The Enchanting Kashmir Valley

Feb 3, 2024

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The Enchanting Kashmir Valley

The Kashmir Valley lies in India’s northernmost state of Jammu and Kashmir, bordering Pakistan and China’s Tibetan Plateau. Nestled in the western Himalayas, it is known as “Paradise on Earth” for its stunning natural beauty. Often referred to as mini-Switzerland, it is a place of snow-clad mountains, pine trees, pleasant weather, and an abundance of mountains, lakes, valleys, sculptured gardens, and breathtaking landscapes. It is also rich in history and culture and is the site of some of the earliest Buddhist presence, introduced there in the 3rd century BCE by Mauryan Emperor Ashoka. There are also ancient Hindu temples built by a succession of Hindu dynasties, one site dating back to the 2nd century BCE. Islam took root in Kashmir in the 14th century and is the dominant religion there today, having built impressive mosques of stone and wood in a style that is unique to Kashmir.

The Mughals who ruled India for over three centuries made Srinagar their capital under Emperor Shah Jehan, where they constructed cities, impressive forts, mosques and mausoleums, and planted the most magnificent gardens, such as Shalimar Bagh that can still be seen today.

The area has so much to offer, from Srinagar’s legendary houseboats to trekking along famous trails in and around Pahalgam that possess spectacular beauty, to Gulmarg with its longest golf course in India and the highest ski lift in Asia. Srinagar, the capital, is located around a number of lakes around which life centres, with people tending to floating beds of vegetables and flowers. The houseboats on the lakes provide a pleasant stay for visitors, and the shikaras (boats) tour the surface of the lakes.

Kashmir is famous for its woollen shawls, the Pashmina made of fine goat’s wool and the finest Shah Tush shawls that pass through a ring. There are also carpets, silverware, traditional jewellery, and saffron, with Kashmir being the world’s second-largest producer of this much sought-after spice. Kashmir is the perfect getaway to enjoy nature and a respite from every day’s hectic life.

When

Friday, 15 to Saturday, 23 March 2024

Leader

Mrs Ruth Gerson

Member of The Siam Society

Booking

See information below

Or contact Khun Thun

studytrips@thesiamsociety.org

 

The tentative programme will be as follows:

Day 1: Friday, 15 March 2024:  Bangkok – Delhi
18:00 Meet at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, Check in at the Air India counter
20:30 Depart Bangkok to Delhi by Air India flight AI335
23:45 Arrive at Indira Gandhi International Airport
– Overnight at Vivanta Dwarka, Delhi
Day 2: Saturday, 16 March 2024: Delhi – Srinagar
– Early breakfast at the hotel
Morning: Check out of the hotel and transfer to the airport
07:30 Depart Delhi to Srinagar by Air India flight AI827
09:05 Arrive at Srinagar Airport, and transfer to Meena Group Premium Houseboats.
– Visit the Jamia Mosque in the middle of the old city. Built by Sultan Sikander Shah in 1394 CE, it was later extended by his son, Zain-ul-Abidin. See the Budshah Tomb, the burial place of Shahmiri King Zain-ul-Abidin’s mother, known among the local population as Mazar-I-Salateen.
– Observe the weavers in the old city creating the famous pashmina shawls, and more.
Noon: Lunch at a local restaurant
Afternoon: Shikara rides on Dal Lake where villagers grow vegetables. There are shops on the water selling traditional Kashmiri dresses and shawls. The boat ride also includes bird watching such as kingfisher, pariah kites, and little grebe.
Evening: Enjoy the Kashmiri Folk Dance and singing in the Donga party boat

Dinner and overnight at Meena Group Premium Houseboats
Day 3: Sunday, 17 March 2024:  Srinagar
– Breakfast at the hotel
Morning: Visit Hari Parbat Fort up to the viewpoint as visitors are not allowed to go inside. Its first fortifications and outer wall were built by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1590 as part of a new capital but were never completed. Work on the fort as it is today was completed in the 19th century.
– Visit Pathar Mosque constructed of stone, built by the wife of Mughal Emperor Jahangir in 1623. It was later used as a granary and storehouse and reopened in the 1930s when it served as a political and spiritual centre.
– Visit Shah Hamdan Mosque which sits on the right bank of the Jhelum River, built in 1395 by Shah Sikandar and reconstructed in 1732.
– Then visit the Akhund Mullah Shah Mosque constructed in 1649 by Dara Shikoh for his spiritual mentor, and is a mosque inside a mosque at the foot of a hill.
Noon: Lunch at a local restaurant
Afternoon:

