[haisaikat]

Originally Posted by Samba

Sandipta used to share the daily updates with me

In case he has told you, it turned out at the end we are office colleagues. It was a good connection through you. Thanks for appreciating Samba, means a lot coming from you.

Originally Posted by ChiragBasu

This must have been an exhilarating experience - especially for your son, who I must say is very lucky to have such enriching experiences so early on in his life.

Thanks, yes the experience is indeed worth a lifetime. As for the kid, I doubt how much he will remember once he grows up considering my memories of travel from his age, but he is accustomed to long travel these days by road and that is a biggest gain for us.

Originally Posted by woodstock3001

I might do it this year and I'm from Delhi so doable in a week should be fine for me.

Thanks, I would slice up Kashmir tour in following parts:- Most regular destinations in March- April timeframe which allow you to see Tulips and Gardens, all green meadows as green be it Sonmarg, Gulmarg or Pahalgam and also snow on Gulmarg stage 2. Then comes the Fall season on November - December (can be limited only to Srinagar) and finally a snow / winter sport trip in February only to Gulmarg. Depending on your preference you plan the time required to complete the trip.

The April trip will be peak season and there will be crowd / rush so book in advance. I recommend 8 days at least but the most important places / activities can be covered in 6 days like day tours of Sonmarg and Gulmarg in 2 days and 2 days Pahalgam and 2 days Srinagar for houseboat and important gardens. Depending on your leave flexibility decide if you can spare 2+2 additional days for road travel which if you can is the best option. Otherwise go by air to Srinagar.

We did not see issues with locals as long as we do not overstep on anyone and abide by law of the land. Majority of the out of state cars I saw in J&K are from Delhi only.

As for hidden gems, some of these will need more than one trip unless you sacrifice one of the primary attraction. Gurez Valley, Yousmarg and Doodhpatri to be kept on the list. Other than that if you like trekking the Great Lakes are another type of tours.

PM me for any additional info, will be glad to help.

Originally Posted by vijaykr

Many years ago, we visited Srinagar only for a couple of days as a start point for our trip to Ladakh.

Glad you liked it. Kashmir seems difficult to cover in a single trip. I plan someday to also visit Ladakh but definitely visit Kashmir again.

Originally Posted by sureshkumar

Kashmir is enchanting, to say the least.

Thanks for appreciating. There are moments of ups and downs in long trips and we had these too but in the end glad that we pulled it out together. We have to be patient with one another.

Originally Posted by sivasiva

Looks like the Innova gobbled up the miles and was hungry for more.

Crysta has been a great ride for transporting us across the distance and more importantly with comfort and less fatigue considering we are not that fit ourselves. Thanks for kind words.

Originally Posted by amekbote

I visited Kashmir all over again. Thank You.

Thank you for the good words, Kashmir is beautiful, hope to get back again someday.

Originally Posted by Karthik R

I literally have been reading this for the last 4 hours, in between all the work calls.

Just hope I have not been the cause of disrupting your work for long, kidding, glad you liked and thanks for the kind words.

Originally Posted by TSEA

I have been reading this travelogue from last 30 mins

Thank You for appreciating in such a nice way.

Originally Posted by NagaBond

My guess is that JK tourism office will contact you soon to make you their brand ambassador !

Ha ha ha, I am sure Kashmir would not need ambassadors like me, its so beautiful by itself that lot gets attracted anyway. Thank you for appreciating.

Originally Posted by abhi_tjet

I too visited Srinagar in mid November and enjoyed a lot. You have inspired me to wake from slumber and share the experience sooner

Wow, that is a stunner, hurry up and get down with the TL, I would be eagerly waiting. Thanks for the kind words.

Originally Posted by fawad0222

Kudos to your wife for agreeing to such an extensive road trip. Your son summed the trip in a simple manner on the canvas

Thanks for the appreciation. It took me weeks persuading her into going for such a trip. In execution the most difficult part was the working remote days for both of us with no help and having to manage the kid who does not have the maturity yet to be understanding of timings related to official work. Glad we pulled it out together. And yes that drawing I preserved, hope to show him someday after he grows up.

Originally Posted by guyfrmblr

Some of the photos puts even Swiss Alps to shame.

Thanks for appreciating. I agree with your points on Kashmir, its very much comparable and in some cases better than international destinations.

