[Maky]

You have posted some of the most beautiful pictures of Kashmir I have seen. Some shots feel legit European. The security situation has always kept me away from there... but recently I get told it is safe to travel there. Seeing your travels inspires much confidence : )

Also, It's really really nice to see people going out to such far out places in their low slung sedans instead of a more 'practica'l SUV, as they say. Long live Sedans!

[NitNac]

Title is lit!. Starting the day with this post. Amazing and lovely photos. Thank you for sharing. Filled my day with joy and made me remember my visit back in 2009.

[robimahanta]

Absolutely brilliant stuff! Loved the photos. So glad you took the 3er for such a drive.

[iliketurtles]

Heavy though your luggage might have been, I'm sure your massive cojones outweighed it all. Either that, or you just had the right amount of insane in the membrane to undertake this trip, and we're all glad you do. There's no other explanation for someone being ballsy enough to do this. Big kudos.

A riveting read where I rooted for the protagonist, identified with his escapades, and came away from it all with mad wanderlust. Perfect fuel for a mid-week morning. Hats off to you, sir. You put the mega in Megazoid.

[Cresterk]

Jeez man, I couldn't stop a stock C class from scraping on roads around my locality that I'm very familiar with. I couldn't imagine taking a lowered german car to completely unfamiliar terrain all the way to Kashmir. You are a braver man than me.

Also absolutely stunning photos!

[Animesh]

Don't the local guys create problem for driving an Out of State Private car? We went to Kashmir a year ago and they didn't allow even Srinagar registered Taxis for local sightseeing in Pahalgam, etc.

[OffRoadFun]

Wow! Amazing travelogue!

A dream for many but you did it.

I have thought about many long drives to Ladakh or North East from BLR but Kashmir was not even on radar. At the back of mind, I always thought it's a no go for reasons mentioned by many. But you did it.

Pictures are very beautiful. It will inspire many more I hope.

[ashish2135]

Fantastic pictures! I was just blown away after seeing the 3 series against such beautiful backdrops.
I want to take my 330Li to such distant and beautiful places in the future!

[JoshMachine]

Amazing. Mind-numbing. Spectacular.

I can go on with the choicest of adjectives but will still fall short of the awe that your travelogue has managed to create. Kudos

I see that almost 90% of the travelogue details speak about Kashmir (and rightfully so), your final destination. Just simply beautiful pics, thanks so much for sharing.

And the last minute decision that you took to switch from the "car" to the SUV and back to the car, is el-classico stuff for an adventurer!

[AZ911]

One hell of a trip. Loved the pictures.

That's my home state and although I live in Delhi now, I'm also planning to drive down next month to Kashmir. Your post has instilled some more confidence in me for taking my car all the way.

[RaviKBobba]

I could see myself in Kashmir after reading your post. Lovely pictures, especially the stunning picture of Gurez valley was simply mind-blowing.

[megazoid]

Originally Posted by wheelnpaddock

Is that a dashcam / Gopro on the exterior of the windshield and if so was it safe to leave it as such in parking areas?

It is attached when I want to record some footage, not when parked for long periods. So no worries on that count.

Originally Posted by graaja

Your drive gives me confidence to take my 3GT to Hanle this year.

Thanks graaja. The trouble is water crossings more than anything else on the way to Leh from the Manali side. I had to backtrack at places when I checked the water depth at places and scout for another road.

Originally Posted by androdev

You are asking Bangalore Thar owners some tough questions :-)

Edit: Did you make any formal contingency plan specially keeping the 330i in mind (lowered as well)? Like potential RSA locations along the road, arranging alternate transport if required, etc.

Thanks androdev. I did a lot of work on the roads that I had to take and also had alternate routes in mind in case something didnt work out. But some like the NH44 from Jammu to Srinagar is unavoidable in the present circumstances and I was glued to local information about the condition of this road. Kept a transport operators number handy in case I had to be bailed out from some place.

Originally Posted by Dr.AD

Man, if that car could talk, I can listen to it all day and all night), all of these make this one of the most astonishing travelogues on this forum.

Thanks you for the praise AD. About time we all got together and shared some travel stories like old times.

Originally Posted by Oppanna

Brilliant capture and narration as usual which kept me hooked to the thread and completed in one go.
Super!!

