Kashmir Private Trip

Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrival at Srinagar, Local attractions

• Get picked up by our expert Driver at Srinagar Airport as per your flight arrival time.

• Check into our guest house and quickly freshen up.

• Visit one of Srinagar’s famous Mughal Gardens – either Shalimar Bagh or Nishat Bhag – located adjacent to the Dal Lake.

• Gather around in the common area & socialise.

• Rest for the night on cosy beds.

Day 2 - Gulmarg Day Trip, Srinagar Stay

• Start the day with Breakfast at our stay.

• Get set for a day trip to Gulmarg, situated at an altitude of 8500 feet, famously known as the “Meadow of flowers”.

• The 2-hour journey from Srinagar to Gulmarg itself is mesmerising.

• If the temperature is too cold, you may rent snow jackets or fur coats and gumboots on rent at Tangmarg town before Gulmarg.

• One of the highlights of the Kashmir trip is to enjoy the famous Gondola ride to the Apharwat mountain of Gulmarg. There are 2 stages for the highest cable car ride in Asia. The first stage is called Kongdoori which takes us to 12000 feet. The second stage is named after Apharwat peak itself which takes us to 14000 feet.

• Second stage note: If there is bad weather, the authorities may close the Apharwat Gondola ride suddenly without prior notice.

• Ticketing note: Owing to the popularity of the cable car ride, the tourism board of Kashmir has enforced tourists to buy Gondola tickets online from the Gulmarg Gondola official website. It’s better to book it well in advance. Once you book our Kashmir trip, our bookings team can help you out on Gondola booking.

• Our private vehicle would be allowed only till the Gulmarg main parking lot. From there we need to walk about 1 km to reach the Apharwat base station. Once we show Gondola e-tickets along with the ID card, we are good to go!

• Each Gondola can accommodate up to 6 people. The cable car passes above world’s highest Golf course, which is lush green in non-winter months.

• The winter months usually present a thick canopy of snow in Gulmarg. Travelers can indulge in different snow activities like Skiing, Snowboarding, and Sledging.

• Caution note ⚠ : Though the Gondola ride is a beautiful experience, it can be chaotic sometimes. Long queues are quite normal. It’s very unorganised. Tourists have to expect inconvenience before going there.

• Start back to Srinagar by early evening, reach before nightfall.

• Finish Dinner and rest for the night.

Day 3 - Pahalgam Road Trip, Night stay

• Check out of Srinagar stay after Breakfast.

• Go on a scenic road trip to Pahalgam which is translated to “Valley of Shepherds” in the local language.

• At Pahalgam, we will visit Baisaran valley, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and lush green meadows. Owing to the pristine beauty, Baisaran is called as Mini-Switzerland. The meadows of Baisaran are accessible by a Pony ride that costs 2000-3000, depending on the season.

• Caution note ⚠ : Though Baisaran is a beautiful place, the unorganised local tourism managing Pony rides and their union have made it very commercial and can cause inconvenience to travellers. Another issue is the hygiene of washrooms at tourist places. It’s better not to get the need to use them😄

• Reach back our Pahalgam stay by late evening, finish Dinner.

• Good night!

Day 4 - ABC Sightseeing, Dal Lake, House Boat stay

• Finish Breakfast at the Pahalgam stay.

• Check out and go for amazing ABC sightseeing that stands for Aru Valley, Betaab Valley and Chandanwari. We need to take the special local vehicle for these places. This is already included in the package.

• Start back to Srinagar after Lunch.

• En route, we will take a pit stop at Awantipura ruins that was home to a 1100-year-old temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, built by King Awantivarman. The architecture is quite interesting with stone/pillar carvings and related history of the ancient town which is worth a visit.

• Go on a famous Shikara ride of Dal Lake, pose for selfies and reels.

• Check into the Srinagar House Boat stay.

• Dinner is served on board the houseboat. Take good rest.

Day 5 - Sonamarg trip, Srinagar stay

• Freshen up, have Breakfast.

• Take a picturesque road trip to Sonamarg, that means “Meadow of Gold”.

• The free flowing Sindhu river (Indus river) on the banks of Sonmarg is famous for trout fish. We can have Lunch at one of the restaurants by the river.

• Travelers can take a Pony ride to Thajiwas glacier situated at 9200 feet altitude. In summers, one can even take a hike to nearby waterfalls around the glacier.

• Caution note ⚠ : If there is bad weather, the authorities may close Sonamarg route midway without prior notice. Tourists may have to return back to Srinagar in such situation.

• Head back to Srinagar guest house by late evening.

• Finish Dinner and rest for the night.

• Say good bye to our Kashmir guide / tour leader!

Day 6 - Shankaracharya Hill, Shopping, Drop Off

• Start the day early with a Breakfast at our stay, pack your bags, check out.

• Visit the Shankaracharya temple, that is located on top of a hill.

• It’s a peaceful experience to visit the main Shiva temple and the location of Shankaracharya’s meditation after a short climb up of about 250 stairs. One can see a panoramic view of Srinagar town and valley from the top.

• Head to Srinagar’s famous Lal Chowk for shopping. There is a clock tower named “Ghanta ghar” at the center.

• The market over there is famous for Pashmina shawls, handicrafts, winter wear, crafts, souvenirs, spices etc. Don’t forget to sip Kashmiri Kahwa one last time.

• Finish Lunch.

• Our Driver shall drop you at the Airport latest by 3 PM. You may book return flights after 6 PM.