Post pandemic we were eagerly waiting for a refreshing holiday. So after a little research and seeing friends photographs on instagram 😉 we decided to take a trip at “The Kashmir Valley”. Now like everyone else i also would like to say – If you are looking for a heaven on earth then come to Kashmir.
Kashmiri People :-
But unlike every other blog that describes how breathtaking the nature is I like to start my story by describing Kashmiri people 1st , because more than the nature i believe its people that makes a difference in our experience . I spent total 7 nights and 8 days in Kashmir and not a single day I faced any threatening or saddening experience here.I roamed around the city like a local upto night 7pm or 8pm (in Lal chowk area, and through the boulevard road near Dal lake ) I never felt unsafe for a single time . Like many of us I had also a preconceived notion about Kashmir situation and the locals before going there , but trust me after arriving here my ideas got completely changed and now I want to enlighten you about the same.
I met Raeez (Our Driver cum tour guide) Firdouz(Our tour guide at Gulmarg) Fayaz(our photographer in Sonmarg) and I am sure many others like them are equally hospitable , always speaks with a sweet smile and just beautiful inside out. Just imagine, our driver Raeez even helped us with his money because we were running out of cash and there were no ATMs nearby.
Covid 19 guidelines :-
Now let me talk about covid19 guidelines that you have to follow in order to enter Kashmir. As you know already Kashmir state borders are now opened for domestic tourists and there is no travel restrictions as such on interstate travel through flights , trains and by roads only if you carry full vaccination certificates . You must show vaccination certificates at Srinagar Airport or have to undergo a rapid RT-PCR test over there. Next there will be a few intercity checkpoints while travelling from Srinagar to Gulmarg or Sonmarg where the state authority will stop your cars randomly and check whether you are wearing a facemask or not. They will only permit you to leave only if you are wearing a mask otherwise will incur a fine of Rs. 200-300. Thats a little weird though, as if they are only utilizing this matter to incur you a fine.
On Arrival :-
It was our Wedding Anniversary and we reached Srinagar on 24th Nov, 2021. around 10am. After finishing the Airport formalities we checked into the Radission Hotel (which is formerly known as Grand Mumtaz). We booked our stay with MakeMyTrip and since we had the MMT exclusive privilege so we got the early check-in at our Hotel. The stay was very comfortable and welcoming. We booked the Presidential suite .
p.s :- ignore my tired looks but the room was really specious and lavish.
After freshening up we straightaway headed to their in-house bakery and started off with the famous “Kewha” . They served it with delicious butter cookies. Kewha is their traditional beverage made by boiling green tea leaves infused with range of whole lot spices like cardamom, cinnamon, rose petals served with a touch of saffron and a garnish of chopped almonds.
We decided to have our launch at the hotel room since we had a few office calls to attain and by the time it got finished it was almost twilight and started to get cold. We called our Airport taxi driver for some sightseeing with whom we came to the hotel in the morning but he refused to drive after sunset . So here is a piece of advice regarding transport at Srinagar. The taxi drivers are a little paranoid about driving post sunset. Although there is no valid reason but they will unnecessarily scare you about the weather saying its very cold outside and hence all the shops will be closed so no one will be there on the road hence its not safe to roam outside post 5:30 pm. Which is totally baseless I can vouch for it. The shops will remain opened upto late hours around Lal Chawk area and that of on the boulevard road beside Dal lake ghat no 14, 15 which are the one of the happening places in Srinager you can do shopping , have some street foods(skeekh kebab is very famous here ) and walk around the whole area in a leisurely way. But here is the fact the local taxi drivers will show their unwillingness and disapproval openly if you insist them to drive post sunset. So we searched in google and found this cab company Jugnoo cabs (https://jugnoo.io/jugnootaxi/) . So that we haven’t live onto their Marcy anymore . They are Uber-like apps and operate widely in J&K. They will totally follow your instructions and you can take them anywhere from any point around the city and they will drop you at your desired location . They will never refuse to be with you even after sunset. So it was our go-to mode of transportation in Srinagar.
We booked the Jugnoo cab and reached the Dal lake area by evening.We visited Dal lake very next day morning again for shikara ride. But that day we just went there basically just to step out from our hotel and walk across the boulevard road beside Dal lake ,we checked some cool shops across the street which were selling pashmina stoles and other winter wear. Done some shopping which is one of my favourite things to do ðŸ¤. This done we ate Kashmiri street foods like seekh kebab(which is definitely the must-try) it was tasty and so yummy. By the way we constantly had tea and coffee on and off without getting tired of it because it was so cold and warm drink was something that was most desirable at that time.
After having the hot food we walked across the Dal lake for sometime. It was a treat to the eyes seeing the lit up shikaras lined through the shoreline it was beautiful.
