The mountain retreat of Mughals and Buddhist lamas; the Alps
of India; Jehangir’s Valley of Paradise. All these terms have been used to
describe Kashmir, one of India’s wildest and most controversial tourist
destinations. The state of Jammu and Kashmir often represented as "Heaven
on earth" has so much to offer that simply words cannot describe it. One
has to see in person, the magnificent snow-capped mountains, the luxuriant
woods, the sparkling rivers and the serene lakes of the state in order to
believe it. Jammu and Kashmir can be separated into three regions, namely: The
foothills of Jammu, The Kashmir Valley and The mountainous Ladakh. These three
regions are remarkably different from one another in terms of natural features,
customs, faith and climate. So the tourist attractions in Jammu and Kashmir not
only lie in the outstanding sceneries, but also lie in its cultural distinction
from one region to another.
Tourist Places in Jammu Region:
Jammu
Jammu is a city that is considered as a paradise on earth.
The city is divided into two parts old and new city. The city has a number of
temples wrapped in age-old myths and quite a few forts and palaces. Jammu, the Dagger
land where the past still has a living presence. A land of grand ancient temples, and beautiful palaces, all nestling in the
foothills of the Himalayas. It is said that, on becoming King, the Suryavanshi
Jambu Lochan went on a hunt and, crossing the Tawi, found a deer and a tiger
drinking water from the same tank. His ministers explained that this meant that
the soil of the place was so virtuous that no living creature bore enmity
against another.
Sanasar
As one of the wonderful hill stations in Jammu region, its
name is taken from small local lakes 'Sana' and 'Sar'. This town is surrounded
by huge conifer trees and has beautiful view. This place has achieved lots of
tourist attention in recent times and provides an excellent spot for adventure
sports.
Bhaderwah
Popularly known as "Mini Kashmir", the town is
gifted with awe-inspiring views and charming beauty due to striking woodlands
and gleaming streams flowing through different parts of the town. It also has
many historical and religious places.
Vaishno Devi
14 km from the town of Katra, the famous shrine of the
Goddess Vaishno Devi is considered one of the most sacred places of worship
among the Hindus.
Patnitop
One of the key hill stations in the region, it is famous for
its adventure sports like skiing in winters and in summers it offers
paragliding rides and picturesque picnic spots.
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Tourist Places in Kashmir Region:
Srinagar
As the summer capital of the state, Srinagar lies on the
banks of the Jhelum River and is famous for its Mughal gardens, tranquil lakes
and lush green meadows. There are lots of tourist attractions in the city like
Shikaras (houseboats), shrines and traditional handicrafts markets.
Gulmarg
Gulmarg is well known for its amazing natural beauty and it
is counted as one of the unique tourist destinations in the world. Gulmarg is
surrounded by dense forest. This place is famous for its golf hikes and
beautiful highland golf course. The 'heartland of winter sports in India' is a
beautiful town surrounded by splendid snow covered mountains famous for skiing
and trekking. It's an ideal place for adventure lovers. At an altitude of 2690
m, it has the highest green golf course in the world and a ski resort for the
winters. The location is also used for shooting movies and songs.
Pahalgam
Situated at the River Lidder, Pahalgam is a hill station
with incredible beauty. The place serves as a base camp for the famous Amarnath
Yatra. One can experience the sensational view of the valley with its pine
forest, snow capped mountains and green pastures. The flowing water of River
Lidder complements the Backdrop of the valley.
Sonamarg
The meadow of Gold, Sonamarg is a hill station with natural
picturesque beauty, marvelous landscapes, gushing rivers and snowy forests.
It's definitely an adventurous place for treks, skiing, white water rafting
etc. Covered with alpine forests this place has the most unique collection of
flowers and one can also find blue water lakes at this place.
