us near a traditional house, where we would later hunt and hunt for him.
Traditional stone houses with wooden balconies are the hallmark of Turtuk, but nearly everything was crumbling and falling apart. We realized soon that Turtuk was created and pushed as a tourist destination to improve its income. The hot sunny day didn’t help dispel our disappointment either.
Supposed descendent of the Yabgo dynasty, this old gentleman told us stories of their heyday, before we toured his tiny traditional home filled with old dusty utensils and swords. The charming children however were the highlight.
By then, we were very hungry and thirsty. We rushed out and crossed the river to a newer and slightly better part of Turtuk to a cafe overlooking the river.
Not my feelings, just a good sign!
No need for a fridge when you have glacial water coming out of the mountainside! We even drank the refreshing cold water.
View of the bridge and river once we climbed higher. This region is fertile due to irrigation canals running through it, and grows plenty of fruits, vegetables and flowers.
Beautiful flowers in a cold desert!
It was nice to wander through thick patches of green surrounded by tall trees.
I would have wandered longer (as always), but the hubby and kid were bored (as always) and wanted to return, so we headed back and had an awful time trying to locate our driver. Back in the car, hubby and kid fell asleep while I admired some of the most amazing scenery possible.
I love donkeys, they are uber cute!
The gushing glacial blue rivulet joins the dull grey river at many areas along the way.
We were exhausted by the time we returned. Fresh apricots above our cottage cheered us up, as did a warm delicious meal. We slept early, in anticipation of an even tougher drive to the other border of Ladakh, one shared with China, to Pangong lake.
Turtuk was an epic failure of a visit, the only good thing we got from it was dry fruits. Yet, the drive there and back made our day. The deep blue skies, the shades of the mountains, the splashes of greenery and most of all, the shades of blue and grey of the river were captivating to say the least. Visit Turtuk for sure, but for the journey alone.
We had spent 48 hours acclimatising to the rarefied air of Leh as we’d flown into Leh directly. Surprisingly, I had thoroughly enjoyed these days of relatively less travel, especially as the next 5 days would be long road journeys through the tough terrain of Ladakh. We left early this day (as we would on all the following days) to reach Hunder in the Nubra valley via the high pass of Khardungla.
Last view of Leh as we ascend the mountains towards Khardungla pass
Within 10 minutes of leaving Leh, we started our ascent towards Khardungla. Switchback after switchback we ascended, meeting no traffic on the way, and soon spotting the jagged mountains around the pass.
Far in the distance was the Khardungla pass
Beautiful roads on a harsh terrain, courtesy the BRO
Swiftly, we reached the pass and parked there, hoping for some snow at least. Sadly, most of the snow had melted and we only saw a glacier with a small area with old frozen snow to play in.
We could only reach the small area of snow where a few people can be seen
Play in snow when the sun shines!
We couldnt resist a picture at this really high medical post, meant to aid people with altitude sickness
Up a few steps, was a prayer monument. Those steps weren’t easy to climb, but we sure huffed and puffed our way up!
The hubby races us up the rickety steps
The beautiful Khardungla gompa, serene despite the crowds
The stark mountains seen in the distance through the fluttering prayer flags
Contrast this warm barren Khardungla with a white, snow-covered freezing cold pass 2 months ago when my brother-in-law had travelled. Ladakh is amazing in all seasons!
Pic courtesy Ravi Thapar of the steps leading to the gompa, cleared off the snow
Pic courtesy Ravi Thapar, with snow covering every part of Khardungla
There isn’t much to do here other than click the customary pictures with the “Khardungla Top” sign, but the line to click pictures was too long. Thinking that the bikers certainly deserved this picture far more than us, we head off from the pass and began our descent, and saw small pockets of snow that were accessible.
Snow is snow for us city people, even if a little dirty and not too fresh!
Our amazing driver through the trip, Mr Namgyal
A few turns after descending from Khardungla, where just 2 months earlier, my brother-in-law experienced fresh snowfall
Pic courtesy Ravi Thapar, just 2 months before my trip
It’s a very long drive from Khardungla to Hunder, where we would stay in the Nubra valley. We would ascend and descend several mountains, and the curved roads were nauseating to say the least. We certainly were happy to cross over a bright blue mountain spring and get out of the car.
Crystal-clear cold water that we filled our bottles with!
We would cross many such springs over the next few days, and their sparkling color and force never ceased to amaze me. By this time, it was very hot and sunny. All we could see were barren mountains around us.
Ridges made by melted snow lined the mountains
At some places, the mountains appeared as if they had been cut into
We were tired and hungry, but there was no decent lunch spot to be seen. Finally, after ages, our driver stopped at a lush green spot amidst the brown of the mountains. An oasis of food!
This oasis was run by an enterprising man, who had several activities like shooting, zorbing, river rafting and riverside camping
The teen found a donkey she wanted to pet
After a fresh, delicious lunch of dal and roti (no pictures, we were too hungry!), we set off once more, now running parallel to the Shyok river. We would come by this route again, on our way to Pangong lake, but for now we drove northwards, along the silt-laden river.
2 rafts were seen in the river, but i was amazed by how the 3 jeeps got onto that little island
Just before the oasis of Hunder, we saw the stunning sand dunes. Beautiful beige-white, perfectly undulating dunes of sand, with a backdrop of green poplars and barren mountains, a few topped with snow, were breath-taking.
Truly, a desert
One could be mistaken this for an Arabian desert!
It was too hot and sunny, and we were tired out by the long drive. We went to the resort first and rested a while.
Individual cottages with piping hot water in the midst of a cold desert
Delicious fresh apricots for the plucking just above our cottage!
We were surprised to learn thta Nubra valley shuts down in the winter months. All the resorts and camps are closed, the furniture packed away and stored, with layers of plastic wrapping, only to be reused once spring arrives. The cold desert is deserted.
Refreshed after a small nap (and a bath), we set off in the evening to the sand dunes. By now, the weather was cooler and the sun was no longer roasting us. Small patches of water en-route provided for beautiful reflections.
A small stream flowed along the edge of the dunes, that we had to cross over to get to the sand.
People sat by the edge of the water and dangled their legs in the cool stream
One of the many rickety bridges to cross the stream
Photographs do not do Ladakh justice, nor do videos. One has to be there and feel the gentle wind, see the sun setting behind the mountains, and dig their feet in the soft sands.
The hubby was fascinated by how the dunes formed along the course of the Shyok river
The mountains cast long shadows on the sand, making this area a very comfortable on indeed!
This area is known for the Bactian two-humped camels, that were first brought into the valley in order to carry goods on the Silk Route. Now, they’re a local money-making enterprise for joyrides for visitors.
They are really cute!
Groups of camels set off in a row to the farther areas of the dunes
Anti-animal-abuse me refused to get onto a camel, but the kid was tempted after seeing them. However, the camels were so overbooked that no further reservations were taken. Camel rides in Nubra are like Michelin starred restaurants!
We returned to our hotel early and had a delicious dinner of yellow dal, alu sabji and hot rotis. It’s a privilege to have electricity and fresh food in such a remote far-flung location. The power of tourism is truly strong.
We slept early, knowing we had another long drive to Turtuk the following day, with sweet dreams of the beautiful sand dunes.
It’s been a long time since this trip, and much has changed in my life since then. My daughter has gotten into medical school, I’ve traveled to Kashmir, lost a beloved family member and my health and fitness. Yet, better late than never, I recollect a beautiful trip to the far northern end of India, the stunning raw union territory of Leh and Ladakh.
At the time that we traveled to Ladakh (July 2022), it was almost 3 years since my last trip, thanks to the Coronavirus and all its merry mutations. My brilliantly planned Italy trip after my teen’s grade 10 exams got canceled and replaced by tiny local trips over the next 2 years, while Covid kept rearing its ugly head now and again.
So, when most of the threat of Covid died down in March 2022, I actually dared to plan a holiday as soon as the teen’s medicine preparatory exams would end. The insecurity about the actual date of the exam (which had been postponed umpteen times), the world state, lack of a valid passport for the teen and of course, the hubby’s disgust for international travel made it possible to only short-list an Indian holiday. Once again, there was chaos and fights. The hubby and teen wanted to chill in Goa, I wanted a longer travel. Finally, I won and once again, set about painstakingly planning. July end being smack in the midst of Indian monsoons, we chose to travel to a place in the rain shadow of the Himalayas, the land of high passes, Leh and Ladakh.
That’s the story of how we got Leh’d. It was fairly easy to plan as most Ladakh trips follow a set travel route and my brother-in-law and friend had just been there. Of course, I have a penchant for overthinking, overplanning, etc, so it took a bit longer than it should have.
The routes we took highlighted on this amazing map by Vargis Khan, who has the best possible information about Leh Ladakh. Note that most roads are broken roads and dirt trails
We paid extra for refundable tickets and hotels and then forgot about the trip till the date of the exam, as we were leaving that very night. Obviously, there was a lot to do that night till our flight at 3am, including packing, coloring hair and dealing with an angry teen, who just realized that instead of finally getting to sleep, she was staying up all night to catch a flight.
