Jammu & Kashmir

South Kashmir apple land with spring-fed temples and the Pahalgam gateway.

• Must-seePahalgamLidder valley meadows and trek bases, a few hours from Srinagar.
• HeritageVerinag SpringMughal-era octagonal spring said to feed the Jhelum.
• NatureKokernag GardensTerraced gardens and trout streams near freshwater springs.
• HeritageMartand Sun TempleOffbeatRuined 8th-century temple with a wide Kashmir valley view.

North Kashmir district on Wular Lake, door to remote Gurez.

• NatureWular LakeOne of Asia's largest freshwater lakes, ringed by willows and birds.
• OffbeatGurez ValleyOffbeatRemote Dard villages; permission checks needed near LoC.
• NatureAloosa FallsOffbeatFalls and meadows on the way to Gurez.

Gateway to the valley along the Jhelum with orchards and old shrines.

• Must-seeGulmargGondola, golf and ski slopes above Tangmarg.
• HeritageUriOffbeatBorder town on the Jhelum; check access before visiting.
• HeritageBaramulla Old TownOffbeatHistoric town with ancient remains and riverside lanes.

Meadows west of Srinagar with the airport and Kashmiri village country.

• NatureDoodhpathriOffbeatSloping 'valley of milk' meadow with a river through pine forest.
• NatureYusmargOffbeatQuiet Pir Panjal meadow and walks away from big crowds.
• OffbeatTosamaidanOffbeatWide alpine plateau, now open for treks.

Chenab-side Jammu hills with 'mini Kashmir' pastures at Bhaderwah.

• HillsBhaderwahMeadow town with Gupt Ganga temple and spring streams.
• AdventurePadri PassOffbeatAlpine pass trek between Bhaderwah and Kishtwar side.
• NatureJai ValleyOffbeatPine valley and trout streams near Bhaderwah.

Sindh river district with Sonamarg, Gangabal and trekking trails.

• Must-seeSonamargMeadow of gold below Thajiwas glacier.
• AdventureGangabal & Nundkol LakesOffbeatAlpine lakes below Mount Harmukh on the Kashmir Great Lakes trail.
• SpiritualKheer Bhawani TempleSpring shrine at Tulmulla for Kashmiri Pandit pilgrims.

Temple city and winter capital, a warm plains-edge start to the Himalaya.

• SpiritualRaghunath TempleLarge temple complex with many shrines and shaligram stones.
• HeritageBahu FortDogra fort with gardens above the Tawi river.
• HeritageMubarak Mandi PalaceOffbeatDogra royal complex with Pink Hall and museum.
• SpiritualPeer Kho Cave TempleOffbeatRiverside cave shrine on the Tawi, quiet before dawn.

Bridge between Punjab and Jammu with Basohli painting heritage.

• HeritageBasohliOffbeatBirthplace of the Pahari miniature painting style, with a hill fort.
• HeritageBillawar Ancient TemplesOffbeatOld stone temples in the Shivalik foothills.
• NatureRanjit Sagar Dam Lake EdgeOffbeatReservoir views near the Punjab border; check access.

Remote Chenab district of saffron, sapphire mines and Paddar valley.

• WildlifeKishtwar High Altitude National ParkOffbeatBig park with snow leopard and monal habitat; permits needed.
• SpiritualMachail Mata Yatra RouteOffbeatPilgrim route to Paddar's goddess shrine in summer.
• HillsSinthan TopOffbeatHigh pass on the Anantnag-Kishtwar road with views.

Rice, apples and trout streams in quiet South Kashmir.

• NatureAharbal WaterfallThundering waterfall in a pine gorge on the Veshaw river.
• AdventureKausar Nag Lake TrekOffbeatHigh lake trek from Aharbal; summer only, with guides.
• OffbeatManzgam MeadowsOffbeatVillage meadows and orchards for easy day walks.

North Kashmir's forest-edge border district with Lolab and Bangus meadows.

• NatureLolab ValleyOrchard and forest valley, often called the 'Valley of Love'.
• OffbeatBangus ValleyOffbeatGiant meadow bowl, opened to visitors in recent years.
• OffbeatKeran & MachilOffbeatLoC villages; special permissions required and often restricted.

Border district of lakes, meadows and Pir Panjal passes toward Kashmir.

• NatureNoori Chamb WaterfallOffbeatSlim falls near Surankote, on the road toward Pir Panjal.
• HeritagePoonch FortOffbeatOld fort in the town with Mughal-era links.
• SpiritualBuddha AmarnathOffbeatPilgrimage cave in the forested hills; seasonal yatra.

Saffron and cricket-bat country on the Jhelum flood plain.

• Must-seePampore Saffron FieldsPurple crocus blooms for a few weeks around late October.
• HeritageAwantipora Temples8th-century Avantiswami and Avantishwara ruins on the Jhelum.
• OffbeatTral MeadowsOffbeatQuiet orchards and forest edge in the Tral hills.

Border Pir Panjal district with Sufi shrines and old fort towns.

• OffbeatThanamandiOffbeatForested hills town on the Mughal Road.
• NatureDera Ki GaliOffbeatPine ridge on the Mughal Road gate to Kashmir.
• SpiritualBaba Ghulam Shah Badshah ShrineShrine at the university town, a pilgrimage for locals.

Chenab gorge district on the highway between Jammu and Srinagar.

• NatureBaglihar Dam ViewpointOffbeatLarge hydro project in a steep gorge near the highway.
• SpiritualSudhmahadev RouteOffbeatShiva temple pilgrimage in neighbouring hills.
• NatureChenab Gorge DrivesOffbeatDramatic road views along the river near Digdol.

Home of Katra, Vaishno Devi and the world's tallest rail arch.

• SpiritualVaishno Devi, KatraThe Trikuta hill shrine; trek, pony or helicopter from Katra.
• Must-seeChenab Rail BridgeWorld's highest rail arch bridge; seen from viewpoints near Reasi.
• SpiritualShiv Khori CaveNatural Shiva cave shrine near Ransoo, popular at Mahashivratri.

Plains district with Jammu's Shivalik foothills and easy-reach heritage sites.

• NatureMansar LakeLake and temple on Shivalik hills, around an hour from Jammu.
• SpiritualBaba Sidh Goria TempleOffbeatHilltop temple with a large Maha Shivratri fair.
• SpiritualPurmandalOffbeatAncient temple town known as 'Chhota Kashi' of Jammu.

Apple belt of Kashmir at the Mughal Road gate.

• NatureMughal Road ViewpointsHistoric Pir Panjal route with meadow stops and passes.
• NaturePeer Ki GaliOffbeatHigh pass at 3,400 m on the Mughal Road.
• OffbeatHeerpora OrchardsOffbeatOrchards in autumn and the wildlife sanctuary edge.

Summer capital of lakes, Mughal gardens, old city shrines and shikara life.

• Must-seeDal LakeShikara rides, floating gardens and houseboat sunsets.
• HeritageShalimar & Nishat BaghTerraced Mughal gardens above the lake.
• HeritageJamia MasjidIndo-Saracenic wooden mosque in the old city.
• SpiritualHazratbal ShrineWhite marble shrine on the lakeshore.
• SpiritualShankaracharya TempleOffbeatHilltop temple with a city and lake panorama.

Hill district near Chenab with Patnitop and the Jammu-Srinagar highway.

• HillsPatnitopPine meadow hill station with paragliding and winter snow.
• SpiritualSudhmahadevAncient Shiva temple with a trident said to be 2,000 years old.
• HeritageKrimchi TemplesOffbeatCluster of ancient stone temples near Udhampur.