Incredible !ndia: JAMMU AND KASHMIR : TOP 10 ADVENTUROUS THINGS TO DO !

Jammu and Kashmir is a state in Northern India. It's peaceful, remote and unspoilt. Tourism in the Kashmir valley has rebounded in recent years, and in 2009, the state became one of the top tourist destinations of India.Gurlmag, one of the most popular ski resort destinations in India, is also home to the world's highest green golf course. However, the decrease in violence in the state has boosted the state's economy and tourism.

Top 10 things and places that attract tourists to visit this state are :

Trekking in Katra

“Head away from the crowds, breathe in the fresh mountain air and enjoy the picturesque beauty of the Jammu valley.”
Good for: Adventure Seekers God Lovers Experience Seekers Nature Lovers

price : no entry fee

visit duration : 10 to 12 hours
What could be more better than enjoying a nice walk on a crisp day on curving mountainous roads? If you are of the same opinion, then Katra wouldn't disappoint you. Trekking in Katra is a wonderful experience. The most famous trek here is the 13 km walk up to the Adi Kumari or Vaishno Devi Mandir located on the Trikuta hill. At the beginning of the trek, on lower grounds, you will find hordes of shops and restaurants selling their trinkets.

Very similar to local bazaars, you'll find plenty of interesting stuffs to carry back as souvenirs. From dry fruits, toys, purses to little dhabas and tea stalls, you will find loads of things here. Here and there you will see a sudden glimpse of a mountain peak at different turns. As you walk higher, the density of shops start getting thinner and the congestion of the roads starts easing up. The higher you go, the better will be the views of the mountain ranges.

If you make it here really early in the morning, you can see the sun rays hitting the very peaks of the mountains, turning it golden, while leaving the rest in the dark. as the sun slowly makes its way across the sky, you can see a beautiful light and shadow effect passing over the mountains.

During the spring season, many wildflowers are in bloom, which add a splash of colour to the landscape. Walking along these twisting and curving roads, taking in the simple yet appealing scenery and breathing in the cool mountain air is sure to bring a happy glow to your face. There are benches placed at regular intervals, where you can catch your breath and enjoy the surroundings.

Bird-Watching and Wildlife

“The wild and avian life in the Jammu region is very rich. Places like Ramnagar Wildlife Sanctuary and Nandini Wildlife Sanctuary offer the most unique experiences.”
Good for: Experience Seekers

For Bird-Watching and Wildlife you have to travel only 6 km from Jammu city for that insightful and spectacular view of an ecosystem in its best moment. Bring your children to the Ramnagar Wildlife Sanctuary and show them a live nilgai or a barking deer instead of mere pictures on books. Bird lovers will be excited to see so many varieties of birds in a single habitat. Mynah, Blue Rock Pigeon, Peafowl - all these varieties of birds live in harmony in the sanctuary. A bird watcher could ask for no more if you are one of them and happen to visit during March to May.

The Nandini Wildlife Sanctuary is primarily a bird sanctuary with a wide variety of avian life inhabiting the forest. It has the largest population of pheasants in the region. Apart from pheasants you can also spot Red jungle fowl, Peafowl, Blue rock pigeon, Indian mynahs, Chir pheasants etc. A variety of mammals are also found in the forests that include rhesus monkey, grey langur, bharuls and leopards.

Skiing at Khilanmarg

“Get the thrill out of whooshing through long, sweeping natural runs, beginning with wide-open slopes, and then twisting down through the evergreens”

