India Visa. There are many visa services but the government one is the best https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html. It arrived in 4 days, cost $41, and was a multiple-entry, one-year visa.
Flights
Oct 8. Flair YVR-SFO @7:00-09:30. 10′ layover
Swiss Air: SFO-ZRH @19:30-15:50+1 11’20”. 20’20” layover.
Oct 10. ZRH-DEL @12:10-23:35 7’55”
ON I slept at the domestic gate of the airport.
Day 2 Sat Oct 11
UNION TERRITORY OF LADAKH (Leh, Kargil, Nubra Valley, Pinging Lake)
Flight: DEL-LEH Delayed for two hours. It was a dramatic view of Ladakh out the window.
I got a taxi 600 R to the Melmai Hostel, very close to the main business district. There was no one there, the internet didn’t work and my eSIM couldn’t accept any of the three telephone networks, I slept for an hour in a dorm bed waiting for the owner to arrive. When he didn’t, I walked down the lane to the Peace Guesthouse and got a room there – a private bedroom with a bath and wifi for 800R.
I went out for a walk through downtown Leh. There are two pedestrian streets with a wide range of souvenir shops (shawls, rugs, jewelry, clothes).
Jamai Masjid Leh. At the intersection of the two streets, this magnificent mosque is 4 stories with great carved woodwork. The prayer hall is festooned with painted arches. Thre are two minarets, one shorter and square and one round.
I had a marsala dosa and lassi for a perfect dinner.
The three NM sites in Leh all entail long drives so I didn’t see any of them. I decided that there was little I wanted to do in Ladakh and so booked a flight to Srinagar for 9 the next morning.
ON Peace Guesthouse. It was a very long night. The room was great with lots of blankets but there is no communal area or kitchen and it was cold. It became a very long night of reading and trying to sleep when one has had enough.
LEH
Airports: Leh (IXL)
Leh Palace
Stok Palace
Hall of Fame. Military, War and Police Museums
Spituk Monastery
DARE
China/India/Pakistan (disputed) – Xinjiang – Trans-Karakoram tract (Shaksgam Valley)
Ladakh – Brokpa communities in Ladakh (Dha, Hanu)
India/China (disputed) – Ladakh/Tibet – Demchok sector
COLD DESERT CULTURAL LANDSCAPE OF INDIA Tentative WHS: (15/04/2015). High-altitude, rain-shadow regions in the Himalayas – Ladakh and the Spiti region of Himachal Pradesh. These areas feature harsh, arid environments with sparse vegetation, resulting from their rain-shadow location behind the Himalayas and their extreme elevations, which range from 3,000 to 5,000 meters above sea level. Summers are short and dry, while winters are long, windy, and freezing, with temperatures dropping well below freezing. Despite the cold, the sun’s intensity is very high, creating a unique phenomenon where one can experience both sunstroke and frostbite simultaneously.
The landscape is characterized by barren, rugged, and sparsely vegetated topography, with stark contrasts between the brown mountains and high-altitude lakes, such as the saltwater Pangong Tso.
It is known for its monasteries, nomadic traditions, and resilience in a challenging climate, making it a significant cultural and natural heritage site.
Buddhism and Islam: The cultural influences are a unique blend of Buddhist and Islamic traditions, reflected in the numerous monasteries (gompas) found throughout Ladakh.
Nomadic lifestyles, particularly in the Changthang region, highlight sustainable resource use and a deep understanding of conservation.
Fauna includes wild sheep, goats, yaks, and the elusive snow leopard, which thrives in the Hemis National Park.
DISKIT
Religious Monuments: Diskit: Diskit Monastery Buddha statue
LAMAYTURU
Lamayuru: Lamayuru Monastery
HUNDER
LINGSHED
PANAMIK
Religious Temples
Chemrey Monastery
Darcha: Phuktal Monastery
Fiang: Phyang Monastery
Thikse: Thikse Monastery
Lakes: Pangaong Tso
Rivers: Indus River, Shyok River, Zanskar River
Trails 1 – Treks: Markha Trek (Ladakh)
Indigenous Peoples: Ladakhis
Roads, Road Bridges and Tunnels
Scenic Road – Jammu and Kashmir – Khardung Pass
Scenic Road – Leh–Manali Highway
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JAMMU AND KASHMIR (Srinagar, Jammu, Kathua)
SRINAGAR
SPS Museum|
Hari Parbat
Pari Mahal
Jamia Masjid
Khanqah-e-Moula
Shankaracharya Temple
Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Botanical Gardens
Srinagar Floating Market
Zero Bridge
Makhdoom Sahib Ropeway
Tentative WHS
MUGHAL GARDENS OF KASHMIR (13/12/2010) is a collection of historically significant gardens near Dal Lake in Srinagar, built by the Mughal emperors, known for their terraced layouts, flowing fountains, and symmetrical architecture integrated with the natural landscape. Key examples include Shalimar Bagh, the high point of Mughal horticulture, and Nishat Bagh, a “Garden of Delight” overlooking Dal Lake, showcasing a blend of Persian design and Kashmiri natural beauty. These gardens are considered outstanding examples of garden art and a testament to the cultural legacy of the Mughal era.