Originally Posted by TurboOnTarmac

I heard from some who travelled across India saying, these are very beautiful but Kashmir is a different league all together.

Long duration slow travel on road is the best way to enjoy the beauty and also satisfy the petrol-head in ours Solo travel on road for a very long time still makes me jittery a bit and trying to overcome this phobia/fear (some of it justified though) by small to medium trips for now. Hope i would be able to conquer this Kashmir-Ladakh dream one way (either solo) or other (or find some like minded company for the trip).

Those are great words of appreciation, thanks for that. As for your viewpoint, I completely agree its on a different level and in my opinion everyone should witness and experience it first hand. I believe long duration travel is best done with company be it family or like minded companions as you said. Companions can watch over each other. I wish you very best for the conquering this terrain soon.

Originally Posted by sam264_2000

Kashmir is on my bucket list but have always been wary of the safety aspect, though I have done Leh-Ladhak which was one heck of an experience. Definitely want to tour J&K with family.

Thanks. The place is safe for tourists, unless its locked down you would be surprised that the valley stays crowded with tourists all the time. If you have done Leh-Ladakh then Kashmir would be piece of cake for you, go conquer it with family.

Originally Posted by mihir_m13

Excellent pictures,

One question - why are you using the Jawahar tunnel on your return trip if the new Banihal Qazigund tunnel is ready ??

Thanks and Good question. That is because while returning there were miles of traffic on the route to Qazigund tunnel, and hence Google map routed us through the Jawahar tunnel route where we found only Indian Oil tankers moving in a single lane thereby leaving one lane free for us to go past them with almost no return traffic to clog the way. It saved us at least an hour or more by not taking the Qazigund option. Also the scenary on the Jawahar tunnel route was beautiful with snow capped hills all around after the Pahalgam snowfall. Probably if I had followed the travel advise from those facebook pages then I could have avoided the traffic altogether.

Originally Posted by GTO

Going to our homepage today

Thank you sir.

[Thermodynamics]

***** Brilliant colorful travelogue!
Kashmir looks so pretty this time of the year as well. The way you have covered details in Srinagar lauds appreciation because lot of people bypass Srinagar. The frames of gullies and baghs are simply awesome.

Your travelogue makes me nostalgic. I have stayed at the same hotel at Banihal. Thanks for wrting this mega log.

PS: I guess you missed thd saffron season by a whisker. End October and early November usually mark vast purple blooms outside Srinagar.

[kvk]

Congratulations and thanks on a brilliant travelog of a gutsy drive and trip. I happened to see it as soon as it hit the Team-BHP website yesterday morning and couldn't put it down. Excellent detail, beautiful pictures and a treasure trove of information for future travelers.

I had my early schooling (upto grade 4) in Srinagar around the 1965 war with Pakistan. Have always wanted to go back but have not mustered the courage to visit the valley (although I have been to Leh and did the Markha Valley trek a few years ago). Your trip provides me a lot of confidence to make it happen this year.

[pd1108]

Lovely pictures of Kashmir. It was probably even better in real

[bimal_67]

True to your characteristic style, you have captured your trip as if in a movie and is taking the reader along. Excellent capture @haisaikat. Wishing you many more happy miles and hoping that you take us all along like this
Bravo

[pd1108]

Thanks for such a detailed travelogue. Will be really helpful for anyone planning a trip to Kashmir. Also wonderful pictures

[Sach_511]

Wow, Extremely detailed travelogues, Kudos to you not only completing this trip with small one in tow, but also writing such detailed piece of travelogue. Congrats on successful trip!! (Took 2 days to finish your travelogue)

[IP_Man]

I would say very colourful travelog. Excellent photography, dynamic range well managed and beautiful colours.

May I know your photography gear used for this trip?

[ABHI_1512]

Firstly, congratulations on a mammoth and memorable trip and many thanks for taking the enormous effort to put this brilliant travelogue up. The travelogue was long time coming ever since we got to know about the trip. Talks about your perseverance and patience that you took almost three months to complete this account

Nothing more to add about the travelogue since many have already mentioned and which contains humongous amount of information for anyone wanting to travel to Kashmir. The pictures are stupendous and have captured the real essence and beauty of the places you have been to. The fall colours are beautiful and so are the snow clad vistas.

