Patnitop is at an altitude of 2024 metres. The river Chenab flows in close proximity to this location. Patnitop’ is a distortion of the original name of Patan Da Talab meaning “Pond of the Princess”. Patni top is in the Lower Himalayan Range close to the Pir Panjal range. It is 35 kilometers from Udhampur.

The towns of Kud and Batote are nearby Patnitop. Kud is a very small town where a sweet shop makes fresh Patissa (a sweet). Batote is known as a place for quality rajma or the kidney beans.

Attractions in Patni Top

1. Trekking
• There are many pleasant walks around this popular hill station.
• Patnitop is a good starting place for many short or longer treks which go into the nearby mountains.
• An attractive one-day walk is to Shiva Garh which is about 11-km from Patnitop is at an altitude of almost 3,500 metres.
• There are three, gushing, ice-cold freshwater springs in this area.
• These springs are known to have medicinal properties.

The complete tourist circuit covers
• Jammu-Katra-Vaishno Deviji
• Kud-Sanasar
• Patnitop-Gourikund
• Sudmahadev
• Mantali
• Latti-Dhuna

2. Adventure Sports
• Patnitop is an ideal place for walks and picnics.
• Sanasar is a 19-km away was chosen by J&K Tourism for major development.
• This town is located in a Gulmarg-like meadow which has picnic spots around.
• The 6-hole golf course is being expanded to 9-holes.
• Pony rides along little known trails.
• Camping
• Walks
• Para gliding
• Basic skiing
• Sudh Mahadev is another sacred spot that is close to Patnitop.

3. Eco-Adventure Activities
• Dawariyai take off area at Patnitop.
• Paragliding at Patnitop.
• Tandem Paragliding Joyrides at Sanasar by Extreme Himalayan Adventures.
• Billo ki powri at Dawariyai,400 steps cut into the rock face.
• High Flying from Natha Top.

4. Sanasar
• Paragliding
• Camping
• Skiing
• Trekking
• Abseiling
• Rock Climbing
• Scenic nature walks

5. Kud
• Located 103 kms from Jammu, on the Jammu-Srinagar highway.
• This popular resort is situated at an altitude of 1738 mtrs.

6. Batote
• This is about 125 Kms from Jammu on the way to Patnitop.
• This is located at an altitude of 1560 metres.
• This is on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway.
• This resort straddles the forested slopes of the Patnitop mountain range.

7. Gauri Kund
• Some distance from Sudh Mahadev is the legendary spring.
• Here the Goddess Parvati used to have bath before commencing her daily prayers at Sudh Mahadev.
• This spring came to be named after her as ‘Gauri Kund’.

8. Mantalai
• This is located at a few kilometers further away from Sudh Mahadev.
• Mantalai is surrounded by lush deodar forests at an altitude of 2000 m.
• The place is associated with the legend of the marriage of Lord Shiva with the Goddess Parvati.

9. Mansar Lake
• This lake is located 90 kms from Patnitop.
• This is a beautiful lake fringed by forest-covered hills.
• Boating facilities are available on the spot.
• Every year around Baisakhi, a food and crafts festival is organised here by J&K Tourism.

Nearest Attractions to Patni top

• Pahalgam
• Chandanwadi
• Sheshnag
• Panchtarni

Best time to visit / climate

• Patnitop is an ‘anytime’ place.
• The best time for a visit is summer, during May-June, and autumn, September-October.
• For snowboard joys, December to March is the best time.

Location on Google Maps

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Or click and paste the URL below on your browser:

http://maps.google.co.in/maps?q=Patni+Top,+NH+1A&hl=en&sll=33.073327,75.335118&sspn=0.081562,0.169086&oq=Patni&hq=Patni+Top,+NH+1A&t=m&z=15

How to get to Patnitop?

• Patnitop can be easily reached due to its proximity to the town of Jammu.
• This hill station is well connected to the town of Jammu and also to the capital city of Srinagar through a network of buses.
• These buses connect regularly ply to Patnitop.
• Local buses and taxis can be taken directly to Patnitop, and trains can be taken to the nearest city.