Water Features: Fountains, central water channels, and large tanks (hauz) are prominent features, symbolizing paradise and creating a serene atmosphere. The gardens are strategically built at the foot of mountains, utilizing the mountainous terrain and natural springs to their advantage. Avenues of centuries-old Chinar trees provide shade and enhance the timeless charm and beauty of the gardens.
Shalimar Bagh: Built by Emperor Jahangir, this is considered the high point of Mughal horticulture and is a famous public park.
Nishat Bagh, known as “The Garden of Delight,” was built by Asaf Khan, the brother of Empress Nur Jahan, and offers stunning views of Dal Lake.
Chashma Shahi: Known for its natural spring, believed to have healing properties, set within a charming terraced garden.
Pari Mahal: Also known as the “Angels’ Abode,” this seven-terraced garden offers panoramic views of Dal Lake and was a center for astronomy and astrology.
Verinag: The focus of a breathtaking garden built around a sacred spring, which became a template for other Mughal gardens in the region.
Mughal architecture blends Persian-inspired design with the natural beauty of the Kashmiri landscape.
SILK ROAD SITES IN INDIA (20/01/2010) 12 centers of trade and cultural exchange, connected to the main Silk Road via Himalayan routes, the Grand Trunk Road (Uttarpatha), and riverine systems. Key sites include ancient Buddhist centers like Kushinagar and Vaishali (Bihar), the Roman trading port of Arikamedu (Puducherry), and the archaeological site of Sravasti (Uttar Pradesh), highlighting the routes’ role in spreading Buddhism, trade goods, and cultural ideas.
These 12 sites are
Bihar: Ruins of Ancient Vaishali, Remains of Vikramshila Ancient University
Uttar Pradesh: Buddhist remains of Kushinagar, Sravasti, Kaushambi, Ahichhatra, Puducherry: Arikamedu
and Kashmir: Ancient monastery and stupa at Harwan
Maharashtra: Shuraparaka (Nala Sopara), Burud Kot
Punjab: SangholΩ
Himalayan Routes: India was connected to the Silk Road via routes through Kashmir and Ladakh, facilitating trade and cultural exchange with Central Asia.
Grand Trunk Road (Uttarpatha): This historic road served as a major artery for trade and commerce, connecting significant cultural and trade centers like Delhi and Patna to the broader Silk Road network.
Riverine Trade: Cities like Varanasi and Patna leveraged the Ganga River as a key entrepôt, integrating river trade into the Silk Roads.
Cultural Exchange: These sites were vital for the exchange of ideas, religions (especially Buddhism), and artistic styles between India and other regions.
Explore ancient universities, Buddhist pilgrimage sites, and remnants of Roman trade centers, experiencing the legacy of the Silk Road firsthand.
THE NEOLITHIC SETTLEMENT OF BURZAHOM (15/04/2014).
Archaeological excavations have revealed four phases of cultural significance between 3000 BCE and 1000 BCE. Periods I and II represent the Neolithic era; Period III the Megalithic era (of massive stone menhirs and wheel-turned red pottery); and Period IV relates to the early Historical Period (Post-megalithic period). Evidence of wheat was found.
The Burzahom site revealed the transition from the subterranean and ground-level housing of the Neolithic people to the mudbrick structures of the Megalithic people. The large cache of tools and implements made of bone and stone found at the site shows that the inhabitants were hunting and farming.
They established contact with Central Asia and South West Asia
It is 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) to the northwest of Srinagar on the Naseem-Shalimar road. On a high terrace part of the flood of the Jhelum River.
JAMMU
Castles, Palaces, Forts
Akhnoor Fort
Bahu Fort
Amar Mahal Palace
Dogra Art Museum
Raghunath Temple
Bagh-e-Bahu Aquarium
Villages and Small Towns|
Aru Village
Pahalgam
Airports: Jammu (IXJ), Srinagar (SXR)
Railway, Metro, Funiculars, Cable Cars
Gulmarg Gondola
Jammu Mail Railway (Jammu to Udhampur)
Udhampur: Skyview Patnitop
Roads, Road Bridges and Tunnels
Road – National Highway 1 (Uri-Baramulla-Srinagar-Sonamarg-Zoji La-Dras-Kargil-Leh)
Tunnel – Jammu and Kashmir – Chenani-Nashri Tunnel
Castles, Palaces, Forts: Udhampur: Bhimgarh Fort
Vestiges of the Past
Burzahom Archaeological Site
Krimchi Temples (Pandava Temples)
Martand Sun Temple
Religious Temples
Anantnag: Amarnath Cave Temple
Hazratbal Masjid
Katra: Vaishno Devi Mandir
Khanyar: Masjid Dastgeer Sahib
World of Nature: Dachigam NP, Hemis NP, Kishtwar NP
Botanical Gardens: Kokernag: Botanical Garden
Waterfalls: Aharbal Waterfall
Lakes: Dal Lake, Mansar Lake, Wular Lake
Trails 1 – Treks
Amarnath Trek
Kashmir Great Lakes Trek
Ski Resorts: Gulmarg
Indigenous Peoples: Zanskaris
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