I started 2022 with a week-long visit to a place that was on top of my bucket list – Kashmir. Mughal Emperor Jahangir had famously said that if there is paradise on Earth it is Kashmir. And boy did Kashmir live up to that description. Here is part 1 of my travel diary.

About Kashmir –  Kashmir is part of the union territory of Jammu & Kashmir in the northern part of India. Flanked by the mighty Himalayas, Kashmir is rich in untouched natural beauty. From lakes to mountains to pieces of history to adventure sports and glorious treks – there is something for every kind of traveller in Kashmir. While it has been popular in western media for the conflicts with Pakistan and China (in Ladakh) in that region – Kashmir is truly every tourist’s dream come true.

How to get there –

Flights – The summer capital of Kashmir, Srinagar, has an international airport that you can fly into from various airports in India as well as internationally. You can also fly into a major airport like Delhi/Bombay and get connecting flights to Srinagar.

Trains – You can take a train from all major cities in India to Srinagar.

COVID Rules & Regulations – I’m not fully aware of COVID related international rules, so I’d recommend checking them out online. For domestic travellers, if you are fully vaccinated, you need to show your vaccination certificate at the airport. If you aren’t fully vaccinated, you need to have a negative RTPCR certificate from less than 72 hours prior to travel. If you don’t have either, you’ll have to compulsorily take a test at the airport and only then you’ll be cleared to leave the airport.

While my family and I are fully vaccinated, we still chose to get our RTPCR done before travelling to ensure we didn’t put any other traveller in danger of catching the virus from us.

Places to visit – So the following 4 are the four main “tourist” hubs in Kashmir, these are well connected by road, have amazing stays, loads of amazing activites and are extremely easy to travel to –

1. Srinagar – the capital city which is most famous for the Dal Lake, is a beautiful point to begin your cultural immersion into Kashmiri culture. From beautiful Mughal gardens (designed by Empress Nur Jahan) to the centre of attraction – Dal Lake to amazing eateries and beautiful mosques.

2. Gulmarg – said to be THE most beautiful part of Kashmir. There are many adventure sport options and a skiing institute where you can get certified. The entire town is covered in a blanket of knee-high snow through winters making it the perfect winter wonderland.

3. Sonmarg – The name literally translates to ‘field of gold’. It is home to untouched lakes and peaks. The famous Hindu pilgrimage, Amarnath, can be visited from here.

4. Pahalgam – A beautiful town located on the banks of Lidder river and famous for its many valleys with gorgeous views. Pahalgam is called mini-Switzerland and for good reason.

While these are the more popular and most visited places in Kashmir, in my next post I will share other more offbeat places to visit to escape the throngs of tourists in my future posts.

Why we chose to go to Kashmir? If you read my bucket list post for India, you must know that Kashmir was on top of my wish list for travelling within India. We also chose to go to Kashmir because we wanted to experience SNOWFALL. It was all of our first time experiencing snowfall and we almost felt like kids who couldn’t get enough of the magic of snowfall. We were blessed with snowfall in every location we went to and it just felt like a dream come true. Stay tuned to read my entire travel diaries.

Best time to visit – Kashmir is THE most perfect place to visit throughout the year. In winters, it is covered in snow and is almost like a place out of a fairytale. In summers, you get to experience the bountiful pristine nature that Kashmir has to offer.

If you haven’t already been to Kashmir, it should definitely be added to your bucket list. I can’t wait to share more of my experiences in future posts. I have been writing a lot less about travel mainly because I do understand that given the circumstances travel isn’t a top priority for a lot of people. But I hope you enjoy reading this series with me.

When was the last time you travelled and what places are on your bucket list for 2022?

PS: Through my travel stories in 2022, I hope to show a different side of India. It bothers me to read inaccurate or outdated accounts of Indian travel stories by foreign bloggers on here. I understand that the West likes to portray India as the land of ‘snake charmers’ and ‘slumdog millionaires’ but those are outdated views and there is SO much more to India. I, also, want to dispel myths like India isn’t safe for women travellers – if you have been following me for a while, you would know that I do embark on a lot of solo travels across India. I do take precautions to keep myself out of unwanted situations but I do the same when I am travelling solo abroad too. Apologies for this long note!

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