Luckily, one can’t stay grumpy too long when the sun rises to show the most outstanding views.
The first sight of the snow-capped mountains that we’d see for the rest of the trip
Mountains, the sun and glacial rivers on the plains
The landing at Leh airport was a narrow strip between tall mountain ranges and I marveled at the skill of the pilot who expertly and smoothly steered us to a clean landing. We exited swiftly and were outside the airport at the bright hour of 6 am.
Picked up on time, we left the airport to the bluest sky I have ever seen. This stunning blue stayed constant through our trip. We also were surrounded by dry dusty plains, poplar and willow trees in between, rivers and rivulets and tall barren mountains, some topped with snow, throughout our journey through Ladakh.
Our pretty hotel was representative of the architecture throughout Leh city. As we flew directly into Leh, it was mandatory to acclimatize to the high altitude and thin air by staying 48 hours in Leh.
Beautiful lawn in our hotel, where we ate daily despite the cold in the morning and the night
The happiest part of the teen’s day was petting this forever hungry cutie and feeding him her jammy bread and roti
Who can resist these eyes?
Ornately carved tables and door frames and thick carpets are typical of Leh
The view from our room balcony
The ceiling lights caught my attention, but not for long, as I fell asleep pretty soon. We spent most of our first day sleeping, but by evening we were bored and decided to take a small walk outside our hotel.
Prayer wheels in these pretty colors were everywhere
We saw the Shanti stupa in the distance and thought of walking till there, but soon realized it was very far and at quite an elevation.
The lit up white dome of the Shanti stupa behind the electric wire
Returning back, a movement high up in the mountains caught our eye. A pair of cyclists had reached the top of the mountain and were setting off on their way back. Ladakh is truly an adventure seekers dream!
A hearty meal and a good night’s rest later, we were set to go local sightseeing in Leh. This too has a set pattern of Hall of Fame, Gurudwara Paththar Sahib, magnetic hill and the Sangam of rivers Indus and Zanskar.
A transformer-like structure captured my attention on the way
The Hall of Fame is a museum built to honor the soldiers of the Kargil war. It’s a moving experience to see the tough conditions in Kargil, and the pictures and names of those we lost there.
Right outside the museum is this serene statue of the Buddha, with a message, “It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles.” So true.
An unusual mask that caught my lens in the museum
From there, we drove on to the gurudwara. It was a stunning drive on long empty roads with the tall mountains alongside, interspersed with tiny areas filled with trees.
Leh and Ladakh is all about the journey. Sure, the destination is good too, but the drive is much better. As we drove to the gurudwara, we ascended a little and came upon this amazing viewpoint.
Picture perfect
The breathtaking view from the frame
It took a while to reach the gurudwara, but it was a stunning road and gurudwara. I love these quieter places of worship much more than temples. This gurudwara is operated by the army personnel, is spotlessly clean and serves the most delicious sheera as you exit.
From there, we went to the very over-hyped magnetic hill, that was not even worth the long drive
Even though this day’s itinerary was “local” Leh sightseeing, it took the better part of the day as all the distances were large.
Through the looking glass
How small are we in nature? We’re but tiny specks on the planet
A short drive later, we reached the viewpoint over the Sangam (union) of the rivers Indus and Zanskar. The Indus (also called Sindhu), which originates in Tibet, was where the great ancient Indus valley civilization began. We stayed by it during our later trip to Kashmir, when we visited Sonmarg (Kashmir-May 2023-Sonmarg). The Indus is joined by the Zanskar at this Sangam point in Leh, where the two differently colored streams are seeing merging into each other.
The light green Indus merges with the muddy larger faster Zanskar
The rivers have different colors at different times of the year. When my brother-in-law visited in May, the Indus was stunning turquoise green.
Pic courtesy Ravi Thapar, taken just 2 months earlier, with such a clear difference between the two rivers
The rivers freeze completely in winters, when the famous Chadar trek takes place over the Zanskar river. But in the summers, the flow in both rivers is strong because of the melting glaciers. In fact, river rafting takes place just a few kilometers ahead of this Sangam.
We drove along the Indus to get to the Sangam at the river level.
Note the color of the river and the beautiful bridge over it.
Pic courtesy Ravi Thapar. The same Indus and the same bridge in May just 2 months before my travel
The bridge was too pretty to resist getting to, so we drove ahead of the Sangam point to get to it.
The Sangam point was crowded with tourists and hawkers. It’s amazing how we Indians can turn a 50-meter area into a tourist destination!
The hubby wanted to experience the Sangam from closer! The junction of the two rivers is much tougher to appreciate from up close.
Pic courtesy Ravi Thapar. My sister-in-law at a the same place with the clearly demarcated Sangam of the rivers
So many hawkers were selling beaded necklaces and souvenirs
While I was diverted by necklaces, the hubby was allured by the rocks in the fast swirling waters!
Exhausted by the heat, we had a wonderful lunch at a lovely cafe in the marketplace, that my brother-in-law had loved on his trip and would become a staple choice for us as well.
Chilled watermelon juice after hours under the sun was a great start to the meal
The view of the pedestrian-only main market street from the cafe with Namgyal monastery in the distance
Interesting posters lined the walls of the cafe and the building
After a delicious meal, we headed to the hotel to sleep. We stepped out in the evening to go to the Shanti Stupa, near our hotel. The beautiful white Stupa, built on a small hillock, had a lovely cafe with views over the city of Leh.
The white domed Stupa was very crowded
We stayed till the sun set, watching the different colors of the sky and the lights come on in Leh and on the Stupa itself.
The twinkling city of Leh surrounded by mountains
Different colored lights are projected on the Stupa
We walked down to our hotel and enjoyed a hearty supper and slept early, for we had to wake early the next day to travel to Nubra valley. We would spend 2 nights there and a lot of hours traveling but enjoyed that experience thoroughly too.
We were completing a beautiful week in Kashmir in May 2023 during the teen’s summer holidays. Having experienced snow in Sonmarg (Kashmir-May 2023-Sonmarg), and Gulmarg (Kashmir-May 2023-Gulmarg II) and the beautiful valleys and marketplace of Pahalgam (Kashmir May 2023-Pahalgam II), we were driving back from the foothills to the big city of Srinagar. I was reluctant to bid goodbye to the lovely mountains and greenery.
Green fields as we left Pahalgam
It got sunnier and hotter as we drove towards Srinagar. Unfortunately, we got stuck in a military convoy. Our driver abused the country, the rulers, the policemen, till I got frustrated and plugged my earphones into my ears, and people-watched the neighboring cars. To my surprise, a steady stream of tiny ice-cream vans appeared out of nowhere to peddle their wares. Indians are truly THE most resourceful people.
The convoy slowed us down by almost an hour, by which time, it was terribly hot, and we were just desperate to get to our hotel. Fortunately, we drove through some green areas and saw a lot of fruit stalls, where we picked up delicious fruits for home.
Cherries as good as in Europe
Srinagar, though a large city, has its own charm. The lake occupies a huge portion of it, and it is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and boasts a number of beautiful parks and Mughal gardens, making it a very green (in this weather) city. It was further beautified for the G20 summit.
Green in every way!
Our driver took us straight to the lake for boating. I was shocked as the afternoon sun was high in the sky, but I hadn’t accounted for the magic of water and mountains. The covered boat ride in the uncrowded lake with a gentle cool breeze made for a great afternoon.
Kashmir has amazing flora!
The rower suggested sitting right out at the front of the shikara. I clambered over excitedly, feeling so close to the pretty lake.
Doesn’t the cloud have an elephant shape?
Photos don’t convey the tranquility of this place. This was perfect timing, to row out with no one around. It felt like the lake was all ours. The teen lay back, trailing her hand in the waters.
And pulled out a perfect heart-shaped leaf from amidst the weeds.
I was surprised to see a lot less weeds than I remembered when I visited as a child in 1988. Then, the lake was so studded with weeds that it was difficult to move about. I had really disliked the lake back then. In 2023, a lot of weeds were removed in anticipation of G20, so I guess I was lucky this time, and I really loved the lake.
A lovely family picture of the four of us in 1988 in a shikara in the same lake
The next stop was at the most famous of all the Mughal gardens, the Nishat garden. We drove along the same road we’d walked down on our first day, and I was shocked by the chock-a-block traffic and the crowds. The shock was even more when we entered the gardens. Being a Sunday, the gardens were filled to the brim with both visitors and locals making the best of a bright and sunny day.
Candy floss in all possible colors just outside the gardens
Nishatbagh means garden of bliss, and I could see why. The huge, terraced garden with a large central canal running through, and fountains lining the water channel, was beautifully landscaped and maintained. Flowers of all colors and types were arranged symmetrically.
Symmetry is the hallmark of the Mughal gardens
I was fascinated by this flower. I don’t know what it is, but it’s gorgeous
We climbed higher and higher, up the terraces, all 12 of them, studded with lovely flowers. Everywhere we looked was a riot of colors. Across the central channel of water, there were small bridges to cross over to the other side or pose upon.
