[mayankjha1806]

The hotel looks very good, is this in Leh. Which hotel is this? Also the fountains on the lake are they natural or there are sprinklers inside the water, and are they part of the hotel?

[laluks]

Originally Posted by mayankjha1806

The hotel looks very good, is this in Leh. Which hotel is this? Also the fountains on the lake are they natural or there are sprinklers inside the water, and are they part of the hotel?

The hotel is in Srinagar. Fountains are sprinklers and that is in Dal Lake.

[v&v]

Originally Posted by drustogi

Hi,

Can you give the contact numbers of the hotels you stayed in...

Also was this your first trip to leh and ladak...I have heard if you are doing first trip to such high altitudes then one should have daimox.. If it true?

Our trip was planned by a Travel agent at Leh : Active Adventure, web : Home - Active Adventure Ladakh and owner is Mr Dorjay.

As for the contact info of hotels here is the details.



Kud : TOURIST BANGLOW - KUD - 0191-2549065, 01912579554, 9419212451
Srinagar - Centuar Lakeview Hotel
Sonamarg : Hotel Hill View - Opp police station - 9419008237,
Kargil : Hotel Siachen - 01985 - 232221
Leh - Hotel Gawaling International - Changspa, - Hotel Gawaling International - Changspa, Leh - Ladakh, India
Pangong lake : Nature Nest Luxury tents : Contact Us - The Nature's Nest Camp Pangong
Nubra Valley : Hotel OLTHANG - T. Norboo(MD), - 9469176104, hotelolthang@yahoo.com
Sarchu : goldrop tents - Mr Vikas : misplaced the nos.

[v&v]

After a rest of 1 hr, we set-out for the famous Shikara ride. Drive around a bit and parked at Faraaz multicusine restaurant. The ride is very enjoyable and did for around 3 hrs including 1 hr at floating market.

You can sit hours besides the lake.

[v&v]

Some more pics around Dal lake. What all to see around :

Official website
District Profile

Places to in Srinagar

Dal Lake
Shankaracharya Temple - Entry on upto 5.pm
Hazratbal Shirne
Mughal Garden.

Around Srinagar
--------------
Pahalgam - 100ks - didnt visit
Gulmarg - 60 kms - Worlds highest Goldola. Most scenic drive
Wular lake (Many recommonded this place) if clubbed with Gulmarg can be done along with it - Didnt go.
Sonamarg - 80 kms - Night halt. Trek to thajiwas glacier must do.

Food : Sheek kababs, Roganjosh, Deep fired chickens. Served with Khaboos(Similar) along with Akrot Chutney. - Awesome.

[v&v]

Day- 3 , 18th June - Saturday

We had to choose between Pahalgam or Gulmarg. We came to know form the reception that the ropeway(Gondola) was open (it was shut for repair)
if lucky phase-2 too will be open. So it was an unanimous descision to see Gulmarg. We were also tipped that the Pony union will not allow outside vehicle inside gulmarg/Gondola the ropeway, one has to park at parking (entry) and has to either walk 3kms or hire the pony.

Solution : Get hold of a guide, ask him to make a temp reservation voucher for hotels near the ropeway , show at checkpoint and you are in. Will cost any thing between 500 to 1000 bugs(Negotiate hard) but will be cheaper than the pony and will save atleast 2 hrs. Also the climate was very unpreditable can rain any time.

Where to catch hold the guide, A Check post before gulmarg last 10 kms climb,one has to pay Rs 50/-. As we reached the checkpost, got hold of a guide and closed deal for 600 bugs. Deal manage vehicle entry, Get in parked safely, tickets (300 Adults, 150 kids), bypass gandola queue (Phase-1) Usually the wait period can be upto 30 min.

Bingo he got the voucher for hotel , we were allowed in after checking the voucher and a entree fee of Rs 50. Once in you cross this check post, one can roam free around in your vehicle. It fantastic to drive around absolute awesome views,less traffic only buses & of course local tourist. We drove around for 1 hrs. Guide showed many spots where bollywood shooting took place i remember few one is Bobby. Song "Jai Jai shiv shankar" , dont remember the film name, Dharmendra movie too was shot here and some more names don't remember exactly.

By the time we were at Gondola , the climate changed it was overcast and it could rain any time. Quickly parked the beast by the time the guide, got the the tickets, bypassed the queue(local contacts) and we are quickly on the gondola for Phase-1. Gondola was long it took good 15 min to reach our 1st destination.

Our bad luck, Phase-2 was temporarily suspended due to bad weather and there was already huge line for phase-2. we roamed around for an hour and half , returned back as it started raining.

I felt weekend, apart from tourist,local visitors volume too is high. Better can be avoided if possible.

By 5.30 we reached back at Srinagar. Did another shikara ride, by evening we are at our hotel. its time to say bye to Srinagar, tomorrow the journey continues destination "Sonamarg"


Camera view of Gulmarg - Switzerland of India @ 9000/- feet








Shots from Phase - 1 - @ 11000 ft and Ph - 2 - 12000 ft.

