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Tourism in Pahalgam

Pahalgam is a most popular international tourist spot, which is mostly well-known as a best hill station, whose distance is just 45 kms from the district headquarters of Anantnag. The city of Pahalgam is simply the heaven of earth, as one can experience the breathtaking views at this place. The city Pahalgam is also famous as the ‘Shepherds Village’ or ‘Village of Shepherds’. The town is situated over the River Lidder banks with an elevation of 7200 ft. (above the sea level), and the village is one of the 5 Tehsils of Anantnag district.

Tourism Pahalgam

It is such a wonderful place that tourists can trek over some of the eye-catching mountains, and it is safe house for the trekkers. For they can trek the close-by highs of Lidderwat, lounge in the undulating glades of Baisaran, Aru, surging waters of Kolohoi Glacier and numerous different spots of overpowering excellence.

The places in Pahalgam is sprinkled with lovely perspectives and great vistas. Undulated spreads of green pastures tossed open spread miles and miles pass the eyes' scope, that are scattered with endemic mixed bag of ravishing wild blossoms, profound wildernesses of deodar, cedar, junipers and pines. The perfect clear moving white waters of the torrential Lidder River is unceasingly restored with waters of the softening ice surging down the streams radiating from the enormous enamoring mountains wrapping the thin valley beneath. Lidder most likely adds to the magnificence of this treasured area. If you would like to trek here, you can visit to Lidderwat and Kolohoi Glacier as well as Sonmarg, etc. Some people even wish to do Snow skiing during this winter months. The season starts and ends between the months of December and February.

This village is filled by many locals as well as national and international tourists due to its amazing feature of reducing temperature continuously. However, River Lidder is noticed to flow at a very close distance, and also tourists will have to travel via rambling roads. The River Pahalgam also has a fresh cool breeze that comes along the banks of the Lidder River. This River is born at Koloho glaciers and flows over Tarsar Lake and Sheeshnag, later joins the Jhelun.

Pahalgam is not just a tourist spot, but also a very favorite Bollywood shooting spot, and it has also become the excellent health resort in India. The village has been the main camp for the people performing Amarnath Ji Yatra (where Snow-Shaped God – Shivlingam is established). Pahalgam Valley provides panoramic view of the pine forests or the thick pine trees that have stood in a descending order over the snow clad mountains. You can also find the pleasant climate all over the year, while the vast meadows and pastures along with the scenic view of the Lidder River has been pulling attention of several tourists.

Pahalgam is good for all type of tourists. No matter whether spiritual tourists, adventure enthusiasts, or just a casual tourists.

Places to Visit in Pahalgam

Several beautiful places can be visited in and around Pahalgam, which gives traveler, a good satisfaction in making trip to Pahalgam. One can visit the golf ground, where snow-capped mountains are surrounded as well as a cute little pond at the center of the ground. The combination of lush green ground and a surrounding snow-capped mountains gives a great pleasure to the eyes. It is good to visit this ground other times except winter season, as it will be closed. 

Also, you can visit the zoo or deer park, which is popular in Pahalgam. Though the park is named as 'Deer Park', you can even find beers and leopards at this spot. Totally it is found to be an eye-capturing picturesque spot.

Religious Tourism in Pahalgam

Pahalgam seems to be the best place for religious tourism, as you can visit many famous temples, mosques, and other holy spots here. Amarnath Temple is the most famous temple which is often visited by not only the pilgrims, but also other tourists to see the beauty of the Snow covered Hindu God (Shiva in the form of Shivlingam). Also, there are many Shivji temples like Gauri Shankar temple, Mamaleshwar Temple, Martand Sun Temple, Mata Temple, and others. Apart from these, there is also a famous mosque called 'Jamia Milia Mosque', and some ancient churches namely Saint Mary’s church and Saint Johns church in Pahalgam.

Nature Walk in Pahalgam

Pahalgam Nature

Kolahoi Glacier, Baisaran Hills, Chandanwari, Betab Valley and Aru Village are some of the best nature walks in Pahalgam. This gives you an ideal picturesque view of the beautiful nature. These amazing places are the excellent spots for the photography.

Sports Tourism in Pahagam

If you are planning to do sports tourism in Pahalgam, you can visit this place during your vacations. Probably, this will become the most memorable trip with your family or friends. If you are an adventure sports enthusiast, Pahalgam is the right place for you to do trekking, water rafting, trout fishing, golfing, horse riding and lot more. This would surely become the most favorite place for kids as well as adults who are adventure sports enthusiasts.  