Fountains arranged all along the length of the canal, with water cascading from the higher terraces
Unfortunate sight, naked kids bathing in the canal
It saddened me to see that people were treating the garden as a pool. Not just small kids, but even older children and young adults were busy frolicking about under the small waterfalls. That was the point at which I got desperate to leave the gardens, gorgeous as they otherwise were.
What a gorgeous view down to the lake itself, if one could only neglect the bathers
A much less crowded (and less beautiful) Nishatbagh on my earlier trip with my sister beside the central canal
My favorite color of rose
A wall of perfect red roses behind us
It was very hot and sunny. Unused to the dry heat, especially after the freezing cold of Sonmarg and Gulmarg, we were desperate to get out. The crowds made it even worse. I now saw the logic of getting to this garden early in the morning, as soon as it opened.
We left the garden much earlier than planned, and then braved a ridiculous traffic jam to get to the next garden, the Shalimar Garden. Our driver had advised us not to go, but I had heard that it was the prettiest one, so we went there. Big big mistake as the garden was under renovation. Nearly everything was boarded up, the water bodies were dry, yet it was packed with people.
The huge Chinar tree, the hallmark of Kashmir
I took lots of pictures of the purple flowers for my sister, whose favorite color is purple
I loved the carving on the hedge
Sadly, it was an awful place to be at. I wish our driver had told us about the renovation, because we wouldn’t have bothered to go there then. Luckily, I have a yesteryear photograph of the garden in all its glory.
My parents and sister at the main courtyard region of Shalimar gardens
We rushed out and headed for the third (and last) garden on the agenda, the Chashmeshahi, but it took us more than 45 minutes in traffic to get near it, with no sign of the traffic easing out. We turned away and asked him to take us to the Shankaracharya temple where there’s a birds-eye view of Srinagar, but we were too late for the entry. For the first time, I was relieved not to have to do any more sight-seeing.
View from the temple, clicked by my father in 1988
Happy to be back in the comfort and air-conditioning of our hotel, we rested our tired feet before heading out for the best experience of the day, a sunset stroll by the dal lake.
The hot sun set behind the mountains, and a cool breeze blew from the lake. Even though it was much more crowded than our magical first day in Srinagar, it was still charming. The cacophony of horns and the frequent fights amongst drivers of cars, rickshaws and motorbikes didn’t bother us much, though we missed the earlier silence.
We sat by the lake front, enjoying the colors change over the waters and watching the twinkling lights on the houseboats come on. We headed into our favorite patisserie and stocked up on pastries and tarts for the trip back.
The sun set and left behind a multitude of colors. This is my favorite part of sunset, after the sun has gone fully down.
The riot of colors at blue hour
As the lights came on, we saw a couple of the lit-up shikaras on the lake. This was a new change created for the G20 summit. I had only seen it in videos of the lighted shikaras and was very happy to see them in person.
Hungry, we headed for the Winterfell cafe, a GOT themed cafe, that I had read very good reviews of. It was certainly very well done up, with delicious food as well.
The best kind of Weirwood tree, lined with books
Our own Daenerys on the iron throne
This Daenerys will stay away from Jon Snow!
She would have taken Ghost though!
Delicious food
It was a beautiful walk back. I was oblivious to the crowds, the noise, the incessant honking. My last evening enjoying the breeze and lights on the lake was not going to be marred by things I am already used to at home!
The last bit of light
The lit Hari Parbat fort is an imposing figure in the distant skyline
The man in the purple lighted doorway is so reminiscent of Amsterdam! And the name of the boat!!!
My favorite shikara, one with lights
We retired early, as we had an early flight the next morning, and were advised to reach the airport 3 hours in advance. We reached the freezing cold airport which was open to the elements but had packed all our warm clothes in our bags. I walked up and down to stave off the cold, when I came upon this lovely painting.
A painting at the airport summing up Srinagar
The flight from Srinagar to Delhi was as stunning as the way in. I bid my last goodbye to the Himalayas for a short while, sure that I would be back soon.
What a huge glacier!
Very interesting mural of antique frames with pictures of kids that caught my eye at Mumbai airport
Overall, it had been a wonderful trip. We had seen and played in loads of snow. The flowers, trees, food and hospitality of Kashmir are unparalleled. Yes, the touts are unbearable, but some pains have to be tolerated for such beauty.
Kashmir truly had Europe-like beauty with great food. I will be back in the fall season for the beautiful autumn Chinar trees and in the depth of winter to experience snow everywhere. Sometime soon. Inshallah.
It was our second day in the beautiful Pahalgam, and we’d spent a peaceful though rainy evening in the market (Kashmir-May 2023-Pahalgam I) and then slept through a thunderstorm to wake up, really stunned to see bright sunlight pouring in through the closed curtains.
No signs of a thunderstorm, just a beautiful day with snow-covered mountains all around us
Such a cute view from the comfort of my rocking chair
As always, awake early, I spent my morning sitting comfortable by the windows and staring at the lovely view, instead of heading out for a walk, putting off the walk for the next day (big mistake as I didn’t go the next day either).
Pretty tables along the bridge across the river on a sunny morning
The plan for the day was to drive to Aru and Lolaab valleys, two of the best known and visited areas of Pahalgam, easy to reach by car. Our driver advised us to leave early morning to avoid the crowds, but there’s no beating the crowds in the tourist areas of Kashmir.
The drive to Aru valley was sensational, and actually better than the destination. All along the narrow edge of the mountain, sometimes at the level of the river, sometimes higher, sometimes so high that the river looked like a little strip of silver in the depth, we drove on an uneven road to this small valley.
At places, we crossed small streams draining into the river, and came upon Aru village, a tiny hamlet on lush green land surrounded by snow-capped mountains. I could easily picture myself staying at this place, away from the madding crowds.
Homestays abound in the small peaceful hamlet of Aru village-a plan for my next visit
The destination, Aru valley viewpoint, seemed very average to me. A small clearing amidst pine trees with snow-capped mountains around, the sheer numbers of vendors trying to make some money was overwhelming and irritating.
Colorful dried fruits for sale
It was very sunny and cold. This has never been a combination that I enjoy and so I was bugged pretty soon. The kid was bored, sleepy and whiny. It wasn’t looking like a great start to the day when a miracle happened. A man holding pigeons came up to us, and the kid came to life. She happily grabbed them and posed for a gazillion pics with them.
Posing with Raja and Rani!
The teen got tired of being photographed and started trying to smuggle the pigeons into her jacket. The owner quickly grabbed his birds back, when I had the next brainwave. I asked him if anyone had a rabbit. The enterprising man promptly got a rabbit guy within 3 minutes, and a cute rabbit was placed in my daughter’s thrilled hands. Aru valley was her new favorite place.
There was little else to do here. There were people with horses, offering to take us to viewpoints on horseback, but we were tired of everything horse, and so we refused and simply walked about, trying to take pictures without people in the frame.
A little stream made for a pretty picture
Bored of this place, we headed back to the car, only to see a pet sheep. It was quite small and really dirty, but the kid went crazy. She picked him up and hugged and kissed him and fed him the grass.
Doesn’t the sheep look just as happy to be with her?
Reluctantly, she left her beloved animals and we left for our next dsetination, Lolaab valley. We drove back on the same stunning route.
We passed by the Pahalgam village on the way to Lolaab valley. I was really surprised to see how big the actual village was. Located right in the center of the valley surrounded by steep mountains, even this looked like a lovely place to stay.
Once more, we ascended those steep mountains to reach an absolutely stunning view of Lolaab valley with the river of different shades of blue and green, flowing in the valley, splitting up and enclosing land areas. This valley is now famous as the shooting location for the movie “Betaab”.
The driver took us down into the valley where there was a large park, that we’d seen from higher up. It was a perfect picnic spot, with the streams alongside, surrounded by pine trees and mountains. My Gujju mum would have packed us a lovely food basket for sure!
As we walked about, the teen’s focus was animals, while I clicked pictures and looked for traditional Kashmiri clothes. Soon, we found one, and the teen was surprisingly enthusiastic about donning the entire gear.
Our “Kashmir ki Kali”
Pigeons again, yaay!
The rivulet behind has such stunning colors
I could have spent all day here, I think. I loved this place. However, soon, we were hungry and so we headed back to the market for lunch. It looked so different now, in the bright sun with the mountains seen all around.
Softy on a sunny day!
Shop windows with decorative pieces of paper mache and lac caught my eye
A shikara for me and a jewelry box for my teen. Aah, the fun of window shopping!
Walking back to the hotel, we saw a short cut on Maps, that led right through the garden that I wanted to visit. The kid quickly jumped over the fence. Just as tempted, the hubby and I followed, though it was tough for me. We walked through yet another well-manicured garden, enjoying the flowers and giggling over saving entry fees.
Ponies drinking from the Lidder
We enjoyed our hotel room and a wonderful afternoon siesta with this view and then had a delicious tea and toast session in the hotel lawn by the river.
