Incredible India : A journey across Realms .
Jammu & Kashmir, is a piece of heaven on earth, a valley as rich with history and political controversy as it is with culture and natural beauty. J&K consists of three main regions – Jammu, the Kashmir Valley, and Ladakh. Between the three, all of which are situated within the Karakoram Range and the Pir Panjal, the foothills of the Himalayan mountains, this state offers views of magnificent verdant mountains and valleys, religious shrines, and remote highlands. The people here are warm and hospitable, and they will easily welcome you into their land, homes, and hearts.
Kashmir is the alpine region of India, and the ideal place to begin enjoying this piece of bliss is Lake Dal. A stunning spot by global standards. Our trip kicked off with a delectable feast fit for a Maharani as we were treated to a classic homestyle Kashmiri lunch on a local houseboat. Although I’m quite familiar with the Indian cuisine I have to say that the Kashmiri counterpart is a level of its own
To the eastern side of Lake Dal lies Nishat Bagh Garden one of the many beautiful, terraced gardens built by Nur Jehan wife of Jahangir. I don’t think I can speak enough about the beauty of the place. As my travel dates fell on Eid Alfitr, the end of Ramdhan and a National holiday I found myself gravitating to people watching. The scenes there were very compelling. The streets across the lake were brimming with activity with people crowding outlets. Vendors trying to sell their goods, kids dragging their parents, some begging, others insisting for an Eid Treat. Ballons hovering above our heads. Little girls dressed up in their Zari embellished Pheran, the quintessential garments of Kashmir which exude sophistication and grace, reserved for these special occasions. Around me were the little hands of girls exquisitely adorned with henna art. In the middle of all this chaos, I found my calm and started to take photos. Kashmiris are generally very reserved people so I would always ask for permission before taking their photos. Not many agreed so I decided to just enjoy the ambiance.
We started our second day with a visit to Mughal Garden Shalimar and this was to the north of Lake Dal. The Mughals there are incredibly skilled at choosing locations for their gardens, giving breathtaking views from every angle. We spent time taking photos under the beautiful arches of Dewan Alkhaas or what translates to the private quarters of Noor Jehan.
From there we continued our trip to Baramulla Tangmarg where we were to spend the day in GulMarq or the valley of Roses. We had an early lunch as the queues were really long at the Gondola, but we made it back in time and we were taken to the peak. The location was bursting with people enjoying every angle of the picturesque scenes around. Although it was spring, the landscape was still completely coated in beautiful pristine snow, actually a fresh coat. Truly breathtaking. We decided to rent out snowmobiles and under the watchful eyes of the guides we rode around the area, taking lots of photos along the way. I must give credit to the guys who were excellent mobilegraphers, in fact I got my best shots with them
At some point along the way, we decided that we were going to trek downhill, and no-one questioned why?! We had the wrong gear, the wrong shoes, the wrong clothes, but we were not to be stopped because the views were truly spectacular. I have never laughed so hard in my life! I lost count for of the number of falls and bumps I took along the way. My trainers were covered in slush and my once grey jeans were not grey ANYMORE! All said and done, I would do it all over again in the blink of an eye. There was not a single “bad view” along the entire trek. The locals would stop and offer to help us or offer to take our photos. (although our guide was desperate to get us to the bottom before nightfall). In the end, we made it in time. We reached our cars close to the closing time (yes it closes at sunset). Tired but exhilarated Time to head home. But as everyone else also had to leave the mountain at the same time. what normally took 20 minutes took around three hours to exit the mountain. Again, the unexpected twist of events only adds to the excitement. We finally made it home to find our homecooked dinner patiently awaiting us.
The next day took us on a drive past the glorious yellow mustard fields to Anantang. We made a quick stop at a spice shop where were given a masterclass on identifying Saffron. And yes, of course, we bought nuts and Saffron and Kashmiri coffee! Pahalgam is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places in Kashmir.
Dubbed as mini-Switzerland, the region is truly a plethora of beauty. Breathtaking views of meadows, thickly wooded pine forests for as far as the eye can see, snow clad mountains engulfing the meadows, waterfalls, and rivers. And as it was already spring the lush meadows were already carpeted with vibrant flowers. Every corner exudes a magical charm
We rode horses which took us across these beautiful scenes, leaving us not wanting the ride to end. Lunch was a stunning picnic spot near a river. The food, exceptional as always and the views of the stunning landscapes just left everyone of us in awe. We enjoyed every single minute.
Nature has endowed Kashmir with implausible beauty hence its rightly called Paradise on Earth. We left it with a heavy heart but with a promise to come back to it.
