experience, at first hand, the peculiar beauty of the valley that has attracted the Chinese, the Mughals and the British to it.
Its waterways with their own quaint lifestyle, the unique Houseboat, the blossoming gardens, water sports activities, shopping for lovingly handcrafted souvenirs and the nearby resorts make it a cherished spot among those looking for a memorable holiday.

romantically and even whimsically. Like hotels, houseboats also vary in degree of luxury and have been accordingly graded. A luxury houseboat, like a luxury hotel has fine furniture, good carpets and modern bathroom fittings. Like hotels too, houseboats vary widely in their locations. Some overlook the main road, others look out onto lotus gardens and yet others face tiny local markets and villages, all right in the middle of the lake! All houseboats, regardless of category, have highly personalized service. Not only there always a "houseboy" for every boat, but the owner and his family are never far away you Apart from this you also have a choice of Hotels from Tourist class to Luxury of 5*.

remarkable for being the only domed mosque in Srinagar; the others having distinct pagoda like roofs. This mosque complex is situated on the western shore of the Dal Lake opposite of Nishat Bagh and commands a grand view of the lake and the mountain beyond it.

surviving shrine consists of a circular cell. It overlooks the Valley and can be approached by a motorable road.

the reign of Maharaja Pratap Singh.

but birdsong. Manasbal has often been described as the bird watcher's paradise, and as your shikara glides through this mirror of tranquility, you will experience yet another facet of Kashmir.

perfection, and Achabal is one such masterpiece.

Jehangir who once collected 21 different varieties of flowers from here. Today Gulmarg is not merely a hill station of exceptional beauty- but also for the highest green golf course in the world, at an altitude of 2,650 m, and is the country's premier ski resort in the winter. The journey to Gulmarg is almost nearly as enchanting as reaching there-roads bordered by rigid avenues of poplar give over to flat expanses of rice fields interspersed with picturesque villages. Depending on the season, nature's colours could be the translucent green of spring, summer's rich emerald, or autumn's golden hues, when scarlet chillies festoon windows of village homes. After Tangmarg, the climb to Gulmarg begins through fir-covered hillsides. At View Point, travellers generally stop their vehicles for a few minutes and look out a glory of snow-covered mountains, almost within touching distance.

of about 3 kms. In addition, three ski lifts and one chair lift also service the resort, which are suitable for beginners and intermediate-level skiing, respectively. The skiing season in Gulmarg usually commences before Christmas (around middle of December) and continues till middle of April. In 1998 the first National Winter Games of India were held at Gulmarg, for which the facilities were enormously improved and upgraded. The resort acquired two Kasse Bohrer snow beating machines used for preparing skiing slopes, and five snowmobiles, which can be made available for going up the mountain. Good quality equipment, including skis, boots, sticks, gloves and goggles are available on hire on the spot from ski shop. There are also trained instructors available for guiding the tourists. Gulmarg is ideally suited for learning skiing, as it is probably the cheapest ski resort in the world.
Hotel at Gulmarg -Gulmarg has some excellent hill resorts with facilities of 4* Hotel. Hotel Grand Mumtaz & Hotel Highland Park are among some of them

beautiful of these is the huge, undulating meadow of Baisaran, surrounded by thickly wooded forests of pine. Hajan, on the way to Chandanwari, Filmgoers will recognize it instantly as it has been the location of several movie scenes. Apart from this Pahalgam is also associated with the annual Amarnath Yatra. Chandanwari (2,895 m), 16 kms from Pahalgam, is the starting point of the yatra that takes place every year in the month of Sawan (July to August).

Fishing - The Lidder River has excellent fishing beats for brown trout. The fishing season stretches from April to September. Permits are issued, for a maximum of three days at a first-come - first-served basis and are charged on a per day per rod basis.

Trekking - The environs of Pahalgam offer exciting trekking opportunities, the best known being: Pahalgam - Chandanwari- Sheshnag- Panchtarni- Amarnath Cave Temple- Sonamarg.

hired for the trip up to Thajiwas glacier-snow point, which is a major local attraction during the summer months.Sonamarg is the base of a major trek that passes along several mountain lakes –Vishansar, Kishansar, Gadsar, Satsar and Gangabal. Sonamarg is also the take off station for the drive to Ladakh across the Zojila, a major pass in the Great Himalayan Range, through which the Srinagar-Leh Road passes.Sonamarg is also a base for undertaking the yatra to the holy Amarnath cave, during Sawan Purnima.