What is Kashmir Famous for- 10 Reasons to Visit Paradise on Earth!

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What is Kashmir famous for

Kashmir, the “Paradise on Earth”, is among the world’s most paradisiacal holiday destinations with snowy peaks, resplendent valleys, turquoise lakes, and vivid flowers swaying in meadows. Kashmir is also a treasure trove of adventure activities, delicious food and healthy beverages, a unique culture, friendly locals, and vibrant local handicrafts! Read on to learn what Kashmir is famous for that will compel you to book a trip right away!

Its tall Chinar trees sway in the gentle wind in the summer, rust-colored maple leaves drifting like feathers in the wind in autumn, azure rivers and waterfalls shimmer under the sunlight as they make their way through white glaciers in winter, and an assembly line of colorful tulips stretch into the horizon in spring. Every season in Kashmir is nature’s masterpiece!

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What Kashmir is famous for?

From its natural ambience, peaceful mosques, Dal Lake, houseboats, spicy food, warm “Ferans”, and steaming cups of Kahwa, there are plenty of reasons to explore this paradise!

We have listed the best ones right here!

1. Picture Perfect Landscapes

Kashmir’s landscapes are often compared with that of Switzerland! From its mighty Pir Panjal and Karakoram mountain ranges, apple orchards bearing pretty white flowers, zig-zagging rivers, to its lush green meadows carpeted with vibrant florals, every nook and cranny of this Indian state looks like an oil painting!

Kashmir’s elevation ranges from 5,200 feet to a little over 26,500 feet and covers a wide range of valleys, plains, lakes, waterfalls, cities, towns, and some of the highest peaks in India. Because of its monumental height, most of its 25 high-altitude glacial lakes stay in a frozen state throughout the year!

• Gurez Valley: This lush green valley near the India-Pakistan border has several snowy peaks that shimmer like gold during the sunset!
• Tarsar Marsar Lakes: The clear water of these twin alpine lakes perfectly mirror the surrounding mountains and Chinar trees!
• Betaab Valley: This beautiful valley covered with grasslands, meadows, and sparkling streams is named after the Bollywood blockbuster ‘Betaab’ shot here in 1983!

2. Beautiful Valleys

Kashmir is the king of beautiful valleys! Some of its insanely gorgeous valleys include Betaab (Pahalgam), Kishtwar, Kishanganga, Yusmarg (Budgam), Suru (Kargil), Aru (Pahalgam), Nageen (Gulmarg), and Poonch, that have added a whole new level of beauty and serenity to the landscapes of Kashmir!

Sandwiched between sublime mountains, most of these valleys remain untampered and pristine!

• Bangus Valley: This untouched valley in Kashmir with expansive green meadows, tall pine trees in the backdrop, wildflowers, and plump white lambs trotting about is a replica of Switzerland!
• Nageen Valley: Nageen, or Nagin Valley, is an uncommercialized hidden gem in Kashmir with its undulating pastures, orchards, tall trees, and gurgling streams.
• Poonch Valley: Tucked in southwest Kashmir, this valley covered with dense forests is a haven for trekkers and is a lifeline for the region’s ecosystem.

3. Charming Lakes

Kashmir’s mirror-like alpine lakes act like mirrors and reflect the snowy mountains, cloudy skies, and tall trees surrounding the lake. Located in pristine and untouched corners of Kashmir, lakes like Wular, Harmukh, Krishansar, and Manasbal create an endearing canvas of blue waters, white snow, and green vegetation!

Popular lakes like Dal and Nageen are famous for shikara rides, houseboat stays, photography, and their early morning fruit markets!

• Dal Lake: Dal Lake is Kashmir’s crown jewel! It has wooden houseboats, shikaras, and a fertile floating island garden called “Raad”.
• Wular Lake: One of the largest freshwater lakes in Asia, this enormous waterbody is sourced by the Jhelum River and is home to several birds. It’s also a natural dam for the entire Kashmir Valley!
• Manasbal Lake: It’s Kashmir’s deepest glacial lake with a depth of 13 meters, is surrounded by pink lotus blooms, and many exotic birds can be found here.
• Sheshnag Lake: A stark blue glacial lake located high up in the mountains, it perfectly mirrors Anantnag’s forests, pastures, and mountain peaks!