Good for: Photo Fanatics Fun Lovers Adventure Seekers

Price: 500 per person onwards

Visit duration: 2 to 3 hours

Khilanmarg, about 600 m above Gulmarg, is the site for Gulmarg’s winter ski runs. It can be reached via the Gondola ropeway from Gulmarg. From here, you will find yourself whooshing through long, sweeping natural runs of 3 miles, beginning with wide-open slopes, then twisting and curving, whistling past the evergreens, cutting through the snow leaving a shower of snow dust in your wake. However, if the ride is not thrilling enough or too short, then you could walk further up from Khilanmarg, which will ultimately provide you with more challenging routes, with soaring, plunging runs from nearly 14,000 feet. You have a choice of other activities too like skating, snow bobbing, tobogganing or just soaking in the sunshine while enjoying the alpine scenery. If you are beginner and need a bit of a practice run before you head for the real deal, then there are nursery slopes where qualified instructors impart training in both skiing and ice skating. Be prepared, this might just be the start of your love affair with skiing! For the more professional and experienced skiers, the 2 day Snow Festival held during the first week of February, is the ideal time to visit Gulmarg. Night skiing, Snowboarding, Ice-skiing, snow-cycling competitions are held in addition to an international food festival. This goes without saying, do not forget to indulge in the best of all snow adventure activity, building a snowman.

Trekking in Gulmarg

“Head away from tourist trails to see a relatively unexplored side of Gulmarg brimming with picturesque beauty and breathtaking views.”
Good for - Adventure Seekers Photo Fanatics Nature Lovers Experience Seekers

Visit duration - 2 to 9 hours depending on the trekking route.

Against the backdrop of clear, blue skies and bright sunshine, Gulmarg provides an excellent base for trekking. There are quite a few trails that you could take. Gulmarg to Khilanmarg (5 km), Khilanmarg to Alpather Lake (8 km), Gulmarg to Leinmarg (16 km), Gulmarg to Ningle Nallah (10 km) are some of the more popular ones. Most of them will take you through meadows and forests lush with wildflowers and rare trees like the ornamental Himalayan Horse chestnut, crisscrossing through rivers and streams. As you trek through these trails, Nanga Parbat can be seen to the North from several points. The Pir Panjal range from a distance seems quite blunt and rounded, but when you come close enough to walk up its slopes, you'll find the peaks to have similar steepness as the Himalayas. If you point your feet towards the south, you'll come across the Ferozepur Nala and several charming little hamlets lying beyond. You might need a local guide or stop to ask the locals for the right directions. The route to Tosamaidan is also quite popular where you pass picturesque villages, sparkling streams, green fields filled with grazing sheep and shepherd huts, the Sunset point and the Romushi Nala.

In case you just want to explore the surroundings, there’s a 7-km walk called the Inner Ring Road that you can wander along on foot if the ponywallahs leave you alone, or an 11-km walk called the Outer Ring Road which takes you through stands of pine.

Gulmarg Gondola

“A ride on the Gulmarg Gondola - Asia's longest and highest cable car ride, is one of the experiences you should have before you die.”

Good for - Nature Lovers Photo Fanatics Adventure Seekers Experience Seekers Fun Lovers

Price - 600 per person for phase I
800 per person for phase II

Timings - All days of the week , 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Visit duration - 2 to 3 hours

Apart from being the world's 7th skiing destination, Gulmarg also boasts of having the 2nd highest cable car in the world - the Gulmarg Gondola. The Gondola is a two-phase ropeway that can carry as many as 600 people per hour (single Gondola can carry 6 people at a time). From Gulmarg resort you board the Gondola to the bowl-shaped Kongdoori valley, this constitutes Phase 1. From the Kongdoori to Apharwat peak constitutes Phase 2. It takes around 9 minutes for the Phase I ride and 12 minutes for the Phase II ride.
It is recommended that you try the phase II ride, to get the best experience, as during the phase I, though the views are fabulous, you can get similar views from any other viewpoint in Kashmir. The phase II ride will take you through some heavenly vistas, which make you realise why there are so many odes and compositions dedicated to the beauty of Kashmir. Depending on the season, you can see valleys carpeted with blooming colourful wildflowers or pristine snow. Various guides will try to con you into believing that the LOC is just a km away, once you step down on the phase II station. However, you can see the last army base camp from there.
There are some drawbacks to the whole experience, like the mismanagement at the ticket counters and the long queues during the peak tourist season. Online booking of the tickets are available. Most of the cable cars have scratched windows, which make it difficult to take good pictures. You can choose to wait for a car with unscratched windows. Though pony/horses are available to take you right up to the point where you can ride the cable cars, it can be a bit of a nuisance with the path crowded with tourists. The walk up to the Gondola is a short one, and horses are not really necessary, unless you wish to help out the locals.
If you want to avoid the crowds, you could walk up to Khilanmarg (4 km away), the alpine meadow towering above the golf course. Hike through wooded expanses of fir along the pony track, from where you’ll see Nanga Parbat.
All things said, a Gondola ride is an experience not to be missed when you are in Gulmarg. Just pray for a clear day and keep your camera ready!