What a stunning view
Tea by the river
A tiny bird flits on the rocks
By late evening, the weather turned very pleasant. It became very cool, and the sun was setting. We went again to the market, a slow aimless stroll, where we really appreciated the beauty of our surroundings.
I walked down slowly, taking pictures of the beautiful sights on the sides. I noticed the smaller things like the tapestries, the pretty decorations inside the shop windows, the intricately embroidered kurtas, the jewelry shops, cushions embroidered with chinar leaves, classic of Kashmir, and the pretty old buildings.
Stained glass window with woodwork on the panes
Chinar leaf-shaped saunf bowl
We ate delicious Punjabi food at a local dhaba in the market, and finished with the same apple pie as the previous day. We spent a lot of time there, chatting with the owner of the store, and then rushed back to the hotel.
The lit-up hotel with so many places to be one with nature
We slept well again, tired out by all the walking. The next morning was sunny again and I spent my last few hours staring at the snow-capped mountains over a long slow breakfast, that included Maggi. Maggi for breakfast was a new concept for me, not a truly alluring one, however.
Soaking in the vitamin D
Flowers in our hotel, glistening in the sun
We went down to the riverside again, and once more, the hubby clambered over some rocks to be closer to the rapidly swirling green waters.
Did I like Pahalgam as much as my memories had liked it? Sadly, no. Did I like it, nonetheless? Yes, I did. It probably wasn’t the fault of Pahalgam that Gulmarg and Sonmarg had more snow to offer. Also, when in Pahalgam, you must have a car at all times at your disposal as distances are much larger than in the other two areas.
Yet, I would love to be back in Pahalgam and stay for longer, maybe in Aru valley, maybe at the village, and definitely with a car!
After visiting the stunning Gulmarg, we headed onto Pahalgam. Pahalgam, the valley of shepherds, is most famous for a religious excursion and fabulous summer high altitude Himalayan treks, that don’t take place in May. The hubby was told that Pahalgam was “strictly average” and could even be missed. Contrarily, I had loved it the best during my childhood trip to Kashmir, and was looking forward to the pine cones and the gurgling green Lidder river that I had once been enchanted by. However, Gulmarg had been such a perfect place that poor Pahalgam had too much to live up to!
My parents beside the river in Pahalgam circa 1988
My beautiful mother and super cute sister in 2008; unknowingly, we stayed in the hotel seen in this picture in 2023
35 years down the line, we stayed at the hotel in the picture above
We had left Gulmarg with wonderful memories and pictures (Kashmir-May 2023-Gulmarg II) and drove to Pahalgam via Srinagar. En route, we stopped at the ruins of a 9th century temple in Avantipura. These small but well-maintained ruins were preceded by a beautifully manicured garden.
Dedicated to Lord Vishnu and built in late 9th century, it was reduced to rubble in the 15th century. In the 1990s, the area was excavated, and the temple, restored. Sadly though, the new construction around it clashes with the stone ruins and destroys a lot of its beauty.
Intricate carvings on the old stone structures
I do love ruins, but the flowers of Kashmir captivated me far more.
My second-most favorite flowers-orchids
The entire Gulmarg to Pahalgam route is a tourist trap route with too many pit stops. The aim of all of these is to make you buy something or the other and waste your time before you reach your beautiful destination. One of these stops was a roadside stall selling Kashmiri kehwa. The tea maker brewed it in an ornate Kashmiri pot and served it with thinly sliced almonds. However, the scene stealer was a truly irritating vlogger who was trying to capture the whole process and adding her own yakkity-yak.
Pity the glasses didnt match the pot
Average kehwa
By now, the cool morning had turned into a fairly hot and sunny day, and we were keen to get to Pahalgam soon, but the faster short-cut through small villages was halted by army personnel. Our driver was furious and proceeded on the longer (and only possible) route, swearing and honking away, but I was thrilled to see this huge expanse of a concrete road.
The lack of a divider surprised me, and our driver told us that it was so that the road could double up as an emergency airstrip. This was truly brilliant!
Willow trees lined the road, and stacks of wood used for making cricket bats were placed on terraces of homes. Fortunately, we had refused to visit one of these “home” factories, from where my brother-in-law had bought a cricket bat on his trip.
The long route had taken us so long that we had to stop for lunch. By now, we had turned into smaller roads and were pleasantly surprised by a different type of traffic jam!
The entire district around Pahalgam is very fertile, and apples and walnuts, in particular, grow here. Soon, we were passing through apple farms and of course, another pit stop was at one to drink apple juice. I was stunned to see apples hanging from the trees, as apple season was far-off, only to realize that they were artificial. As we were waiting for the juice, our teen squealed happily. She had seen a tiny rabbit in a cage, and our driver kindly took out the rabbit and put it in her thrilled hands.
Happiness is an unexpected rabbit!
An excited young girl is not happiness for a rabbit, as he soon started to clamber out of her arms and jump off. She held him tighter, trying to put him down, but he kept scratching at her hands. Finally, we hurriedly got the rabbit in his cage and moved ahead!
After driving for what seemed like forever, we saw a very welcome sight, the swift swirling clear blue-green waters of the river Lidder. Coming directly from the glacier, this beautiful river was everywhere to be seen in Pahalgam, and the best part of our stay here.
The glacial Lidder river, my favorite memory of the earlier Kashmir trip
Scores of hotels and homestays by the riverside, far from the center of Pahalgam
We drove higher and higher towards our hotel. The sun turned grey with clouds, but the river stayed its lovely blue green color. I was really excited about our hotel, as it was just beside the river, and we’d booked a river-facing room so that we’d hear the sound of it gushing along all the time, like I had when I was a kid.
Once we reached there, the hotel was gorgeous, with a wooden bridge over the river to walk to the hotel itself, but the room given to us had a teeny-tiny sideways view of the river. Naturally, I got it changed, and managed to get a huge corner room, with large French windows overlooking the river and the lawn, a rocking chair and a beautiful window side seating.
The much fought-for room!
Floor to ceiling windows looking out to the river and the mountains
The hubby naturally wanted to spend all evening in the room, I, naturally, didn’t. It was cold and raining, so we grabbed our warm jackets and headed off to a nearby beautiful park we’d seen on the drive. Sadly, it was shut, so we walked to the market. It was awful amidst scores of horses and we struggled to avoid horse poop-mixed-puddles of water. Sheer willpower, and more importantly, hunger and the cold pushed us to the marketplace, which was a tiny lackluster lane lined by shops and restaurants. Disappointed, we rushed into the first cafe we saw.
Warm and welcoming cafe with delicious food
The airconditioner here was actually set at 32 degrees. We were amazed! The tiny cafe served us delicious sandwich, fries and coffee, though it took forever to deliver our order.
Warm and well-fed, we decided to walk down the market. Suddenly, everything looked better. We noticed the cute lamps, the cobbled streets and the small old buildings and shops.
The shop windows were alluring and the kid and I oohed and aahed over dusty pink jackets, that we never bought. There were many stores selling clothes and shawls with intricate Kashmiri embroidery and bright colors.
A shopper would have found his or her heart’s delight here, but we were contented with mere photographs and found my heart’s delight at a small bakery instead. The cakes looked interesting, but it was my much-desired apple pie, that didn’t last long enough for even a picture!
Designs of the cakes influenced by local flora
As we walked back, the crowds were less, and the rain had stopped. We chanced upon a pretty looking park and headed inside to see a perfectly manicured garden with lovely flowers and trees and a small, tiered water body running through the center.
Lovely little park that was so well-tended, with no one inside other than us
Perfectly manicured hedges lined the center channel
At one corner, the grass was overrun by tiny white and pink flowers, looking like a carpet, surrounded by unusual trees.
The pretty white and pink wildflowers
A set of trees with colored leaves
Back at the hotel, we were thrilled to see a heater in the lobby and central heating in the room. Soon, a thunderstorm set in, battering the window-panes. The entire place became freezing cold. We ate a quick and not very good dinner and retired for the night.
Comfortable in the warm and cozy room, we slept a good night’s sleep undisturbed by the lightning and thunder, looking forward to our next day at Pahalgam. However, that day’s travels will be told another day by me, as I’ve already gone on for too long!
We had already spent a fabulous day in the lovely hamlet of Gulmarg (Kashmir-May 2023-Gulmarg) and I had woken early to see a stunning sunrise over the mountains. It was too pretty not to step out and so I had rushed out to walk along the path I had seen the previous day. The golden snow on the mountains and the beautiful meadow with the dark green pine trees were worth bearing the biting cold.
The cable car till the top was clearly visible till the first level but the next part was shrouded in clouds
After a heavy breakfast and lots of layers, we started to walk down to the cable car station. The cable car was called a gondola here, not a cable car, perhaps because it’s built on a continually rotating system. The initial half kilometer walk to the station was very irritating as numerous cabbies, salesmen, guides, pony owners and what-have-you heckled us non-stop. The teen desperately wanted to ride a horse, but we chose to walk instead so we’d feel warmer.
After walking for what seemed like forever, we reached the cable car entry point with no lines at all as we were so early. My friend who’d been here the year before, had warned me to reach very very early or get stuck in a three-hour queue and I had followed her advice to the T. Sage advice indeed, as the crowds we saw on our return proved.