 

 Visit the Shri Pratap Singh Museum established in 1898 in the Maharaja’s Summer guest house with approximately 80,000 artefacts of archaeology, numismatics, decorative art, arms and armoury, paintings, textiles and more.
– Visit Mughal Gardens: Shalimar Garden (Abode of Love) built by Emperor Jahangir for his wife Nur Jahan in 1616, and Nishat Garden (Garden of Pleasure) with a superb view across the lake. The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden was a more recent addition to these gardens.
Evening: Dinner and overnight at Meena Group Premium Houseboats
Day 4: Monday, 18 March 2024: Srinagar – Baba Reshi – Gulmarg
– Breakfast at the hotel
Morning: Check out of the hotel and proceed to Gulmarg (52 km) 
Enroute: Visit Baba Reshi located in Baramullah Village. The shrine is revered highly by Muslims and Hindus alike. Gulmarg, located in the Pirpanjal mountain range in the western Himalayas, is one of Asia’s premier hill stations. A popular skiing destination, Gulmarg is also said to be home to the longest golf course in India. It is one of the most beautiful places in the Kashmir valley.
– A short nature walk
Noon: Lunch at a local restaurant
Afternoon: Gondola ride up to 1st phase. Later visit Maharani Temple.
Evening: Dinner and overnight at Kolahoi Green Heights, Gulmarg
Day 5: Tuesday, 19 March 2024: Gulmarg – Pahalgam
– Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning: Check out of the hotel and proceed to Pahalgam
Enroute: Visit the ruins of Sratisvami Vishnu Temple in Avantipur, built by King Avantivarman in 853-855 in the ancient town which was then the capital.
– Drive on to the scenic Bijbehara Village known as the “Town of Chinars” because of the number of trees, and the oldest chinar tree (species of plane tree) in the region.
Noon: Lunch at a local restaurant
Afternoon: Visit the Suriya Sun Temple in Martand built in the 8th century of grey stone, the oldest of the three sun temples in India.
– Arrive in Pahalgam, a hill station on the banks of Lidder River that at one time was a village of shepherds. It is now among the premier resorts of the Kashmir Valley.
Evening: Dinner and overnight at ITC Welcome Pine N Peak Hotels, Pahalgam
Day 6: Wednesday, 20 March 2024: Pahalgam – Srinagar
– Breakfast at the hotel
Morning: Check out of the hotel and take a short trek and nature walk. Visit the Hindu Mamaleshwar Temple called for short Mamal Temple, situated on the banks of the Lidder River.
Noon: Lunch at a local restaurant
Afternoon: Drive back to Srinagar
– On the way visit the Cricket Bat Factory in Sangam Village and the Saffron Fields in Pampore
Evening: Dinner and overnight at Radisson Hotel, Srinagar
Day 7: Thursday, 21 March 2024: Srinagar – Harwan – Burzahom – Srinagar
– Breakfast at the hotel
Morning: Visit Harwan Buddhist Monastery where the Fourth Buddhist Council took place around 78 CE under the patronage of King Kanishka of the Kushan Dynasty. In this council, the doctrines of the Mahayana form of Buddhism were finalised.
– Proceed to the Burzahom neolithic site, the northernmost such site in India, that reveals layers of civilisations going back to 3000 – 1000 BCE.
Noon: Lunch at a local restaurant
Afternoon: Visit Pari Mahal, also known as The Palace of Fairies, located on a hillside it was built by Mughal Prince Dara Shikoh in the mid-1600s, and served as a library and residence for him.
– Visit Shankaracharya Temple, the main Hindu temple in Srinagar, situated on a hill (240 steps), is believed to have been built by Jaluka, son of Mauryan Emperor Ashoka in 200 BCE. Destroyed by nature and conquerors, the temple was restored several times. The present structure is believed to date to the 9th century CE.
– Then visit Pandrethan Temple, built in the 10th century, and is dedicated to Shiva. It lies within a square-shaped tank (pool) by the Jhelum River.
Evening: See the Whirling Dervishes of the Sufi Muslim sect dance and sing.

