May-Jun are the months when max tourists frequent this place, so you won't feel secluded or insecure during the season. Try to finish your visit before the Amarnath yatra commences, coz two major spots - Pahalgam & Sonmarg get overloaded with pilgrims during the yatra. So check out these dates prior.
Its absolutely safe - as safe as Delhi or Bombay. And there are enough security personnel to ensure that if it isn't. Once you land in srinagar, and travel all the way to the tourist attractions, you find the state littered with Security personnel in uniform - they are a combine of Army, CRPF and State Police. Co-operate with them, and leave your worries with them.
Before you land in Srinagar, don't forget to peep through the aircraft windows into the snow covered mountain tops. They make an exciting view, in case you are on a maiden trip. The airport is very humble in both - appearence as well as infrastructure. Delays in disembarkation are very common here, due to limited taxi space. so don't loose your shirt if your aircraft has landed, and you have to wait inside for may be an hour, before the disembarkation spot gets cleared.
Chartered flights for army departs almost daily from srinagar, so don't get frightened if you see too many men in uniform flooding the airport.
Strikes/bandhs are not unusual, and they come unannounced. So, its prudent to arrange for a pick up in advance. That will save you a lot of hassle.
Do not bother to switch on your mobile in case you have a pre-paid connection. It just won't work. Its better to arrive here with a Post paid connection. And its worth it, becoz the place is very well networked, and all drivers, vendors, agents, shikara operators, pony wallahs - everyone is contactable on mobile, even in the desolate heights of pahalgam and sonmarg.
The main city, especially the Dal Gate area is prone to traffic jams, so keep enough time in hand for commuting, and have patience. All the wait and suffering is worth what the place gives you in return. Its a fantastic experience - one not worth missing.
At least one night's stay in a House Boat is must. But try to book it directly, rather through a taxi wallah/shikara wallah or your own hotel chap. Because every referral in between is charging his own cut. So try to save on that. It should cost you between 1500-3000 for a single room, depending on the rush.
Dal lake and the life around it is a phenomenon - you have to experience it to understand it. Like the charm of viewing the Taj at different times of the day, in different hues of light, is equally amazing, similarly the experience of a shikara ride - be it early morning, or forenoon or afternoon or dusk - is equally entertaining, and fulfilling. The vendors who come to sell you eats or drinks, will charge you double the actual cost, so exercise caution while buying items from them. Enjoy a hot maggi bowl at the floating restaurant, or order fresh pakoras and kahwa, if you wish. Its truly a great experience!
Shikara operators during the ride will take you to the handicraft shops. Even if you tell them not to, they will. They get a straight cut everytime they park the shikara on to a shop - 20 bucks for wood crafts, 50 for handicrafts, and 100 for carpet shops - irrespective of whether you shop or don't. But the shops house good stuff, bargain hard and you may get a good catch! Shikara rides should cost you about 200 for an hour, or 350 for a complete 4-5 hours round trip of the lake including time for shopping and meals.
The local cuisine is full of ghee/oil, so its good for people who have to store fat for winters, but definitely not for those going back to spend summers in the plains. I personally didn’t like the local cuisine. Though one may like to give it a try. Mughal Darbar is the most renowned restaurant in this regard. The bakery shop guarding the entrance to the restaurant is very tempting, but another bakery – Hattrick – gives you best of sheermaal, baqerkhani, naan khatai, and namkeen kulchas - all poular bakery items here.
Srinagar has got a good FM coverage, which can be enjoyed all the way to Gulmarg.Srinagar FM is full of Bollywood songs, sprinkled with few Kashmiri and Punjabi songs.
There are ATMs available in Srinagar - SBI, HDFC, J&K Bank - all in srinagar city, in the Lal Chowk area, the main market of Srinagar and Redisson Street. ATMs are also available in the main market at Pahalgam. There are no ATMs at Sonmarg and Gulmarg.
Gulmarg is closest to Srinagar. The drive to Gulmarg is good. Just prior to entering Gulmarg is a stop called Tangmarg. Buy whatever you need from here – soft drinks, snacks etc. – they will be cheaper here compared to Gulmarg market. There’s also a tyre puncture repair shop here, in case you need one. Gondola, the cable car is the major attraction here, because it takes you within 1.5 kms of the LOC demarcating Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. There are two phases of the ride - first phase takes you to a spot where there’s hardly any snow. There are ponies available, which will take you to a spot where you will find snow. This pony track is perfectly walkable by foot, in case you wish to walk it down. At the first phase drop point, you have a restaurant, rest rooms etc. The cost per head for first phase is 300 bucks. In the rush season, the que gets very long. So reach the window by 9 to become an early bird. The ticket window opens only at 10. In case you wish to go up till second phase, you need to cough up 500 more per head. but its worth it! Tickets for second phase are available only once you reach the first phase. Before you buy the second phase tickets, you have to fill a Responsibility form for your family. So it’s a good idea to keep a ball pen ready at hand when you stand in this que. The second phase will take you atop snow covered peaks, and you can enjoy a sledge ride or skii there. The skii operators will offer to take you to the LOC and skii ride for 400 bucks. But here also bargain hard. You can bring them down to 150 per head.In case you are not interested in skiing or the sledge, you can walk down to the point from where you can see the LOC. Its hardly 100 metres away and perfectly walkable. This spot makes a good photography spot. In case you plan to go up to phase 2, remember to hire boots, jackets before you embark the gondola. its available in the gulmarg market for 100 rupees a set. If you can buy gloves additionally(can’t be hired), you can play in the snow with more ease. Weather at phase 2 may deteriorate at short notice, and the cable car trips may be terminated anytime, so be prepared.
Pahalgam is a beautiful village with good locales and a good pony ride. However, the drive from Srinagar to Pahalgam is quite unimpressive. Although a horse ride might look scary, but it isn’t. Just be confident, and do not panic. My 5 year old daughter who never sat on a pony in her life due to fear, rode alone upto the top and back, and she really enjoyed it. Just remember to ride the pony alone, do not share it with a young kid. If you do so, it will be difficult to ride up the slopes, in fact its dangerous. As far as possible, sit on the pony alone, unless there’s an infant who can’t be left alone.(REST IN COMMENTS SECTION)
