Kashmir

The Phase 2 Gondola is a genuine once-in-a-lifetime experience — if that phrase still works. Rising from Kongdoori (Phase 1 endpoint, 3,080m) to Apharwat Peak (4,390m, 3,979m actual summit point) takes 12 minutes. Up there, the snow is year-round — 6 feet deep in January, 2–3 feet even in June. On the horizon: the Kashmir Valley, the mountains of Pakistan, and on a clear day, Nanga Parbat (8,126m — the world's 8th highest peak). When I took the first look from the top one morning in October 2022, I genuinely couldn't speak for a few seconds. This is a description, not an exaggeration. Duration: Forenoon slot is best (9 am–11 am) · Total experience: 3–4 hours, including both phases.

The Dal Lake houseboat experience isn't just an accommodation choice — it is part of Kashmir's cultural identity. Inside: carved walnut wood walls, traditional Kashmiri carpets, bay windows with a view of the lake. The morning breakfast — kahwa chai, kandur bread (local bakers deliver by boat), and eggs — is served on the lake amid the mist. In the evening, a shikara ride before sunset, back to the houseboat, and a genuinely unmatched night above the quiet lake. I spent my first night on a houseboat in October 2022 — I hadn't thought before that this even existed in India. Duration: Minimum 1 night · 2 nights ideal.

The sunset shikara ride is famous — but the sunrise ride is genuinely extraordinary. 5:45 am: complete silence on the lake, mist covering everything, the floating vegetable market boats slowly coming in (local farmers are on the lake from 4:30 am), and the first light spreading slowly over the Zabarwan Hills. In an hour, you can circle the whole lake — lotus beds, floating gardens, Char Chinar island (an island of four chinar trees in the middle of the lake), and the line of houseboats. The sunrise shikara in October 2022 is my clearest Kashmir memory.

Wazwan is Kashmir's traditional ceremonial meal — up to 36 dishes, mostly meat-based, traditionally cooked by a waza (master chef). Rogan Josh (aromatic lamb in Kashmiri red chilli gravy), Yakhni (lamb in yogurt), Aab Gosht (lamb in milk), Tabak Maaz (fried lamb ribs), Seekh Kabab, and Gushtaba (minced meat balls in yogurt — Wazwan's concluding dish). In the traditional setting, four people sit together around a traem (large copper plate). I had my first authentic Wazwan at Ahdoos Hotel in Srinagar in October 2022 — Gushtaba was the most surprising dish, extraordinary in both texture and flavour in an unexpected way.

Gulmarg is India's only world-class ski resort — and that comparison holds not just domestically but against international standards. Snow quality is excellent, December–February — powder snow in January. Compared to European ski resorts, the price is 1/3 for similar quality. For first-time skiers, Gulmarg is genuinely the best starting point in India — instructors are professional, and the slopes are manageable.

Kahwa is Kashmir's national beverage — green tea, Kashmiri saffron (the world's most valuable spice by weight — Kashmir produces ¾ of India's total production), cardamom, cinnamon, and almonds. It's brewed in a traditional samovar (a copper vessel with hot coals inside). The flavour is mild, aromatic, and warming — something the chai of the plains cannot deliver. With breakfast alongside kandur bread, and again at night after dinner. Kahwa is served every morning on a houseboat — it is the memory you take back from Kashmir.

Visit Nishat Bagh (1633 AD, built for Emperor Jahangir by Asaf Khan) before sunrise — the gate opens at 6 am in the non-tourist season. The terraced garden descends from the Zabarwan Hills towards Dal Lake — 12 terraces, each with fountains, flowers, and chinar trees. At sunrise, the light reaches the garden before the Zabarwan Hills — and the chinar leaves (red-orange in October) glow in that light. I arrived at 6:30 am in October 2022 — 8 people in the garden. In the evening, the same place had 200+. Timing is everything.

Betaab Valley got its name from the 1983 Sunny Deol film — and yes, it is gorgeous. 15km from Pahalgam, along the Lidder River, between pine forests, an open meadow. And there is no entry fee just for Betaab Valley — drive in, park, walk around. I arrived at 8am in October 2022 — there were 3 other tourists in the entire valley. The scent of pine, the sound of water, and a genuinely green open space. Aru Valley (12km from Pahalgam in the other direction) is equally beautiful and even less crowded.

Thajiwas Glacier is Sonamarg's primary attraction — and this trek is absolutely easy, doesn't need a guide, and the destination is genuinely stunning. 4km from the Sonamarg base (45–60 minute walk) or pony ride. Trail is clearly marked, mostly flat with slight elevation. Reach the glacier — white ice, rock debris, meltwater streams, and a 360° view of surrounding peaks. I went in September 2024 — there were 15 people in the whole place near the glacier, a family was having a picnic there, and a local boy was playing cricket by the side of the glacier. This normalcy in the middle of beauty — that's the version of Kashmir that doesn't appear in travel brochures.

Kashmir is home to India's most acclaimed handicraft tradition — pashmina shawls (knowing the difference between real and fake is essential), papier-mâché boxes and decorative pieces, walnut wood carvings, hand-knotted Kashmiri carpets, and sozni embroidery. Polo View Market (Srinagar's upmarket handicraft hub) and Lal Chowk (the central market, a mix of everything) are the best options.