Suggestions (Kashmir)

Kashmir is a any season destination. It actually depends on individual preferences. We had a mixed experience in Kashmir. As a result, we felt like providing some important suggestions for you if you are planning to visit Kashmir. We have divided these suggestions categorically to make it convenient.

Best Time to visit

The best time can be April and October. The weather is pleasant and cool. You will need layered clothing as it gets warmer as the Sun rises but can become chilly as the sun starts setting. Early mornings and nights can be freezing cold. We visited the place in October 2021 and we can vouch that it was a great time to visit Kashmir. You will need layered clothing as it gets warmer in the day at that time and evening are cold. We got the best of both worlds as there was snow (season’s first) as well as the colors of nature still visible all around. Prices are fair during this time. But, you will not be able to enjoy winter sports like sledging, skiing etc.

April is the spring to summer transition and many would say the best time. The advantage is that the Tulip Garden is open only in April. Being the spring season, Kashmir will be full of colours and you can enjoy the Mughal gardens with variety of flowers.

One of our suggestions is to always keep a buffer day while in Kashmir as the weather can get difficult to travel on some days. Consequently, it might make you walk on a tight rope as far as your bookings are concerned.

Transportation

Make an advance booking if you want assurance or if you are sure to stick as per your itinerary. This is also preferable if you are visiting in peak season as availability is low due to high demand. Otherwise, go for booking taxi as and when needed as it gives you more flexibility . In any case you will have to book local taxis for local sightseeing at different places like Sonmarg, Pahalgam, and Gulmarg. In Srinagar you may hire an auto for local sightseeing except it will not take you to Shankaracharya temple situated on a hill. We have provided more detailed information on taxis in transportation post.

Stay

You may either stay in each of the towns or make at the most two bookings while on Kashmir tour. But, to save money and time, our suggestions for staying in Kashmir is to book stays only in Srinagar and Pahalgam. You may cover Gulmarg and Sonamarg to your heart’s content on day trips also. Moreover try to book stays in busy areas so that there will not be any safety concern in case you return a little late to the hotel. Best bet would be market areas. There will also be many food options available.

Food

Stick to vegetarian food, if you have doubts about the kind of meat in dishes. Kashmir uses lamb meat for mutton which in result has a slight smell and different flavor. In our suggestions regarding food in Kashmir is that it is better to have breakfast and dinner at your hotel. You can custom order your choices of food there. Restaurants are available but, it is difficult to find pure vegetarian ones. We have provided a list of vegetarian and other food in our post here.

Safety

Kashmir is safe to travel. In order to avoid unfavorable scenarios, please keep a tab on the news updates. The streets get empty very early in the night. Shops close by 8:30 PM. Irrespective of what you hear, your trip to Kashmir will be hassle free and a memorable for life.

Shopping

Stick to Lal Chowk for buying dry fruits or saffron. You may also get some in Pahalgam. Do not buy anything from the highway shops! We did not like the quality and the prices of the dry fruits on the highway. So our suggestions for shopping in Kashmir is to stick to the Lal Chowk market area for everything from clothes to dry fruits.

Scams

Kashmir is a tourist place. Tourism being one of the major occupations and for some places only occupation, the livelihood is completely dependent upon the tourist activities. This becomes a major problem when it leads to numerous kinds of scams running all around Kashmir. Even if you understand the dependency, it does a give bad taste to your holiday. A little research before your trip will help you a long way in avoiding these scams.

• Make sure you gather proper information about the sightseeing places and the modes of getting there before you hire someone. There are many tourists’ information desks available in the cities to help tourists with such information. Or make use of the internet.
• Tips: Every activity that you do, you will be asked for a tip. This is not a scam but you have to count it as an overhead. The local population being dependent on such tourist activities it is just extra money on the day. You can tip the pony operators because the payment you make goes to the union or the pony owner and the operators get only a small amount of it.
• Sometimes the display information for tourists is either damaged or altered purposely. You may take the help of your hotel staff for any clarification.
• The nexus of taxi unions, hotels and tourist desks is frustrating and at times spoils the experience. In our opinion if this gets managed in a better and effective way, the tourism of Kashmir will jump many fold.
• Your taxi driver will take you to one of the highway dry fruits & saffron shops bragging about the quality and authenticity. They have a kind of a nexus, where they get commission for each tourist brought in. Avoid buying anything!

Tips

• While the prices might seem justified at first you would not want to be left feeling scammed after your experience. So, always, try out more than two distant vendors before deciding on one.
• If possible, hire a local taxi from outside the taxi stand but only after enquiring the rates as there is a possibility of getting better deals at discounted rates after negotiation.
• You might be appalled to know that somethings cost almost a quarter of what was quoted by vendors.
• Bargain hard. This is the trick to making that Kashmir trip on average budget. Bargain everywhere from taxi rates to shopping to pony (especially pony rides) to anything where the prices don’t cater to your budget. You never know maybe it might turn out to be your lucky day.
• THE GOLDEN RULE: Offer maximum 1/4 price of what was quoted to you!