The winter season has its charm in India. Many gorgeous Indian landscapes are covered with white glittery snow, preparing the ground for adventure enthusiasts to enjoy skiing, snowboarding, sledding etc. During winter Kashmir witnesses lots of snowfall which makes it the best place to enjoy snow adventure sports. Be it honeymoon couples, families, backpackers or solo travelers, winters in Kashmir always enchant tourists from all over the world. The landscape of Kashmir undergoes a complete transformation during the winter, especially from late December till February. During these days the Kashmir valley experiences snowfall and the entire landscape is covered with a layer of white blanket. For someone who has never experienced snowfall, this is the ideal time to visit Kashmir. Also, as it is not the peak tourism season, it favors the budget-friendly traveler too.

Srinagar is one of several places that have been called the “Venice of the East”. Lakes around the city include Dal Lake noted for its houseboat sand Nigeen Lake. Apart from Dal Lake and Nigeen Lake, Wular Lake and Manasbal Lake both lie to the north of Srinagar. Wular Lake is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Asia. Srinagar has some Mughal gardens, forming a part of those laid by the Mughal emperors across the Indian subcontinent. Those of Srinagar and its close vicinity include Chashma Shahi; Pari Mahal; Nishat Bagh; Shalimar Bagh and the Naseem Bagh. Gulmarg is the “heartland of winter sports in India” and was rated as Asia’s seventh best ski destination. Winter sports like skiing, tobogganing, snowboarding and heli-skiing take place on the slopes of Mount Apharwat reachable by a Gondola lift. For those who wish to take their adventure a bit further, Heli-skiing is also one of the most exciting sports gaining popularity in Kashmir. It is one of the best adventure activities to do in Kashmir.

There are times when you don’t find adventure but the adventure finds you. As you step into the world that looks nothing less than the ice age, daunting trails take you into the deep embrace of nature. Zanskar River, flowing to the south of Leh across the Hemis National Park, is the perfect place to explore in winter. The river turns into a thick sheet of ice in winter thus forming a perfect platform for the Chadar Trek, one of the most thrilling treks in the world. Sonamarg is one place in Kashmir that can take anyone’s breath away. The beauty of Sonamarg is unparalleled with golden beauty turning into a sea of white. Thajiwas Glacier and Zero Point are the most beautiful of all thus making for popular places to see in Sonamarg. Embrace the beauty the land of golden meadows has its charm in the fudgy winter. Guarded by the great Himalayan mountains, Sonamarg, one of the most popular places to visit in India in summer, is a must-visit.

Pahalgam, called the village of shepherds, is a small valley located nearly 90 Kilometers in the south of Srinagar. Its lush green meadows and pristine waters attract thousands of tourists from all over the world each year. The destination attracts nearly 70% of visitors to the valley and is the base camp to the Amarnath cave. Betaab Valley, situated at a walk able distance from Pahalgam, the valley got its name from the Bollywood movie Betaab which was shot there. The valley is lush and green. Verinag is also the first tourist spot of Kashmir Valley when traveling by road from Jammu, the winter capital of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir towards Srinagar. There is an octagonal stone basin at Verinag Spring and an arcade surrounding it which were built by Mughal emperor Jahangir in 1620 A.D. Later, a beautiful garden next to this spring was laid out by his son Shah Jahan. Kashmir, as rightly brought out, is a paradise on earth and it would be wise not to restrict the traveling season to Kashmir in the summers as the winters open a plethora of exploration and adventure opportunities to the travelers.