1. Patnitop by Bus
• Buses to the town of Patnitop can be taken from Pathankot, Jammu and Srinagar.
• These are the three major places in the state with a huge network of buses.
• Patnitop can be reached from here.
• The journey from Jammu to Patnitop will take around three hours in an average.
• Bus fares will range around Rs 100 to 150.
• This is the locally preferred mode of travel.

2. Srinagar by Air
• Srinagar domestic airport is connected with many airports of the major cities in India.
• Regular flights are operated between Srinagar and Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Shimla.
• International travelers get the connecting flights from Delhi International airport.
• Delhi is at a distance of 876 km from Srinagar.

3. Srinagar by Train
• Jammu is the nearest railway station to Srinagar
• This is at a distance of 290 km
• Jammu railway station is well connected to all major cities in India by rail.
• Direct train services are available from Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Trivandrum.
• Taxi services are available from Jammu to Srinagar
• The fare is about Rs 6000.

Some travel books from Amazon about Patnitop

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers)

• Hotels at mustseeindia.com
• Hotels at patnitophotels.com
• Hotels at patnitop.net

Blogs / Sites about Patnitop

• Blogs and reviews at rangan-datta.info
• Blogs and reviews at patnitop.nic.in
• Blogs and reviews at mustseeindia.com

Images and photos of Patnitop

• Images at google.com
• Images at tripadvisor.in
• Images at holidayiq.com

Gulmarg is known for its lush green backdrop, beautiful landscapes, flowering gardens, serene lakes and pleasant climate during the summer months and falls. This is one of the best ski resorts in India as it gets heavy snowfall, especially during winter. Some of the highest ski slopes in India lies in the sloppy Himalayan regions in Gulmarg.
Gulmarg is credited with the longest and highest cable car project in Asia. The experience of cable car is breathtaking.

Attractions and Activities

• Alpathar Lake
• Baba Reshi Shrine
• St Mary’s Church
• Gondola Ride
• Skiing
• Trekking

Must go places in Gulmarg

1. Alptar Lake
• This lake is calm, beautiful and a favorite picnic spot for tourists.
• Alptar Lake is located on the valley down the twin Afarwat peaks.
• These peaks are at an altitude about 4,511 m.
• This serene lake in a triangular shape.
• It is placed in the backdrop of scenic hilly snowcapped terrains.
• The lakeside gardens add the beauty to the surroundings.
• This attractive lake remains frozen until June and during the summer.
• The lake can be reached by an adventurous trek through the snowy mountains.
• This is a perfect location for trekking enthusiasts.

2. Baba Reshni Shrine
• Shrine (Ziarat) of Baba Reshi, dedicated to Muslim scholar and saint Baba Reshi.
• This is a sacred mosque in the valley of Gulmarg.
• This tomb was built in 1480. The five century old shrine was constructed with the architectural styles of Persian and Mughals.
• Baba Reshi was an important courtier during the period of King of Kashmir Zain-ul-Abidin.
• It is considered as a holy shrine.
• The shrine is located in a vast expanse of greenish lawns.

3. Gandola Ride
• The wonderful attraction in Gulmarg is the Cable Car ride.
• This is also known as Gondola Lift/Ride (1 km west of Gulmarg’s bus stand).
• Jammu and Kashmir State Cable Car Corporations manage the Gulmarg Cable Car ride.
The ride is divided into two sections – Gulmarg to Kongdori and Kongdori to Apherwat.
• The Gondola passes over the pine forests.
• They start from a height of 2690 m above sea level and rise up to 3090 m while reaching Kongdoor.
The ride also passes by the scenic spot of Khilanmarg – a meadow with a carpet of colorful flowers.

4. Skiing
• Skiing and snowboarding are two main activities of the place.
• The slopes in Gulmarg are all natural. The gentle slopes of ski range from 200 m to 3 km.
• Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering are located here.
• They also offer 10 day & 21 day short ski courses for newbies as well as advanced skiers.
• Gulmarg has many ski resorts with all kinds of facilities for skiing. Tourists can get the help of skiing guides.
• The best time for skiing is during January to March.
• Skiing races are also organized here during the festivals like Christmas and Easter.

