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Jammu & (including )

Why Go? Ladakh...... 228 Welcome to three incredibly different worlds in one state. ...... 230 For most foreigners, J&K’s greatest attractions are the Hima- layan lands of Ladakh and , with their disarmingly Valley...... 250 friendly Tibetan Buddhist people, timeless monasteries, arid ...... 255 canyons and soaring snow-topped mountains. But neither Loop...... 255 area is easily accessible, especially outside midsummer. ...... 261 Hordes of domestic visitors make pilgrimages to tem- ...... 262 ples around Hindu Jammu and love Muslim Kashmir for its cool summer air and alpine scenery. Srinagar’s romantic Zanskar...... 262 houseboat accommodation is another drawcard. However, The Kashmir Valley....264 political volatility remains a concern. Disputes over Kash- Sonamarg...... 266 mir caused three 20th-century wars, and intercommunal Srinagar...... 267 strife still breaks out sporadically. Always check the security situation before travelling to Jammu or Srinagar but, even Jammu...... 277 if things look dodgy there, you can expect Ladakh to be as meditatively calm as ever. Best Buddhist Monasteries ¨¨Yungdrung (p260) When to Go ¨¨Thekchhok Gompa (p247) Leh °C/°F Temp Rainfall inches/mm ¨¨ Gompa (p247) 40/104 32/800 ¨¨Karsha Gompa (p264) 24/600 ¨¨ Gompa (p252) 20/68 16/400

0/32 8/200 Best Mountain -20/-4 0 Scenery J F DNOSAJJMAM ¨¨Pangong Tso (p255) Jun & Sep Ideal Jul & Aug Perfect Winter Skiing at ¨¨Dal (p267) for Srinagar and for Ladakh; Pa- Gulmarg. Ladakh, ¨¨ and the Sonamarg; roads halgam overflows only acces- Valley (p253) to Ladakh can be with pilgrims; rain sible by air, has blocked. drenches Jammu. festivals but no ¨¨Leh–Manali road (p248) tourists.  (Jammu & Kashmir (including Ladakh 225

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above ₹5000 above MAIN and Jammu Srinagar, commercial have Leh has Jammu airports. railhead. major only the only is Ladakh road, By summer in accessible mountain tortuous over and Srinagar from roads Manali. OF Kashmir News Traveller Tourism Population Area Capitals Main Sleeping ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ mir Valley. Even if Even troubles mir Valley. be don’t to Srinagar, return ever- visiting from deterred Ladakh. calm ¨ ¨ ¨ (winter), Jammu (summer), (Ladakh) Leh ¨ Balti Ladakhi, Urdu, ¨ ₹1000, $$$ Top Tip situation security the Check Kash the to heading before Fast Facts org) ¨ //blankonthemap.free.fr/1_ accueil/map.php?code=1015) Resources ¨ www.daily kashmir.com, www.kashmir excelsior.com, www.kashmirtimes.com, herald.com/main.php) ¨ indiamike.com/india/ jammu-and-kashmir-f30) ¨

- - (sa tabak (lotus (lotus goshtaba momos nadir is a luxurious kahwa (feast) can have dozens dozens have can (feast) Jammu, Muslim Jammu, ones in (a curd-based sauce made made sauce curd-based (a , is available at rural homestays homestays rural at available is , wazwan yakhni Jul-mid-Aug; Amarnath, p266) HinduAmarnath, p266) Jul-mid-Aug; 1-15 Sep; www.reachladakh. Sep; 1-15 Feb-Mar; Matho,p246) Monastery Matho,p246) Feb-Mar; chhang h h h ( (

( Kashmiri Kashmiri Feb-early Mar; Leh, p230, Diskit, p252, , Likir, p252, Diskit, p230, Leh, Mar; Feb-early h Yatra (

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pieces of in flat barley ‘gnocchi’ a stew. vegetable ( (noodle soup) though a more genuinely Ladakhi dish dish Ladakhi genuinely more a though soup) (noodle (fried lamb’s ribs) and (fried lamb’s rogan josh (rich, red- vividly DON’T beguilingly most Buddhist Ladakh (p228) is at its high-altitude rugged a stunning, human and scenically paddies irrigated temples, Tibetan with softened in summer Come . mountain and mesmerising - in mon India is drenched sweltering of when the rest - acclima time for ample contingency But allow soons. suffer that can and roads planes cancelled tisation, landslides. by caused closures lengthy Ladakh’s Tibetan favourites include salt-tea, salt-tea, include favourites Tibetan Ladakh’s skyu, Ladakh Matho Amarnath Dosmoche ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ cast into the desert. the into cast ¨ Ladakh and Zanskar. and Ladakh ¨ dances; masked with celebrated is Year New Buddhist p256) or burnt are year old the of spirits evil the representing effigies the Kashmir Valley and Buddhist temple festivals abound in in abound festivals temple Buddhist and Valley Kashmir the and archery. and ¨ Ladakh. in earlier months two celebrated pilgrims’ mountain trek to Amarnath. to mountaintrek pilgrims’ ¨ a include com/festival_dates.htm;Events p235) Leh, carnivalesquemusic Buddhistopeningparade, dances,polo, oracles perform blindfolded acrobatics and ritual mutilations.performoraclesritual and blindfoldedacrobatics ¨ Top Top State Festivals Hindu are festivals in celebrated thukpa is barley-beer, Ladakh’s sale. general for not but golden golden tea with flavoured cinnamon and saffron, crushed almonds. voury in wrapped dumplings ravioli-style thin pasta) and coloured mutton curry). Kashmiri chefs also serve delicious serve also chefs Kashmiri curry). mutton coloured seasonal and curries cheese-based ly aromatic in served typically stems) mildly minty with Kashmiri fennel). A full traditional traditional full A dishes such as of mutton-based notably courses, (pounded mutton balls in saffron-yoghurt curry), maaz Food