Kashmir
Gar Firdaus bar-rue zamin ast, hami asto, hamin asto, hamin ast. If there is a heaven on earth it is here in Kashmir. These are very famous quotes of Mughal Emperor Jahangir and Kashmir truly lives to it.
The valley is 150 km in length and 35 km wide surrounded by himalayan mountains. Shivalik range lies to the South East and Pir Panjal range lies to the North West. Average height of the valley is 1600 meters and high peaks in the surrounded mountains peak to 5000 meters.
Wuler lake is the largest lake in the valley. Anchar lake and Dal lake are the ones surrounding Srinagar. Jhelum river flows from south to north in the valley.
Temperatures in the valley go high up to 30 degrees in summer. In winters temperature drop subzero. Snowfall happens in valley in January to March.
Important places to visit are as follows
Srinagar
It is the summer capital of Jammu Kashmir. Mughal Gardens mainly Nishat and Shalimar bagh are popular among tourists. Shankaracharya hill temple gives splendid view of the city. Shikara boat ride in the Dal lake and stay at houseboat will make your Srinagar visit memorable. There are many movies shot at Srinagar like Kashmir ki kali. Who will forget the song ‘Ye chand sa roshan chehra’ shot at Dal lake shikaras, the gorgeous Sharmila and energetic flexible Shammi Kapoor. Other songs in the movies also showcases Kashmir at its best. Junglee and Highway recently are yet another recent movie showcasing Kashmir.
Pahalgam
Pahalgam is base camp of Amarnath. Famous for its horse riding planes and Lidder river.
Gulmarg
It has a ski resort and 18 hold golf club. The cable car gondola is another attraction of Gulmarg.
Sonmarg
Glacier pony rides are famous at Sonmarg which is a famous medow of Kashmir