Lesser Known Places in kashmir That Are Truly Hidden Gems

The splendid and exotic natural beauty of Jammu and Kashmir has earned it the metaphor of ‘heaven on earth’. Passionate nature lovers from far and wide travel to the vale of Kashmir each year to drink its beauty to the lees. Apart from the commonly visit-able places of Jammu and Kashmir popular among tourists, there are some hidden, less known and unchartered places too, dressed in utterly unique wild tranquil natural beauty.

In spite of ongoing political turmoil Kashmir still retains its well deserved tag of “paradise on earth”. Kashmir is known as Paradise on Earth for its extraordinary beauty. There are many places to visit but still there are number of unexplored places such as Ningal Nallah, Kiunus Bay, Lolab Valley, The Bungas Valley etc, these places are nearby Wular Lake which is the largest fresh water lakes in Asia.

Kupwara

Kupwara is amazingly beautiful and filled with gushing streams and luscious alpine meadows. The lofty Ainch Mountain allows you to get a magnificent view of the valley while the Shamsbari, Nataschun, Dajalonjun peaks still remain as unconquered challenges to mountaineers. But the best part of Kupwara remains its rich trilogy of historical villages; Gushi (established by Kashi Shah), Kera and Karnah (richly mentioned in famous novel Raj Tarangini). The icing on the cake is the serene Lolab Valley which is filled with historical monuments and eerily lovely shrines.

Pulwama

Miles and miles of fragrant saffron fields soothe your eyes as you enter the Pulwama district. Unlike other popular tourist destinations in Kashmir Pulwama is free from the usual commercial culture and provides you with a refreshing glimpse of local Kashmiri life. There are a lot of places you can visit in Pulwama including Tarsar Lake, Aripal Nag water springs and Nagberan sanctuary. Shikargarh attracts a lot of wild live enthusiasts while Tarsar and Marsar lakes offer unparalleled beauty. If you love visiting religious places then Awantipora temple is a must see spot for you.

Doda

Doda offers you a chance to witness the hauntingly beautiful rocky landscape of Jammu as it takes you straight into a picture perfect composition of rocky mountains and glistening lakes. If you are interested in trekking then Doda offers the perfect opportunity for you to learn the ropes of this interesting sport. Mountaineering activities are on in full force in Doda and many international tourists visit this place for learning mountaineering. Doda also contains a couple of really old and interesting monasteries. Good places to visit in Doda Valley are Bhaderwah, Kishtwar and Chinta while religiously inclined can visit Athra Devi and Chandi Mata shrines.

Katra

Unfortunately Katra only gets discussed amongst tourists in context of being a base camp for devotes who want to travel up to Vaishno Devi temple. However there is a lot of unexplored places of interest in Katra like the Baba Dhanasar rock garden which is right there on the fringes of the town. Shiv Khori contains a huge naturally structured Shiv Linga and it’s believed to hold great spiritual significance for devotees of Lord Shiva. Katra can serve as an acclimatizing and refreshing halt for you before you make plans for visiting the rockier climes of Jammu and Kashmir.

Drass

For the adventurously inclines Drass offers the opportunity to experience one of the fiercest and debasingly beautiful form of natural beauty. Draas is situated at the base of Zoji La Pass which serves as a connector between Ladakh and Kashmir and it is also called the gateway to Ladakh. Drass is the second coldest place in the world and the coldest place in India so make sure that you are adequately prepared to visit there. In the spring Drass acquires a rare and natural beauty as the snow melts to reveal tiny wisps of green grass in the valley. Don’t forget to pay a visit to the Drass Valley memorial.

Nubra Desert Valley

Right at the junction of the Shyok and the Siachen rivers meet lies the surprising land called Nubra Valley. It’s incredibly weird to spot a desert in Kashmir. Nubra actually lies in the Ladakh area and is home to Hunder sand dunes which is the biggest white cold desert in India. This is also the only place in India which will give you the opportunity to mount the two humped Bactrian camel. The Khardung La is one of the highest altitude motor able roads in the world and it leads to Panamik a quaint village also known as the end of the world (it’s the last accessible spot for tourists). Don’t forget to visit the amazing trilogy of monasteries here namely the Ensa monastery, Hundur Monastery and the Diskit monastery.

Poonch

If you are a nature lover then Poonch will bewitch you with its haunting loveliness. The Pir Panjal range surrounds Poonch from all sides making Poonch one of the most scenically beautiful places in Jammu and Kashmir with its verdant valleys, singing streams and lovely lakes. Some must visit places in Poonch include Behram Galla water fall which has been later rechristened as Noori Chamb and the seven perfect lakes (Nandansar, Sukhsar, Kaldachnisar, Neelsar, Katorasar, Bhagsar etc). The Poonch Fort at Girgan Dhok is also a historically important monument that you can consider paying a visit to. There are lots of shrines and temples around like Budha Amarnath, Ziarat Sain Illahi Sahib, Gurdwara Nangali Sahib Etc. Poonch has been filmed several times by national Geographic and Discovery India for its rare scenic beauty.

Rajauri

Rajauri is a rich cultural and historical hotspot in Jammu that still remains off the usual tourist circuit. This is home to Gujjars, Bakarwals and many other Northern tribes and this place is infused with a cultural flavor that most city bred people will find exotic and intriguing. There are many beautiful places in Rajauri like Dehra ki Gali, Kotranka Budhal, Thanna Mandi etc that will satisfy your thirst for sightseeing. The weather is affable all year round as this place is at relatively lower altitude. If you are interested in architecture then the gorgeous Rajauri Fort, Rama Temple, Balidan Bhawan and Dharnidhar Fort are good places to visit.