5. Trekking
• Gulmarg is a very popular trekking base in the Himalayan regions.
• Many trekking trails offer medium to hard adventurous trekking.
• The trek originates from the hilly terrains of Gulmarg.
• There are many resorts offering all supports for trekking expeditions.
• The trek can be accommodated with many skilled guides.
• Gulmarg-Khilanmarg, Gulmarg-Apharwat and Gulmarg-Alapther trekking trails are very popular.
• The trek passes through the breathtaking snow covered sloppy Himalayan ranges.
• Majestic views of Namga Parbat, enchanting snow covered valleys and dense forests make the trek in Gulmarg special.
• Ideal time for trekking is from April to November.

Other activities to do in Gulmarg:

• View from the Gulmarg slopes
• Cable car is used as ski lift
• Gulmarg Gondola – The New Cable Car of Gulmarg
• Khilanmarg Ropeway near Gulmarg
• World class golfing
• Mountain biking
• Horse riding
• Water skiing
• Fishing

Best time to visit / climate:

• The hill resort of Gulmarg is a place that can be enjoyed throughout the year.
• There are winter months from November to February.
• These months are ideal for skiing.
• The summer months from May to September offer pleasant weather.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

Or click and paste the URL below on your browser:

http://maps.google.co.in/maps?q=Gulmarg&hl=en&hnear=Gulmarg&t=m&z=13

How to get to Gulmarg?

• The airport at Srinagar at 57 km is nearest to Gulmarg.
• The airport caters to the air transport to the hill resort.
• Regular flights connect Srinagar with the other major cities in India.
• The railway station in Jammu is the nearest to Gulmarg.
• This caters to the rail transport to the hill resort.

1. Srinagar by Air
• Srinagar domestic airport is connected with many airports of the major cities in India.
• Regular flights are operated between Srinagar and Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Shimla.
• International travelers get the connecting flights from Delhi International airport.
• This is at a distance of 87 km from Srinagar.

2. Srinagar by Train
• Jammu is the nearest railway station to Srinagar.
• This is at a distance of 290 km.
• Jammu railway station is well connected to all major cities in India by rail.
• Direct train services are available from Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Trivandrum.
• Taxi services are available from Jammu to Srinagar.
• The fare is about Rs 6000.

3. Srinagar by Bus
• Many tourist bus service providers arrange deluxe luxurious bus package tours from many neighboring cities to Srinagar.
Srinagar is well connected by tourist bus services to:
• Chandigarh (630 km)
• Jammu (290 km)
• Delhi (876 km)
• Leh (434 km)
• Phalgan (96 km)
- Packaged tours charge about Rs 4 – Rs 5 per km.

4. By Plane
• Sheikh ul Alam Airport is commonly known as Srinagar Airport.
• It is an international airport.
• Flights are operated by Jet Airways, Air Deccan, Spice Jet, Kingfisher Airlines, Go Air, Jet Lite and Indian Airlines from Delhi and Mumbai to Srinagar.
• The frequency is once or twice a day by each airline.
• The cost is approximately Rs 2,500 from Jammu, Rs 2,500-5,000 from Delhi one way and higher from Mumbai.

5. By Taxi
• Hiring a TATA Sumo SUV from Jammu costs approximately Rs 1,900-2,700 depending on time of year or even time of day.
• The journey takes around 8 hrs.

6. By Bus
• J&K State Road Transport Corporation (J&KSRTC) operates fairly comfortable buses from Jammu costing around Rs 350 and does the journey in around 12 hrs.
• 2 day buses run between Srinagar and Leh staying overnight in Kargil.
• There are also direct buses from Delhi taking almost 24 hrs to reach Srinagar.

