Top 3 reasons to visit Kashmir --

1] Mountain ranges: The two most stunning mountain ranges - Pir Panjal and Karakoram mountain ranges are dotted with massive glaciers, incredibly thick forest covers that are often hidden in snow, splendid blue lakes and verdant meadows.

2] House boats: Kashmir is particularly famous for the rented house boats that are easily available on the tranquility of Dal Lake. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience to enjoy Kashmiri cuisine, hospitality and the local herbal tea called Kahwa while living inside a houseboat.

3] Snow sports and adventure: Gulmarg is world famous for winter skiing while golfing is done in J&K during the summer and monsoon months. J & K offers the most stunning treks including the Great Lakes Kashmir Trek, and the Sonmarg Vishansar trek. The experience of camping, hiking, paragliding, snow scooter hits different in this state.

Best time to visit

In terms of season                              Winter: Oct-Feb

Summer: Mar-June

In terms of preference                       Winter treks/snow: Nov-Feb

Road trips: May-June

Honeymoon/family vacation: Mar-May

Nature/adventure: Round the year  

Holiday rush                                       Summer rush: Mar-June

Winter rush: December-January

How to reach?

Srinagar  -- Blankets of colourful flower beds, riverside fronts facing the Himalayan glaciers on Jhelum river, vendors selling flowers and vegetables on Dal Lake, Pashmina shawls and Shikara houseboats - Srinagar is feisty, cold and grand - all at once. The largest city in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar is called the summer capital for its lush green grasslands, rich flower beds and handicraft. It is rightly called The Venice of the East.

Perfect for: Family vacation and honeymoon.

Gulmarg  --A meadow of flowers - that’s what Gulmarg means in Urdu. Gulmarg turns into a white paradise in winter and becomes one of the world’s best skiing spots. Named as Asia’s 7th best ski destination and the “heartland of winter sports in India”, Gulmarg dons the beauty of a Mughal queen. Colourful with its flower beds, pristine for its golfing courts and picturesque pasturelands, Gulmarg has a rich history of Mughal rule and Kashmiri pandits cohabiting the town.

Perfect for: Family vacation, honeymoon, winter sports, adventure tourism

Sonmarg -- What once was the gateway to the ancient Silk Route that connected the valley of Jammy and Kashmir with Tibet, Sonmarg today stands as a historical testimony to an era. This stunning hill station sits at the foothills of some of the highest Himalayan peaks including Machoi Glacier, Sirbal Peak, Kolahoi Peak, Amarnath Peak and Machoi Peak. Be it the alpine meadows that bloom in the summer or the lakes and rivers that fill up with aquatic life every year, Sonmarg, meaning meadow of gold, bears the proverbial charm of a paradise.

Perfect for: Family vacation, honeymoon, winter sports, adventure tourism

Pahalgam -- On the banks of the pristine Lidder River lies Pahalgam - a quaint little town blessed by a pleasant sunlight. Pahalgam wakes up in the cold winds of Kashmir when shepherds bring their flocks to pasture in the vast grasslands. Pahalgam is also known as the ‘valley of the shepherds’ because of a vast majority of shepherds' community adding several cultural flavours to the region.

Perfect for: Family vacation, honeymoon, winter sports, adventure tourism

Jammu -- Jammu has an old-world charm, a huge city located on the banks of Tawi river and at the foothills of the lower Himalayas. Named after its founder Raja Jambulochan, Jammu is home to some of the most ornate Hindu temples and Mughal palaces. The magnificent Jammu valley is surrounded by the Shivalik range to the north and the Trikuta range in the northwest.

Perfect for: Family vacation

Patnitop -- A famous skiing destination during winter and a beautiful hill top during summer, Patnitop is right above the mesmerising river Chenab. With the opening of the Dr Shyama Prasad Mookerji Tunnel, driving to Patnitop from Pahalgam is an enjoyable drive with the picturesque landscape and the stunning mountains of the Shivalik range.