Kathua

Kathua is also colloquially referred to as the city of Sufis. This city is situated right on the banks of a sparkling river and is filled with quaint religious and cultural spots of interest. Some notable examples are Jasrota temple, Sapt Sarover, Mata Sundrikote, Bala Sundari Mandir, Airwan Temple etc. Kathua is full of the Sufiana music and one can hear lyrical snatches of Sufi music wafting around from the house of locals. Kathua also has ample scope for adventure and there is a newly set up adventure park there named Dream. For a long lazy picnic visit Ujh Barrage that is situated 20 km from Kathua and afterwards pays a visit to the famous Jasrota fort that was built by the illustrious Jammu war lord Maharaja Ranbir Singh. Kathua truly represents the divine spirit of Jammu.

Ningle Nallah

Ningle is three miles from Sopore, which is the chief town on the Wular towards the southeast. Many a cruise in a sailing boat or in a Shikara can be arranged. Here also is Mahseer found. The willow trees harbor starlings, thrushes golden orioles and common birds e.g., mynas and sparrows, snipes and flocks of black-headed gulls may be seen skimming over the water. Once a mulberry three was full of scarlet minivets on their vernal migration that it could have been taken for the flame of the forest.

Kiunus Bay

The Kiunus valley lies under the shadow of Baba Shakur-ud-Din’s Ziarat which is on the top of Kirala Sangor Hill. It is 12 miles from Sopore and about 8 miles from Bandipora. The Zainagar canal which is drawn from the Madmati at Khayar opposite Sonarwon is about 25 miles long and waters this village. The lower slop of the mountain is covered with thorny bushes where white-throuats, white-capped buntings, bushchats and Bee eaters make their nests. Higher above among pebbles and shingly surface, ‘Chukors and Blue Rock-thrushes build their nests.

Baba Shakur-ud-Din is the guardian Saint of the Wular Lake, his shrine is on the summit of the hill. There is a Ziarat and accommodation for priests. They store water in large earthen vessels covered with birch bark to keep it cool. In early March the whole place is beautifully covered with Crown imperials. It commands a glorious view of the lake.

Lolab Valley

There is a bridle path from Kiunus to Lalpor (Lolab). On the way there are two lovely villages nestling among pines before one reaches the top of the Rampur hill, which is 5 miles distance. It is about 8 miles from this place to Lalpor (Lolab). Divor is a good camping ground with two springs en route. There is another path from Olus which is three miles away. From Olus to the Sharifoan at the top of the hill is about 8 miles, thence 2 miles to Lalpore (Lolab). Lolab is a magnificent forest area covered with deodar trees. They stretch low down into the plain. Villages are shaded with apple, pear and walnut trees. Monkeys are found in large numbers on the forest trees. The tree Creepers, the Crested-Black Tit, Yellow billed Magpie, Pied Woodpecker, Sooty Flycatcher and salty-headed Parakeets also houses themselves on these trees.

The Bungus Valley

In the northern mountain region of the Kashmir valley, to the west of Lolab Valley, there is a lovely extensive meadow called Bungus, a rich pasturage about 5,900 ft. above sea level.

It is about 22 miles from Langet and 71 miles from Srinagar. From Langet a jeep track for 14 miles runs to Putwari and from there a pony-rack of 8 miles goes through fir and deodar forests to Bungus. There is a short track from Handwara to Wadar about 12 miles and a pony track of about 4 miles from Wadar village. At present Langet is the nearest Bus stop.

If well developed, it well be next Gulmarg. It is a famous nai (meadow) where shepherds take villagers’ sheep, goats and cattle for summer months to rear. The Gujars go there with their buffaloes. This beautiful spot is worthy of developing. Tourist’s huts, rest houses can be gracefully created. At such places, where the artificial civilization has not yet invaded, the tourist should carry with him all equipment and hoarding arrangements. One may pitch a tent in the open under a coniferous tree and enjoy Nature.

There is a stream, the Tilwan Kol draining these heavenly meadows. There are a number of springs. There is a charming tarn Satkol Sar about which people have a great superstition. A party of officials had been there to find out the possibility of irrigating the Rajowar area from the waters of this place. A relative of mine told me that a man felt pain in his stomach, it was referred to the doctor and in a mysterious way the man disappeared. It happened near Satkol Sar which according to their belief is haunted by Fairies.

The vegetation is luxuriant; the wild flowers are in profusion. The herbs are in Abundance. Saussurea sacra, Saussurea Lappa, Atopia Bullodone and many other useful plants are to be found.

From Bungus there is a sacred lake dedicated to Shankar (Shiva) on the top of a mountain called Koj Nag 13000 ft about 17 miles. There are also stag bear and other game animals.

The Sodurkot Spur

This spur which we have named Green Nose, lies between Sodurkot and Gurur village on the Srinagar- Bandipora motor road. The advantage of this mooring post over others is that there is a flat piece of ground near the shore and a level spot on the spur which commands one of the finest views of the lake. There are also remains of an ancient fort on it. The place is about 6 miles from Bandipur with its post and telegraph office, police station and dispensary.

Erin Valley

The charming valley starts from Nodhal and leads up to two lovely high altitude lakes. The journey would require at least four days.

Madhumati Valley

Following the course of the Madhumati River for some miles there are some beautiful small waterfalls, about 11 miles from the camp.

Cave of Dhanishawar

About ten miles up the Erin Valley is the cave of Dhanishawar. There is a very narrow passage leading into the cave. It is necessary to carry a light, from the roof of the cave, water drips on the lingams. There is a chamber inside which would hardly contain about seven persons. It is sacred to the Hindus and is visited when the moon is full.