So, you are planning to visit the beautiful valley of Kashmir, the "Paradise
on Earth". If you want to make your trip to Kashmir really memorable as well
as hassle free, make sure to read some travel tips beforehand. Kashmir travel tips
will provide you with all the relevant information that will go a long way in ensuring
that your stay is comfortable as well as enjoyable. In this section, we are providing
you with the following travel information related to the Kashmir valley.
Location
The valley of Kashmir occupies the topmost position in the map of India. Kashmir,
along with the region of Jammu, Ladakh and Gilgit forms the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
From the numerous valleys situated in the state, Kashmir Valley is the biggest one,
spread over an area of 105 sq km. Located approximately 1730 m above the sea level;
it has Tibet in its east and Pakistan China and CIS in its west. The south of Kashmir
is bordered by Punjab, while on the southwest is Himachal Pradesh.
Jammu and Kashmir location is between 32.17" and 36.58" North altitude
and East to West, the State lies between 73.26" and 80.30" longitude.
In case of latitude, Jammu and Kashmir matches up with South Carolina (North America),
Fez (Morracco), Damascus, Baghdad and Peshawar (Pakistan). The standard time in
Kashmir is 5.30 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and has a difference of
half an hour with the local time.
The geographical location of Kashmir is such that it is surrounded by a number of
foreign countries. This makes the Kashmir valley very important from strategic angle.
As far as the geography of Kashmir is concerned, the valley has River Jhelum flowing
through it, along with its tributaries.
Accommodation in Kashmir
Kashmir is one of the most preferred tourist destinations in India. Every year,
the Kashmir valley sees a large influx of tourists, domestic as well as foreign.
As Kashmir has been a popular destination on the tourist map of India for a long
time, finding accommodations is no big problem at any popular destination. You will
get all types of accommodation facilities almost at every location. A number of
hotels as well as houseboats count amongst the main places to stay in Kashmir. Other
than that, there are also a number of guesthouses in the valley that provide cheap
accommodation. Have look on our Hotels in Kashmir Page. What to Wear in Kashmir
The answer of "what to wear while traveling in Kashmir" depends upon the
season in which you are visiting the valley. If you are visiting the Kashmir valley
in summers, then it is better to wear cotton clothes. Although, like other places
in India, Kashmir is not very hot in summers, still, the weather is a little bit
warm. For spring season and autumn season, light woolens are the perfect clothes
to wear in Kashmir. This is because in spring as well as autumn, cool breeze blows
in the valley. The winters in Kashmir are cold and chilly. So, in this season heavy
woolens are the answer to the question of "how to dress up" in Kashmir,
India. Kashmir Facts
The beautiful Kashmir valley looks like a paradise on earth. The valley is so beautiful
that you will fall in love with it at the first sight itself. Infact, the charm
and magnificence of Kashmir are beyond the scope of mere words. In the following
lines, we have provided some quick information on Kashmir, India. Read on to know
fast facts about Kashmir.
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Area:
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105 sq km
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Altitude:
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1,730 m
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Climate:
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Summers - 29.5 deg C to 10.6 deg C
Winters - 7.3 deg C to1.9 deg C
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Rainfall:
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52.9 cm
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Population:
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930,136 (2001 Census)
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Best Time to Visit:
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March to October
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Airports:
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Srinagar, Jammu and Leh
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Clothing:
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Spring and autumn - Light woolens
Summer - Cotton
Winter - Heavy woolens
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Languages:
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Kashmiri, Urdu, Hindi and English
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Religions:
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Islam and Hinduism
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Currency:
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Rupees
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Major Festivals:
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Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Zoha, Lohri, Baisakhi and Navratri
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Major Fairs:
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Jhiri Mela, Bahu Mela, Mansar Food and Craft Mela, Pumandal Mela and Chaitre Chaudash
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Tourist Attractions:
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Dal Lake, Nagin Lake, Houseboats, Mughal Gardens, Dachigam, Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Pahalgam,
Patnitop, Charar-I-Sharif, Shankracharya, Hazratbal, etc.
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Electricity in Kashmir
The electric current in Kashmir is in the range of 240 Volts, at 50 cycles per second.