Perfect for: Family vacation, winter sports, adventure tourism

Kupwara -- A beautiful quaint little town in the district of Jammu, Kupwara has a charming personality with its Mughal structures, surrounding mountains and grasslands. With a population of just 21,000 people, Kupwara is a respite from the hustle and bustle of life, offering a relaxing family vacation.

Perfect for: Family vacation, honeymoon, solo travelling

Kargil  --Kargil is historic, picturesque and patriotic. The famous Kargil war that helped recapture this region from the Pakistani troops attracts people to witness the military victory and war memorials. Kargil city is the joint capital of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Leh-Ladakh. Beautiful landscapes, stunning monasteries, military borders and white desert - Kargil has charms no other place has.

Perfect for: Adventure tourism, solo travelling, mountaineering

Kishtwar -- Nestled in the lap of Chowgan valley, Kishtwar is crowned with Naginshiru peak and is cradled in the banks of river Chenab in Jammu province. Kishtwar was once home to Saint Kishat and is rightly called the Land of Kishat Rishi, Sapphire and Saffron due to the presence of a sapphire mine and saffron cultivation. These two make it special alongwith the abundance of cultural heritage.

Perfect for: Family vacation, solo travelling

Yusmarg --Imagine a secluded hill station that opens its eyes at 5 am every morning and sleeps early at 9 pm. Lentic water bodies surrounded by green pastures of thick alpines and chinars on both sides, breathtaking mountains, misty hills - that’s Yusmarg in one line. Nature has especially blessed Yusmarg with an ethereal beauty that’s rare to find. With its rich fauna including wolves, bears, apes, wild cats, and aquatic life, Yusmarg is a nature lover’s delight.

Perfect for: Family vacation, nature tourism

Vaishnodevi  --One of the world’s greatest pilgrimages of all time, Vaishno Devi holds prominence in Hindu religion for pilgrims. Laks of pilgrims flock to the Vaishno Devi temple throughout the year for its spiritual significance and stunning location along with a difficult hike.

Legend behind Vaishnodevi  -- Vaishno Devi is considered as the manifestation of the Hindu mother goddess Devi formed from the combined energies of Parvati, Lakshmi and Saraswati goddesses. Vaishnodevi temple is thus regarded as the ultimate destination for pilgrims and is located in Katra district of Jammu and Kashmir valley. Legend has it that a famous tantrik Bhairon Nath laid eyes on the young Vaishno Devi at an agricultural fair and fell in love with her. She fled to Trikuta hills to escape him and later assumed the form of Mahakali and cutt off the tantric’s head with her sword in a cave.

Perfect for: Pilgrimage, family vacation

Aru Valley -- Breathtaking valleys, deep gorges, stunning hills and flocks of sheep - Aru valley looks like a dream. Located at the Anantnag District of Jammu and Kashmir, Aru is only 11 km away from Pahalgam and is a base camp for trekking to Kolahoi glacier and Tarsar lake. Sleepily nestled on the banks of Aru river, a tributary to Lidder river, Aru village is everything we have seen in movies. Aru Valley itself is a tourist spot that becomes prominent as a skiing spot during winter months. At other times, it serves as a base camp for trekking.

Perfect for: Honeymoon, adventure tourism

Sanasar -- Two sleepy villages  - Sana and Sar - tucked away in the thick forest covers of Jammu together form the beautiful soul of Sanasar. Only 20 km away from Patnitop in Ramban district, Sanasar is rich in mountainous landscapes, deep gorges and valleys. Being at an altitude of 2,050 meters, Sanasar is also a hub of adventure and sports activities in Jammu region.

Perfect for: Adventure and nature tourism, solo travelling

Shalimar Garden -- Marble pavements whose shadows fall on the water bodies, systematically planted trees on all the sides, water fountains and beautiful flowers spread across the campus, Shalimar Bagh is a Mughal garden in Srinagar. Also known as Farah Baksh and Faiz Baksh, the garden was built by Mughal emperor Jahangir for his wife Nur Jahan in 1619. It is also known as the Crown of Srinagar because of its beautiful artwork. Shalimar Bagh is spread across 31 acres of land with three terraces and several species of plants and flowers.

Perfect for: Family and friends