Jammu & Kasmir and Ladakh tourism guide
Tourist attractions in Jammu and Kashmir are Srinagar, the Mughal Gardens, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Patnitop and Jammu. Every year, thousands of Hindu pilgrims visit holy shrines of Vaishno Devi and Amarnath which has had significant impact on the state’s economy. The Kashmir valley is one of the top tourist destinations in India. Gulmarg, one of the most popular ski resort destinations in India, is also home to the world’s highest green golf course. The decrease in violence in the state has boosted the state’s economy, specifically tourism. Jammu and Kashmir is also famous for its scenic beauty, flower gardens, apple farms and more. It attracts tourists for its unique handicrafts and the world-famous Kashmiri Shawls.
Ladakh
The largest town in Ladakh is Leh, followed by Kargil, each of which headquarters a district.The Leh district contains the Indus, Shyok and Nubra river valleys. The Kargil district contains the Suru, Dras and Zanskar river valleys. The main populated regions are the river valleys, but the mountain slopes also support the pastoral Changpa nomads. The main religious groups in the region are Muslims (mainly Shia) (46%), Buddhists (mainly Tibetan Buddhists) (40%), Hindus (12%) and others (2%).Ladakh is one of the most sparsely populated regions in India. Its culture and history are closely related to that of Tibet.
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Quick overview
official & local Languages
Kashmir- kashmiri local language (Dardic)
Jammu- Kashmiri, Dogri, Hindi, Urdu and English.
Ladakh- Tibetan ,Bhoti in Ladakh and Yi-ge in Baltistan.
Total area
Jammu and Kashmir -42,241 km²
Ladakh – 59,146 km²
Currency
Indian Rupee (INR)
known for
Pilgrim sites, Adventure sports, Mountain views, Wildlife
Things To Do
In Kashmir and Kashmir there is dal lake for Boating streets to capture the beauty of Kashmir and in Jammu there is Veshno Mata Mandir and Amarnath Guva to visit for darshan .
and in Ladakh there is Leh of Ladakh to ride vechiles and enjoy the beauty of it .
Places to visit
In Jammu $ Kashmir there is Veshno Devi Mata Mandir, Dal Lake, Mughal Garden, Amarnath, Patnitop, Gulmarg, Pahalgam etc and In Ladakh the district Lay is fomous for its roads and long way to connect the border .
Geography of Jammu & Kasmir and Ladakh
Jammu Geography – The southern Jammu region is mostly mountainous, with the Shivaliks, the middle and the great Himalayas running parallel to each other in a southeast-northwest direction. A narrow southwestern strip constitutes fertile plains. The Chenab, Tawi and Ravi are important rivers flowing through the Jammu region.
Kashmir Geography – The topography of Kashmir is mostly mountainous. It is traversed mainly by the Western Himalayas. The Himalayas terminate in the western boundary of Kashmir at Nanga Parbat. Kashmir is traversed by three rivers namely Indus, Jehlum and Chenab.
Ladakh Geography – Its natural features consist mainly of high plains and deep valleys. The high plain predominates in the east, diminishing gradually toward the west. In southeastern Ladakh lies Rupshu, an area of large, brackish lakes with a uniform elevation of about 13,500 feet (4,100 metres).
Climate in Jammu & Kasmir and Ladakh
Jammu Climate -The climate of Jammu is mostly pleasant, thanks to being close to the Himalayas. The duration between the autumn months is when the weather is at its most pleasant, with a slight nip in the air. On the other hand, Jammu weather in December also gives you a chance to experience snowfall as well.The temperature starts soaring in the month of March and is at its peak in the month of April. The maximum temperature in summer can go as high as 45 degree Celsius.
Kashmir Climate – The hottest month is July (mean minimum temperature 16 °C, mean maximum temperature 32 °C) and the coldest are December–January (mean minimum temperature −15 °C, mean maximum temperature 0 °C). The Kashmir Valley enjoys a moderate climate but weather conditions are unpredictable.
Ladhak Climate– Due to its high altitude, Ladakh is always freezing cold and dry for most of the year. The air is so thin that you can feel the sun’s heat intensely. In summers, the temperature during the day is just above zero degrees and the night temperature is much below -30°C.
Temperature
October to February: 3-15 °C
July to September: 15-25 °C
March to June: 20-35 °C
Jammu & Kasmir and Ladakh culture
CULTURE OF KASHMIR – Their dance, music, cuisine, carpet weaving and Koshur Sufiana forms a significant part of Kashmiri identity. Kashmiri culture is mainly followed by people living in Kashmir valley and Dodab of the Chenab region. The valley is known for the fine arts including traditional boats and houseboats, handicrafts and poetry.