Golfing in Gulmarg

“One of the favourite hobby sports of Gulmarg, try your hand at golfing in the Gulmarg Golf course - greenest, longest and highest golf course in the country.”

Good for - Experience Seekers Photo Fanatics Nature Lovers Fun Lovers

Price - 250 per person for 45minutes of game
800 per person Green fee

Timings - All days of the week

9:30 AM - 5:30 PM

Visit duration - Around 3 to 4 hours

For pro-golfers and golf lovers, teeing off at an altitude of 2,650 meters, is sure to give their golfing experience an altogether different twist. If you have ever thought of taking up golfing or giving it a try, then the Golf course at Gulmarg, the highest golf course in the world, is the place to start. At 7505 yards, it also happens to be the longest one in the country. With land slopes and inclines, the layout of this 18 hole, par 72 golf course is very striking, surrounded by towering conifers and with at least 18 different species of wildflowers (you can see them in bloom if you happen to be here between the months of June till September. Along with a dual sided driving range with more than 600 yards of target greens at either side, the golf course also has a practice field in the Clubhouse. Both the trainers and caddies are very patient and helpful. You will find charming little bridges laid across small streams for easy access. The history of golfing in Gulmarg goes years back during the British rule. Started over a century ago in 1911, by the Britishers, this Golf course has hosted a number of tournaments and championships. It is no wonder why Gulmarg is regarded as one of the Golfing Meccas in the world. The course has been recently redesigned in 2011. You can also take part in the Golf tournaments frequently held here.

Himalayan Excursion

“Explore the majestic Himalayan region from Srinagar and have the most enthralling experiences of your lifetime.”

Good for - Adventure Seekers Fun Lovers Experience Seekers

Price - 1,000 per person onwards

Timings - All days of the week , 7:00 AM - 6:30 PM

Visit duration- 5 to 6 hours

Being so close to the Himalayan Range, it would be an insult to the peaks if you do not pay a visit to them. There are a plethora of operators who organise excursions to the Himalayan hills which can be a delight to anybody. You love snow caped mountains, well that is what you get here. You want natural beauty at its best, that is what you get here. You think it is very cheap, hey you cannot get everything in one go. The excursions organised by the operators vary in their price range. There is a lot of opportunity to haggle over the prices.

The same tours are also organised by Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation (JKTDC) which can be a good option to consider. Their prices are generally fixed and vary according to the season.

Yak Safari in Leh

“For an exceedingly unique exploration of the landscape of Leh, go on a Yak Safari.”
Good for - Adventure Seekers Experience Seekers

Price - 150 - 400 per person per hour

Timings - All days of the week

9:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Visit duration - 2 to 3 hours

For a truly fun-filled exploration of Leh, Yak safari is the perfect way to go. As ancient as this cold desert, yaks were domesticated thousands of years back by the people of Leh and are to Leh what camels are to deserts, the blazing hot ones that is. Docile and gentle, yaks appear deceivingly ferocious with their remarkable horns and massive bodies.

Exploring the breathtaking landscape of Leh sitting astride these beautiful, majestic beings is a one-of-its-kind experience. A number of adventure organizing organizations in Leh arrange for yak safaris. You can also easily hire a local yak trainer and go on the ultimate safari, the Ladakh way.