[FLYBOYSIDS]

Hi there,
nice trip you done there. way to go. Me planning to do the trip from Pathankot to Leh, Via Manali. Any really important tips. Am planning to drive my SX4 all the way there. Dont intend to go to the Srinagar side, been there dont that lots of times. Leh is a first time, Please do advise.

[v&v]

Originally Posted by FLYBOYSIDS

Hi there,
nice trip you done there. way to go. Me planning to do the trip from Pathankot to Leh, Via Manali. Any really important tips. Am planning to drive my SX4 all the way there. Dont intend to go to the Srinagar side, been there dont that lots of times. Leh is a first time, Please do advise.

Thanks. I will still suggest to go via srinagar rather manali. Acclimatisation is easy and you will have almost negligible AMS symptoms.

Via manali, now permit issue, then Rohtang, very bad roads all the way till Leh. Even mori plains too in bad shape.

Moreover while returning saw good number of tourist struggling to cope up with AMS symptoms. Mind you sarchu is at an altitude of 14500 fts.

All the best for your trip.

Highly informative travelogue with beautiful photographs, which will be useful to me when I visit Kashmir within a couple of months, if everything goes fine.

Originally Posted by v&v

Song "Jai Jai shiv shankar" , dont remember the film name, Dharmendra movie too was shot here

OT: That was my favourite

song

during my college days. It was from the film Aap Ki Kasam, starring Rajesh Khanna and Mumtaz.

[v&v]

Day - 4 - 19th June - Sunday - Sonamarg (Till i reached there, i used spell it as sonmarg)

Sonamarg is a major base for Amarnath Yatra (Baltal) and also popular trekking base. Todays plan, reach by 1 at
hotel, visit Thajiwas glacier post lunch. Our booking was at Hill view, which is a newer hotel opposite the police station after the market. Other hotels i rememberwere JKTDC hotel, Hotel Snowland and Sonmarg glacier.

Set out for Sonamarg (The meadow of gold) by 8.30 am. Around 20kms drive from srinagar you reach Ganderbal which i felt is a major repair hub with lot of spare parts shops and service centers. Another 10kms drive further we were at Shidh view dhaba which is around 30 kms after Srinagar which is a good location for Morning brakefast beside the Sindh river. Spent around an hour there. There was a checkpost 3 kms after this dhaba where Vehicle no and name has to be logged. Another 10kms drive you reach Kangan. Most of the people who live in Sonamarg trek down to kangan during Nov - March. From here another 40 kms drive is there for Sonmarg passing small villages . Road condition is average. Widening is in progress. At places it narrow too just on vehicle at a time and overall progress is slow. Add to this is the movement of army vehicles. Just 8 kms before Sonamarg, there is a small park besides the sindh river and is a good stop over. Reached there by 11.30 am spent an hour and headed to our hotel. Hotel was neat and staff were very caring and food was good. We had an AP plan. Here too the same problem, one cannot take own vehicle till be base of Thajivas glacier so hired a taxi , he charged Rs 800 for the same. Its a good 5 to 6 kms driver from the market till the base. Then again around 2 km trek one way.

It was a nice experiance. Due to large turnover of tourist, ice is almost muddy , but worth a visit. The view is awesome. Spend aound 2 hrs and were back by 5.30 at hotel. Here too while returning it rained , thankgod we had waterproof jacket which saved the day. So windcheater is a must along with sweaters.

Now let the photos speak.


Sindh view dhaba




Stop before 8kms Sonamarg






Sonamarg Market






Thajiwas Glacier Trek

[rkbharat]

very nice, Local contact doing some quick help

[v&v]

Video of Gondola @ Gulmarg

YouTube - ‪gulmarg_gondola.wmv‬‏

[v&v]

Day - 5 20th June - Monday - Destination : Kargil

Started at 9 am from the Hotel. Opposite traffic was light.
With in 7 kms there was a check point. Stopped and enquired about out travel and little chat we were off. He also told exactly 7 kms there is a bypass which will avoid traffic from kargil and meets at India gate. Since it rained previous night, the army guy posted near bypass told not to take that route. After couple of kms we were stopped again as army convoy was coming. After 30 min stoppage we started again , final climb was challenging. But overall experiance was thrilling.

After another 10 kms, the road was good. We passed Gumri, Zozila War Memorial, Mena marg police checkpost, Draupadi Kund and reached hit Drass by 12.50 pm. Our next destination was War memorial.

Zozila to Drass section is very beautiful. it is a photographers paradise.

[v&v]

Some more photos between Sonamarg - Kargil Route.











Draupadi Kund






Special rock formation

[PAVAN KADAM]

V&V Extremely engrossing photos and a fantastically detailed Travelogue

This forum doesnt allow Swearing, else i had so much expletives to shower in admiration to you

My next years sojourn is decided, i'll break this news to all my family members and relatives very soon, and certainly your thread will make them seal the decision instantly.

Thank you again.