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Kashmir Package-Srinagar-Gulmarg-Pahalgam

Market Price

Rs.29,875

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20%

Destination

Destinations:

Kashmir

Rs.25,095

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Overview

Package Name: Discover Kashmir

Package: Srinagar (02 Nights), Gulmarg (01 Night) & Pahalgam (01 Night)

Duration: 04 Nights/05 Days

Starting from: Srinagar

Validity: Till 30th September 2013

Itinerary:

Day 1: Srinagar arrival

Our services will start with your arrival at Srinagar airport. You will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel/houseboat. Srinagar, pride of the beautiful valley of Kashmir famous for its lakes dotted with Shikaras and the Mughal Gardens. Day at leisure and Shikara ride to Nehru Park in the evening. Dinner & overnight in the Houseboat/Hotel.

Day 2: Srinagar Local sight-seeing

After breakfast leave for local sightseeing tour to famous Nishat Garden known as 'Garden of pleasure' built in 16th century (1633) by Mughal Emperor Asif Khan. Then visiting Shalimar Garden known as 'Garden of love' built in 16th century (1619) by Mughal Emperor Jahangir for his beloved wife Noor Jehan or (Mehr-un-Nissa) also visit Chashme Shahi Later visit to famous Pari Mahal, Shankaracharya temple situated on top of a hill where you can have a view of whole Srinagar City. Later you can visit the world famous Tulip garden in Srinagar. Enjoy shopping at Kashmiri craft & art stores. Dinner & overnight at Srinagar.

Day 3: Srinagar – Gulmarg (56 km / 2 hrs)

This morning you will be transferred to Gulmarg, Meadow of Flowers. Situated at an altitude of 2730 meters, full day at leisure to take the leisurely walks on the lush green meadows of flowers with a backdrop of the snow capped mountains. Enjoy pony ride or Gondola ride (rope way) to Khillanmarg (at your own cost). Dinner & overnight in the Gulmarg.

Day 4: Gulmarg – Pahalgam (140 km / 4½ hrs)

Today you will be transferred by road to Pahalgam. Valley of Shepherds. Enroute you will have an rare opportunity to visit the Saffron fields. Also visit Avantipura Ruins & Anantnag Sulpher Springs enroute. Arrive at Pahalgam and proceed to your hotel, Dinner & overnight at the Pahalgam. (Chandanwari sightseeing will be not included)

Day 5: Pahalgam – Srinagar airport (100 km / 3 hrs)

After breakfast, transfer to Srinagar airport for your onward flight back home.

Kashmir, known as the “Switzerland of the East”, is famous for its wealth of breathtaking scenic beauty. Its snow-capped mountains, rivers and fresh water lakes offer adventure tourists ample opportunities for trekking, white water rafting, skiing and mountaineering.

Kashmir has been the subject of rival claims by Pakistan and India, both of which are nuclear powers, and this problem has made the state a hot bed of hostility for the past six decades.This state attracted over a million tourists in the year 1988. With resurgence of violence in the state, the numbers of tourists has dwindled considerably over the last two decades. The insurgency in Indian-administrated Kashmir since 1988 has taken a toll of 47,000 lives as per the official count; although human rights groups peg the figure at 70000.

A peace process was started in 2004 in an attempt to settle the question of ownership over Kashmir, which has been hotly contested ever since the 1940s. This peace process was a slow moving one but gave some hope to the tourism sector as the number of tourists visiting the state started picked up since its initiation.

The numbers moved up to 500,000 in the year 2008 and declined steeply as violent anti India protests flared in 2009 and 2010. Nearly 110 people died in 2010 and most of the fatalities occurred during an attempt to quell violent mobs of protestors by the security forces.

The travel advisories of most foreign countries later advised their citizens to avoid travel to Indian administered Kashmir, in light of the instability and insurgency in the state.However, according to a speech given by Mr N Vohra, Governor of Indian Administered Kashmir, the tourism sector has started showing remarkable resurgence with the return of peace and normalcy in the Kashmir Valley. This year’s tally of 700000 visitors also included 21000 foreign nationals.

Germany was the first country to change the caution notice to its citizens against travelling to Kashmir early this July. They also went on to state that “foreigners were not a target for militants in Indian-held Kashmir”. The Chief Minister of the state, Omar Abdullah, urged other countries to change their travel advisories. He stated, “The number of visitors to the valley this summer should serve as a loud message for change of travel advisories issued by various countries regarding Jammu and Kashmir.”

Omar Abdullah urged travel operators to market Kashmir as an adventure tourism destination. The change has been a very stark one, as a travel agency owner, Mr. Tanveer Ahmed, expressed his opinion that the year had been fantastic in terms of business. The situation is expected to grow positively in the coming months, thanks to improvements in the political scene as well.

Good tourist rush has also given people associated with tourism trade a big reason to smile. “It has started picking up. We hope tourism arrivals will further pick up as summer vacations are just round the corner in schools of different states,” said Adil Khan, general secretary, Kashmir Hotels and Restaurants Association.

This year the Jammu and Kashmir government is expecting record number of tourists given the available trends.“We can easily surpass last year’s figures of 13.11 lakh tourists this year if the situation remains peaceful in the valley through the summer,” said an official.