Some travel books from Amazon about Gulmarg

Places to stay in Gulmarg (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers)

• Hotels at gulmarg.org
• Hotels at mustseeindia.co
• Hotels at srinagar.nic.in

Blogs / Sites about Gulmarg

• Blogs and reviews at mustseeindia.com
• Blogs and reviews at gulmarg.org
• Blogs at destinationsindia.com

Images and photos of Gulmarg

• Images at google.co.in
• Images at travel.sulekha.com
• Images at holidayiq.com

Videos of Gulmarg

Gulmarg, Kashmir – Skiing

Gulmarg Kashmir – Virtual Tour

Gulmarg Kashmir India – Sam’s Exotic Travel to A Winter Wonderland

Gulmarg Kashmir India

85 DEGREES (ARIF BASHIR) GULMARG KASHMIR.. about skiing and snowboarding

The districts of San Juan are:
• Old San Juan: This is the historic part of San Juan. The most historic attractions, galleries, museums, and tourist traps fall into this part of the district.
• Puerta de Tierra: This is in the middle of Old San Juan and Condado. This is a large residential area.
• El Condado: This is a rich residential neighborhood. It is a beach resort of the city and has many hotels and restaurants.
• Isla Verde: This city is closest to the international airport and has beautiful beaches and parks.
• International Convention Center District: This has a fountain that plays both typical and classical music and has many restaurants and shopping centers.
• Hato Rey: This is a business center and has the main banks, the Plaza las Americas (a mall with over 300 stores), the Hiram Bithor Stadium, Roberto Clemente Colosseum and Coliseo de Puerto Rico.
• Rio Piedras: This houses the main campus of the University of Puerto Rico. This is a municipality.
• Santurce: This is also one of the historical parts of Puerto Rico and is a cultural capital. It has two art museums and a performing arts center.
• Miramar: This is near El Condado and has historical houses.

Attractions of San Juan:
• El Castillo San Felipe Del Morro “El Morro”: This is a citadel that dates back to sixteenth-century. It lies to the northwestern-most point of the islet of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is part of National Historic Site and is a World Heritage Site (declared by the United Nations in 1983).
• El Castillo de San Cristóbal: This is a Spanish fort that is located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This fort was built to protect against land based attacks on the city of San Juan. It is one of the National Historic Sites. It has a height of 150 feet and is on an area of 27 acres of land.
• Palacio de Santa Catalina: It is the residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico. This was built between 1533 and 1540 to defend the San Juan harbor. It is also known as El Palacio de Santa Catalina or Palace of Santa Catalina which is also the oldest executive mansion in the New World. La Fortaleza is a World Heritage Site.
• El Catedral de San Juan Bautista: Juan Ponce de León, a Spanish explorer’s tomb lies here which was built in the 1520′s. It was rebuilt in 1540 after being destroyed by a hurricane.
• Castillo de San Jerónimo: It is a fort that is known as Condado. This was known to defend from attacks in 1595.
• Iglesia de San Jose: This is a church and Monastery that dates back to 1523.
• Ayuntamiento or Alcaldia: This is also known as the City Hall.
• The municipal cemetery of Santa María Madgalena de Pazzis: This is a cemetery that is situated just outside the city walls.
• Fuerte San Geronimo: This is a fort that built to tighten defense within the city with a small museum housed inside.
• Centro de Bellas Artes: This is a fine arts centre in the Caribbean in 1981.
• Bacardi Rum Factory: This has a trolley and guided tour inside the factory.
• There are famous beaches in Condado and Isla Verde.
• Parks in San Juan: Central Park, Garfield, Munoz Rivera Park and Parque de las Palomas.
• The Casino of Puerto Rico which is a large building and The Teatro Tapia is the oldest theatre in the Western Hemisphere.
• San Juan National Historic Site: This place has the old and colonial portion and includes three fourths of the city wall and forts San Cristóbal, San Felipe del Morro, and San Juan de la Cruz, also called El Cañuelo, plus bastions, powder houses.
• Ateneo de Puerto Rico (museum), Casa del Libro, Cuartel de Ballaja, Felisa Rincón de Gautier Museum, La Princesa (former municipal jail, now a history museum), Museo del Niño (Children’s Museum), Museo Nuestras Raíces Africanas( Our African Roots Museum, Museo de Arte ( Museum of Art), The Pablo Casals Museum are other attractions of San juan.