CULTURE OF JAMMU – Hindu Brahmin priests enable Indian and foreign pilgrims to worship at the various temples in Jammu. The Amarnath Cave and Vaishno Devi are two famous temples in Jammu. Other religious sections of society living in Jammu are Sikhs, Buddhists, and Muslims.
CULTURE IN LADAKH -Their culture is rich and colorful, centering around the beliefs and practices of Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism, the predominant religion. Ladakh and the tiny kingdom of Bhutan, east of India, are perhaps the purest remaining examples of traditional Tibetan societies since China’s subjugation of Tibet in the 1950s.
Festivals
Urs, Eid ul Azha and Eid ul Fitr , Hemis Festival, Baisakhi, Tulip Festival, Shikara, Gurez
LADHAK – Hemis, Losar, Sindhu dharsan, Phyang Tsedup Festival, Dosmoche festival, Saka Dawa festival etc
Jammu & Kasmir and Ladakh tour tips
How to reach
By air Kashmir – To fly into Kashmir, take the Srinagar Airport (15 km away), which is well connected to prime Indian cities. Air India, GoAir, IndiGo and Jet Airways operate regular flights for Delhi, Goa, Jammu, Leh Mumbai and Bangalore.
By train Jammu and Kashmir – Jammu Tawi Railway Station, situated at a distance of about 330 km, is the nearest railhead serving the beautiful valley of Kashmir. New Delhi-Jammu Tawi Rajdhani Express, Jammu Mail and Jammu Tawi Express are some of the prominent trains operating from Delhi.
By road – the driving distance between Delhi to Jammu and Kashmir is 795 km. It takes approximately 12h 13m to drive from Delhi to Jammu and Kashmir.
By air for Jammu –
The Jammu airport in the city is the closest domestic airport that is well-connected to different cities like New Delhi, Srinagar and Leh. Popular air carriers like Spice Jet, Jet Airways and Air India have regular flights from the airport. The other two nearest domestic airports are in Srinagar and Leh.
By air Ladakh – The nearest airport is Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport located in Leh. This airport is just 3.8 km away from the main city. Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport is well connected with many international airports in India like Delhi.
By train to Ladakh -You cannot reach Ladakh directly by train as there is no train station in Ladakh. The nearest railway station is Jammu Jammu Tawi (700 km from Ladakh) which is well connected with Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai. You can hire a cab or board a JKSRTC bus to reach Ladakh from Jammu.
How to reach Leh by road
There are two road routes to Leh Ladakh- one through Manali in Himachal Pradesh and the second one through Srinagar. Ladakh is 434 km from Srinagar and 494 km from Manali OR you can hire a cab or a jeep or board a JKSRTC bus, both deluxe and ordinary, run from Kargil and between Leh and Srinagar on regular and frequent intervals.
Alternatively, you can embark on a bike trip to Leh from Srinagar, Manali, Delhi or Chandigarh depending upon the time you have. You can only travel to Ladakh by road between May to September as during the winter months the highways are shut due to heavy snowfalls.
Best time to visit
Best time to visit Kashmir –
is during the months of March to August. Tourists come to Kashmir valley so they too can witness this ‘heaven on earth’ and enjoy all that it offers. During this period two seasons are covered in Kashmir. Spring (March to early May) and Summer (early May to late August).
Travel Season: Min./Max. Temperature
March – May: 20-30°C
June – September: 16-30°C
October – November: 9-20°C
Jammu – Jammu has a moderate climate and can be visited in most part of the year. Cooler months starting from September to April can be considered ideal for visiting.
Ladakh – The Best time to visit Ladakh is during the summer season from the month of April to July during this time temperature is between 15 to 30 Degree Celsius. Ladakh is known for its extremely low temperatures almost all through the year.
Best places to explore
Jammu & Kashmir
Vaishno Devi Mandir. 2,245. Religious Sites. …
Dal Lake. 4,218. Bodies of Water. …
Indira Gandhi Tulip Garden. 1,118. Gardens. …
Sonamarg. 1,177. Geologic Formations. …
Vaishno Devi. 107. Religious Sites. …
Nathatop. 261. Lookouts • Ski & Snowboard Areas. …
Shankaracharya Hill. 2,096. …
Gulmarg Gondola. 3,206. ETC.
Ladakh
Pangong Tso. 3,549. Bodies of Water. …
Khardung La. 675. Scenic Drives. …
Changla Pass. 377. Scenic Drives. …
Thiksey Monastery. 1,754. Religious Sites. …
Dras War Memorial. 465. Points of Interest & Landmarks • Monuments & Statues. …
Tso Moriri. 344. …
Confluence of the Indus and Zanskar Rivers. 1,582. …
Hall of Fame. 1,783.
