QUICK OVERVIEW
Date
Apr 21-28
Arrival Airport
Srinagar – Leh
Accommodation
3 Star Hotels
Duration
7 Nights
Meals
7 Breakfasts
Group size
10-18
SHORT ITINERARY :
DAY 1 : EXPLORE SRINAGAR
Arrive around 12 pm at Srinagar airport (SXR). We will head to one of the famous restaurants among locals & then move to our houseboat via shikara, freshen up & then head to Hazrat Darga. People who are coming in later flights will join us directly at Hazrat Darga.
Next , We will visit the excepteionally beautiful small teeny tiny island in the middle of the lake called Char chinar. When the sun is just about to set we will head back and the view is outstanding as shown below.
We have also planned a local food tour as we pass through this evening, so make sure to not have a heavy lunch. Trust me, this will be a super authentic experience .
If not tonight, one of the nights we will try some Kashmiri Wazwan – a multi-course meal in Kashmiri cuisine, the preparation of which is considered an art and a point of pride in Kashmiri culture and identity. It consists of 20 dishes. Read More
Now let’s head to our beautiful houseboat & spend few hours knowing each other. Did i say its almost 15 degree outside the houseboat. What an apt weather to sit on grass and talk.
Whoever is interested & i highly recommend , should go for an early morning floating market ride next day. It is unconvincing beautiful.
DID YOU KNOW?
Capital of the state changes based on the seasons. Jammu is the winter capital of Kashmir and Srinagar is the summer capital of Kashmir.
DAY 2 : HEAD TO ARU VALLEY
Enroute we will visit the Darga shown in the movie Bhajrangi Bhaijaan. Aishmuqam Durgah is a very emotional place to be and visiting it is very powerful experience in a leisure trip. People from all around Kashmir comes here to pray for better health of their family.
After which, we will head to our super cozy hotel in Aru valley. You will fall in love with this place. Garaunteed. On the way, we will stop at the only kesar farm in india, the bat factory & a few shops to buy Pashmina Shawls.
Above is the flower from which kesar is taken.
DID YOU KNOW?
Kashmir is the only state in India which has its own flag.
DAY 3 : HIKE TO BAISARAN VALLEY
You can’t finish a trip with us without a hike eh ? 😀 .It’s time to head outdoors and have a great day out there.
If you have never hiked, this is your chance to do a great small hike . It would take 2 hours max to reach the valley & about same time to reach back.
We will have a simple lunch on the top & will head to our breathtaking homestay in Aru.
DAY 4 : HEAD TO GULMARG
The first 3 days were pretty relaxed but next 2 days would be, I would call , ambitious as we are covering a lot of distance through difficult terrains.
We leave Aru early morning to reach Gulmarg on time. Expect to leave from hotel by 7am both on day 4 and day 5.
Today we will take the Gulmarg Gandola ( 3747 M ) . This is one of the highest gondola rides in the world. The ride takes place in three phases.Today is the day to try your hands on skying . The view from the top area is unparalleled. The cost of gondola is not included.
• Phase 1: Gulmarg to KongdoorI.
• Phase 2: Kongdoori to Apharwat
After coming back from quite a good amount of snow and altitute exposure. Feel free to relax in some of the roadside stalls and a small cafe thats there in Gulmarg. We will have dinner at one of the best places here . You will love the ambience here.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Tibetan Calendar is followed as opposed to the regular world calendar.
DAY 5 : ROADTRIP TO DRAS
Today its a long journey of 6.5 hrs to Dras. This day is not about visiting any specific spot but more about the roads that we take. You will see the landscapes changing from green to brown as we cross Sonamarg. By evevning , we will cross the zozi la pass too.
The only stops for today would be Lunch break, Tea break beside the River and Zoji la pass . We will reach late to the hotel, so be prepared with your jackets as the sun goes down.
We will try to take an evening Chai break at river side with some great views
I have got thermos full of tea .
Have you got your favourite evening snacks ?