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Pahalgam
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Nestled lovingly on the banks of River Lidder is the village of the nomads, of the shepherds -Pahalgam. This little town in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir is one of the most sought after recreational tourist destinations in India. Be it the golf course 2400 meters above the sea level, the thick Pine and Cedar forests or the breath taking Aru meadow, Pahalgam is a charmer in its own right.


Pahalgam acquired fame as a tourist place after the shooting of super hit Hindi film ‘Betaab’ was done here. Extensively shot in a picturesque valley, the film highlighted the beauty of Pahalgam. It has been 28 years since then that this valley is fondly called the ‘Betaab Valley’. The calm and quiet of this place is heavenly, the green fields and meadows adding to its attractiveness.  To move around this place you can take a taxi, walk around or take a pony ride. Ponies are available to move around Pahalgam at officially published rates.


Baisaran, just 5 kilometers away from the main city, is a meadow that is dotted with pine trees from all the sides and has dense vegetal cover. Situated at an elevation of 2439 meters, Baisaran is proximal to the snow covered Tulian Lake. The lush Baisaran paddock is a popular tourist spot. About 40 kilometers off Pahalgam is Panchatarni. It is a point of confluence of five streams. It is a good option for camping and trekking.


Another spot which is worth a visit is Chandanwari. The snow bridge at Chandanwari is famous and you will be more than happy to visit it. Around 16 kilometers away from the main city, this is an ideal picnic spot. Also this is the starting point of the Amarnath Yatra, the holy pilgrimage to the 5000 year old cave shrine, known to be the abode of Lord Shiva. Inside the cave lies an ice stalagmite that resembles a Shiv Linga. During May to August it waxes and starts waning gradually. The pilgrimage is scheduled in the months of July or August depending upon the Hindu calendar. Starting from Pahalgam, the first stop over of the pilgrimage is Chandanwari followed by the Pissu top, the Sheeshnag and ends at the Holy Cave where devotees seek blessing of Lord Shiva. En route to Chandanwari is Hajan, another beautiful picnic spot. It strikes the mind of cine buffs as various films have been shot exclusively here.


The Aru Valley is the one the best meadows in Pahalgam to go trekking. The Kolohoi Glacier and the Tarsar Lake are also good options to go trekking. For those who like adventure sports can have a blast white water rafting on the River Lidder. The aura of the forests around the River Lidder enhances the excitement of winding down rapidly. The snow fed river also accounts for engaging activities like fishing and camping. When done exploring the natural beauty of the city, shopping can be really a good option. Shawls, carpets, clothing embroidered with beautiful chain stitch technique are the special attractions of the Pahalgam market.


The presence of the Indian Army in this area is obvious owing to issues of trespassing and cross border terrorism. But it seems to blend in with the aura of the place, not bothering or hindering the enthusiasm of the tourists or locals. Monkeys wander about the city and it is routine if they steal from camping sites or tourists. Wild bears are a menace most of the times and give the locals an adrenaline surge, but they seem to be alert and prepared all the time. The city is close to nature in every possible way and it is simply amazing to walk through the city and see its various facets.

 

Though a small town with the background of beautiful meadows, Pahalgam is a great stop over, never disappointing the tourist in you!

 

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Quick Reference

Pahalgam is a tourist destination that is famous for its beautiful meadows and natural beauty. Various Bollywood movies were shot in the pleasant spots of Pahalgam like the Betaab Valley and Hajan. The Amarnath pilgrimage starts from Chandanwari, a place that is just 10 kilometers away from Pahalgam. Pahalgam is well known for shawls, carpets and exquisitely embroidered clothing. Other worth visiting spots in Pahalgam are Baisaran, the Tulian lake, the Aru Valley and the Kolohoi Glacier. The USP of Pahalgam is that it hosts number of adventure activities like trekking, white water rafting, fishing and camping. It has a golf course that is 2400 meters above the sea level. A visit to Pahalgam can be delightful from mid of April to mid of November.

