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Sringar, 7 days

Suggested Itinerary
Private Tour: Select Your Own Dates

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Detailed Itinerary

Srinagar ( The city of sun), the Venice of the Himalaya, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir, offers many sights worth seeing, as well as various sports and entertainment facilities. Due to its central location, it is an ideal station for longer holidays as well. The present city was founded by King Pravarasen II around A.D. 150. The city lies to the right and left of the Jhelum and stretches eastwards up to the Dal and Nagin Lakes. Nine bridges, partly wooden even today, cross the Jhelum within the city borders. Srinagar is a unique city because of its lakes-- the Dal, Nagin and Anchar. The river Jhelum also flows through a part of the city.Ê

Day 1 Fly Delhi - Sringar
Transfer to House Boat. Day free Overnight.

Day 2: Sringar Local sightseeing; visit Mughal Gardens. Kashmir was a favorite of the Mughal emperors who visited it as often as they could. Cool and refreshing after the plain of North India where the business of governance kept them, they planted gardens with stepped terraces and flowing water courses. Cheshmashahi is the first Mughal garden you will pass after Nehru Park. Built at a height above the city, its views are as stupendous as its layout. The smallest of SrinagarÕs Mughal gardens, Cheshmashahi has only three terraces in addition to a natural spring of water enclosed in a stone pavilion. Ê The next garden along the road that encircles the Dal is the Nishat, built by Empress Nur Jahanâs brother Asaf Khan. The largest of the gardens, Nishat has several terraces, a central water course and the zabarwan hills. Ê The thirdÊ Mughal garden, the Shalimar was planted by Jehangir, the Mughal emperor whose love for Kashmir was legendary. Shaded byÊ magnificent chinar trees, the Shalimar is a series of stone pavilions and flowing water with paint box bright flower beds. Ê

HAZRATBAL MOSQUE Ê Across the Dal from Shalimar is the mosque of Hazrathbal, the only one of its kind architecturally in Kashmir. Made of white marble with a dome and a minaret, Hazratbal is the repository ofÊ a single hair of the Prophet Mohammed, exhibited to the public on certain days of the year. The mosque was built in 1619 during the reign of the great Mughal Emperor Jehangir and shelters as a relic single thread of the Prophet Mohammed which Sayed Abdullah had brought here from Medina. Ê Ê

Day 3: Sringar Full day Shikara ride around Dal Lake and Nagin Lake.

Day 4: Excursion Srinagar - Gulmarg - Srinagar. (112 K)
Gulmarg means Òmeadow of flowers.Ó. A huge cup shaped meadow, lush and green with slopes where the silence is broken only by the tinkle of cow bells, Gulmarg looks like a fantasy set in a film, and has been the venue of several films. From Gulmarg, a pony track leads upwards to Khilanmarg, Kongdori and seven springs, a couple of hours by pony,l onger on foot. From here across the Apharwat the peak which looms up from this point is Alpather Lake, a picturesque alpine lake, frozen till late June. Gulmarg also has one of the worlds highest green gulf courses, as well as a club house which is a historical building in its own right. For the would be golfer, there are golf sets for rent, pros to instruct one in the game and temporary memberships. In winter, Gulmarg acquires a new persona-- that of the countryÕs premier skiing resort.

Day 5: Sringar
Morning visit Shankracharya. Afternoon and evening free. Within Srinagar, on its highest hill is the Shankaracharya temple nearly one thousand feet above the city. It is devoted to lord Shiva. The site dates back to 2500 BC. The philosopher Shankaracharya stayed at this site when he visited Kashmir ten centuries ago to revive sanatan dharma. Before this date, the temple was known as Gopadri, as an earlier edifice on the same site was built by king Gppaditya in the 16th century. Ê

Day 6: Excursion Srinagar - Pahalgam - Srinagar (186 km)
Pahalgam means Òvalley of shepherds.Ó. At the confluence of the streams flowing from the river Lidder and Sheshnag lake, Pahalgam was once a humble shepherdsÕ village with breathtaking views. Now it is KashmirÕs premier resort, cool even during the height of summer. Around Pahalgam are many places of interest, and because the resort is set between fairly steep hills, it is worth hiring a pony rather than walking. The most beautiful of these is the huge, undulating meadow of Baisaran, surrounded by thickly wooded forests of pine. Hajan, on the way to Chandanwari is an idyllic spot for a picnic.Ê Chandanwari, 16 kms. from Pahalgam, is the starting point of the Amarnath Yatra which takes place every year in the month ofÊwawan (July-August). The destination is the Amarnath cave, believed to be abode of lord shiva. Ê Ê

The cave of Amarnath, lying at an height of 3880 mtrs. is a famous holy place of pilgrimage for the Hindus and is held in the same veneration as Mount Kailash in Tibet. The sacred Cave contains a Shiva Lingam formed of ice, the size of which increases or decreases according to the position of the moon. Usually there is a big festival in the 3rd week of August. Thousands of people from all over the country and from different parts of the world visit this Cave.

Day 7: Fly Srinagar - Delhi IC821 1320/1435. Transfer to Ashoka Country Resort for wash/change.
Late night transfer to international airport.

Price: $750 based on 2 people, $700 based on 4-6 people
Plus flights: Delhi/Sringar $125, Sringar/Delhi $125

Includes: Accommodation in Deluxe House Boat on Twin Sharing for 6 nights with B/L/D, Local sightseeing and excursions in Toyota Qualis., professional local guide during sightseeings in Srinagar, full day shikara ride., arrival and departure transfers, shared hotel room at Ashoka Country Resort near the airport. Prices subject to change

Have More Time? :

Yusmarg is a small meadow, set in the heart of the mountains in the south west of Srinagar, at a distance of 32 Kms. It can be reached via Nagam and Tsar. The road is motorable. Yusmarg is an ideal picnic spot. Nilnaga, a medium size spring with blue water and deep rooted weeds, may also be visited. From Yusmarg short treks can be made to Chitta Pathar. Smaller mountains like Twin Peaks (point of departure Chashma Shahi) and Mahadiv approximately 4000 M ( point of departure Harwan) can be climbed and descended in one day by people in good fitness. The valley is surrounded on all sides by a chain of mountains which range from 4000 M to 5000 M, Sunset peak 4745 M, Tata Kutti 4725 M and so on.

Dachigam- Ê If one drives from Harwan upwards along Dagwan rivulet, one reaches, approximately 25 km fromÊSrinagar the wild life sanctuary, Dachigam. Dachigam was already, in former days, a royal wild life sanctuary. The game preserve is divided into two parts, lower Dachigam, lying in the valley where black bears have their habitat and upper Dachigam. It can be reached by several paths. In June one can observe hanguls (Kashmi Stag), a near relation of the European red deer, and brown bear in upper Dachigam . The best time for a visit to this game preserve are the months of June and July.

All Prices Subject to Change

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