The gondola doesn’t really stop, it just slows down, and you hop in, and the doors shut. A little frightening for me, but there was no other option. Up to the first level, called phase 1, we saw no snow at all. We weren’t sure whether we would be able to go up to the highest level (phase 2, where all the snow is) because of the fog. As we got off at the phase 1 level, we saw a host of restaurants and a tiny line for phase 2.
The snow at this level was really far off in the distance. Now we could understand the need for the gum boots, because you have to walk through the slush to end up reaching The Dirty Old Snow. We felt really lucky that we had tickets for phase two. And my greedy heart desperately prayed that the gondola would work till the top.
A fleeting view of the cables up to phase 2, as the clouds moved aside.
After almost an hour, the gondolas started moving from phase 1 to phase 2. The (now very long) line gave a collective cheer. We still couldn’t get on, as we had to wait for the gondolas to return, that took a really long time too. We killed our time chatting with a young couple who’d traveled on an Enfield bike to the Gurez valley and praised it no end. Seeing their pictures, I was really inspired to plan a visit to the lesser explored regions of Kashmir.
Finally, we got into the gondola to phase 2. I was really excited, and a little scared as I don’t like cable cars or heights. Luckily, visibility was poor, so I couldn’t see how high we were. But what I could see was a glimpse of pure white snow right at the top, and then the clouds enveloped us till we reached the top.
As we got off, the first thing to hit us was the bitter cold. Even with layers of thermals, sweaters and warm jackets meant for zero-degree temperature, we froze. Rather, the teen and I froze. The hubby cooly sauntered about with a single jacket. The second thing was the amount of white snow all around. It had snowed here the previous night when it was raining in Gulmarg and the result was sheets of fresh glistening-white snow. A dream come true!
Unsurprisingly, our reactions to what we saw matched our basic personalities. I ran around, jumping with joy and behaving like a 5-year-old. The teen walked about elegantly and posed like a lady for pictures.
And the hubby? Well, he was busy being, the hubby.
Shortly, the teen got tired of behaving all lady-like and decided to have some fun. We ran about, pelted each other with snow and made a ridiculous-looking snowman. Inspired by the snow-owl of Sonmarg (Kashmir-May 2023-Sonmarg), we gave him my sunglasses for a while.
Doesn’t our snowman look like Olaf? Maybe with a little imagination!
As in all tourist areas in Kashmir, a huge number of locals started asking us if we wanted photographs, or if we wanted to go skiing or sledding, or if we would like to go and see the Line of Control. This time, we were better experienced. We politely said, “No, thank you,” to everyone and continued having our fun in the snow, something I couldn’t enjoy in Thajiwas glacier of Sonmarg.
The teen and I lay down in the snow, ate it, and made snow angels. The hubby did what he loves the best, taking some weird selfie on top of a small rock.
Such an effort for the perfect selfie!
The end result of minutes of preening for the perfect selfie!
A little bit of the mist moved away, and we could see the beautiful snow-covered mountains in the distance. As the fog moved on further, we could see that the trees lower down and the snow at a higher level. It was stunningly beautiful. The clouds kept floating past, adding to the beauty.
One of the most gorgeous sights of my life
I leaned against a rock, staring at the landscape around me. Most of my trips to mountain peaks had been filled with fog, clouds and rain. Very rarely, did I get a clear view of the snow-covered mountains I loved so much. This was truly paradise for me. And to find it a mere few hours away from home, even better! I just stood there, letting it all sink in, unbothered by the cold, the sun, the people, anything at all.
Suddenly, the hubby’s voice snapped me out of my reverie. The smart young couple we had come up with had mobilized us all to go tandem skiing. Even though we’d decided not to give in to any more tourist scams, this was too tempting (and cheap, thanks to the smart couple!). And so, we set off, behind the ski instructors, to a spot fairly far off from the main area.
This area was even more beautiful than the previous one we were at, the numbers of people were far fewer. The entire floor seemed like a carpet of fresh, soft snow. It was difficult to walk on, but once we learned to wedge our feet in, we were able to do it.
I couldn’t imagine that a day that started out so foggy could be so bright and sunny in a few hours
By now, the sun was out in full force. Our sunglasses didn’t seem enough. The clouds had shifted away and spread out in front of us, were stunning snow-covered peaks.
Is it my imagination, or is he frowning?
Probably not, he’s got the same expression even with his daughter!
The sun finally got to us. The kid started feeling very uncomfortable, and we reluctantly got pulled back by sleds to the crowded area near the gondola. Now, the crowds were huge. We wanted to leave because of the direct blazing sun and the crowds, but also stay and have a little more fun in the snow. We were quite hungry too. Just then, we saw a makeshift shed with the trademark dirty blue plastic cover selling coffee, hot chocolate and Maggi, all under shade. What more can one ask for at 13000 feet?
Much needed nutrition and shade at the top of Affarwat peak
Feeling a tad better, we stepped out. Once again, the sun really hit us. We tried to walk ahead and play in the snow but were too exhausted and uncomfortable. So, we walked back to the gondola station.
Posing with someone else’s well made snowman
Waiting in the long queue to go down from phase 2, we saw a signboard that we couldn’t believe.
Just within the gondola station was a small counter manned by our favorite Gulmarg cafe owners, and we had to stop and have their pizza. It was certainly delicious, but by then, my headache was too severe to enjoy anything, and I just wanted to get back to the hotel. So, the other two hurriedly ate their pizza and we rushed back down as soon as the long lines would allow us.
The sea of snow on the mountain as we descended
Fortunately, neither of them wanted to stop at the intermediate level. By now, I was feeling very sick and the hubby was quite worried about me. For some reason, he thought that I had an intestinal perforation or gangrene, that I was sure I hadn’t. It was only when I got down and felt better after half an hour, that I realized that I might have had acute mountain sickness.
Outside the pretty building of the gondola station at the base at Gulmarg
The teen and I wanted to take a cab back to the hotel, but the hubby forced us to walk back (lucky that I didn’t have a perforated intestine!). It turned out to be a good move as the fresh air, the now-cloudy skies and the beautiful meadow helped me feel a lot better than would have a ride in the crazy honking cabs driving at Formula-one track speeds.
Gulmarg golf course
After some delicious desserts from the market and rest in the room, the teen and I wanted to head out. The hubby was horrified that his “dying” spouse was now raring to go. Funnily enough, I felt perfectly well and was all set to explore all of Gulmarg. Unfortunately, after some delicious hot chocolate, it started pouring, and the hubby and teen refused to accompany me on my walk around Gulmarg.
So, I set out alone, a little miffed with them, unknowing that the next few hours would be some of the best ever.
Determined today to complete the outer ring road walk, I walked on quickly on the same path as the previous day, but speed was simply not possible, as every few minutes, I had to stop and stare around me.
The rain was gone, and the clouds retreated to the distance. The sun was sinking behind the Affarwat range. Every few steps provided a different view, a different set of colors and never-ending beauty.
My irritation at being left alone was long gone. I felt privileged to be alone in this little piece of paradise. The cool breeze, the greens the blues and the greys around me, the complete silence, the fabulous views everywhere I looked, all made me feel so calm, so peaceful and so happy.
One of my favorite spots on the walk; I love reflections of the sun
The meadow glowed golden with the dark grey rain clouds behind. It was simply magical. Sunbeams shone onto patches of dark green pine trees and reflected off from rain puddles. A group of horses clopped past me, carrying people too tired or lazy to walk, not knowing what they were missing.
Looking at the road, Frost came to my mind, ” be one traveler, long I stood, and looked down one as far as I could, to where it bent in the undergrowth“
It was so tempting to cross that bridge and wander on into the forest, but I didn’t take the road less travelled
Tiny flowers grew beside the road
Such an amazing sight of the glowing meadow with the grey skies behind
A few horses and the occasional roaring vehicle were the only sounds to break the peace and quiet
Cute little wildflowers growing by the side of the road; they would be replaced in July by sheets of lavender lupine flowers
I could see a dense forest of pine trees on either side, with the road cutting through. A stream came from higher up and made its way under my road, gurgling along. There was no one to be seen for miles around and nothing to be heard other than the water, the birds and my own breath.
The reassuring sight of the Affarwat range convinced me that I was on the right track and would soon reach the gondola station and the Gulmarg golf course.
This adorable fellow trotted with me through the forest
The gorgeous Gulmarg meadow as the sun set
A sight tough to tear myself away from
By the time I reached my hotel, the hubby and teen were frantically looking out of the window for me. I had walked more than 8 km at a stretch, so naturally I took ages to get back. Unused to walking so much, I was tired, yet rejuvenated. I was so happy that I still can’t find words to describe that feeling of that day.
This walk will count as one of the best travel experiences I have ever had. Even today, sitting in my concrete tower, I can see that meadow and smell the fresh and clean air of Gulmarg. Some things are not to be forgotten.
