Srinagar – Pahalgham en route visiting Martand temple (104 Kms approx. 2.5 hrs approx)

Breakfast on Houseboat.

After breakfast we would depart for Srinagar en route, stop for some photos as the whole drive is very scenic and visit ruins of Martand Sun temple (A hidden Gem).

Martand is a Hindu temple located near the city of Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir, India. It dates back to the 8th century CE and was dedicated to Surya, the chief solar deity in Hinduism; Surya is also known by the Sanskritlanguage synonym Martand. The temple was destroyed by the Shah Miri dynasty in the 15th century, on the orders of the erstwhile Muslim ruler of Kashmir, Sikandar Shah Miri.

Later depart for Pahalgam.

Pahalgam is a hill station of Kashmir towards the south. Its lush green meadows and pristine waters attract thousands of tourists from all over the world each year. It is located 45 kilometers (28 mi) from Anantnag on the banks of Lidder River at an altitude of 7,200 feet (2,200 m). Pahalgam is the headquarters of one of the five tehsils of Anantnag district.

Upon arrival check in to your hotel. Enjoy the beautiful Lidder river right Infront of the hotel.

Lunch at the hotel.

Walk around Pahalgam and savour some best teas at the local tea stall and enjoy talking to locals.

Return to the hotel.

Dinner & overnight at hotel.

Return & have your breakfast.

Today we will have an early breakfast and depart for the most interesting day.

Visit the Aru , Chandanwari & Betaab valley – These valleys are about 12 Kms from Pahalgam and lush green. One can walk around this place and enjoy the beauty but off course it is a very touristy place and you will find many people around.

Betaab valley, originally called Hajan Valley or Hagan Valley is situated at a distance of 15 km from Pahalgam in Anantnag district in India’s union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The valley got its name from the Sunny Deol-Amrita Singh hit debut film Betaab. The Valley is towards northeast of Pahalgam and falls between Pahalgam and Chandanwadi and is en route Amarnath Temple Yatra. The valley is surrounded by lush green meadows, snow clad mountains and covered with dense vegetation.

Betaab Valley is also a favorite campsite of travelers as it also serves as a base camp for trekking and further exploration of the mountains. The valley is a walk-able distance from Pahalgam. The crystal clear & chilly water of the stream bubbling down from the snowy hills is a delight; locals here drink this water too. Baisaran and Tulian Lake are few nearby attractions that can be visited. Return to the hotel.

Evening will enjoy dinner and call the night early.

After breakfast we would depart for Srinagar en route stop for some photos. En route stop at Saffron Village Pampore.

There are huge fields of saffron and also shops where you can buy the best quality of saffron and dry fruits.

Later proceed for Srinagar.

Upon return visit to Hazratbal Mosque one of the iconic mosques in Srinagar. Later walk the spice & vegetable market in front of the mosque. The locals dry the spices and vegetables and sell them for winters.

It’s a beautiful sight to see and savour some local snacks while walking around.

Later visit the Mughal Garden & Nishat Bagh.

Later indulge in some shopping as rest of the days will be busy exploring the city and none of us can go back without having some part of the city with us.

What best than shopping…….

Finish the evening with a wonderful dinner.

Srinagar – Yousmarg – Srinagar (50 Kms one way 1.5 hrs approx.).

After early breakfast, drive to Yousmarg – At an altitude of 2377 mts 40 Kms from south of Srinagar.

The small beautiful green valley of yousmarg is famous for the best spring flowers and green meadows in the valley. The road to yousmarg leads through beautiful orchards of Almonds and apples.

Visit Apple and Almond orchards.

On the way you can visit the famous shrine of charari sharief 30 ks to the south west of Kashmir . Charari Sharief is one of the most revered shrines of Kashmir valley . Large number of people visit this shrine especially on Thursday night till Friday Prayers.

Yousmarg provides space for beautiful landscapes, young pine nurseries, green pastures and heart touching lotic and lentic water bodies. Nilnag, Doodhganga and a nascently created artificial dam adds more to the beauty of the meadows. Nature has bestowed Yousmarg with pleasant flora and fauna. Among fauna, locals claim that they often sight wolves, bears, apes, cats, aves of various types (flight as well as flightless). Among aquatic fauna, Schizothoraxic is abundant one in catch.

Flowing through the beautiful Yusmarg, Dudh Ganga is a gorgeous river known for its water that appears milky in colour. The river is rich in the population of trout fishes and thus, is considered one of the best angling & fishing destinations in Kashmir. Dudh Ganga also acts as a perfect base for many trekking expeditions. Trekkers set out for popular treks in Sang-e-Safed Valley, Tatakoti, Romesh Thong and Sunset Peak after camping at Dudh Ganga. We will trek up to Dudh Ganga approx. 3 hrs to go up and come back.

Try your hands on fishing as this is the best place to do so.

We will also do our picnic lunch here. It’s a beautiful place to have a picnic lunch.

While returning, visit a local kashmiri house and have a cup of Kashmiri Kehwa made in Traditional copperware called Samovar. Interact with the family to have first hand experience of Local culture of the countryside.

Evening back to Srinagar for overnight stay.

Dinner & overnight at hotel.

After an early breakfast today we will hike up to Shankaracharya.

It is situated on top of the Shankaracharya Hill on the Zabarwan Range in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is at a height of 1,000 feet (300 m) above the valley floor and overlooks the city of Srinagar. The shrine may date to c. 200 BCE[citation needed] although the present structure probably dates to the 9th century AD. It was visited by Adi Shankara and has ever since been associated with him; this is how the temple got the name Shankaracharya.

Later we will head to explore the old town and back waters of old town.

Hop on to our shikaras and start the journey to downtown – the old Kashmir.

Get down from the Shikara and start exploring the down by walking.

Stop at the local bakery and Savor local breads.

We will visit the local artisans. This art and craft tour will include going to the museum followed by visiting kani artisans, Paper Mache, Walnut wood and Pashima weavers and embroiderers. We will spend some time with them and talking to them about their lifestyle and their experiences.

Later hop on to your cars and end the say by witnessing sunset at Pari Mahal.

The Pari Mahal was built by Mughal Prince Dara Shikoh in the mid-1600s. It served as a library and an abode for him. Dara Shikoh was said to have lived in this area in the years 1640, 1645, and 1654. It was further used as an observatory, useful for teaching astrology and astronomy.

Today we will have farewell dinner and that little Meraki Talk to know what learning & experiences we are taking back.

This is a hard moment for all of us to say goodbyes to all the wonderful ladies we traveled together with and a return to our routine lives. What we expect is to make new and long lasting memories, new friends and an everlasting discovery of your own self.

Our day starts with a Breakfast at the Hotel followed by departures back home.