Things to do:
• Surfing waves, golf course, sunbathing at the beach, tennis, fishing, kayaking, scuba diving, and horseback riding, windsurfing and parasailing are the different activities that the island of Puerto Rico offers.
• Golf: This Island has 15 championship golf courses from the San Juan metropolitan area.
• Snorkel and Scuba dive: These activities are the highlights of Puerto Rico’s Caribbean coasts, especially out of Fajardo. A guided diving and snorkeling tour will take one to the best sites of the activity.
• Bioluminescent Bays: The bays of Fajardo and Vieques are bioluminescent and have microscopic organisms that glow which is really beautiful to watch. One can go for kayaking or boating especially during the new moon to enjoy a clear view of the bay. Lajas is also a Bioluminescent bay that is famous as it is also equipped with kiosks and restaurants.
• Casinos: San Juan offers luxurious hotels and casinos that are similar to Los Vegas.

Best time to visit / climate:
San Juan has a tropical marine climate and has minimal seasonal variations. The climate is mild but has abundant rainfall in the north coast. June and November are usually the seasons of Hurricane. So avoid this time. Other than these months, one can visit the island anytime and enjoy all the activities of surfing, kayaking, beach walking, sun bathing, hiking etc.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
US citizens do not need any visa since Puerto Rico is a US territory. A Picture ID should serve the purpose. For other citizens visa and supporting documents are required.
By plane: Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport is the main airport which is in Carolina, near San Juan. Aguadilla and Ponce also connects with flights like Jet Blue, Continental and Delta. There are direct flights from US. SJU is the modern airport in the Caribbean. From airport taxi services are available.
By boat: The west coast city of Mayaguez and Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic has ferry services available. From Fajardo to St. Thomas, there is a ferry. There are cruise ships that land in San Juan.

Get around:
It is best to rent a car or take a taxi as the public transport system is not very good. A público is a shared taxi service that is another option that is cheap and best to go around the island. The “main” público station is in Río Piedras that is a suburb of San Juan and which are also known as colectivos and pisicorres.
There are ferries from San Juan and Fajardo to Cataño, Vieques Island and Culebra Island along with Mayaguez ferry travels between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
Tren Urbano is a fully automated transit serving San Juan, Bayamón, and Guaynabo. Tren Urbano consists of 16 stations on a single line and is the reliable public transport.

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• http://wikitravel.org/en/San_Juan#Eat
• http://wikitravel.org/en/San_Juan#Sleep
• http://www.sanjuanhotelsltd.com/
• http://www.elsanjuanhotel.com/
• Tripadvisor

Blogs / Sites about San Juan:

• Travelpod
• http://www.sanjuanislander.com/blogs.shtml
• Lonely Planet
• http://sanjuansafaris.com/blog/

Images and photos of San Juan:

• Tripadvisor
• http://www.travel-images.com/puerto-rico.html
• Terragalleria
• igougo.com

Videos of San Juan from youtube:

San Juan, Puerto Rico

San Juan Sail Away

Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Walking and Driving around Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico – San Juan

Once you are in Pangot and are done with enjoying nature, some of the places to see near Pangot

• Corbett National Park: The park has 150 species of birds found in India, more than 50 mammal species including Tiger, Leopard, Bears and Elephants and more than 40 species of reptiles including the rare Gharial. It is one of the finest Wildlife reserves in India, Corbett has a distinction of been the country’s first National park. Formerly called as “Hailey national Park” it was established in 1936 in consultation with the legendary Hunter / Naturalist Jim Corbet, it was aptly renamed “Jim Corbett National Park” in 1972.

• Bhimtal: Bhimtal is a town in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is a nagar panchayat in Nainital district. The town is named after Bhima, one of the Pandavas in Mahabharata. Bhimtal Lake is one of the major attractions of this town as it has an island in its centre at a distance of 91 metres from the shore.

• Jeolikot: Jeolikot is a hill station in the state of Uttarakhand on the Nainital-Haldwani Highway. It is at a distance of 17 km from Nainital. It is well known as a spot for nature lovers who are interested in butterfly watching and floriculture. The surrounding natural beauty on the backdrop of Kumaon hills is ideal for visitors. The places to see are Gateway to Kumaon’s Lake District, Binsar, Kausani, Ranikhet.

