We visited the beautiful Kashmir Valley in 2021, which turned out to be one of our most beautiful trips to date.

It was a perfect way to bring our travelling drought to an end after 11 long months. When tourism resumed in late 2020, after the long phase of lockdown infused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Kashmir was among the very few places in India that were welcoming travellers without restrictions. Pramod and I began to research and soon decided to begin 2021 by exploring Kashmir.

Honestly, Kashmir was never on my (Sakshi’s) list because I never thought it was ever possible, courtesy of its sensitive situations that are regularly portrayed by the media. But as soon as we landed in Srinagar, it just embraced us with a white blanket, leaving us in awe. In the next four days, we did not feel unsafe or uncomfortable about anything even for a second.

Here are five important facts you must be aware of before travelling to Kashmir.   

Kashmir’s seasons  

Kashmir is one of the rare places in the world that blossoms in the three renowned seasons – winter, summer, and autumn. From offering the most stunning snowy views to the most striking autumn colours and the best summer sights, Kashmir is one hell of a destination for all nature lovers.

Postpaid sim  

Please note that in Kashmir, only postpaid sims work. While we had Airtel, which did not work particularly well, we were told that Jio works best in Kashmir.  Also, the WiFi is not particularly fast as they still operate with 2G speed. However, we did not have an issue in the houseboat as we were the only ones there. But, if you are planning on staying in a hotel, the speeds will drop as there could be many others using it.

Watch: Flight landing in snow-covered Srinagar

Is Kashmir safe to travel to?  

YES! A BIG YES! As I mentioned earlier, I never thought travelling to Kashmir would ever happen because of safety reasons, but I was so wrong and I’m glad I chose to ignore the myth surrounding Kashmir’s safety issues. It is as safe (or unsafe) as travelling to or within any state or city in the country.

Places like Gulmarg, Pahalgam, and Srinagar are very normal places, but with an exception – they are extremely picturesque and one must experience that at least once in life. Since we went in peak winter, the snowcapped mountains and tons of snow was around us 24×7.   

Tourist traps  

While you’ll meet some of the warmest people in Kashmir, you’ll also come across many tourist traps, be it during a Shikara ride on Dal Lake or while horse riding in Pahalgam, and one must be alert to not fall for it. Rule No. 1 in Kashmir: SAY A FIRM NO! If you don’t do that, the vendors won’t let go of you.

They are persistent salesmen and in no time, you may end up splurging. Rule No. 2: Use your best bargaining skills, it is very important.  Whatever price they quote, you can get it down to at least 50-60 percent – A lesson we learnt during this trip.

Unique accommodation

When there is a mention of Kashmir, you cannot help but imagine the colourful shikara rides and beautiful houseboats on glimmering lakes. If you travel to Kashmir, you cannot return without spending a couple of days in a houseboat on Dal or Nigeen Lake. Unlike in Kerala, where you can cruise overnight on houseboats in the backwaters and out to sea, houseboats in Kashmir are stationary.

The tourist houseboats in Kashmir are usually attached by wooden planks to the owners’ family houseboats. This allows them to easily attend to the guests, do the housekeeping and deliver food. Kashmiris take their hospitality very seriously and they make sure you have the most comfortable stay ever. Some of these houseboats have been around for over 100 years; ours dated back over 75 years!

To find out more about our Kashmir trip, click here