Wonderfully narrated travelogue and special mention for the little one who has exquisitely put his own thoughts and the whole trip in that one drawing. Keep travelling and keep making memories, Crysta waits for the next one and so do we,

Regards.

[AnnaRocks]

Originally Posted by haisaikat

Prologue
It was sometime back in June 2021 when I accidentally stumbled upon online reference of wonderful autumn / fall colors found in the Kashmir Valley. It was since then that we wanted to witness the same first hand, the transition of Chinars from green through crimson to yellow is a sight to behold.

[/center]

Thank you for the detailed travelogue. A memorable trip for the kid. What a beautiful place. Also makes me think about the scale of opportunities that place must has missed out over the years. Perhaps, Switzerland would have been known as the Kashmir of Europe.

[Guru_Shikhar]

First thing first- I am a fan of your lonnngggg rod trips and it’s beautiful travelogues. Planning such a long trip needs meticulous planning and you are an expertise in this now. Full of information.

It is indeed one of the best travelogues on J&K hands down with such beautiful pictures.

Driving such a long distance is a treat in itself if you ask me and I would also love to travel such distances but major concerns are office leaves ( this needs really long leaves which I am afraid whether be sanctioned or not) and my little ones. My son is a hostelite and daughter is 4 years old. But your thread always inspire to dare and go ahead.

I will be planning such a trip around June when my son is home for his holidays.

Being so experienced in long road trip planning can you please share your preparations.

The thing I loved the most and essence of your grand tour is the painting your son has made catching all the experiences in one panorama.

Just a question- did you come across Honda city in J&K. Since I will be planning our road trip in a city this was the first question raised in my mind after reading your travelogue.

Have another wonderful trip and miles on your lovely crysta.

Keep posting.

Cheers.

[SS-Traveller]

Beautifully written travelogue of a beautiful region. Marked 5 stars straight away. What's remarkable about your trip are:
1) You got an agency to plan your trip in Kashmir;
2) You got a photographer to do your work for you at some places, and therefore got more pics than those of us that manage our own photography ourselves; and
3) You confidently handed over the keys of your car to your guide at times, which some of us, who are too possessive about our cars, wouldn't think about.

We've been to Srinagar and surrounding areas a couple of times, including in winter (Kashmir in January: Srinagar (sans snow after floods), Gulmarg, Yousmarg & Pahalgam), but there's one more trip we need to make, in tulip season (April). And then, of course, we are hardcore foodies, and Kashmiri Wazwan is always the other major attraction for us!

[turboNath]

Take a bow haisaikat for undertaking such an odyssey from Kolkata to Kashmir (a new version of K2K trips ) ! With the stunning set of pictures and extremely detailed answers to where to go, what to eat, what activities to enjoy and countless other questions, this has to be the most comprehensive travelogue on Kashmir. I hope I get to drive to Kashmir one day with this as my bible ! The fall colours look amazing and so do the numerous pictures of the lofty mountains, green valleys and icy glaciers. It is very difficult to pick a favourite place from all these terrific regions but my personal favourite has to be the Thajiwas Glacier. Thank you for this brilliant TL and a superb set of wallpapers !

[sayakc]

Hello Saikat,

Ever since I came to know that your Kashmir blog has been published, I had purposely "reserved" my Sunday to read it .What an epic narration - it did take its fair bit to time to go live, but the wait is worth it!

The first impression that one gets is the level of detailing - mammoth is what comes to my mind. And next comes the number of photographs that you have taken! This blog is going to act as a ready reckoner for many folks out there. The "invisible" selfie stick photos are fantastic and so are the drool worthy food photographs.

A couple of questions:

1. Pls do single out a few dishes, which are must try ?
   
2. You went till Pahalgam, but I guess you gave the Aru/Gaganpatri valleys a miss. Was it due to time or security issues?

Btw, the gur (jaggery) from Shyam Sundar is superb! We will visit the place may some this year end.

Cheers,
Sayak

[gmhossain]

Wah! What a mesmerizing travelogue! I don't have words to appropriately praise this superlative travelogue of yours. It took me two days to finish reading this log. Congratulations to all three of you for completing such a marathon road trip. Keep driving and keep posting.

With best wishes,