We were supposed to embark on 7-hour road trip from Srinigar to Leh with an overnight stop in Kargil. However, an avalanche in Kargil changed that plan and we found ourselves on a flight back to Delhi and onwards to Leh capital city of the Himalayan land of Ladakh. Well, there is always a silver lining and en route we saw the majesty of the mightiest mountain range in the world the glorious Himalayas. Craggy peaks as far as the eye can see, crevasses and ravines, massive glaciers, rivers, and lakes. The mountains transform from white to black until they disappear behind the Ladakh range. Just remarkable.
For most tourists Ladakh is the greatest attraction. Its ethnolinguistically Tibetan and people are predominantly Buddhist; their timeless monasteries are set between arid canyons and soaring peaks, while emerald-green villages nestle photogenically in highland deserts. We were picked up from the airport and were advised to spend the first day in the hotel to acclimatise with the high altitude. Ladakh is set on a high plateau over 3000m so give your body time to adjust
Our hotel location was beautiful. with views of the Himalayas from every angle we really didn’t need to do much except sit in our rooms and be dazed by the views. The bird life was so beautiful, so here I was doing bird photography for the day.
Our days in Ladakh were spent visiting their beautiful pagodas and monasteries. We spent a good deal of time meeting Monks and getting an insight about their religion and lifestyle. We drove along the painfully turquoise blue Indus River. We visited Lamayuryu Monastery one of the oldest and the most beautiful Thiksey Monastery which was one of my favourites. My favourite spot was the Sangam confluence in Nimmu. Here, the Indus (Sindhu) River and the Zanskar rivers meet offering a heavenly view. Indus is the lifeline which irrigates the dry land of the valley.
Our last day was dedicated for a day trip to visit the famed Pangong Tso Lake. This lake is the epicentre of many Bollywood movies.. The drive to the lake takes you to an elevation of 5300m Changla Plateau above Sea level and then down back to 4350m the world’s highest saltwater lake. The drive there is not for the fainthearted, it involved driving on gravel for four straight hours and the altitude sickness gets the better of you. However, we kept pushing on and we were rewarded with views that were spectacular and picturesque. Some might argue that this lake is not one of the most scenic in the world,. I would not degree with that . Keep in mind this is raw untouched beauty. We took photos and then had a quick, very light lunch as none of us were hungry at all. We then started the trip back home. As the light changes, so do the colours and hues of the mountains. I don’t know if people ever tire of seeing this view day in day out,. I know I wouldn’t.
Our trip came to an end, and I couldn’t have asked for better company to spend it with.
India you never cease to amaze. You are incredible indeed!!!!!!
TRAVEL TIPS:
Visa requirements :.
As a Bahraini passport holder I need to apply for a visa . The application can filled in online but you need to book an appointment and go for physical interview .Travelling to Kashmir is via Delhi . There are many security checkpoints in the airport so make sure you are at least three hours ahead of the scheduled time. Upon landing in Kashmir you have to fill out landing forms even though it’s a domestic flight and the same form is filled out when departing. Same for Ladakh.
After luggage collection you can get money exchange at the forex bureaus .
Keep in mind that added on data is not available in Kashmir neither are local Sims .
mobile service is not available for Non Resident . You can only use the hotel Wifi which is not always reliable . Same goes for Ladakh.
Avoid eating any uncooked veggies or fruits .Eat veggies or fruits that can be peeled for the first couple of days at least to adjust. Do Not eat street food .only drink bottled water
Pile up the sunscreen and keep it in your backpack at all times . Keep a first aid kit but meds are readily available depending on where you are the more remote you are the less likely you will have access to pharmacies (nausea, anti diarrhoea ,paracetamol ,lip protection from the cold ) .Ladakh is a high altitude plateau so if you are susceptible to altitude sickness bring with diamox. We didn’t need to use any tbh.
A power bank is a must .
Cameras and lenses :
-Travel with a minimum of two camera bodies. Easier than switching lenses. Fujifilm xt4/nikon z7ii
-bring as many camera batteries as possible.
-wide angle lens 14-24mm ( I like to use it in landscapes /portraits).for close ups I used 50mm,a midrange zoom nikkor 24-120mm . A long range zoom 100400mm or more for wildlife.
Clothing :
-I would say a good quality down jackets /lots of thermals/hiking boots/hats /gloves/scarves/jeans/heavy joggers
Trainers and sandles with support. do not bring flats .
Sunglasses//sunscreen/ shampoo/lotion/soap/hats/ a full medical kit (paracetamol,vita c , anti nausea, anti diarrhea , hand sanitiser )
Tour operator: Joyntrips .
Mesaad : +965-62227563
instagram : @joyntrips @mejroxy
Tour leader :Eiman Boarki
Instagram : @emytravels