Around 8pm we decided to head back to the hotel by booking another jugnoo cab. After a hectic day we had our simple dinner at hotel and post dinner we watched some favourite movies in the hotel room because we chose to book a luxurious stay at Radisson(The presidential suite) since it was our anniversary day. As the part of the suite we got the huge living area and one bedroom. So we sloshed on the couch in a warm temperature controlled modern living room and ended our Day 1.
Day 2 : We started the morning with a scrumptious breakfast at Radission. They had a wide variety of culinary options in the breakfast menu starting from continental to oriental specialities as well as Kashmiri delights. We tried a bit of everything and then after breakfast we spent some time by walking around their entire property. They had a sprawling manicured garden predominated with Chinar Trees. It was my 1st encounter with famous Chinar tree specially Chinar leaves – how the faded autumn leaves with their blood red hues crunching softly under my feet ! I was keen to come to Kashmir in this Autumn season just to witness valleys autumn hues and flavours because this time when the green leaves turns to gold and then rust to finally blood red.
We returned to the hotel room .We had a majestic Chinar tree straight out of our hotel window also. It was a solitary tree and I am sure one can spend hours just to gaze at this graceful giant absent-mindedly with a cup of coffee in her hand but we had a limited time here in Kashmir .
A Dal moment
So post launch in the late afternoon , we went to the Dal lake ghat number 15 for a Shikara ride on Dal, well every visitor to Srinagar should experience this .This is no brainer. Frankly speaking it was cold since it was late Autumn and almost winter approaching but we fell in love with this Dal beauty at a single glance.With the sluggish ripples made by the paan shaped paddles our shikara gradually started moving with a gentle motion.The sun was mild and there was chilly mist into the air – it was magical. I asked our boatman “Bhaiya, what is the meaning of Dal in Kashmiri ? He replied ‘Dal’ means ‘Lake’ in Kashmiri. So don’t call it ‘Dal Lake’, only Dal….”
Then the Boatman started explaining with his strong Kashmiri accent all the sightseeings and attractions that you can locate from the boat like Nishat Garden, Shalimar Garden and the Hazratbal Mosque because they are in close periphery to Dal. Due to the heavy fog most of the attractions were not visible at that moment . But what caught my eyes was the life on the Dal. we had taken a 2 and 1/2 hours ride on the lake . So I had ample amount of time , got myself acquainted and started capturing the glimpses of the floating market, floating lotus stems because lotus flowers blossoms only during the month of July and August- and it was not the season, fishing boats and how locals are residing on the Dal inside small houseboats .The boatman informed me that these are their work-houses . They create handicrafts from these factories.
I was a little skeptical before taking the boat ride since it was a bit of an off season for the Shikara ride, the mountains will not be visible due to the mist but I was blown away by seeing the vastness of the lake ! May be due to the mist it was less crowded on the water and Mother nature around us was in her full glory ! The gentle waves will transform you in a meditated state and that happened with me .It was so fulfilling and unforgettable. It was one of the best experiences that we had in Kashmir.
Then the locals gradually started stopping by with their shikaras for selling handicraft goods , pashmina swals and other colorful kashmiri attires.
I was warned in prior about this culture that I have to do hard bargaining to get a good deal but you know what i didn’t felt like that at that moment instead I started talking to them, getting to know about their life on the water . The pandemic impacted their lives in the worst possible ways because they were heavily dependent on the tourism so I thought that it could just be a tiny little help if I do some purchases within my capacity.So I just did that.
Once that is done we halted at the char chinar . It’s a small island situated on the Dal lake named after 4 chinar trees at it’s four corners . The island is surrounded by dense and crystal clear water of dal. Its a popular tourist attraction you will get panoramic view of the lake from this island garden and mountains in the backdrop.We sat for some time in peace and serenity on this island garden , enjoyed the gorgeous view of the lake, had some hot coffee in this chilled weather from a floating shikara restaurent tethered to the island , taken some superb photos . Since It was fall season it was the ideal time to capture this captivating beauty.The gigantic Chinar trees were standing like pillars of flame and turned the whole island into vibrant red color so it was a great photo opportunity.I got dressed up as a Kashmiri woman to get clicked.
We further sailed and reached Meena bazar which is a floating shopping complex in the middle of the lake.It is very popular among tourists , they sell Kashmiri handicrafts, carpets and wooden artifacts . People advised me in prior that not to buy anything from these shops as the Shikara valas are tied up with respective shops and they will scam you together. By the time I reached there it was almost dark so I was in a hurry to finish my ride I didn’t purchase anything. However, it was a nice experience though. I have seen such markets in Thailand before.
After the once in a lifetime experience of the Shikara ride on Dal Lake we returned to the land. Still I was feeling sleepy. Ohh I forget to mention before, Our Shikara wala gave us a quilt also since it was very cold.
It was truly an amazing experience we cherished every moment of our boat ride.