So ended our 2 days in Gulmarg. Gulmarg was a place I went to with zero expectations. In my childhood trip to Kashmir, both Sonmarg and Gulmarg had been terribly disappointing. I found both outstanding on this trip, though Gulmarg stood out because of the fabulous snow experience at the mountaintop and the outer ring road walk.
I will certainly return to Gulmarg, hopefully in the winter, for the snow. Maybe in the summer, for the lupines. Actually, any time, just to walk this road again.
It was our third day in Kashmir. After a wonderful and too-short stay in Sonmarg, we moved onto Gulmarg, the most famous hill station of Kashmir, thanks to the cable car to the top of the Affarwat peak. We had smartly (thanks to the hubby) booked our cable car tickets well in advance, and not depended on the make-my-trip team. Even smarter was booking the tickets for the next morning so that we would have a chilled day at Gulmarg. Thanks to the weather, that’s literally what we had!
Beautiful villa as we drove out of Sonmarg, I would love to stay here!
The drive was yet another stunning drive past green fields and snowy mountains, back to Srinagar and then onto Gulmarg. The recent rains had left the fields even more green and lush than ever, and clouds flitted across the sky.
As we approached Srinagar, we drove across the river Jhelum.
Cherry season had just begun and people were selling boxes of luscious cherries on the roadside. We stopped and bought some of the best cherries we’ve ever had. Cloudy skies, green pastures, dark green trees, smooth roads, Arijit Singh and cherries were the recipe for a perfect road trip.
Adding to the natural beauty were the newly beautified and tarred roads from Srinagar to Gulmarg that were made into a smooth dual carriageway because of the recent G20 summit. Our driver told us that the drive was so much better because of the improved roads, and that the same route used to take 6 hours in the past.
Just before the ascent to Gulmarg, there is a small, picturesque town Tangmarg, filled with small stores renting gumboots and jackets to carry to the cable car, and a few hotels. A small detour goes to Drung village and waterfall, which gets totally frozen in winters, a sight I need to come back to see.
What a quaint village!
The ascent to Gulmarg is through pine trees that surround the cup-like depression that Gulmarg lies in.
We drove up curving roads with charming company.
As we drove higher, a layer of fog enveloped us. Cool wind blew in through the windows, clouds surrounded us and obscured the valley and the mountains around. We could barely see the road ahead and a few trees on either side. We leaned out of the windows, feeling a gentle drizzle on our cold cheeks. It was magical, like floating through the clouds.
I stayed in this happy state as we entered Gulmarg, even as I saw the huge crowds near the market area, as we drove to our charming hotel. Recommended by my brother-in-law, this quaint old hotel had stunning dark wooden decor, fireplaces, books around coffee tables and even, a vintage comments book!
I requested for a room with a view, feeling rather stupid, as I couldn’t see anything beyond 20 meters, and was given a lovely room looking over the meadow, with a couch to lay down and stare out of.
A seat like this will always be fought over and naturally, guess who won!
There was nothing to stare at however, all we could see was dense fog with patches of green in the background. Slightly disappointed, I unpacked and settled in, and looked out of the huge windows after a while and gasped. The clouds had shifted and we could see the green meadow with the beautiful snow-covered mountain range.
View from our room
Excited by this, we quickly layered up and rushed out to see a sea of white again. We walked towards the markets, amidst the huge crowds of day trippers and their cars and vans, and ponies with their riders calling out for rides to the gondola station. The cacophony was unbearable in this gorgeous place. Desperate to get past this messy area, I rushed on, just to be pulled back by the hubby, who wanted to visit the temple that we’d seen from our room (red roofed structure above).
Crowds of vehicles, people and horses line the entrance to Gulmarg
Reluctantly, the teen and I followed. The route to the temple was filled with slush and horse poop. We squeamishly walked through the agonizing road, struggling to keep our noses closed, eyes on the temple above and trying to avoid the poop, while the hubby grinned and swiftly made his way through.
The rented gumboots lying in the hotel room would have partially eased the anguish of walking on this road
It was worth it to see this beautiful view
Hungry by now, and desperate to get back to concrete, I rushed down past all the muck to reach the main market area. Fortunately, I had researched the restaurants in Gulmarg and we entered a cute cafe that would become our favorite haunt for the next two days, with some of the best hot chocolate I have ever had.
My motto on the trip!
The kid had the same motto, so we stepped out of this cafe, into a neighboring dessert cafe with delicious cinnamon and chocolate buns and rolls.
Too busy eating to even look up for a picture
This would end up being another standard haunt of ours. I must also admit that a major reason for us to be in the cafes was to be away from the freezing cold outside. Or so I consoled myself!
It was really tough to step out from the warm cafe into the terrible cold. Even though we were layered well, it just didn’t seem enough. While the kid and I shivered trying to get to stay warm, and thinking of getting to the hotel to get more jackets, the hubby rushed around trying to find softy icecream.
He roamed the entire length of the market but couldn’t find any softy. None of the (many) softy machine owners were running a softy machine as nobody would eat it in this rain and cold, but they hadn’t bargained for the hubby. Eventually, he bought a chocobar, that was frozen stiff.
Kindly note: he never eats ice cream in Mumbai or any beach holiday either!
We walked towards our hotel and on around the meadow. The meadow is encircled by an eight-kilometer road, with marvelous views, and I was keen on walking the entire route. Of course, I didn’t reveal this plan to the other two, as they would never have joined me.
The icecream took forever to “unfreeze” enough to be consumed
It was very cold and there was really nothing to be seen. We were about to turn back when, once again, the clouds shifted, and we could see the snow-covered mountains all around us. We could also see the cable car pathway though we couldn’t see the peak it went up to. It was simply magical. Fat rain-laden clouds floated over the wet green meadow. It was pretty for words.
We could catch a glimpse of the Indian flag fluttering in the wind, far away on a pole. I wanted to head there, but soon, the hubby and teen ran out of patience and decided to turn back, and I walked on alone.
A pony for company
Hopeful of completing the entire outer ring walk, I plodded on. Soon, I reached the army cantonment where the flag was hoisted.
The road wound on and on. It didnt feel so cold anymore, just really special. There were no people here, such a far cry from the hustle and bustle of the market.
Cringey but true
Magical Gulmarg
Standing across from where my hotel was, I could see the stunning Gulmarg laid out in front of me. I had just done one third of my planned walk but was sure I could carry on. However, within a few more minutes, the clouds blew in and settled over the meadow, covering everything around. Not much could be seen. A few cars zoomed by with headlights on full beam, the only reason I could see them. A few locals passed by, asking me how I was. As I walked further, visibility dropped to a few feet. It was very cold and very lonely. At that point, I decided to turn back and walk home.
This adorable fellow walked alongside
The viewpoint for Mount Affarwat, where precious little could be seen
Back in the hotel room, it was wonderful to feel warm again. We did step out later, for a delicious local dhaba dinner, and slept early as we needed to be at the cable car station early the next day.
That must have weighed on my mind when I woke up at 5 am for no reason at all. Wide awake, I looked out of the window and gasped. The rising sun cast a beautiful golden glow on the mountains, and I had to go out and see this view.
The Affarwat viewpoint at sunrise
The start to this day was fabulous, as the rest of the day turned out to be. But that will continue in another post, as there are already too many pictures on this one.
This was the second day of my very eventful Kashmir trip, when we were to travel to Sonmarg, a very picturesque village on the Srinagar-Leh road. Frequently visited as a road trip from Srinagar, we were to stay for a night and then move to Gulmarg. At Srinagar, our driver had asked us to leave early to avoid traffic jams. Accordingly, we woke up very early, only to discover that there was no hot water in the bathroom. It was really awful to be stand in the shower in the cold, waiting endlessly for hot water to start. After freezing, I gave up the idea of a bath, got ready and headed down for breakfast. That was disappointment # 2, a very lackluster breakfast, that wasn’t even ready on time.
Fortunately, our driver was there on time. He was as punctual as us throughout the trip. He drove well, with minimal bumps, gave us great food recommendations and didn’t chat too much. The only problem with him was that he was a huge honker and thus, made driving through crowded areas quite a pain.
Snowcapped mountains as soon as we headed out of Srinagar
Wooden bungalows with pretty shutters and sloping roofs dotted the roadsides
The drive to Sonmarg took a little under 3 hours, thanks to a lot of heavy vehicular traffic on the road. We passed through a lot of fields and gradually ascended and found ourselves with a view over a beautiful valley.
As we continued our drive, frozen dirty ice trails of the melting glaciers started showing up. Far and few initially, soon, every 10 meters would have an ice trail. Our driver told us that this was the trademark of Sonmarg.
Tall mountains with dark green trees of pine and fir with glacier trails on each side, were grabbing my attention non stop. Excitedly, my camera kept clicking away as if on auto pilot!
We turned into the tiny village and drove through the entire length of the tiny market area filled with crowds and slush, past the lush green meadow with few hotels dotted over it.
Sonmarg, tiny by itself, has quite a few places to see, the easiest and most popular being Thajiwas glacier and Zero point on the road to Leh. There are many treks, especially in the summer, but that wasn’t on our agenda. Our plan was to trek/ horse it to the glacier and see the snow at Zero point. Unfortunately, that day, Zero point wasn’t possible because of road closures, so the glacier and Sonmarg meadow were on today’s agenda.