Shopping in Pahalgam

Though Pahalgam is not a shopping destination, one can shop lots of handicrafts, pherans, kashmiri shawls which are hired right from Srinagar.

Pahalgam Kashmiri Apples


Tourists would love to buy Kashmiri apples which can be consumed while traveling to different places. These apples are grown and sold in Srinagar, but these apples are bought and sold in Pahalgam to make it easy for the tourists to buy these Kashmiri apples even in Pahalgam.

There are lot more to buy in the city, one can purchase garments, footwear, wooden and woolen items, etc. and all these items are available at a reasonable price that makes you to shop more and more. Come Shop Here.

Eating Out in Pahalgam

Pahalgam is entirely filled with several individual hotels and restaurants, while there are also guesthouses which have their own restaurants. The city of Pahalgam reminds you about the variety of delicious cuisines from different parts of the state especially the scrumptious Kashmiri food, and special tea of Kashmir known as 'Kahwa', Kashmiri Wagwan (banquet), Rogan Josh and so on.  Tourists will thus have more option for eating out in Pahalgam.

Pahalgam Eatouts

Along which, one can also find the street food, as well as bakeries, and even the cold drinks shop, wine shops, etc. that are established in many places of Pahalgam.
  • Cafe log inn 
  • Travellers Inn 
  • Tourist Cafe Tea Shop
  • Hotel Paradise
  • Nathu Rasoi
  • Hotel Abshar
  • Hill Top Hotel
  • Heevan Hotel
  • Mount View
  • Woodstock
These are some of the main hotels where you can enjoy eating your favorite Kashmiri dishes. Or Eat Here.

Hotels in Pahalgam

As large group of tourists keep visiting the Pahalgam during all the seasons like summer, springs, and autumn, loads of hotels have stood up in the competition to serve the tourists visiting Pahalgam. Among such a huge numbers of hotels, a small list of hotels is listed below:
  • Hotel Pine Spring
  • Hotel Volga
  • Paradise Inn
  • Hotel Noor Mahal
  • Hotel Dolphin
  • Lidder Palace Hotel 
  • Nataraj Hotel
  • Grand View
  • Senator Pine-n-Peak
  • Hotel Himalaya House
  • Hotel Palestine

Transportation in Pahalgam

Transportation Pahalgam

Though there are many transportation system available to reach Pahalgam city such as buses, railways, airlines, cars or taxis, and other local vehicles, it is better to choose the pony ride or walking to enjoy the scenic beauty. If you go by walk, you would be able to watch and experience the surrounding natural beauty that gives coolness to the eyes.

Best Tourist Spots in Pahalgam

Pahalgam is said to be an excellent base camp especially for the travelers moving towards the holy Amarnath cave, that has been grabbing several tourists to exploit its tremendous scenic beauty as well as panoramic views of the Liddar Valley situated on top of the Himalayas.

Winter is a best time for those visitors who wish to watch the heavy snowfall that happens between the months of December to February. Others can visit the place during summers. There are even thick pine as well as cedar forests which offer a natural habitat for the brown bear. Also, you can visit the striking picnic spot known as 'Hajan', that appears on the way to Chandanwari.

Besides these, clumps of different attractive picnic spots surrounded the River Liddar to spend good time and relax. Pahalgam, which is the beginning point of the Amarnath yatra, is also known as a pilgrimage centre, where loads of pilgrims pass via this region during the months of July or August to reach the holy cave of Amarnath.

Also, Pahalgam is a single region, where the 'Kesar' (Saffron) plants are grown in the entire continent of Asia. If you visit Pahalgam during November, you can watch these saffron plants in fully bloomed mode. To watch and enjoy the exciting scenic view of the snow clad mountains, one can walk around in the thick Baisaran Pine Forests that is just 5 kms from Pahalgam.

Top Attractions in Pahalgam

Below are the 5 best attractions in Pahalgam:

Aru Village in Pahalgam

Aru is a small village that is found to be a starting point of the treks to reach Kolahoi glacier. This charming valley of Aru can be reached by walking along the mountainous path that is mounted by snow. When you move around at this valley, you will be able to watch the glorious picturesque beauty of the snowy peaks as well as lush green lands.

