For centuries the beauty of the
Valley of
Kashmir has charmed its visitors.
Jehangir, the famous Mughal emperor, described Kashmir as
the Paradise on Earth. Bernier, the first European to
visit Kashmir, writing in 1665 said: “In truth, the
kingdom surpasses in beauty all that my warmest imagination had anticipated”.
The saucer shaped
valley of
Kashmir lies in the very heart of the
Himalayas with a length of 84 miles, breadth of 20-25
miles and an average mean height of 5,600 feet above sea level. The valley has a lot to offer to both the
pleasure seeking tourist and the adventure seeking tourist. First among the places of interest to be
described must be Srinagar, the city
of the Sun and the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir. National Highway (NH1)
connects Srinagar to
Jammu via the famous Banihal Tunnel.
The picturesque drive from Jammu to
Srinagar zig zags through the
mountains and is lined with pine and fur trees.
Srinagar airport has direct flights
from Delhi and Mumbai and all major
airlines have daily flights to
Srinagar. Located in the heart of
Kashmir
Valley, at an altitude of 1,700
meters, Srinagar is famous for its
Lakes and Mughal
Gardens. The Dal and the
Nigeen
Lake enhance its picturesque setting
while the salubrious climate makes the city an attractive all season
destination. Located on the shores of the
Dal
Lake, the Royal Springs Golf Course
provides picturesque settings for a game of golf. Designed by Robert Trnt Jones
the course was voted as the best golf course in
India.
At an hours drive from
Srinagar
Airport, lies the mesmerizing meadow
of flowers- Gulmarg. A popular tourist destination for decades, Gulmarg boasts
of the world’s highest 18 hole Golf Course and is famous for winter sports.
According to Sylvain Saudan, world’s best known adventure skier and an honorary
citizen of Kashmir, Kashmir offers
a skiing area as wide as the Northern and Southern Alps
brought together. Ninety kilometers from
Srinagar, is Pahalgam or the
Valley of
Shepherds. The main charm of Pahalgam lies in its
natural scenery and the views of the mountains. Pahalgam serves as the main
camping ground for various treks. Other than the above mentioned popular tourist
spots, Kashmir also has many other beautiful places such
as Yousmarg, Sonmarg, Lolab
Valley, Achbal etc. |