Delhi to Kashmir Taxi Tour — 10 Days / 9 Nights

North on NH-44 through Haryana and Punjab — Ambala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Pathankot — to Jammu, the winter capital of the region.

1. 5:00 AM Pickup from your home or hotel in Delhi NCR
2. 7:30 AM Breakfast at Murthal The highway dhabas at Murthal are known across North India for stuffed parathas served with white butter.
3. 12:30 PM Lunch near Jalandhar
4. 3:00 PM Past Pathankot into Jammu and Kashmir
5. 5:30 PM Arrive in Jammu, hotel check-in
6. 7:00 PM Raghunath Temple A 19th-century temple complex in the old city, one of the largest in North India, with thousands of saligram stones in its inner shrines.

A morning in Jammu, the short drive to Katra, and the climb to the holy cave for darshan at night.

1. 8:30 AM Breakfast and check-out
2. 10:30 AM Drive to Katra, about 50 km
3. 12:00 PM Hotel check-in and lunch at Katra
4. 1:00 PM Collect the yatra registration card Every pilgrim needs the RFID yatra card, issued free at the counters in Katra on showing photo ID.
5. 2:00 PM Start the climb from Banganga 13 km from Banganga to the cave shrine on a paved path with shelters, food and medical posts all the way. Ponies, palkis and battery cars from Ardhkuwari are available and paid on the spot; helicopters fly from Katra to Sanjhichhat.
6. 5:30 PM Ardhkuwari The halfway shrine, with the narrow Garbh Joon cave where the Goddess is said to have meditated. Entry is by a token system and the wait can be long.
7. 9:00 PM Darshan at the Bhawan The holy cave of Mata Vaishno Devi, with the three natural rock forms worshipped as the Goddess. Phones, bags and leather items are deposited before darshan.

The walk down from the Bhawan, then the drive up to Patnitop.

1. 5:30 AM Bhairon Nath Temple 2.5 km above the Bhawan; the yatra is considered complete only after a visit here. A ropeway runs from the Bhawan.
2. 7:00 AM Walk down to Katra, rest and lunch
3. 1:30 PM Check-out and drive to Patnitop
4. 4:30 PM Arrive in Patnitop, hotel check-in
5. 5:30 PM Nathatop and the deodar forest A ridge at about 2,000 m with walking paths and views over the Chenab valley.

Down to Ramban and Banihal, through the tunnel under the Pir Panjal and into the Kashmir valley.

1. 6:00 AM Breakfast and check-out
2. 11:00 AM Through Ramban and Banihal along the Chenab
3. 12:30 PM Banihal–Qazigund tunnel into the Kashmir valley
4. 1:00 PM Lunch at Qazigund
5. 4:00 PM Arrive in Srinagar, houseboat or hotel check-in
6. 5:30 PM Shikara ride on Dal Lake A ride in a canopied wooden shikara across Dal Lake, past houseboats, floating vegetable gardens and Char Chinar island. Paid separately; an hour is usual.

Srinagar's Mughal gardens along the lake, the hilltop temple and the great shrine at Hazratbal.

1. 9:00 AM Nishat Bagh and Shalimar Bagh The Mughal gardens along Dal Lake: Nishat Bagh with its twelve terraces, Jahangir's Shalimar Bagh, the spring at Chashme Shahi and the ruined terraces of Pari Mahal above. Each has a small entry fee.
2. 11:30 AM Chashme Shahi and Pari Mahal
3. 1:00 PM Lunch by the lake — try the wazwan
4. 3:00 PM Shankaracharya Temple A temple on the hill above Dal Lake reached by about 240 steps, with a view over the whole city. Phones and cameras are not allowed at the top.
5. 4:30 PM Hazratbal Shrine The white marble shrine on the northern shore of Dal Lake, holding a relic of the Prophet. Women cover their heads.
6. 6:00 PM Lal Chowk and the Polo View market For pashmina, walnut-wood carving, papier-mâché and saffron.

Up through the Tangmarg pine belt to the meadow of Gulmarg and the Gondola to Apharwat.

1. 8:30 AM Breakfast and departure
2. 10:00 AM Gulmarg Gondola A meadow at about 2,650 m ringed by pine forest. The Gondola runs in two phases — to Kongdoori and on to Apharwat Peak at about 3,950 m. Tickets are booked online in advance and paid separately.
3. 1:00 PM Lunch in Gulmarg
4. 2:00 PM The meadow and the golf course One of the highest golf courses in the world, with the little St. Mary's church at its edge. Pony rides and sledges in winter are paid on the spot.
5. 3:00 PM Strawberry Valley (optional) A short pony ride from the meadow, paid on the spot.
6. 5:00 PM Return to Srinagar

Up the Sindh valley to Sonmarg for the Thajiwas glacier, and back to Srinagar for the night.

1. 8:00 AM Breakfast and departure up the Sindh valley
2. 10:30 AM Arrive in Sonmarg The 'meadow of gold', at about 2,800 m below the Zoji La pass on the road to Ladakh.
3. 11:00 AM Thajiwas Glacier The glacier above Sonmarg, reached by pony or local jeep, both paid separately. Snow lies here well into summer.
4. 2:00 PM Lunch in Sonmarg
5. 3:00 PM Drive back to Srinagar
6. 5:30 PM Back in Srinagar; evening free

Through the saffron country to Pahalgam for the night.

1. 8:30 AM Breakfast and check-out
2. 9:15 AM Pampore saffron fields The saffron fields of Pampore flower purple in October and November; roadside shops sell saffron and dry fruit all year.
3. 10:00 AM Awantipora ruins Ruins of two 9th-century stone temples built by King Avantivarman, beside the highway.
4. 12:00 PM Arrive in Pahalgam, check-in and lunch
5. 2:00 PM Betaab Valley and Chandanwari by local taxi Pahalgam's local taxi union runs the trips to Betaab Valley, Aru and Chandanwari — outside cars are not allowed on these roads, so the local taxi is paid separately. Betaab is a riverside meadow; Chandanwari has snow for much of the year.
6. 6:00 PM Evening walk along the Lidder

Aru Valley in the morning, the ruined Sun Temple at Martand, then through the Banihal tunnel and down to Jammu for the night, so the drive home is split in two.

1. 8:00 AM Aru Valley by local taxi A village meadow 12 km above Pahalgam in the Lidder valley, the start of treks to the Kolahoi glacier. Reached by local taxi, paid separately.
2. 10:30 AM Check-out and depart
3. 11:30 AM Martand Sun Temple The ruins of an 8th-century temple to the Sun god, built by King Lalitaditya on a plateau near Anantnag, facing the snow peaks.
4. 1:00 PM Lunch near Qazigund
5. 2:00 PM Through the Banihal–Qazigund tunnel
6. 7:30 PM Arrive in Jammu, hotel check-in

Rested after the night in Jammu, down onto the plains and home through Pathankot, Jalandhar and Ambala.

1. 6:00 AM Check-out and departure
2. 8:30 AM Breakfast near Pathankot
3. 12:30 PM Lunch near Ludhiana
4. 3:30 PM Tea stop near Ambala
5. 7:00 PM Drop at your home or hotel in Delhi NCR