Started at about 9 am from Srinagar. Bade goodbye to dal lake, chinnar trees, shikkaras...
Excellent roads from Pantha chowk to Khanabal, then take left to Pahalgam. It is about 100 kms and it took us about 3 hours to reach. On the way are some of the sensitive areas where we felt the pulse. The whole traffic was stopped for about 15 minutes and we could see a convoy of army vehicles moving.
Pahalgam js a small town with many small shops selling handicrafts, dry fruits, clothes etc... It doesn't look busy, very laid back old town, old shops... We visited some shops and then started to our stay - river front guest house at Aru valley. The road to Aru valley is a bit challenging, it's a narrow single lane road with no barrier on the side. The river Lidder flows besides the road in the deep valley. It's just 10km, but be careful when driving in this stretch.
Pahalgam is a valley of shepherds. Our evening stroll to the Aru valley, 2km away from the stay, got us in touch with the locals. Friendly people, living in tough weather with meagre income. Shepherds keep moving all year round, during summer they move up the mountains, during winter they move down to the plains. Met a Shepherd living next to the stay, Gulam nabi and his family. They have 10 cows/buffaloes and sell the milk to earn their living. Also Amin with a large herd of sheep, going home back.
On the way to pahalgam, saw locals drying mustard and beside the road was vast mustard fields which appeared like a yellow carpet.
Excellent roads from Pantha chowk to Khanabal, then take left to Pahalgam. It is about 100 kms and it took us about 3 hours to reach. On the way are some of the sensitive areas where we felt the pulse. The whole traffic was stopped for about 15 minutes and we could see a convoy of army vehicles moving.
Pahalgam js a small town with many small shops selling handicrafts, dry fruits, clothes etc... It doesn't look busy, very laid back old town, old shops... We visited some shops and then started to our stay - river front guest house at Aru valley. The road to Aru valley is a bit challenging, it's a narrow single lane road with no barrier on the side. The river Lidder flows besides the road in the deep valley. It's just 10km, but be careful when driving in this stretch.
Pahalgam is a valley of shepherds. Our evening stroll to the Aru valley, 2km away from the stay, got us in touch with the locals. Friendly people, living in tough weather with meagre income. Shepherds keep moving all year round, during summer they move up the mountains, during winter they move down to the plains. Met a Shepherd living next to the stay, Gulam nabi and his family. They have 10 cows/buffaloes and sell the milk to earn their living. Also Amin with a large herd of sheep, going home back.
On the way to pahalgam, saw locals drying mustard and beside the road was vast mustard fields which appeared like a yellow carpet.
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