In most tourist places in Kashmir, you can’t take your rented or personal car for sightseeing. You have to use local cabs and/ or horses only, all of which are hand-in-glove with hotels, drivers, travel agents,etc.
The jaw-droppingly beautiful meadow with the glacier in the distance
Our driver took us to the parking lot, where we were assaulted by the horse nexus. This would remain a common thread in Kashmir. “Walking is a sin, you must get on a horse, you must get on a shikara, you must buy the wares, you must take a sledge or a ski ride”, so on and so forth. The incessant heckling can make you want to yell at times. At (most) other times, you feel really bad for them, when they ask you to give them some business. And that’s how the gullible us got ensnared quite a few times.
The hubby and teen wanted to take a horse ride, I wanted to walk as I’m scared of horses. The driver and horse owners laughed at my idea of walking. They politely told me to get onto the horse for the initial steep part of the journey and get off when the road was level. They also assured me a small gentle horse.
With a lot of trepidation (me) and excitement (teen), all of us climbed onto our horses. As in, hubby and teen climbed on. I had to be shoved on. I was terrified when I saw how much higher than the ground I was. The hubby was very happy that I was on a horse as he was sure that I couldn’t walk the entire distance (and once again, he was right).
So we set off, a motley crew of 2 happy and excited people led by just one horse handler, and 1 scared-to-death woman on a mild-tempered horse with a very gentle horse handler. Ahead of us and behind us were many people on horses. As Zero point was shut, the entire crowd and more ended up at Thajiwas. It was lucky that we’d reached early. The crowds we saw on our way back were deterring to any form of enjoyment.
That’s me putting on a brave show for the camera
As the horses clippity-clopped their way to the glacier, I tried to sit straight, keep my core tight and match the horse’s movement. All I achieved was straining my shoulders and bouncing about on the horse, quite painfully. Finally, I just relaxed and sat, thinking that the worst that could happen was that I would fall off. After that, my ride was fairly pleasant. Of course, the constant sitting in abducted position was tough, but my ample gluteal fat protected my ischial tuberosity from the pain that my skinny hubby and teen experienced at the end of the day.
It certainly helped that the views were breathtakingly beautiful. As soon as we set off, and till we came back, it was tough to know where to look. The entire route was stunning.
The initial climb was steep over many stones. Soon, it leveled out onto a gentler, more defined path. I actually managed to look around and take some pictures while holding onto the bridle for dear life. The hubby and teen were comfortable on their own horses, as though they were born onto them. Soon I saw that they were trotting along, leading their own horses. Great, now I was scared for them and for me!
Not a very reassuring sight to see these two galloping away
We ascended slowly amidst trees, getting closer to the glacier. It was fairly cold by now and I was grateful for my many layers of warm clothing.
Climbing up and then down a small hill towards the glacier
As we got closer to the glacier, we approached a lush green field, supposedly where the movie Satte-pe-Satta was shot. I desperately wanted to run on that meadow and twirl like Maria in the movie The Sound of Music, but was too scared to get off and then on the horse again. This was the biggest disadvantage of taking the horse, not being able to stop where I wanted.
Past the field, the route was very muddy and over a lot of rocks. I must credit the horse handler because he really took care to make sure I felt safe.
Soon I could see the glacier ahead and I decided to get off the horse as I was really struggling on the horse. The horse handler walked with his horse alongside me. The view of the green slopes on one side and the snowy white glacier sloping down to the valley floor was breath-taking.
When you can’t wait to get around the bend
Finally, we reached the at the base of the glacier and dismounted. Once again, I had to be carried off! It started raining and became very cold. We rushed into a food stall for cover and had delicious coffee, Maggie and the lemon tart from the Srinagar patisserie.
The best lemon tart ever
By the time we were done eating, the rain had stopped and the sun was out. We walked a few steps towards the snow, planning to run up the glacier and flail about in the snow. Just then, our horse handlers (and many MANY more people) started pestering us to go sledding on the glacier. As the teen was very enthusiastic, we agreed and started our very ineffective bargaining. Note to all who plan to visit Kashmir: it is very challenging to bargain, especially because you feel really bad for the effort they take. It’s probably better not to try it at all.
Our horse handlers/ sled pullers were very helpful and resourceful. They helped us clamber over the slush, dragged our considerable weights and took amazing pictures of us.
They wanted us to shoot a romantic pose, but it looked as though the hubby was trying to strangle me!
They even told us where to stand for the best backdrops and made interesting reels. They made our teen this adorable owl-man and made him wear her glasses.
Hoo’s cuter?
It’s not that easy to walk on a snowy slope. Clumsy me stumbled all the time, and the smarter teen simply slid on the snow.
We felt and behaved like kids in a candy shop. We threw snow at each other. We ate the snow. We made snow angels. It was a perfect day.
She was pelted so hard with snow that she fell down!
The “innocent” perpetrator
He got back what he deserved!
Then we sat on our sleds and were pulled down the slope and right across the muddy slushy area we had struggled to walk in. Though I felt really bad using human labor, I had really enjoyed my time thanks to these 3 terrific people as well. By now, the crowds were swelling, and the horse handlers told us to head back soon. Reluctantly, I turned for a last view of the beautiful snow-covered mountains and the glacier flowing down to the center with a patch of water in the center.
The magical Thajiwas glacier
Just then, a man with a pigeon approached us, a little snowy white pigeon that the teen went crazy over. This was the best part of the day for her.
Crossing a little stream in gumboots
To get back to the horses, we had to cross a gushing stream of water with a rickety bridge over it. I was shocked to see the huge numbers of people at that point. There seemed to be no law and order to cross, and everybody seemed to want to go across (both ways) at the same time. At this moment I was sure that someone would fall into the stream. We only made it across because of our kind horse handlers.
Very friendly, helpful and tech-savvy Kashmiris
We hurriedly climbed/ got shoved onto our horses. The narrow route was filled with horses and handlers. Horses kept bumping into us and injuring us. Our handlers took us on a slightly different path so that we wouldn’t be head on with other horses. At one point we rode through the water.
From the terrified one at the beginning
To the confident river rider!
The views on the way back seemed prettier to me, possibly as I was less scared. This is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen, and I really have travelled a lot.
Rani, Raja and Sultan were our gentle steeds, and this time, even my smile was genuine!
By the time we got back, we were very hungry. Our driver took us to a fabulous hotel, perfectly located facing the beautiful Sonmarg meadow on one side and the flowing Sindh river on the other, beautifully manicured with little cottages everywhere, and a view to die for from the dining room. This is the ideal place to stay in Sonmarg, but I just can’t remember the name!
After a delicious lunch, we followed a path right down to the river Sindh, a glacial river flowing at great speed. The hubby and the teen touched the freezing cold water and then were too frozen to stay out in the cold anymore, so we rushed into the warmth of the car and drove to our hotel, instead of spending longer on the Sonmarg meadow.
The drive back to the hotel was gorgeous. As we turned out of Sonmarg, we could see the river, the tiny village, the huge undulating meadow and the glacier behind it. Postcard perfect view.
Sonmarg in a single frame
Melting rivulets from the glacier on our drive back from Sonmarg to our hotel in Gaganmir
Too pretty a view to just zoom by in a car, the only thing missing was a bhutta
Our hotel was 15km away from Sonmarg. I felt very cheated by MMT when I figured this out, especially as I was very keen on staying in Sonmarg itself, and I wasn’t told that this place wasn’t in Sonmarg proper. Fortunately, it was a new and beautiful hotel right by the edge of the river, with a grand view from the balcony.
Huge cozy room
I could have sat here all day!
Cattle grazing on the grasses just opposite our hotel
We then stepped out, needing some hot tea. Unfortunately, the dining area had no view, but the kid discovered a glass-enclosed sit-out where we had delicious tea, hot chocolate and buttered toast.
We walked down all the way down to the riverfront. The river was flowing at a very fast rate and I was really relieved to see that there was no access to the water itself. There was a big boundary which walled it off. The towering sound of the river gushing by and the beautiful mist around us made up for not staying in Sonmarg itself. MMT had finally delivered.
A huge common balcony right outside our room looked out to this view
Contented with our day and well fed with tasty food, we slept soundly and woke up the next morning to see the little clouds hanging off the mountains and a beautiful view of the snowcapped mountains all around. We walked down to the river again and simply listened to it gush along, over the stones. It was the perfect morning.
I had no expectations from Sonmarg as my childhood trip to Sonmarg in August had been horrible. I loved it this time round, and truly regretted not staying here for at least 2-3 days. Some day in the future, I hope I will be back. Till then, this view will stay with me.
