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Kashmir travel guide

Our Kashmir travel guide massages spiritual knots on a magical journey that will lead you from houseboats and guesthouses to high-alpine passes and hanging glacial peaks. Kashmir is like stepping into an ancient Islamic setting where trekkers, pilgrims and yogis intermingle whilst smiling traders convince you that their wares, food and handicrafts are some of the best in the whole of the Himalayas. Visit with an open mind, plenty of layers and a certain sense of peace and serenity.

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KASHMIR TRAVEL GUIDE

Backpackers, journeyers and high-end tourists have been coming to Kashmir and Jammu, for nigh on 500 years with everyone from Mughal emperors to Mahatma Gandhi and Paul McCartney sampling the special brand of Sufi Islamic hospitality that goes hand in hand with the faraway peaks of the Himalayas. There's an intrinsically magical feel as the Vale of Kashmir bathes in the golden light of the setting sun. The canals and lakes in and around the old town of Srinagar offering a timeless glance at another world, where shakaras float effortlessly by and the call to prayer blends with the sing song of Hindi film scores.

Oh let the sun beat down upon my face, stars to fill my dream; to sit with elders of the gentle race, this world has seldom seen.

- Page & Plant, '73

Local guesthouses invite a chance to get to know charming hosts who revel in the role of Kashmir travel guide, only too pleased to show you their homeland where trekkers can find Nirvana and shoppers succumb to some of the finest wares this side of the Silk Route.

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Kashmir is...

like a mystical Islamic land that time forgot.

Kashmir isn't...

just rammed-jammed with tie-dyed hippies.

Things to do in Kashmir...

Enter Kashmir and you’re in the realm of the Himalaya where the hanging Kolahoi Glacier feeds the Tarsar and Marsar lakes and Lidder River, whilst cedar and pine trees cling to valley slopes leading to snow-clad mountain views from luscious alpine meadows. This is the epitome of trekking country with the foothills surrounding Sonamarg and the trail from Aru village to the town of Leh, via the breathtaking Sonomus Pass (3,950m), definitely worth adding to the walking wish list. Don’t think that staying overnight on a houseboat is purely the reserve of southern India. Thanks to the recreational foresight of the Mughal Empire, the waterways and lakes to be found in and around Srinagar also make for most impressive moorings with floating markets, Persian pools and palace fountains all adding to the peace and tranquil ambience away from the city streets. Visit the Hindu temples, Muslim shrines and Buddhist gompas that can be found throughout Jammu and Kashmir and you’ll soon discover the influences that have led this north Indian state to become such an intriguing hodge-podge of religious acceptance. As if there weren’t enough deities to choose from, Mughal rulers also considered themselves one step away from Khuda (God) and as such created palatial versions of Heaven on Earth which make for equally fascinating spiritual sojourns.

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Things not to do in Kashmir...

Stay in one place. Although life on the borders with Pakistan is probably never going to be all peace and love there’s still much to be said for travelling to Kashmir from Delhi or making the epic journey from Mumbai. Once you’ve arrived you’ll find numerous other travel options with the regions of Jammu, Kashmir Valley and the former Silk Road capital of Ladakh all offering an intrinsically different perspective of life in the Himalayas, as well as access to the legendary landscapes of Tibet.

Forget the past. You may never have heard of the Magic Bus that blazed a near permanent plume of smoke from Europe to India or the Silk Road caravans that transported silks, spices and ceramics in the other direction; however, no trip to Kashmir is complete without delving into the travel stories of the past. From Genghis Khan and Alexander the Great to The Beatles and the Dalai Lama; discovering the history of Kashmir provides a beguiling back-story to accompany an eclectic two week tour.

Ignore government warnings. Due to disputed territories with Pakistan and China, Kashmir, especially close to the borders and within tourist areas, such as Srinagar, Phalgam, Gulmarg and Sonamarg, should be approached with caution and ignoring government warnings is not something that we’d advise our responsible travellers. Although disputes are historic they’re also all too recent so for the foreseeable future check with your country’s foreign office before travelling to Kashmir – your holiday company will also have up to date information.

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Written by Chris Owen

Kashmir travel guide