The Aru Valley is one of the extremely delightful dreamy lands for all the tourists, and it is very close to the Sonmarg, and a trekker can do a long trek or pony ride over this spot within 3 days from Aru Valley. Apart from Sonmarg, there are versatile places nearby Aru region, such as Lidder River, Gur Khumb, Betaab Valley and many more. When compared to Betaab Valley, Aru Valley is said to be much larger.

The distance between Aru Valley and Lidder River is 11 kms upstream, while the distance between the Aru Valley and Gur Khumb is 27 mtrs, but the distance between Aru Valley and Pahalgam is just 10 kms. Thus, all these regions are the best campsites to reach Pahalgam.

Aru Valley Pahalgam

The main attraction of this Aru Village is that, it is located between the grasslands and snowy mountains, which is a great feast for the eyes of the tourists. Besides, the valley is also known to be a good site for camping. And it is a great idea to watch such an eye-catching spot by walking, instead of pony ride. So that, each and every moment of the exciting scenic beauty can be watched.

By overwhelming the major snow-mounted peaks that belong to the Himalayan Range, are located at the Trans-Himalaya. It consists of the clear blue canopy on its upper-side, and includes the misty surroundings, as well as the whispers of the native pines; even one can find the conifer forests and beautiful meadows that have formed a magnetic diorama for travelers mobbing the valley.

Aru village is a wonderful greenish land that is occupied by the people known as 'Gujars'. These Gujars have been tangled in grazing the troop of sheep and goats. While, these innocent individuals stay in small huts with their family, over the left bank side of the Aru river, and offers a splendid view of the Aru hill and mountains.

Aru Valley Pahalgam

While, the path between Aru valley and Pahalgam is extremely enticing and surpassing picturesque view that uncovers the beauty of the mountains with the Pine and Deodhar trees, and the lime-fresh green land, the River Lidder gushes till the Pahalgam. You can find many numbers of horses and cows that graze in-between the few flat grasslands and birds chirping that express their joyous moments and freedom in nature. You will also be able to watch the creamy gentle white clouds and the snow white peaks that appears as a miraculous beauty in this heavenly spot of Aru valley.

Golf Course in Pahalgam

To travel via the rambling roads of Pahalgam, creates a reinvigorated cool breeze of the Lidder river, that flows from the Kolohoi glaciers till the Tarsar lake as well as through Sheshnag and thereby joins as a tributary of the Jhelum. The city of Pahalgam is just a heaven of earth and is famous for its natural beauty that includes the rivers and pine trees, the snow-capped mountains, and many other interesting scenic spots like golf course, etc. which have created a tremendous picturesque view that welcomes huge numbers of tourists with its grandeur beauty. These tourists generally visit in the month of March, where mountains are completely snow-covered in Pahalgam. The scenic beauty looks similar to Switzerland.

Pahalgam Golf Course

When you visit Pahalgam golf course (another name for Lidder valley golf course), you will definitely get excited watching the amazing beauty of the well-maintained lush green land along with the properly cleaned lidder river.. It has been established within the thick alpine trees with glorious snow-capped background mountains. Apart from golf course, the land is also the best place to relax, and it requires just a short walk from the main market.

This Gulf course of Pahalgam is found to be the biggest golf course in the entire Asia, and is said to have 26 holes. Actually, this golf course had just 9 holes, then extended till 18 holes, and now it has been the Asia's largest golf course with 26 holes. This helps the golf players to play comfortably; while the Golf championships are said to be held by the private hotel staff and sometimes conducted by state government. And the course is usually held during the summer season, where you will find stacks of tourists along with the locals who are framed together under the traces of Pine trees that have skirted the golf course, whose height is approximately about 2400m high above the sea level.

If you visit this place, it makes you feel that you are in the different atmosphere with meadows all around, along with a beautiful lush green grass. It just creates an urge in you to click more and more snaps of the green mountains behind the golf course. Though there is a good guide, you do not have to move to this place with guide, as it’s all a scenic beauty to watch and enjoy.

The amenities provided in golf course are as good as any other good golf course in India. All equipments required for playing golf are readily available in the club.

Baisaran Hills in Pahalgam

Baisaran is a beautiful meadow which is most well-known as the ‘Mini Switzerland’ is situated at 150 m at a great height and is just 3 kms from the city of Pahalgam. It provides eye-catching experience and cycloramic views of the town and the Valley of Lidder. There are generally two options to view this amazing beauty one is through trekking and another one is through pony ride.