• Mukteswar: Mukteshwar is another town, famous for its Mukteswar dham.

• Bhowali: It is another beautiful town in Nainital.

• Nainital: It is a beautiful hill station.

• Sattal: Sattal is located in Kumaon lake region and as the name, are an interconnected group of seven freshwater lakes. These lakes are 22 kms from Nainital. These lakes are at an altitude of 4,000 feet and are situated in Lower Himalyan Range near Bhimtal. These lakes are surrounded by oak andpine forests. This area is rich in birdlife and butterflies. Hence it is a spot for nature walks and butterfly watching. Below are the lush orchanrds in the Meheragaon valley.

• Rishikesh: Rishikesh is one of the most famous pilgrim sites. Laxman Jhula is the popular attraction of the place. Other notable places are the Swarg Ashram and Tattvaa Yogashala which are the only full-time, dedicated Ashtanga Yoga school in Rishikesh (For those of you who would like to deepen your practice, reach new levels safely, and explore the path of YOGA).

There are not too many places to eat at Pangot, except the hotels which serve homely food. There are some hotels which serve the local food – Garhwali and Kumauni cuisine. Try the amazing piping hot pahari tea along with a plate of ‘pakoras’ or ‘samosas’. To tantalize your taste buds further, you can head to Nainital, just 15 km from Pangot.

Best time to visit / climate

The best time to visit Pangot is from Mar – June and Sep – Oct
The days are nice and crisp, but the nights get cold. Great season for bird watching and mountain views. The summers are from April to June and the days are cool with pleasant nights. Good birding season to watch. The monsoons start from July to September with Cold days and nights. Good for resident birds, but not so good for tourists.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

Or click or paste the URL below on your browser:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=pangot&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Pangot,+Nainital,+Uttarakhand,+India&ll=29.423974,79.427483&spn=0.00856,0.013797&z=16&iwloc=A

How to get to Pangot

From Delhi
• By Road: Drive from Delhi via Kathgodam and Nainital: 8½ hours. A marked road map is handy or research the path from some online maps site. Drive from Delhi via Ramnagar (Corbett National Park) and Kaladhungi: 7½ hours
• By Train: Overnight air-conditioned train from Old Delhi railway station (departing at 2245 hr.) to Kathgodam (arriving at 0615 hr.) and then 2 hr. drive to Pangot via Nainital. Pick-up/ drop at Kathgodam RS can be arranged through taxi with prior notice.
Overnight non air-conditioned train from Old Delhi railway station (departing at 2245 hr.) to Ramnagar, Corbett National Park (arriving at 0500 hr.) and then 2½ hr. drive to Pangot via Kaladungi.
• Pangot by Air: The nearest airport is Pantnagar. However, fights are not operational at present. Hence flying to Delhi and then coming from delhi via road or train is recommended.

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers)

• http://www.travelmasti.com/Pangot_Resorts_Hotels.asp
• http://www.nivalink.com/junglelore/index.html
• http://www.pangot.com and http://www.pangot.com/accomdation.htm#accom
• http://www.oktatabyebye.com/hotels/hotels-in-Pangot.html
• http://www.travelmasti.com/Pangot_Resorts_Hotels.asp
• http://www.tripadvisor.in/Hotel_Review-g580106-d615541-Reviews-Woodside_Retreat_Pangot-Rishikesh_Uttarakhand.html
• http://www.nivalink.com/junglelore/index.html

Blogs / Sites about Pangot

• http://www.pangot.com
• http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://www.milestones.net/pangot.html
• http://www.euttaranchal.com/tourism/pangot.php
• http://natureindiatour.blogspot.com/2009/11/corbett-pangot-wildlifers-dream.html
• http://www.pangot.com/index.htm#pangot
• www.junglelore.com – For birding tours
• http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Asia/India/North/Uttarakhand/Pangot/

Images and photos of Pangot

• Images in Google Search
• http://www.pangot.com/gallery.htm
• http://www.oktatabyebye.com/picture-gallery/Pangot-pictures.html
• http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Asia/India/North/Uttarakhand/Pangot/