While returning back we went to Lal chawk to have a dinner at Ahdoos restaurent . It is one of the oldest restaurants in Kashmir where you can taste authentic Kashmiri flavours . One striking feature I have noticed that most of the waiters are in their 70’s may be this is their dignified way to keep the 100 year old tradition alive ! We had Wazwan . It is a must-try for foodies when in Kashmir. Wazwan is actually a combination of various mutton and lamb dishes served with rice , including famous mutton Rogan josh. But what I liked most is the preparation named Gushtaba . Its a boneless mutton dish purely made with mutton meatballs in hung curd gravy and aromatic spices.
We finished our dinner ticked off another box from our must visit list in Kashmir and returned to our hotel. Had a good night sleep after a satisfying dinner . Ohh speaking of which we had a friendly argument about where we will stay next – The Ahdoos hotel or in the houseboats . Because today while taking the shikara ride the standing vintage wooden houseboats on the Dal lake mesmerized me so much that I wanted to stay just for a night over there to experience this unique floating beauty ! My husband voted for staying at Ahdoos hotel instead which was just adjacent to their restaurant , we visited today. It was a good city hotel situated right inside the most happening Lal chawk area with Ahdoos restaurent and bakery(this is also very famous) in close periphery . Most importantly at Ahdoos , you can do a luxury stay without burning a hole in your pocket. Guess who won 😜?
Day 3 : We checked out from Radisson and checked into our houseboat on the Nigeen lake. Nigeen lake is a secluded hidden gem which is considered as a part of the Dal lake connected via a narrow strait. We had opted for staying at offbeat nigeen lake instead of overpopulated super commercialized Dal lake. Now this is an important decision that you have to make that where to stay – Dal lake or Nigeen lake ? It solely depends on your choice. Dal lake is more full with actions . Also Dal lake is famous. So if you prefer to stay more near to the hub , more commercialized, crowded place then go for Dal lake houseboats. If you like us prefer more picturesque, quieter, serene place and want to spend a day with less noise in isolation, then come to Nigeen lake.It’s smaller, quieter, and more picturesque.
We rented an auto risksaw and went to the ghat number 1 of NIgeen lake. The pristine water of the lake and the calm surroundings left me spellbound. Various sized houseboats some big and some small , they were tethered in one side of the bank of the lake.Which means one of the entrance to the houseboat has the road access too . We booked our stay with the Akbar group of houseboats . The owner of the houseboat Mr. Adnan personally greeted us over the phone and arranged a shikara who had taken us across the lake to the houseboat placed on the other side of the lake. Houseboats are something between a hotel and a homestay. Most of the cases these are family-owned and operated. Which is quite helpful you will get more insights into local knowledge . Like Mr. Adnan given us genuine information that what would be the cost of the driver from Srinagar to Gulmarg or Sonmarg and even negotiated with the driver and reduced the cost. But there is an unattractive side too. In the evening suddenly random shikara valas started dropping by to our privately booked houseboat for selling their goods without our permission. So this was a bit breach of privacy and little underwhelming . We have checked and verified the reviews in tripadvisor beforehand and they had a very good rating on tripadvisor still this happened.
There were various sized houseboats permanently docked on the lake . Some were giant houseboats having five bedrooms .They are great for large groups travelling together. But honestly If you’re a couple, you’ll be better off choosing to stay in a smaller boat as you’ll have more privacy and less disruption and book the entire houseboat for better privacy. We did just that.
It was cold and foggy so the peaks of Himalayas in the backdrop of the lake was not visible . But I didn’t mind because all I wanted was to stay in tranquillity for a day on nature’s lap. The interior was beautiful adorned with fancy décor elevating a feeling of the lost heritage. Our houseboat had separate dining and lounge rooms, as well as a balcony at the front facing the lake. The wooden intricacies in every corner of the houseboat impressed me so much.. I slowly walked to the balcony through the carpeted floor and started admiring the beauty of the surroundings silently. The only disturbance was by the sound of ripples of water every time the boatman pierced the Nigeen lake with his wooden oar..
The caretaker Yaseen Bhai offered us a hot cup of tea and asked me to seat inside warm lounge room since it was very cold outside. He served tea with walnut cookies. They were so delicious that I literally begged for more. Srinagar has some very good bakeries .This one was from Jan bakery which is one of the most famous bakery shop in the valley. By the way one thing to mention that The power supply of these boats goes off frequently. So this is a concern but thankfully the heating system is not dependent on electricity because they run on generators fuelled by diesel.
Mr. Adnan arrived in the evening and started a long conversation about how the houseboats are preserved over the years. We were told that this particular houseboat is 65 years old and there are lot more they are even older this :- like 80 years and still running !
The Wangnoo family[his surname : Wangnoo] is one of the pioneers in the houseboat sector in this region. He and his other relatives run a large array of houseboats on Nigeen lake. Despite the fact that he was settled abrode but returned back ultimately to continue running his family business . Mr. Adnan educated us that how much hard work and enormous sum of money his family spent to build this huge wooden masterpiece
Around 8:30pm the caretaker served us delicious food with a hospitable smile