Tour to Kashmir, India - the land of charming gardens and glowing mountains and visit the glistening lakes and appealing water bodies. Travel to Kashmir, India and dwell in the swaying house boats with splendid interiors and lavish Kashmiri Cuisine, rare to experience elsewhere. Take a holy dip into the holy lakes, and make your tour to Kashmir truly refreshing. Visit the most bewildering sights of Kashmir, India surrounded by majestic mountains wearing a coat of snow with conifers embellishing them all through the treks and routes.

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Another amusement of Kashmir is its weather. Though it is a small state, the climate differs from one region to another. The climate of Jammu region is tropical while Ladakh and Srinagar are chilling. The best season to visit Kashmir is April to June for Kashmir Valley and October to March for Jammu. Besides natural splendour, there are many religious sites and other monuments to be seen in and around the valley.

Because of infiltration and terrorism, tourism in Kashmir faced a major blow since 1988, but now the condition is improving very fast. Once again Kashmir can be seen bustling with tourists. Come to be with the exquisite paradise on earth--Kashmir. The marvelous vacation with Indian holiday at the enchanting vale of Kashmir will leave you with unforgettable memories of a rendezvous with eternal beauty.

he lakes, mosques, temples and the gardens add beauty to the city. Kashmiri cuisine is one of the major attractions of the city. If you want to enjoy the true natural beauty of the place put up in any of the Houseboats in Kashmir.

History
The history of Kashmir valley is associated with many legends. It is believed that where the Kashmir valley now stands, was once a huge lake. The lake served as home to a very detestable demon. Kashyap, Lord Brahma's grandson drained away most of the lake with the help of Goddess Parvati. The demon was crushed to death when Goddess Parvati dropped a mountain on him. A witness to the rich history of Kashmir valley, the mountain still stands in the district of Srinagar and is known as "Takht-e-Suleiman". The mountain provides a beautiful backdrop to the already picturesque city of Srinagar. Before you set yourself on the trip of Kashmir you must have some idea on the history and origin of Kashmir.

It was during the rule of Maharaja Hari Singh in 1947, that the partition of India and Pakistan took place. At the time of partition, the decision to join either India or Pakistan was left in the hands of the rulers of princely states. Maharaja Hari Singh chose to join India instead of Pakistan. However, since the majority of the population of Kashmir was Muslim, there has been a constant tussle between India and Pakistan over the valley. Pakistan has, since the partition, staked a claim on Kashmir on the basis of the dominant Muslim population. But, India refuses to concede it to Pakistan.

Houseboats in Kashmir
Pleasant sounds of rolling waters welcome you in the morning, as you open your eyes after an all night sleep in your waterborne home. The beautiful houseboats, anchored by the periphery of Srinagar's lakes are the greatest attraction in Kashmir. The bewitching water-boat residences carved out of cedar wood are impressively finished with stately living rooms, drawing and dining rooms, carved wooden furnitures, beautifully embroidered rugs and fabrics.

The beautifully made houseboats plies the homely comfort, food of your choice and lots more. Many options are open to your choice such as a shikara ride, sunbathing on the top-deck of the houseboats, shopping, trekking, relaxing, reading and just being served whatever desired.

Dal Lake
Dal Lake is one of the most bewildering water bodies of India and the second largest in the J&K state. Its three sides are enveloped by majestic mountains and numerous gardens and orchards, laid along the shores. Dal Lake is unique in having hundreds of houseboats, which afford an opportunity to tourists to inhabit by the lake in an troposphere of peace and tranquility.

Areas of the Dal Lake are grouped with slanting roofed houses on islands, while other parts seems lush green like well-planned gardens. As the eye travels onward, houseboats, houses and vegetation conclude unevenly and two huge sheet-like bodies of water - the Bod Dal & Lokut Dal, come into view. The campus of University of Kashmir is also located by the shores of the lake.

Kashmiri Food
Rich and redolent with the flavour of the spices used –cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, saffron, etc. -- Kashmiri food can be the simple meal of a family, or a 36-course wedding banquet called Wazawan. The staple diet of every Kashmiri is rice, the most preferred being the dense, slightly sticky grained Kashmir variety, which is prized in the Valley.

Mutton, chicken or fish are of prime importance in Kashmiri meal and everyday cooking often combines vegetable and meat in the same dish. Mutton and turnips, chicken and spinach, fish and lotus root are also very popular combinations. Pure vegetarian dishes include dum-aloo - roasted potatoes in curd-based gravy, and chaman- fried paneer (cottage cheese), in a thick sauce.

Non-vegetarian dishes are considered in Kashmir to be a sign of lavish hospitality and at a Wazwan or banquet, not more than one or two vegetarian dishes are served. Sweets do not play an important role in Kashmiri cuisine. Instead Kahva or green tea is used to wash down a meal. Wazawan is usually served at weddings and parties.

The most commonly served items are rista (meat balls) made of finely pounded mutton and cooked in a gravy; seekh kababs, tabak maz, or flat pieces of meat cut from the ribs and fried till they acquire a crisp crackling texture, roganjosh, which owes its rich red colour to the generous use of Kashmiri chillies. Yakhni, a cream coloured preparation of delicate flavour, is made with curd as a base.

Gushtaba, which is the last item to be served in a traditional wazawan, are meatballs moulded from pounded mutton like large-sized Rista but cooked in thick gravy of fresh curd base. Dam-Aaloo and chaman are the commonly served vegetarian dishes - to serve more than this would indicate an unseemly tendency on the part of the host to economize!

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How to Reach

• By Air
  Indian Airlines operate regular daily flights to Srinagar from Delhi, Mumbai and Jammu. They leave from Delhi directly, from Delhi via Jammu, and from Bombay via New Delhi and Jammu.
• By Rail
  The nearest railhead for Srinagar is Jammu Tawi (305 kms) where trains arrive from Delhi, Calcutta, Pune, Mumbai, Kanyakumari, Ahmedabad, etc. As with flights, train bookings have to be made well in advance. During the holiday season, additional trains operate to and from various parts of the country.
• By Road
  National Highway 1-A, connecting Srinagar with Jammu, is a good, all-weather road with several sharp inclines and hairpin bends. It is maintained by the Border Roads Organization (BRO), which clears the road of any obstructions resulting from natural causes like landslides and heavy snowfall. The famous Jawahar Tunnel that connects Jammu with the Kashmir Valley across the Pir Panjal range falls en route