Jammu & Kashmir, Best place to visit in Jammu & Kashmir, Best Kashmiri foods.

 Jammu & Kashmir, India

Jammu and Kashmir, India

Paradise on the earth. This is what most travelers think about Kashmir. With more natural beauty than the eye can fathom as the idyllic Garden of Eden. With lakes, mountains, meadows, and snowfields, Kashmir offers truly panoramic views as far as the eye can see, and thus it is a popular tourist destination in India, from skiing in Gulmarg to staying in a houseboat in Srinagar. is the venue. things to do in Kashmir. Apart from this, there is also a lot of culture in the form of traditional Kashmiri food, music, and dresses. The northernmost region of India was once a state which is now divided into two main regions Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Best time to visit Kashmir

If you want to roam around the place and enjoy the natural beauty of Kashmir, targeting visit in the summer month, between March and June. That's when the valley looks beautiful and every corner is like a picture postcard but if you want to see some snowfall and try some snow activities, then you should visit in November - January. Avoid the rainy season because the region tends to see landslides and road blockages around that time.

Best place to visit in Kashmir

There are so many places to visit and in Kashmir. But there are some places in Kashmir that should be on your bucket list.

1. Dal Lake

Dal Lake, Kashmir

Dal Lake is one of the most exciting experiences in Kashmir. You can start by taking a shikhara ride on this beautiful lake, where many Bollywood movies have been filmed. You will see India's only floating post office here. You can spend the last day of your adventure at the home boat.

2. Wular Lake

Wular lake, Kashmir

India's largest freshwater lake, the water lake. You can try water skiing and other water sports here.

3. Srinagar

Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir

Srinagar is the capital of Jammu and Kashmir. While in Srinagar, don't forget to visit the Mughal Gardens, Hazratbal mosque, Jama masjid, Jhelum river, and Indra Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden. You can visit especially Indra Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in April when the tulip festival is celebrated.

4. Gulmarg

Gulmarg, Kashmir

Another attraction of Kashmir is Gulmarg the 'meadow of flowers. The Gulmarg Gondola is a cable car that takes you high into the mountain for an amazing view of the valley. Gulmarg is a great place for snow activities like sledding, skiing in the winter months. India's only igloo cafes in Gulmarg are where you can enjoy hot tea to keep your body warm. You can also play golf at the Gulmarg golf course. One of the highest 18-hole golf courses in the world and the views are amazing.

5. Patnitop

Patnitop, Kashmir

Patnitop is the most underrated part of Kashmir. You can enjoy the pleasure of green meadows there, set against the snow-white hills and created by the bright blue sky are a sight to behold. You can also travel here by horse as the local people do here.

6. Kishtwar National Park

Kishtwar National Park, Kashmir

If you love wild animals then this place will be very exciting for you. Snow leopards, Himalayan black bears, red fox, and griffon vulture are some the rare species that can be found in Kashmir.

7. Amarnath Temple

Amarnath Temple

Amarnath Yatra is taken out to worship Shiva linga made naturally by snow. This pilgrimage usually takes place in the summer months. The temple is situated at an altitude of 3,888 m.

8. Vaishno Devi

Vaishno Devi temple

The second pilgrimage is the Vaishno Devi yatra. this starts from Katra and takes you to the Mata Vaishno Devi in the Trikuta mountain.

9. Hill Stations

Kashmir has many gorgeous hill stations like Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Pahalgam, Anantnag, and Baramulla that offer a simpler way of life.

Best Kashmir Foods

when you are in Kashmir, don't forget to try local foods like Mutton Rogan Josh, Yogurt lamb curry, Kashmiri Saag, Khatte Baingan, Dum Aloo, Kashmiri Style Mutton Ribs, Nadroo Yakhni, Chicken Pulao, Kashmiri Rajma, Paneer Chaman and taste the spicy treats that are the part of Kashmiri Wazwan. You can finish your day with a cup of Kashmiri Kahawa.