 

Destination Grade: B (What is this?)
Rating: 7.5/10
Population: 5922
5 star Hotels Senetor Pine-N-Peak
Luxury Hotels Pahalgam Hotel
Airport: Srinagar [95km]
Railway station: Jammu
Nearest Major City(s): Srinagar [95km]
How to reach: Pahalgam is well connected by road to major towns in Jammu & Kashmir. Public and private transport is available from Srinagar to Pahalgam
Major Tourist Attraction: Sheshnag Lake,Lidder River,Baisaran meadow,Chandanwari
Speciality(Famous for): hiking, trekking and fishing
Food speciality: Bread, wazwan, Kahwa, etc
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Rating:
51.0
46 votes
1 2 3 4 5
Total Reviews : 8
 
 
Reviews by users : (8)
Pahalgam - by Priyansh Dated : 2012-01-18
Pahalgam is a great tourist destinations, one of the many places that J&K host for the tourists like me. I am an amateur photographer. Pahalgam's beaty is enchanting and I couldnt help but click a lot of photos. The Betaab valley, Chandawari, the pony rides about the town were very enjoyable and made my trip memorable. Since I travel alone to gather photos according to my conveniance, I had a very nice trip. Every moment, every minute of the day in Pahalgam made me see the natural beauty of the place. The landscape just made me wonder how lucky the people who stayed here all the twelve months were! Guys, visit Pahalgam for the time of your lives. Buy some nice shawls and trek through this amazing place.
Pahalgam - by Mehul Shah Dated : 2012-01-14
Anyone who takes a look at Pahalgam is enthralled just in a glance. Pahalgam is a beautiful town, with a lot of natural beauty, so much that you would want to click photos even as you look outside your hotel window, or just walk around. And for those who have seen the film Betaab, it is very easy to spot the places where its scenes were shot. The natural beauty of Pahalgam is remarkable. It is best to visit this place during summers, and it is only wise to make you reservations beforehand, because the influx of tourists in this place is on an all time high from last couple of years. Chandanwari and Aru valley are worth visiting. Trekking can also be done here. Pahalgam is a four star tourist destination according to me.
Pahalgam, Heaven on Earth - by  Natasha Arora Dated : 2011-09-12
Pahalgam is a gorgeous place. Pahalgam is a place, writing about which I am falling short of words.

Pahalgam is surrounded my huge snow covered mountains. There is a river which flows through the heart of the city. This river is in full flow, thus the water of the river makes a lot of noise. There are snow covered trees in Pahalgam and the weather is excellent. The local people are very friendly, so all in all Pahalgam is a complete experience.

Pahalgam is actually a heaven on earth. When you are there, you will get experience prefect bliss. You can just walk along the river or ride a pony along it.

There isn’t a lot of variety in the food. We had all our meals in the re resort in which we were staying, but if you are fond on fruits and salads, then there is a lot of variety in the local markets. The fruits and salads available here are fresh and juicy. I give credit for this to the weather in Pahalgam.

There are a lot of places in Pahalgam which we can visit. Sightseeing will be your top most priority, as every place you visit in Pahalgam is more beautiful than the previous one.
There are numerous places in Pahalgam. Some of these places are Kashmir valley, Auru valley, Bettab valley, Chandanvadi and many more.


Pahalgam, a Nice City - by  Showbit Ahuja Dated : 2011-09-12
I had gone to Pahalgam with a group of friends. I was with my husband and his friends and their wives. As there were a lot of ladies in the group, shopping was one of the main agendas on our list. Disappointingly, the markets in Pahalgam have nothing much to offer other than the routine Kashmiri items.

I went to the local markets with all the ladies. Our husbands had left us there. The articles in the markets of Pahalgam are not expensive. After our shopping was over, our respective husbands were happy about the fact that our shopping was within our budgets. As you can see, the shopping will be easy on your pockets. In spite of all this, shopping in Pahalgam was fun.

The main attraction for any tourist visiting Pahalgam, is its natural beauty. Pahalgam is 70 kilometres away from Srinagar. If we are going from Srinagar to Pahalgam by road, it is a 4 hour drive. The route from Srinagar to Pahalgam is very pretty.

There are kesar farms on the road from Srinagar to Pahalgam. The beautiful Jhelum river flows on one side of the road. While going to Pahalgam, you needn’t worry about anything. Just keep yourself ideally covered as per the season in the city. When you are travelling, don’t forget to have the local tea, called Kahawa.

Roadway is the only route to reach to Pahalgam.


Pretty Pahalgam - by  Yash Rampal Dated : 2011-09-12
In the past the city of Pahalngam was called a shepherd’s village, but now it is a premier city with lovely resorts. Pahalgam is pleasant even during the summers. The maximum temperature in Pahalgam during summers is 25 degree centigrade. Thus summer is a good time to visit Pahalgam.

Pahalgam was once called ‘valley of shepherds’. Pahalgam is situated at the converging point of the streams flowing from Shesnag lake and Lidder river. Pahalgam is situated at a height of 2,130 meters and offers breathtaking views.