One can get excited to watch the snow-capped mountain peaks, and surrounding thick pine forests, green and snowy land, etc. Baisaran grabs several tourists on its lap, making them to spend more time at this wonderful spot. It is famous as ‘Mini Switzerland’ due to its long dark meadows that is somewhat has the same appearance as that in Switzerland and the thick pine forest along with the snow clad mountains are a great feast to the eyes.

Baisaran Valley Pahalgam

Baisaran is a lively spot, where tourists would prefer to camp at this rolling meadow, that is worth visiting, when trekkers gather at this camp and do several activities like playing, dancing, and talk with each others. This is an excellent mind-gearing spot with cool atmosphere that brings extreme joy when you visit this camp that is located near to the Tulian Lake. While there are also tourists who usually trek from the Baisaran meadow till the Tulian Lake which is 3353 meters above the sea level and is found to be 11 kms away from this lake.

This is a great chance for the people to do all the mind-blowing activities, and relax themselves well. Tourists are advised not to miss this opportunity, and enjoy every moment you reside at this great spot. Even there are European resorts which have stood-up in this undulating meadow that serves as a good campsite.

Baisaran looks extremely eye-catching with its contrast snow-capped hills and green pastures but this place is also famous to enjoy camping in Pahalgam. You can set your camp beside Tulian Lake, while some trekkers opt to trek from Baisaran going up to the Tulian Lake, at an above sea level of 3353 meters and setting their camps there, other start trekking from Pahalgam, then Baisaran hills and finally Tulian Lake.

Overall, Baisaran is a remarkable trip that can be done at a short distance (3 kms) from the city of Pahalgam. And to reach Pahalgam via Baisaran or vice verse, you need to take ponies that helps you to cross the muddy and stingy road with ease.

Mattan from Pahalgam

Mattan is established on the Pahalgam road, and is just few kilometers away from the district of Anantnag. The city of Pahalgam has been attracting hordes of devotees from various parts of India. And this holy place becomes the exciting pilgrimage for all those people who likes to worship Sun God. At this place, large numbers of priests and pundits recite hymns and mantras all together for the Sun God.

The temple is devoted to the Lord Shiva, located in the form of beautiful Shiva Lingam. This Shiva Lingam is surrounded by the crystal clear water that has been conserved with a wonderful brick structure. Presently, the temple complex is one of the much-guarded areas of Jammu & Kashmir and is thus controlled by paramilitary forces. A special permission is required to enter this temple.

Betaab Valley in Pahalgam

Pahalgam Betaab Valley
Betaab Valley of Pahalgam is a very attractive destination, which is the exact spot where the movie 'Betaab' was shot. This valley includes many things to rejoice you. Also, there are several places near this valley that are worth visiting.

When you visit Pahalgam, make sure that you visit Betaab valley, a unique destination that has been attracting many people.


Chandanwari in Pahalgam

Chandanwari is a must-visit place if you are visiting Pahalgam. The place seems to be extremely splendid that gives an excellent lifetime memories through its breathtaking beauty that represents Kashmir Valley. It has a spectacular beauty with lush green trees and land, that is covered with snow-fall. This is a must-visit place with family or friends.

How to Reach Pahalgam?

Pahalgam can be reached via Airport, from Srinagar which is about 96 kms and the closest Rail Head is located at Udhampur.

Through Srinagar, you can reach Pahalgam easily passing through the Khanabal and Bijbehara villages. While all kinds of transport facility is available (from buses to MUV Cabs) to these places.

Tourists can catch easy sightseeing coach of SRTC during summers from tourist reception centers. In case, you wish to travel in local buses, one can pick the buses from the Pantha chowk bus stand which are available till the Pahalgam main market. Somehow, it is good to hire a taxi from the taxi stand or approach the travel agent. This is a 3 hours journey to Pahalgam via Srinagar. While from Jammu, one can reach Pahalgam through Khanabal Anantnag located on the National Highway 1 A.

But, when you are on Amarnath Yatra, certain the transport services are absolutely prohibited via Pahalgam route. And Yatris who holds the valid permits must be able to travel in a special yatra coaches through Jammu and Srinagar on a fixed schedule. Even, the private local taxis as well as coaches can be hired as per convenience.

Tourists Information in Pahalgam

Buses are normally available, but especially you will find more buses during the month of October. Some of the TRC for Pahalgam and Gulmarg, can be known through the inquiries listed below:

TRC Srinagar: 0194-245-2690, 0194-245-2691
TRC Pahalgam:
0193-624-3224
JKSRTC Srinagar: 0194-245-5107, 0194-247-5360

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