In case you are getting electrical equipment that does not work at 240 Volts at
50 Hertz, then, do carry a voltage converter with you. As per the power and voltage
in India, you may use the following three types of Voltage converters:
* Resistor-network converters (for approximately 50 -1600 Watts support)
* Transformers (for around 50 - 100 Watts support)
* Combination converters (resistor network and transformer in the same package)
Another thing worth mentioning regarding electricity in Kashmir is the type of plug
outlets. Outlets in Kashmir generally accept the two-round pins plug and three round
pins lug, arranged in a triangle. In case of any other plug shape, you will need
a plug adapter. How to Reach Kashmir
In the following paragraphs, we have provided information about the various modes
of traveling/reaching to Kashmir valley of India. Traveling to Kashmir is quite
easy and accessible as the valley is well connected to other parts of India with
a well-developed network of roads, air and rail. Read further to know "How
to reach Kashmir":
By Air
Srinagar airport is approximately 14 km from the city. There are daily flights to
Srinagar, operated by Indian Airlines (from Delhi, Mumbai and Jammu) and Jet Airways
(from Delhi and Jammu).
By Rail
Jammu Tawi, approximately 305 km far, is the nearest railhead for Srinagar. Trains
from Delhi, Calcutta, Pune, Mumbai and other cities arrive at this station only.
During holiday season, when there is a heavy rush for Kashmir, additional trains
operate for and from this station.
By Road
National Highway 1-A is the main highway connecting Srinagar with Jammu. J&K
State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) as well as a number of private Super deluxe,
A-class and B-class busses operate to and from the state. Private taxis are also
available for traveling to Kashmir. Languages of Kashmir
The most dominant of all Kashmir languages is the native Kashmiri language. Other
common languages of Kashmir valley are Urdu, Hindi and English. The following lines
provide more information about the major languages spoken in Kashmir: Kashmiri Majority
of the population in Kashmir speaks.
Kashmiri
Kashmiri is an Indo-Aryan language and is popularly known as Koshur.
Hindi
The second most spoken language of Kashmir is Hindi. It is mainly spoken by the
Kashmiri Pandits and the Gujjar population of Kashmir.
Urdu
The Muslim population in Kashmir speaks Urdu language. An Indo-European language,
it sounds very much similar to Hindi. Also, Urdu is the only language that is written
and read from right to left.
English
You will easily find locals conversing in English in Kashmir, especially the businessmen,
guides, etc. Weather
Kashmir weather is quite erratic. However, the climate of Kashmir can be divided
into four seasons, namely spring, summer, autumn and winter. Read on to further
explore the weather and climate of Kashmir, India:
Spring
The spring season starts in March and lasts up to early May. The average temperature
during spring season ranges from 23° C to 6° C. Brief showers, light winds and
blossoming flowers characterize this season. Along with that, the whole of Kashmir
stands blanketed in the hues of green.
Summer
Starting from April, the summer season extends up to the end of March. The climatic
conditions of Kashmir in summers are not quite hot. In Srinagar, you may even require
to put on light woolens in summers. The average temperature in the daytime falls
in the range of 25° C to 35° C. Kashmir is the most sought after hill station
during summers.
Autumn
With the onset of September, comes the time for the autumn season. The whole region
gets covered in the hues of first gold, then russet and then red. The average temperature
during autumn hovers around 23° C (max) to 10° C (min). The season lasts till
late November, by which time the need for heavy woolens starts mounting.
Winter
Stretching from December to early March is the winter season in Kashmir. Covered
with snow throughout, Kashmir looks like a picture straight out of a fairytale.
Where to Eat
As Kashmir valley is a popular destination on the tourist map of India there are
various types of eating outs and restaurants in all the tourist destinations. There
are numerous restaurants in the valley ranging from garden cafes to the ones serving
Chinese cuisine. They are mainly located on the Boulevard, Shervani (Residency)
Road, Lambert Lane and Lal Chowk. Also, almost all the major hotels in Kashmir have
restaurants that serve cuisines ranging from Indian to Continental to Kashmiri.
In the following lines, we solve the problem of "where to eat in Kashmir".
Read on to know about restaurants and eateries in Srinagar city of Kashmir.
Chinese Cuisine
* J&KTDC Nun-Kun Restaurant (near Nehru Park) * Alka Salka (Shervani Road)
* Lhasa (Boulevard)
Kashmiri Cuisine
* Mughal Durbar (Shervani Road)
* Ahdoos (Shervani Road)
* Ruby (Lambert Lane)
* Juniper (Lal Chowk)
Garden Cafes
* Solace (Shervani Road)
* Tao Cafe (Shervani Road)
* Shamyana (Boulevard)
Bakeries
* Dalgate
* Shervani Road
Inexpensive Restaurants
* Amira Kadal
* Dalgate