Kashmir attracts adventurers in droves each year with its famous Kashmir Great Lakes Trek, one of the most beautiful treks in India! Though suited only for the physically fit, this 70-km 8-day trek is the best way to see Kashmir’s virgin beauty.

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Every day, every hour on this trek presents a different, more enchanting canvas of Kashmir’s rugged hillocks, snowy mountains, colorful meadows, wilderness, and lakes.

4. Ever-changing seasons

Every season in Kashmir is a tapestry of flamboyant colors. While the winter is a bright combination of white and blue, the autumn is dominated by reds and yellows!

In winter, the white valleys, falling icicles, and an average snowfall of 14 feet transform Kashmir into a premier skiing destination. The winter temperature in Kashmir ranges between 9° and -2°.

• Gulmarg: Gulmarg has top-tier skiing resorts. You can do skiing, sledding, gondola rides, and other winter sports here.
• Sonamarg: Generally green, Sonamarg turns into a winter wonderland in December. You can do sledding, trekking, and ice climbing here.
• Pahalgam: The Aru Valley and Betab Valley get a fresh layer of snow every day in the winter. They’re perfect for skiing, sledding, and winter trekking. Kids can also enjoy zorbing here in the snow.

Autumn is also called “Harud” in Kashmir. During this season, Kashmir welcomes tons of photographers and filmmakers attracted to its crimson trees and fairytale-like golden sunsets! The dramatic scarlet shades, cool winds, and temperatures between 20°C and 9°C make autumn the perfect time to visit Kashmir!

Don’t forget to tour blooming apple orchards and buy fresh Kashmiri apples in this season! Autumn is the official apple season of Kashmir when about 2 million metric tons of apples are produced each year, the highest in all of India.

• Naseem Bagh: This lesser-known garden in Srinagar transforms into a vivid canvas of colors in autumn courtesy of its 1,200 Chinar trees planted here during the Mughal era.
• Shalimar Bagh: Also built during the Mughal rule, this garden’s maple-like Chinar trees lined perfectly along its many walking trails flood the park in hues of red and gold and offer the perfect scenery for photography!
• Sopore: Also called the “Apple Town of Kashmir”, it has Asia’s second-largest fruit market, or “fruit mandi”, where you can buy and taste fresh Kashmiri apples in autumn. You can also tour the blooming apple orchards of Pahalgam, Shopian, and Pulwama.

5. Colourful tulip gardens

Springtime adds all the colors of the palette to the whole Kashmir Valley!

You’ll see flowering trees, meadows filled with vivid flora, and rows upon rows of tulips of all colors, shapes, and sizes in Kashmir in Spring.

Visit the famed Tulip Festival of Kashmir to see all the bright and blooming varieties of tulips surrounded by the mighty Pir Panjal range! Srinagar’s Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, Asia’s largest tulip garden, hosts the festival every April.

• Tulip Garden: This is where Asia’s largest tulip festival takes place where you can see more than 1.5 million tulip flowers of over 48 varieties and enjoy entertaining cultural programs, local food stalls, and handicraft exhibitions.
• Mughal Garden: Shalimar Garden, Nishat Garden, and Chashme Shahi are other equally beautiful yet lesser-known tulip gardens in Kashmir that you can visit in Spring!
• Dachigam National Park: 22 km from Srinagar, Dachigam is home to the rare Hangul deer and also bears plenty of exotic wildflower varieties in the spring season.

6. Royal houseboats

Staying in traditional Kashmiri houseboats will make you feel like royalty! Much like the houseboats of Kerala, these giant floating houses are handcrafted with cedar, walnut, and deodar wood, and offer the feel and comfort of living in a cozy little house with basic amenities.

Kashmiri houseboats are decorated with carpets, chandeliers, traditional Kashmiri handicrafts, and intricately carved windows, and most come with a separate bedroom, lounge area, verandah, and dining room to offer maximum comfort.

