It was my childhood dream to dance and jump in the snow. And here’s the story of how I finally made it happen!

So, in March, I booked a trip to Kashmir. I took a train to Delhi and then another train the next evening from Delhi to Jammu Tawi, which was an overnight journey and then, on the third day, a nine-hour cab ride to Srinagar. Bad decision! Don’t be like me and just book a direct flight to Srinagar. I took this route thinking it would be cheaper but the 1500 difference was not worth the effort.

I finally reached Srinagar late at night, checked into Zostel, had dinner, and called it a day! It had been three tiring days, and I was exhausted.

But the days that followed made it all worth it!

After getting a good night’s sleep, I was ready to explore Srinagar. The best decision I made here was to rent a scooty. It cost me 800 for an entire day (IK, it’s still a little expensive but way cheaper than cabs and autos). My first stop was the Sri Shankaracharya Temple, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. You have to climb more than 200 steps to reach the temple but the view and the vibe are beautiful!!!

After that, I wanted to see the Tulip Garden, but it was closed (you need to visit in April to see the Tulips in full bloom). I spent the rest of the day roaming around on my scooty. I stopped at Winterfell Café for a quick snack- the place is pretty, but the food was okay. The best part of the day was spending the evening at Dal Lake—so peaceful!

The next day, I left for Gulmarg. It’s a two-hour drive from Srinagar. There aren’t a lot of budget options here. In fact, there was only one hostel, Zoop, which was INR 1700 for dorms! I booked through Goibibo and got it for 1500. Still quite expensive for the hostel it was!

After I checked in, it was time to start the adventure. The plan for the day was skiing! As soon as I stepped out of the hostel, it started snowing!!! This was my first time seeing snowfall. It was such an incredible moment for me!!! Playing and dancing through the snow, I made my way to Tanvir, my skiing instructor. I skied down the snow-covered mountain, falling a dozen times. But Tanvir was so patient— must’ve explained things to me a dozen times and kept me going with his awesome pep talks!

I also wanted to do the Gondola ride but couldn’t get the tickets. It’s an experience you wouldn’t want to miss, so you book your tickets well in advance. It’s around INR 700 per person.

After skiing, I had an amazing lunch (it was almost evening) at The Pandit Brothers– Tawa Roti, Dum Aloo, Kashmiri Pulao. Yum! Made my way back to the hostel and met some really cool people (this is what I love about hostels, meeting people from around the world!!).

On my second day in Gulmarg, I decided to go sightseeing. I booked an open jeep (walking in the snow is a task). And it was so much fun. We explored a few places – don’t really remember the names because everything looked kinda same because of the snow. But what I do remember is playing in the snow, driving through beautiful roads and having a delicious lunch at the Bakshi Restaurant. It was a feast– Kashmiri Waza Paneer, Garlic naan, dal fry, jeera rice along with some onions and the most amazing green chutney I’ve ever had! My mouth is literally watering as I am writing this.

Then, I went to Durung Waterfall. You’ll get good pictures here (only in winter when the waterfall is frozen) but otherwise, it’s not much. I would skip this place.

From there, I made my way to Srinagar. Spent the night at a beautiful houseboat that cost me only 1300! Trust me, that’s a steal for a houseboat.

The next morning, I woke up at 5:30 am to go for a Shikara ride. I wanted to see the floating market, which is why I chose to take the first ride of the morning. And it was the best decision ever. The day was just starting. It was so peaceful. Seeing the floating market and the floating post office, witnessing a stunning sunrise, sipping hot Kahwa on a crisp winter morning, and shopping for souvenirs—every moment was worth a memory.

The rates of the shikara ride vary as per season but make sure to bargain.

Then, I returned to my room, got ready, and set off for Pahalgam. It was quite sunny outside, so I stopped for a refreshing glass of apple juice (which, by the way, was really good). Although the chances of snow seemed slim that day, I think I manifested a little too hard because the weather quickly turned gloomy, followed by rain, and then out of nowhere—snow!

In Pahalgam, you either explore on horseback or take a shared cab. I opted for a shared cab, and we made our way to Aru Valley. We continued to Chandanwari and then Betaab Valley. The snowfall intensified, so we had to head back quickly. The drive was breathtakingly beautiful. Honestly, in terms of landscape, I preferred Pahalgam to Gulmarg. It was unique and stunning! I can’t wait to explore these places in the summer.