1. Mutton Rogan Josh

Mutton Rogan Josh

There are two types of Rogan Josh in Kashmir, Kashmiri Muslim style Rogan Josh and Kashmiri Hindu style Rogan Josh, this food is named Rogan Josh because its color is red and the reason for the color of this food is the bark of a tree which is known as Ratanjot because of this its color becomes red and that is why we call it Rogan Josh. Rogan Josh Muslim style uses ginger garlic and onion but Rogan Josh Hindu style does not use ginger-garlic and onion tomato.

2. Yogurt Lamb Curry

Yogurt Lamb Curry

To make this dish, we mix all the spices and mutton in curd, after marinating it for 2 to 3 hours, we leave it to cook on low flame. This recipe is very easy and quick to make.

3. Kashmiri Haakh (Kashmiri Saag)

Kashmiri Haakh (kashmiri saag)

Kashmiri Haakh (saag) is a different type of green that is made in Kashmir, this green is not mustard greens or spinach greens, all these are found only where Kashmiri vegetables are found, it is very easy to make Kashmiri saag, people in Kashmir It is also eaten by mixing it with mutton or mixed with chicken.

4. Khatte Baingan

Khatee Baigan

This dish is similar to the common brinjal curry made in India, just a little different from it because this vegetable is sour in taste. Because tamarind water is used in it and it is sour in taste, hence the name of this vegetable is Khatte Baingan.

5. Dum Aloo

Dum aloo

In India, we call potato the king of vegetables, this dish Dum Aloo is made in many states of India, Kashmir is one of them Kashmiri Dum Aloo is a bit difficult to make because you use very few spices in it like curd, ginger powder, fennel, and Kashmiri red chili powder. It is also difficult to make this dish because when we use more spices then we can control the taste of food but when we use fewer spices then it is difficult to control the taste.

6. Kashmiri Style Mutton Ribs

Kashmiri Style Mutton Ribs

The special thing about this dish is that in this we boil the mutton in milk and mustard oil and with some spices until the gravy is ready, after the gravy is done, we deep fry the mutton in oil.

7. Nadru Yakhni

Nadru Yakhni

Nadro is a very special vegetable in Kashmir, in Hindi we also call it Kamal kakdee (lotus cucumber), if this dish is not made in any festival of Kashmir, then it seems very incomplete. Nadru Yakhni is made in many ways in Kashmir, but among them, Nadru Yakhni is one of them.

8. Kashmiri Style Chicken Pulao

Kashmiri Style Chicken Pulao

It is a very aromatic dish. This dish is cooked by boiling rice with hot spices and then cooking the chicken in mustard oil and then mixing the chicken and rice together. It almost looks like chicken biryani. This dish is made almost everywhere in India.

9. Kashmiri Rajma

Rajma

This dish is similar to that made in India today, but the difference in Kashmiri Rajma is that onion and tomato are not used at all in it.

10. Kashmiri Paneer Chaman

Paneer Chaman

This is a very special dish of Kashmir. It is special because milk and saffron are used in this dish. In this dish, the paneer is boiled with saffron and milk till the milk becomes thick.

Budget for Kashmir

The best thing about Kashmir is it is suitable for all budgets. If you are a budget traveler, you can get by for Rs 2000 per day. This includes staying in a guesthouse or hotel eating at Dhaba and commuting by bus or rickshaws.

Mid-Rande Travellers

If you are mid-range travelers, who prefer to stay in a 2 or 3-star hotel, eat in local cafes nad travel using local taxis, the trip cost will go up to Rs 3000 per day.

Luxury Travellers

If you are a luxury traveler who prefers to stay in 4 or 5-star hotels, book guided sightseeing tours, the cost will be above Rs 6000 per day.

How to reach Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir have three commercial airports at Jammu, Kargil, and Srinagar. They are connected by frequent flights to and from all major Indian cities. There are also many trains and busses that offer easy access to tourists.