Kashmir in winter season: the best pictures you can lay your eyes on!

Ah, snowfall in Kashmir! It is a magnificent thing that transforms Kashmir into a white-carpeted heaven, verily India’s own Switzerland. The joy of travelling to Kashmir in winter season is an experience indescribable. As the excitement of the holiday season is building up fast, signalling us to plan our winter vacation soon, we bring up a few captivating experiences and Kashmir pictures in winter to make you fall in love with the region, all over again.

Read more: Your complete guide to a winter trip to Ladakh

If you get on-board a gondola cable car in Gulmarg, know that you are in luck. Feast your eyes on the panoramic beauty of Kashmir, about which countless poets have sung in their writings. A gondola ride in Gulmarg really has something for everyone. Vacationers heading out to Kashmir ought to go for a gondola cable car ride for unforgettable views and a handy camera to capture all the magic.

Kashmir is a heaven on the Earth and that’s the reason why it is a dream place to visit for the newlyweds. Plan a trip during your snowfall in Kashmir, including visits to Srinagar, Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg, and you will have all that you could practically imagine for a fabulous honeymoon. Plus, you get to take your pick between the choicest resorts located in all these regions.

If the idea of experiencing Mother Nature from close quarters appeals to you, Ladakh should rank high on your must-visit list. The picturesque region embraces one and all; it has a laid-back quaintness to spare, but is also blessed with quite a rich history. Adventurous visitors will have enough to explore in winters in Ladakh, so will solitude seekers.

A winter vacation in Kashmir should include some snow, and a good skiing session is a must to make the most of your holiday out there. Gulmarg is a haven for skiers and there are ideal facilities in place in those powder-covered regions that are all well worth the trip. All you need to do is, get your ski gear, invite your buddies and get set to hit the slopes!

As a bonus, you get to enjoy the hot kehwa (also kahwah) and Kashmiri biryani served by the dhabas situated close to the skiing spots, and also the warm hospitality of the locals.

Picture this: you are camping on the banks of a frozen river and sipping hot kehwa whilst gazing steadily at the captivating clear, midnight blue start-lit sky? This fantasy could turn into a reality by taking a trek known as the Chadar Trek. Trekkers have to cross the frozen Zanskar River and the snow-covered mountain trails to reach the abode of beauty called Zanskar Valley. Just make sure your body is fit enough to endure the rigours of this demanding trek.

Sure, Kashmir looks beautiful in the winters, but when the chill gets too hard to bear, the locals warm up to the kanger (also kangri), a conventional heater used in Kashmir and Himachal. It is a small earthen pot woven around with pliable twigs of willow tree and filled with burning charcoal. It is carried underneath traditional Kashmiri garb to stay warm and cosy. A whole piece of charcoal is good to last for a day. Get one for yourself to keep frost bites at bay.

You need kanger to keep your body warm, but it is the Kashmiri harissa and a cup of hot kehwa that would do the job of warming up your soul as well. Since Kashmir is predominantly a non-vegetarian region, locals take joy in feasting on a dish made of goat meat or mutton. It is slow-cooked on fire overnight and seasoned with spices and then served with a traditional naan-bread.

Kehwa, on the other hand, is an aromatic brew made of eleven locally-grown herbs. It is served with sheermal that is a savoury, crispy and salted bread. Sheer delight!