Dinner and overnight at Radisson Hotel, Srinagar
Day 8: Friday, 22 March 2024: Srinagar – Delhi
– Breakfast at the hotel
Morning: Transfer to Srinagar Airport
12:20 Depart Srinagar to Delhi by Air India flight AI826
14:05 Arrive at Indira Gandhi International Airport and proceed to visit local sites
Evening: Dinner at a local restaurant
– Transfer to the Delhi Airport
Day 9: Saturday, 23 March 2024: Delhi – Bangkok
01:30 Depart Delhi to Bangkok by Air India flight AI336
07:20 Arrive at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport

The Siam Society reserves the right to change the programme as necessary.

Booking:

Contribution of THB 81,000 (THB 85,000 for non-member). Single room surcharge of THB 29,000. A deposit of THB 35,000 and a photocopy of the identification page on your passport must accompany the booking. Your reservation will be confirmed as soon as the deposit has been made. In addition, basic accident insurance is included. There is a 3% surcharge for credit/debit card payments to cover bank charges. Payment in full will be required 30 days before the start of the trip (i.e. by Friday, 15 February 2024). Please pay by cash or cheque payable to “The Siam Society”. Transfer can also be made to The Siam Society travel account at TMBThanachart Bank (ttb), saving account no. 053-2-18000-7 or by scanning the QR code below. Once payment has been made, please e-mail the deposit or transfer the docket to us.

Due to the high season of the Kashmir Valley, domestic flights are expected to be fully booked soon.

 We kindly ask that you confirm your reservation by Thursday, 15 February 2024.

Inclusions:

  • Accommodation (twin sharing basis), meals as mentioned in the programme, transfer and sightseeing coaches, entrance fees, gratuities, Shikara ride, Gondola ride, and other costs incurred to make this trip possible.

Exclusions:                                                                                                   

  • All air tickets mentioned in the programme are not included in the price (Bangkok – Delhi – Srinagar and Srinagar – Delhi – Bangkok). For those who would like us to book their tickets, it can be arranged at the time of booking. Please be informed that all air tickets mentioned in the programme would cost around THB 17,500.
  • Visa fees (if any), personal expenses, personal food and beverage consumptions, etc.

Tourist Visa Policy

Thai passport holders and foreign nationals will require a visa to enter India. However, visitors can apply for an eVisa via an online application, which is the most convenient option and can be completed from your home.

For more information, please follow the link below: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html

To comply with payment and cancellation policies set forth by the tour agencies and to facilitate smooth working conditions between The Siam Society and the tour agencies, please carefully read the cancellation policies stated below:

Cancellation charges:

40 days before the start of the trip: Deposit forfeited
39-30 days before the start of the trip: 50% of the tour cost
Less than 30 days or cancellation without notice: No refund

*The cancellation charges will also depend on the date we pay the deposit to our travel agent. If we have to pay the deposit to the travel agent before the 40-day period prior to the start of the trip, our officer will send an email to inform every participant before we make the payment as only a partial amount of the deposit can be refunded after that point.

Covid-19 policy

Due to a lower number of worldwide infections, many countries have relaxed their travel restrictions and quarantine requirements regarding Covid-19.

Nevertheless, when travelling as a group, The Siam Society would like to remind you of the following measures that we have put in place:

– In the event that trip participants are tested positive during the trip, the group will continue to follow the planned itinerary. To ensure the health and safety of all trip participants, those who tested positive shall adhere to appropriate self-isolation measures as directed by the trip leader.

– Those tested positive with severe symptoms shall be treated in accordance with the health measures stipulated by the local government. Medical costs in excess of the insurance coverage shall be at the expense of the trip participant(s).

– The Siam Society will provide health insurance for all trip participants. Medical costs in excess of the insurance coverage shall be at the expense of the trip participant.

For further information and bookings, please contact Khun Thun at 02-661-6470-3 ext 205, or studytrips@thesiamsociety.org. The Society’s office is open from 09:00 to 17:00, Tuesday to Saturday.

 

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