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Staying in these houseboats is the perfect way to enjoy the Kashmiri culture firsthand, live in a petite wooden boat designed to pamper you, ride shikaras, and shop for traditional handicrafts at the lake’s floating market! You can gaze at the towering mountains and azure lake from your verandah all day long!

• Houseboats in Dal Lake: Offering both budget and luxurious houseboat stays for over 100 years, these handsome houseboats allow you easy access to the city, its most popular lake area, tourist attractions like Tulip Garden, and Srinagar’s major markets.
• Houseboats in Nigeen Lake: More expensive and spacious than the ones on Dal Lake, these grand houseboats on the offbeat Nigeen Lake offer a more peaceful stay, uninterrupted mountain views, and a more tranquil yet immersive house boating experience.
• Houseboats in Jhelum River: These handsome sets of houseboats lining the Jhelum River offer amazing views of the city and its day-to-day life rather than the lake. They’re a great option if you need quick and constant access to the city and also want the market nearby.

7. The Gulmarg Gondola

The Gulmarg Gondola in Kashmir proudly boasts of holding the Guinness World Record for being the second highest as well as the second longest cable car in the world!

It has made Kashmir every traveler’s go-to place for fun gondola rides that take you closer to its snowy peaks and give you 360° views of the entire valley from above!

The Gulmarg Gondola, one of the world’s highest cable cars, or ropeways, offers stunning panoramas of the Himalayas as it takes you high above the towering Chinar trees and pine trees!

While its first phase takes you to the Kongdoori Station set at an elevation of 8,530 feet, the second one takes you all the way to Apharwat Mountain peak at 13,080 feet! From up there, you can see snowy hills, thick jungles, green valleys, meandering rivers, and if you’re lucky, wisps of clouds floating beneath you!

Other gondola rides:

• Vaishno Devi cable car: Built to facilitate easy movement of devotees who are aged, disabled, or with children, the Bhawan Bhairo Ropeway One goes up to an elevation of 2,000 feet and is the perfect substitute for the tiring 3-hour trek to the top!
• Aru Valley Drag Lift: This proposed chairlift ride in Pahalgam’s Aru Valley will take visitors to a massive height of 7,870 feet and offer spectacular vistas of the whole valley!

8. Skiing and Mountain Climbing

There’s more to Kashmir than pretty mountains, lakes, and tulip gardens! Kashmir is Heaven for adventure seekers and adrenaline junkies because of all the thrilling activities it offers!

Whether you’re a trekking enthusiast, skier, mountain climber, or love to explore the wilderness, Kashmir has something for everyone!

• White water rafting in Lidder River: With rapids ranging from grade II to IV, this is the perfect locale to test your rafting skills against fierce waters. It’s a 12-km stretch suited for both experts and beginners.
• Kashmir Great Lakes Trek (from Dal Lake): This 72-km long trek spanning 8 days takes you through grassy meadows, apple orchards, shepherd villages, and the most beautiful high-altitude alpine lakes of Kashmir.
• Skiing and snowboarding in Gulmarg: Suited for both beginners and experts, skiing in one of Asia’s best skiing destinations set 8,700 feet above sea level has a thrill of its own!
• Paragliding in Sanasar: The best way to get an aerial view of the stunning Himalayan Range, paragliding from 6,700 feet at Sanasar is every adventure seeker’s dream!
• Tarsar Marsar Trek (from Aru): A picturesque 48-km trek that takes you through lush grasslands, frozen glacial lakes, remote villages, and undulating alpine meadows dotted with grazing cows and lambs!
• Wildlife Safari in Dachigam National Park: Ride battery-operated open gypsies to explore this vast wildlife reserve set at 14,000 feet. Spot exotic and endangered wild birds and animals like the Hangul deer, musk deer, Himalayan black bears, and leopards.
• Mountain biking in Pahalgam and Sonmarg: Explore the moderately difficult Pahalgam-Sinthan Top biking route with your buddies and meet Kashmir’s rugged terrain, rocky tracks, and dense forest trails along the way!