There are several hotels in Pahalgam, suiting all pockets. There are luxurious 5 star hotels where people spend a lot and stay. There are also lodges for trekkers, which are plain. Other than the lodges, there are also Jammu and Kashmir’s TDC’s huts.

There are many places for sightseeing in Pahalgam. All the resorts are situated in a valley, so it is advisable to hire a pony instead of walking. This is because the slopes in the city are pretty steep.

Ponies can be hired from various locations in the city. One of the prettiest locations from where ponies can be hired is the Baisaran field. This field is surrounded by thick Pine forests.
On the way to Chandanwadi, you will find a place called Hajan. This is a perfect picnic spot. There are around 8 villages within Pahalgam. One of the villages in the city is Mamal.


Pahalgam, a Tourist’s Paradise - by  Ankur Bindroo Dated : 2011-09-12
Pahalgam is close to Amarnath and is thus associated with the Amarnath yatra. Chandanwadi is a place located at a height of 2,895 meters and it is situated at a distance of 16 kilometres from Pahalgam.

Chgandanwadi is the starting point of the Amarnath yatra and the yatra takes place every year during the months from July to August. This period is known as Sawan. The road from Pahalgam to Chandanwadi is fairly flat and most people undertake this journey by car.

The road from Chandanawdi to Amarnath is very steep. Most people undertake this journey either on foot or on a pony. The first major stop of the Amarnath yatra is Sheshnag, which is a mountain lake. Shesnag is located at a height of 3,574 meters and is 11 kilometres away from Chandanwadi.

The last stop of the Amarnath yatra is Panchtarni, which is located 13 kilometres away from Sheshnag. The Amarnath cave is 6 kiklometres away from Panchtarni.

There is an ice stalagmite which forms during the month of Sawan, in the Amarnath cave. This ice stalagmite waxes and wanes with the moon. Thousands of devotees flock Amarnath during the month of Sawan. If you want detailed information on the Amarnath yatra, you should visit its link on the internet. This link is very useful because it has the details on the background of the yatra.


Pahalgam, a Wonderful City - by  Naresh Mattoo Dated : 2011-09-12
Pahalgam lies in Jammu and Kashmir, which is the northernmost state in India. Pahalgam is a town and a notified area committee in Anantnag district. Pahalgam is a major tourist attraction.

Pahalgam is one of the prettiest places on earth, as it offers gorgeous views. If you go to Pahalgam, there are various things, you can do there. You can just chill and relax in your hotel, or you can go for adventurous treks.

You can trek to Lidderwat, Kolohoi Glacier or Sonmarg. Snow skiing is a major attraction during the winter months. As is the case with rest of India, winter months in Pahalgam are from December to late February.

Pahalgam is visited by many people also because it lies close to Amarnath. To get authentic information about the Amarnath yatra, you should visit its link on the internet. The website has information on the facilities provided during the yatra. It also has information on the arrangements made, registration requirements and the dos and don’ts during the yatra. The website will also give you information on the routes of the yatra.

You can ice skate in the Switzerland valley in Pahalgam. To reach Pahalgam, you first need to reach Srinagar. You can go to Srinagar by train or plane. By plane it is a 4 hour journey from Mumbai to Srinagar. I didn’t find anything dangerous about my Pahalgam trip.


Trekking in Pahalgam - by  Rahul Walli Dated : 2011-09-12
The climate in Pahalgam during summer and spring is pleasant and is thus the perfect season for treks. Pahalgam is beautiful and offers adventurous trekking trails. Pahalgam is surrounded by snow capped mountains and thus provides the perfect setting for treks.

There are mountains, plateaus and valleys in Pahalgam which give the trekkers an opportunity for all kinds of treks. The trekking experience in Pahalgam varies from mild to very challenging.

Pahalgam- Suru valley, Boktal pass and Lonvilad gali are all good treks. Pahalgam also acts as the base camp for many treks. Day treks and hikes are common in this region.

There are many treks available in Pahalgam, which vary in the degree of their severity.

Kolahoi glacier which goes via Aru is a very popular trek. This is because it is gorgeous. There are also treks from Pahalgam to Chandanwadi and Pahalgam to Sheshnag lake. These treks are really good.

The trek from Sonamarg to Phalagam is also excellent.

Pahalgam is a destination which you should visit at least once in a lifetime. The entire valley is so beautiful that you needn’t go to any particular place for sightseeing. Everywhere you go, you will enjoy the natural beauty of the place.

You can also stay in Anantnag town and visit Pahalgam daily, as Pahalgam is very close to Anantnag. You can do this out of choice.