It’s almost 4 years since my last-blogged about trip, Thailand, which was an unplanned surprise holiday in 2019. Of course, the big C-virus put an end to my well planned and completely booked Italy trip of 2020 and made me wary of all further trips. In this interim period, I did have several, small, local trips in Maharashtra, 3 trips to Bangalore and a week-long sojourn in Ladakh in 2022. My teen became a young adult and joined professional college with limited holidays. Unable to be sure about those dates, no trips could be planned by us. The kid was happiest, having decided that we would go to Bangalore, the hubby was just as keen on not going there.
Finally, we got confirmation about her holidays in the latter half of May 2023. The hubby and I managed to get leaves to match hers. Now the only issue was destination, as always. And once again, holiday planning is a royal pain, making me happy and jittery at the same time.
The standard heated discussions went on for over a month. Bali, Mauritius, Maldives, Bangalore and nearby areas, were all considered, researched, planned (by me) after being suggested by the hubby, and then systematically turned down (by him) after a week of research.
2 months before travel, the hubby suggested Turkey, a destination he has never agreed to in the past. I quickly researched it and compiled a reasonable itinerary. Howerver, it was too short a notice and I simply couldn’t cope with the planning. And so, I turned it down, much against the hubby’s wishes and advice of my trip planner Yogesh. Bad move.
At that point, I thought of Kashmir. It seemed to tick all the boxes, a much desired destination, cool weather, possibility of snow, easy to plan and relatively cheap. I was wrong on most fronts. Kashmir isn’t cheap at all, isn’t very easy to plan. Internal travel needs either an agent, or multiple cab transfers, there are huge cab nexuses, flights are costly and travel agents were not very helpful.
Finally we chose make-my-trip for ease of planning. Bad bad move. I didn’t bother to research hotels. Finally we found an itinerary that was well priced and tried to book it and the agent told us that the rate had gone up. In 4 hours!
That was a huge red flag that I should have paid attention to, but didnt. Eventually, we booked the trip with the kid missing one day of college, much against the hubby’s will. We would travel to Bangalore and return to Mumbai just 12 hours before traveling to Kashmir. The kid and I should have stayed overnight at the airport itself!
She would have happily spent the night at the airport with an infinite supply of Starbucks coffee
With a fortnight to go, and all preparations almost done, we got hit by the bankruptcy of our airline. Our flights weren’t yet cancelled, but the potential for them to be airborne was too low. Multiple attempts to contact MMT failed. Finally, someone contacted us and told us to book our own tickets, they didn’t even help us book cheap tickets, they refused to refund the remaining bookings. New last-minute tickets were a huge financial killer but now we were stuck.
The G20 summit was announced on the same dates as we would be there, and further fears of safety and/or lack of tourism hit us hard.
The hubby was once more right. Either we should have booked Turkey or chosen the days that he’d suggested. Hurts like hell to admit this.
Mr. Always Right
Anyways, plan on, packing begun, kid panicked over exams, last minute studies, last minute hair color plans, last minute shopping, last minute packing and we set off to Bangalore and enjoyed a mini vacation with family. With only 8 hours for the next flight, we hurriedly packed and set off for the airport early morning, hoping that there would be no more surprises.
Our flight was via Delhi and has traditionally been a scary sector for me, but both flights were smooth and on time. The view of the Himalayan ranges from the airplane was outstanding and set the pace for the rest of the trip.
Srinagar from the plane
Baggage claim belt decorated like a Kashmiri shikara
The driver was waiting at the airport to take us to the MMT lounge, where we had lunch and were briefed about the trip in detail, and were told that everything in Srinagar was closed today because of the G20 summit. The roads were empty, boating on the lake was not allowed, all the gardens and sights of Srinagar were closed and it seemed like there was nothing to do. Then we were dropped at our hotel which was truly average and the only bad hotel on our trip.
After checking in, we decided to walk down to see the lake at least, if at all we were allowed to walk till there. The saving grace of our hotel was its location near the start of the lake, where people weren’t restricted from walking. As we stepped out, we saw a tiny garden outside our hotel with beautiful flowers.
The overcast sky and the pretty flowers really prepped our moods and then we walked down to the lake. Right outside our hotel, a man called out to us, asking if we’d like to go boating. We were surprised as we were told that no boating was allowed on Dal lake and yet this man was egging us on. We allowed ourselves a glimmer of hope and walked on faster to the lake.
A tiny water channel at the edge of Chinar park with a few dilapidated houseboats
The numbers of people asking us for shikara (Kashmiri wooden rowing boat) rides kept increasing and with that, our hopes for some activity for this day. As we turned towards Dal gate, we saw a narrow channel lined by houseboats, leading up to the main Dal Lake, we saw a few shikaras in the waters, possibly to ferry those staying in the houseboats.
Houseboats on the other side
This narrow road leading to the main lake itself was lined by many hotels and cafes. We passed by a very prettily decorated patisserie that we decided to come back and eat at later.
A cool breeze blew from the lake, but the sun was still too high in the sky for a shikara ride and so I refused even though the hubby was keen on getting on one.
Shooting into the sun
We walked further towards the main lake, where shikara owners called out to us, telling us that the road ahead was closed and there was nothing to be done ahead and promising us shikara rides for cheap. Undaunted, we walked on to reach a huge barricade with large army presence. This was where the narrow channel opened out into the huge lake. A hoard of reporters were stationed there, with cameras mounted on tripods, yelling in their trademark irritating style. I was about to photobomb their recording but the kid pulled me away.
Check out the constipated super-serious expression!
We walked on and saw the huge Dal lake. The massive lake with tall mountains all around, lined along the roadside by tall trees and at the other bank by the tethered houseboats, was a magnificent sight.
We sat by the lake, looking out at the still waters. There was no one to ask us for rides or sell any wares, a truly enjoyable experience. The silence and the peace were beautiful. The ghats along the lake, areas where you can get into the lake, were empty as no shikaras were allowed here.
Along the Dal lake runs the famous Boulevard road, boasting some of the best hotels in Srinagar. No vehicles were allowed on this road because of the G20 summit, the value of which we realised when we saw massive jams and multiple accidents a week later. Today, we felt as though this road and the lake were all ours. We could walk smack in the center of this arterial road.
We saw a tall fountain some distance away and walked towards it. The long walk was easy because of the lovely weather and lack of crowds. Scattered army personnel, a few locals and fewer tourists than could be counted on my fingers were all we could see around. The intermittent high speed police vehicle was all there was to disturb the quiet that day. We had hit the Dal Lake jackpot.
There was a cute board that we merrily posed with, and then knocked over.It broke as it fell and we ran away from there.
Someone propped it back up, because we saw it when we returned, and the kid sheepishly posed next to it.
Fountains in the lake were bobbing about, colored by myriad lights. Someone was playing old Hindi songs about the beauty of Kashmir. I could see why Dal lake was called the jewel of Srinagar.
Filmy pose in filmy land
We enjoyed watching the fountains dance about, seeing the pretty colors in the fountains as the sun set in the distance. Reluctantly we rose to turn back, knowing that it was a long walk back to the hotel and it would be dark soon. We were also hungry and wanted to eat at the pretty patisserie we’d seen earlier. As we turned to head back, a shepherd with his flock of sheep passed us by and the kid rushed to pet one.
When we reached the channel beyond the actual lake, we stopped for a shikara ride. It was past twilight now and twinkling lights came on at the edges of the lake and in the houseboats.
As the main lake wasn’t open for boating, we went inwards towards the floating markets. Shikaras carrying the locals taking their wares home, vegetable vendors and tourists, all jostled for space on the narrow channel, and the even narrower entry to the floating bazaar. We watched in awe and a little fear as they expertly maneuvered their paths across each other, while I held my breath hoping not to topple over. My age-old memories of Dal Lake were dirty weeds inside and sticking out of the water, which is why I wasn’t keen on a shikara ride, but Srinagar had cleaned up the lake and removed a lot of the weeds, courtesy G20. Also, the dark meant that we couldn’t see much. That certainly helped.
The shikara slowly moved along the shops, now glittering with the yellow lights. Shop owners called out to us to disembark and hop into their floating stores. The old and experienced shikara rower asked us if we’d like to shop and was surprised by our refusal. This continued to be a trend across Kashmir as we didn’t shop for a single product. However, we did fall prey to all other marketing scams and paid way over the accepted general price rates of different activities. Since human labor was involved, we didn’t feel too bad about it though.
Happy to be safely off the shikara despite the dark, we walked on towards the patisserie we’d seen. Decorated by beautiful flowers and white décor, with delicious looking pastries, it looked very good and we decided to have dinner here instead of just dessert but ended up having a very average meal.
We did pack an excellent lemon tart for the next day though. We walked back super fast as the hubby was very apprehensive about getting back in the dark, but the sight of the glittering houseboats on the quiet lake was arresting.
Back at the hotel, we hurriedly packed and separated all our warm clothes, as the next day, we were headed to Sonmarg and would directly proceed for sightseeing at Zero point and Thajiwas glacier and therefore, slept early.
It had been a day that exceeded all expectations. We had thought that we would be holed up in our very average hotel. Instead, we had an outstanding evening on the beautiful lake, that seemed like it was only for us, and a shikara ride that I enjoyed tremendously. This lovely day was followed by an entire week of lovely days.