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9. Local Food and Cuisine

The rich and spicy Kashmiri cuisine is a blend of flavors influenced by Persian, Afghan, and Central Asian food. Gorging the delicious and aromatic culinary delights of Kashmir, like Rogan Josh, Ristaa, Goshtaba, Kashmiri Naan, Dum Aloo, and Yakhni, are sure to make you feel like royalty!

Flavorful and healthy beverages like Kahwa and Noon Chai will give you instant warmth against Kashmir’s biting cold and chilly winds!

Don’t forget to try the Wazwan, a multi-course meal, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, which traditionally consists of 36 dishes, including staple items like Haak and Nadur, and is a testament to the state’s rich culinary heritage!

• Rogan Josh: This red chili-infused slow-cooked lamb curry flavored with fennel, yogurt, and ghee is a staple Kashmiri dish.
• Gushtaba: Minced mutton meatballs that were once a part of royal Wazwan feasts and were served in royal courts and palaces.
• Modur Pulao: A fragrant and sweet rice dish made with authentic Kashmiri saffron, Basmati rice, and milk. It’s served during auspicious occasions and festivals with a heavy garnishing of traditional dry fruits like almonds and cashews.
• Dum Aloo: A delightful vegetarian delicacy of spicy baby potatoes cooked with curd, fennel, and spices, especially Kashmiri red chilies!
• Yakhni: A slow-cooked curd-based mutton broth or soup made with fragrant spices.
• Noon Chai and Sheermal: The perfect tea and bread combination in Kashmir, which consists of a fragrant and salty pink tea and a saffron-infused flatbread.

Ahdoos Restaurant, Mughal Darbar, Shamyana Restaurant, Grand Wazwan, Krishna Vaishno Dhaba, and Nathu’s Sweets are some of the best places to try the authentic cuisine of Kashmir. For street food, you can visit Khayyam Chowk, and for a delicious cup of Kahwa or Noon Chai with Sheermal, you can visit Chai Jaai.

10. Shopping Experiences

Kashmiri handicrafts and locally sourced fruits and spices bring people here from around the world! In fact, the world’s finest, softest, and most expensive wool called “Cashmere” comes from “Kashmir”!

Instilled with the warmth and hospitable nature of Kashmiris, the organic handicrafts and local produce available here are unlike anywhere else.

With woolen wear that keeps you warm in the coldest winters, handicrafts that make for great gifting items and home decor, flavorful beverages infused with healthy ingredients, authentic spices, and dry fruits that make any dish ten times more flavorful, and the sweetest apples in India, it’s not surprising why this destination is a paradise for shoppers!

• Pashmina shawls: Known as the finest wool in the world, the hand-woven Kashmiri Pashmina is made from the wool of Ladakh’s Changthangi goats and takes 3-4 months to perfect owing to its intricate weaving, delicate nature, and extensive embroidery.
• Kashmiri Carpets: The beautiful hand-knotted carpets made with a mix of silk, wool, and detailed Persian designs are known to be rather expensive courtesy of the laborious work and months’ worth of time that goes into making them!
• Kashmiri kesar (saffron): This immensely fragrant spice with endless health benefits is only grown in Kashmir in the whole wide world, specifically in the Pampore region.
• Dry fruits: Kashmir is known for its richer, more organic, and flavor-packed dry fruits, especially walnuts, almonds, and dried apricots, which are grown here in abundance.
• Kashmiri spices and Kahwa mixture: Kashmiri red chilies, shahi jeera, cinnamon, cardamom, saffron, dried ginger, and Kashmiri Kahwa mixture is sold in all major markets and bazaars. Kashmiri spices have tremendous health benefits and are known to boost immunity.
• Papier-Mâché: One of the most brilliant art forms brought to Kashmir by the Persians in the 14th century, Papier-Mâché remains an integral part of its cultural legacy! You can buy colorful, intricately designed, and even gold-leaf-plated Papier-Mâché articles in Srinagar.

So, what is Kashmir famous for? Now that we have answered this question in as much detail and depth as possible, when are you booking a trip? Wait no further and ride away to Paradise on Earth to experience its unmatched nature’s bounty, splendid views, rich culture, sumptuous food, and endless adventures!