Re: Self-Drive Exploratory Expedition->Zanskar+Unknown Kashmir-> "off-season October Kisthwar - Chingam - Mughal Maidan - Chatroo - Sinthan Pass - Vailoo - Margan Pass - Inshan [Warwan valley] People of Kisthwar can go to Srinagar through two routes 1. The most common route is the roundabout way and followed by 99% of the people till now. It goes through Doda and then connects back to the Jammu-Srinagar highway. This route is also the only way to go to Srinagar when the Sinthan Top [pass] closes down. 2. Now this is the uncommon route but a much shorter route, because this road goes through desolate forest tracks and that includes so no backup for vehicle problems. Also no one ventures into this route in the night and it was very militant prone even till a couple of years or so. But again this being remote is the most scenic route
The time taken by the longer route and the shorter route is more or less the same, since the remote route goes through hills and a pass and thus the average speed is much slower, while the longer route goes through good black topped roads roads and through towns and with traffic.
And of course this being an exploratory travel, we know which route to take, i.e., we are going towards Srinagar through the Sinthan Pass route. Quote: Kishtwar district situated amidst snow-capped mountains, emerald valleys, fruit orchards, whispering deodar and pine forests with their rich flora and fauna, gurgling streams meandering through lush green meadows, sprinkled with colorful natural wild flowers, create a grandeur that is hard to match.
The valleys of Chhatroo, Dachhan, Marwah, Paddar and Warwan in particular have an enchanting and mesmerizing natural beauty which has a great potential for adventure, pilgrimage, Eco, health, rural, cultural and film tourism. Unexplored and unexploited due to scarce road connectivity, these areas, having lush green forests, humming heights talking to the sky, green meadows and alpine pastures in the lap of high rising mountains where sight of neighing horses, bellowing cattle, bleating sheep and goats which have ascended from hot plains, display an absorbing view in summer months and remain under a white blanket of snow during the winter.
Source: Kishtwar-Ek Jannat |
After a relaxing start next morning and thanking much to our hotel host, we start out from Kisthwar towards Srinagar which goes through virgin forested tracks most of the time.
And as we leave Kisthwar surroundings, our progress is slow as we stop for short pauses to fill our senses of an beautiful land Quote: Chingam is en-route to Kashmir, middway between Sinthan Top and Kishtwar/Chatroo. Chingam is most beautiful small valley picturesque spot, with lush evergreen forest surrounding the corners from Top to bottom hills merging into crystal clear river flowing at the foot. Chingam valley has amazing array of Terraced Paddy fields, can well remind of you famous Bali (Ubud). This is a must visit place. A number of small villages surrounding Chingam are deep embedded into forests, just awesome. Chingam is connected to Jammu via Kishtwar all around the year but Srinagar route shuts down in winter due to heavy.
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At Chingam, a tourist hut is being constructed. These places are just being opened up for tourism after being much disturbed till even recently
And the journey continued up towards Sinthan Pass/Top through virgin forested tracks
And then we reached the most beautiful Mughal Maidan, amazing place with only couple of local tea stalls Quote: Mughal Maidan
About 24 km from Kishtwar is named Mughal Maidan as it is claimed that Mughals had suffered heavy casualties at this place when they attacked Kishtwar via Synthan and Singhpora. One of the beautiful treks starts from here which go to Kashmir valley via Singhpora. It passes through at a height of 11,570 feet and culminates at Wello near Kokarnag. Mughal Maidan is situated on the bank of Chhatroo river. The slopes adjacent Mughal Maidan are full of thick forests which are rich in wild-life.
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Naturally a stop at such a place is a must, and we stopped for some tea and biscuits - our lunch for that day
This area has just a couple of small tea shops where the few local Sumo drivers halt for those taking the no. 2 route, as they are going into some of the interior villages and as long as Sinthan top is open.
I read something that beautiful and most remote Warwan valley is somewhere after Sinthan pass but did not know the location or the route to take. I did ask a few localites about the remote village of Inshan and Warwan valley, but they also did not know and thus thought would inquire more about this place in Srinagar and then again come back for Warwan valley.
But what happened next was fantastic. The local driver [centre, cup in hand], knew about Inshan, said it would take at least 5-6 hours from and also the road through Margan pass is all gravel and desolate. Amazed all of them as they were seeing a West Bengal no. plate over here at this time in October, we too were much grateful to them for the exact information.
Charged up we were now, very less time in hand we had to go to make the journey to Inshan, we cannot miss that whatever be the odd and out of the way it may be. Thanks a lot for to the local Sumo driver for Inshan and Margan Pass info, just in time for another great detour to the unknown but not before some stops, who would not even though we were getting late now! And we reached Sinthan Pass, 83 km from Kisthwar, that took more than 5 hours of course taking into all the small breaks we had. Note also, how the road is blacktopped from Sinthan to Srinagar side but not from Kishthwar to Sinthan Top
That said, and as said, people of Kisthwar do not take this route as being a forested track of a road, it takes much more time than the longer blacktopped route.
And still we were late as we are going for a major detour, not to Srinagar but to remote village of Inshan. contd...
Last edited by adc : 9th March 2012 at 14:25.
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