I had decided to stay back in Zostel Pahalgam but the weather wasn’t weather-ing, so I headed back to the same houseboat again. I was in love with that place. It was so pretty, the host was amazing and it was affordable!

Now, on day five, I was torn between two choices- Doodhpatri or Sonmarg. So, I asked around and people told me that Sonmarg would be too similar to Gulmarg because of the snow. At least, Doodhpatri would be a different experience. So, that’s what I did. The drive to Doodhpatri was lovely. Honestly, all the drives in Kashmir were incredibly beautiful.

To explore Doodhpatri in winter, you have three options: horses, ATVs, and walking. I walked for a while and then decided to go on an ATV. The place was amazing, but the horse operators really ruined the experience. Despite telling them countless times that I don’t ride horses—nothing personal, it’s just against my beliefs—they kept bothering me. They even went as far as chasing away the ATV riders!

Nevertheless, I did find an ATV. Tourist spots in Kashmir are usually crowded, so the trick is to walk a bit beyond the usual areas to find a nice, quiet spot. That’s exactly what I did! After the ATV dropped me off, I walked a few more minutes and found a place with no one around. My favourite part of the day was building a snowman. It’s a core memory!

It was evening when I made my way back to Srinagar. Another drive! Snacked on crispy lotus stems, saw a beautiful sunset and slept like a baby.

And no, I did not go back to the houseboat (even though I’d love to). I had found a group in Kashmir and we had been booking the same cab for a few days. Our driver told us that his relative owned a homestay, so we decided to stay there. We spent the night with a warm and welcoming Kashmiri family in their beautiful home. The aunty cooked us the most delicious Kashmiri dinner, and we enjoyed talking with their kids. It was such a wholesome experience.

However, always do your research before trusting anyone (we did!). Please be careful and don’t trust random strangers.

How much did it cost me?

Kashmir is expensive, but I still managed to budget a little. I spent INR 22,000 for around six days. Here’s a breakdown:

Travel

I travelled to Kashmir from Mumbai via Delhi and Jammu Tawi, which took three days and cost ₹4,500. My train to Jammu was delayed by 4 hours, and a landslide in Ramban closed the roads to Srinagar, forcing me to pay double for a taxi. While coming back, I flew directly from Srinagar to Mumbai for ₹6000. The flight time was two hours. Saving 1,500 is not worth the time and effort it takes.

Travelling in Kashmir is where you can save. You can rent a scooter which costs ₹800 a day (400 pp), which is cheaper than cabs and you can take it anywhere you want. Best for exploring! You can also go in shared cabs which can cost around ₹300-500, depending on the destination. The best way to save money while renting a prepaid or private cab is to go in groups. That’s what I did.

Stays

• Srinagar– Zostel: ₹900, Houseboat: 1300 for two (per day)
• Gulmarg– Zoop: ₹1500-1900 (per day, per bed)
• I didn’t stay back in Pahalgam, but there’s a Zostel in Pahalgam as well. The cost is around ₹800.
• Opt for homestays and hostels. They are way cheaper than restaurants and honestly, more fun!

Food

Finding veg food in Kashmir is a task. But do a bit of research, ask around, and you will find good places.

Here are a few of my favourite places:

• Krishna Vaishno Bhojnalaya – Srinagar
• Pandit Brothers – Gulmarg
• Bakshi Restaurant – Gulmarg

Experiences

• Gondola ride: ₹700 (make sure to book in advance)
• Trekking: Depends on the trek. Great Lakes Trek is on my list!
• Skiing: ₹1000-3000. You’ll find a lot of cheaper options here, but it’s not as fun. They make you ski on smaller slopes, which is honestly not that great. I went skiing with Kashmir Hike Adventures and it was amazing.
• Shikara ride: ₹700-2500, depending on the kind of ride you take.
• Tulip Garden: It was closed when I went to Kashmir, but if you are going in April, add this place to your itinerary.

Shopping

• I didn’t shop a lot in Kashmir.
• Shopping at Lal Chowk is much cheaper than other touristy places.
• For Kesar, dry fruits, I really recommend going to Kashmiri Kesar, Pampore.