Much appreciated. Thankyou so much!

Originally Posted by Maky

You have posted some of the most beautiful pictures of Kashmir I have seen. Some shots feel legit European. The security situation has always kept me away from there... but recently I get told it is safe to travel there. Seeing your travels inspires much confidence : )

Kashmir is astonishingly beautiful. The only trouble is with the tourists who make it difficult to keep places clean. Our conduct at public places needs a lot of improvement and this shows up everywhere. btw, the security situation is always a bit of a hit or a miss. I started the trip with the news that the army truck was attacked few weeks back and I drove through Pulwama two days ago and i get to know that some "material" has been seized there.

Originally Posted by NitNac

Filled my day with joy and made me remember my visit back in 2009.

Nostalgia is a true measure of the indelible impression a place makes on us.

Originally Posted by robimahanta

Absolutely brilliant stuff! Loved the photos. So glad you took the 3er for such a drive.

Thanks Robi. Time to head out for some nice drives again.

Originally Posted by iliketurtles

A riveting read where I rooted for the protagonist, identified with his escapades, and came away from it all with mad wanderlust. Perfect fuel for a mid-week morning. Hats off to you, sir. You put the mega in Megazoid.

Thanks a ton turtle. You are my closest neighbour.

Originally Posted by Cresterk

You are a braver man than me.
Also absolutely stunning photos!

Thanks! Well it worked this time! May not work another time though :-)

Originally Posted by Animesh

Don't the local guys create problem for driving an Out of State Private car? We went to Kashmir a year ago and they didn't allow even Srinagar registered Taxis for local sightseeing in Pahalgam, etc.

No such issues exist. The clear demarcation is for Taxis only. You have to move cabs at places to allow other associations to also get their share of the pie. No problems for white and err.. green plates.

Originally Posted by OffRoadFun

Pictures are very beautiful. It will inspire many more I hope.

Thanks

Originally Posted by ashish2135

I want to take my 330Li to such distant and beautiful places in the future!

You should. You have a longer wheelbase and can get spectacular speed hump orientations. :-)

Originally Posted by JoshMachine

I see that almost 90% of the travelogue details speak about Kashmir (and rightfully so), your final destination. Just simply beautiful pics, thanks so much for sharing.

Thanks. Didnt want to overburden with too many details. Hope it made sense.

Originally Posted by AZ911

That's my home state and although

Lucky you are!

Originally Posted by RaviKBobba

I could see myself in Kashmir after reading your post.

Many thanks.

[graaja]

Originally Posted by megazoid

Thanks graaja. The trouble is water crossings more than anything else on the way to Leh from the Manali side. I had to backtrack at places when I checked the water depth at places and scout for another road.

Ah. Ok. So you took the Leh - Manali route for the return?

I was told this route is risky and to take the Srinagar - Leh route instead. Looks like that route is risky too. As I am planning to do the trip in first week of October, I hope the road conditions will be better and less water crossings etc. Fingers crossed.

Originally Posted by megazoid

Thanks you for the praise AD. About time we all got together and shared some travel stories like old times.

Let's plan a meet soon. Would love to hear your experience.

[Car-riedAway]

Beautiful pictures and wonderfully put travelogue. I am planning to go to Srinagar next week and hence needed your inputs regarding the latest road condition. I see that you travelled until Banihal almost non-stop. How much time did it take? Any major roadblocks or is the situation dynamic and ever changing?

I plan to start around 7 am from Jammu so any pointers regarding what I could expect in terms of bottlenecks, in case you have an idea.

I would be in a Fortuner so I don't think road condition would be much of a bother but I have heard stories about construction work around Ramban, which often leads to landslides. Any advice regarding that?

[ritedhawan]

Employing a lowered 330i on himalayan routes leading to Kashmir requires guts. You and your car came out unscathed is a credit to you.

It is great to see that you took the 330i. The car looks just awesome amidst the grand scenes of the Himalayas. Your drive gives me confidence to take my 3GT

I think graaja, if Megazoid can take his lowered 330i then there should be no issues in terms of you taking your stead the same way. However, your reservations regarding approaching J&K from Manali side are valid. You never know a seemingly rugged road, well furnished,gets washed away and then you start wondering whether you approach it or not.