Location : North India
Major Attractions : Srinagar, Leh-Ladakh
Best time to Visit : March to October


About Jammu & Kashmir
Jammu & Kashmir is a place of immense natural beauty, lying in the northern region of India. The Himalayas sweep almost the entire state into its folds, providing numerous opportunities of leisure, fun and winter sports. The Kashmir valley with its shimmering lakes, lush gardens, drooping snow and pleasant weather, has been a favourite haunt for tourists and holiday makers, being often sobriquet as the paradise on earth.

There are umpteen reasons why tourists visit the place. The flower laden valleys, cascading waterfalls, snow covered mountain peaks, shimmering lakes and beautifully laid gardens are a few. While there are the Hindu pilgrimage sites of Amarnath and Vaishno Devi, there are also the Muslim pilgrimages such as the Hazratbal Mosque in Srinagar. The unexplored mountain trails make Kashmir a most favored option for adventure sports enthusiasts.

Tourist Attractions in Jammu & Kashmir
Srinagar
Srinagar is the capital and the most famous tourist attraction of the state. The ancient city has plenty in store that attracts thousands of tourists to this little heaven every year. The attractions like its numerous shimmering lakes and the well laid out gardens display the immense bounties that mother nature has showered upon Srinagar. Amongst the most sought after tourist attractions of the state are the Dal Lake, Shalimar Bagh, Nishat Bagh and Chashme Shahi.

Jammu
Although the name Jammu & Kashmir is often pronounced in the same breath, however, Jammu and Kashmir are very different from each other in every aspect. Jammu, the winter capital of the state, though not as famed for its natural beauty, is known for its religious sites of Mata Vaishno Devi located on a neighbouring hill, the shrine of Peer Budhan Ali Shah and the Raghunath Temple, one of the largest temples in north India.

Leh-Ladakh
Leh-Ladakh is one of the most exotic places you will find on the planet. Also known as the cold desert for its extremely arid conditions, Leh is also recognised as a popular Buddhist site. A most favored adventure sports spot in Jammu & Kashmir, some of the major attractions in Leh are the Leh Palace, Sankar Gompa, Soma Gompa, Namgyal Tsemo Gompa and Shanti Stupa.
Gulmarg
Situated at a distance of 56 km from Srinagar, Gulmarg is one of the reasons why Jammu & Kashmir is often sobriquet as the paradise on earth. A most frequented place in the state for its exciting opportunities of skiing and heliskiing, Gulmarg is also a hot-spot for honeymooners and newly weds. Winters are a time when the snow starts to shower down, covering the entire region with a blanket of snow. Other attractions of the state include the Gulmarg Golf Course, one of the highest golf courses in the world, Alpather Lake and the Biosphere Reserve.

Adventure in Jammu & Kashmir
The snow covered mountain peaks and numerous unexplored trails of Jammu & Kashmir make it a favored adventure sports destination. Snow Skiing, winter games and river rafting are some of the most sought after adventure sports activities, which have won international accredition for many of the state's destinations. Hundreds of tourists can be seen all around the state frolicking in the snow and having a good time. Gulmarg has some of the best skiing trails in the world while Pahalgam, located 90 km from Srinagar is known for its thrilling rapids offering challenges to rafters.

Climate of Jammu & Kashmir
The climate of Kashmir valley and that of the plains of Jammu is extremely different from each other. Summers in Kashmir are pleasant with temperatures hovering around 15 degrees while winters can be extremely cold when temperature can go down several degrees below freezing point. Most parts of Kashmir also receive heavy snow fall during the winter season. The plains of Jammu are relatively hotter and the temperature may sometime rise to a high of 35 degrees during peak summers. The best time to visit the state is from March to October.

Stay At
Good quality accommodation facilities are available in all the major tourist places in the state. Jammu, Srinagar, Pahalgam and Gulmarg have some of the best hotels and resorts that offer excellent accommodation and sumptuous food. The house boats at Dal Lake in Srinagar are a most favored accommodation option that should not be missed on your visit to Jammu & Kashmir.

Shopping in Jammu & Kashmir
The handicrafts items of Kashmir have gained popularity across the state and is the one thing that every tourist loves to buy on a visit to Kashmir. Woolen garments such as the pashmina shawls are also a popular buy. Other shopping options include the Kashmiri carpets, jewellery boxes, wooden furniture and exquisite mirror frames.

Getting There
By Air : There are three domestic airports in the state at Srinagar, Jammu and Leh. All these are connected to rest of the country through a number of daily flights.

By Rail : There are 7 railway stations located across the state though there are none in the upper regions. A recommended option would be to travel to Jammu by train and hire a taxi or board a bus from there.

By Road : An excellent network of roads runs through the entire state, linking it with the rest of the country. State transport buses provide regular inter state as well as intra state bus services.