Affluent with gorgeous natural splendour, Pahalgam is one of the most visited tourist places of Jammu and Kashmir. This valley serves as the viewpoint of the majestic and snow-capped Himalayan Ranges and the confluence spot of Lidder River and the criss-crossed streams from the Sheshnag Lake. The pristine and revitalizing ambience of this town is considered to offer therapeutic attribute to tourists coming here for health recovery. The lush greenery along the undulating hilly terrains and valleys, proximity to the pilgrimage spot Amarnath, sites for adventurous activities like horse riding, trekking, golf and aqua sports have made Pahalgam a perfect destination for tourism in North India.
Located around 96 km. from Srinagar, the capital city of Jammu and Kashmir, Pahalgam is a picturesque town in the Anantnag district. The town stands at an altitude of about 2,740 m. above the sea level and the beautiful Lidder Valley is a prime spot in Asia where saffron cultivation flourishes. The woods of the region comprise giant fir, deodars, pine, junipers and many other coniferous trees. Maximum tourists visit Pahalgam during the sunny summer months and also during the Amarnath Yatra for which the place acts as a base destination. The languages spoken here are Hindi, Urdu and Kashmiri.
With much more interesting tourist information in this travel guide, we now talk about the eateries in Pahalgam. Pahalgam has many decent restaurants, busy dhabas and charming coffee shops. Moreover, most of the hotels and guest houses have some well-maintained in-house restaurants. Apart from local Kashmiri food, you get all kinds of continental and regular meals here. Nathu Rasoi, a budget restaurant, serves delectable North Indian food; Punjabi Rasoi just beside is also a popular eatery for Punjabi delicacies. If you are a vegetarian, check out the Dana Pani Restaurant for some great preparations at really cheap rates; their specialty Kulfi being a must-eat.
Wooden items are one of the major attractions of Pahalgam. Wood crafted items and showpieces are sold at almost every local shop. Pahalgam also sells other Kashmir special items like carpets, shawls, clothing with the unique Kashmiri embroidery and farens that are unique to Kashmir. In case, you have a cash shortage, there are two ATMs in the town.
After the sightseeing in Pahalgam is done tourists venture the nearby places from Pahalgam and undertake the excursions as listed below:
- Baisaran (about 2 km.): This is a small pasture like land located close to Pahalgam. The calm and attractive place allures many tourists as it offers breath-taking views of the green Pahalgam valley and the pictorial Lidder river valley; you can also see the mesmerising snow covered Tulian Lake located nearby.
- Amarnath: Thousands of devotees go for the holy pilgrimage to the Shiva Lingam and the journey starts in Pahalgam. From this town, pilgrims take private taxis to Chandiwari and then they walk or take a pony ride to the holy cave. The cave opens only for a short period during summers.
- Aru Valley (about 13 km.): Aru Valley is quaint grassland with picturesque surroundings. You can reach the spot by walking on the paths made along the mountains. The trek paths leading to the Kolahoi glacier and Sonmarg starts from this village.