Tourists come to Kashmir for a variety of pleasures. Some people like the view of the vast stretch of mountains and the snow-capped landscape in the Kashmir Valley. And yet for others, Kashmir with its lush green hills and cool valleys is a getaway from the heat of the plains during summer. Being a year-round destination, the best time to visit Kashmir depends on your preference – the cold winter (December to early March) when the valleys are covered with snow, a great time for winter sports, While the pleasant months of March, October offer pleasant days and unfettered sightseeing of various Kashmir tourist places. If you are a nature lover, the best time to visit Kashmir might be during the seasons of spring-summer (May to August) and autumn (September to November) when the average Kashmir temperature ranges between 20 and 30 degrees. As you make your way to Kashmir during these seasons, you will be greeted by blossoming gardens filled with tulips, swarms of migratory birds, the alpine meadows and most importantly, clean fresh air. So, plan your Kashmir trip accordingly and choose the most suitable Kashmir package for the season.

By Air : If you want to go by flight then traveling to Kashmir is most convenient. The Srinagar International Airport, which is located at a distance of about 15 km from the city centre, connects the summer capital with major Indian cities. The state also has an airport at Jammu, which is more convenient for starting your Kashmir journey with a visit to the Vaishno Devi Temple.
Direct flights to Srinagar are available from Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Jammu and Bangalore. Flights to Srinagar are also available from all major Indian airports like Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, etc.

By Road : With good road connectivity, Kashmir has both state and private bus facilities with several nearby cities and towns. NH 1-A connects Srinagar to Jammu and the popular Jawahar Tunnel also connects Jammu to Kashmir. In addition, there are several luxury and private buses of the Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation that ply to and from Kashmir. The buses are comfortable which makes it easy for the passengers to reach Kashmir without any hassle.

By Train : You can reach Kashmir by train via either the railway station of Jammu or Udhampur towns. Taxis and buses are available from here to other parts of the state. Limited train services also run from Banihal to Srinagar and Baramulla.

Any Kashmir trip is incomplete without trying the authentic Kashmiri cuisine. Kashmir will delight you with its delicious delicacies cooked with aromatic spices like dry ginger, Kashmiri red chilli, fennel powder and garam masala. If you are a meat-lover and on a holiday to Kashmir then you must try the delectable Rogan Josh and Goshtaba. Another Kashmiri dish is yakhni, a curry based on yogurt, which can have vegetarian and non-vegetarian versions. Kashmiri cuisine caters to the tastes of vegetarians as well, with dishes like rajma, paneer chaman and modur palav. Also try Kashmiri tea flavored with kahwa, saffron, cardamom and cinnamon and garnished with chopped almonds.

Kashmir is known for its beautiful handicrafts, spices, dry fruits and textiles like exquisite shawls and carpets. Fine Kashmiri silk, antique copper and silverware are some of the most popular items that are bought by tourists here as well. You can explore the vibrant markets of Kashmir and buy a wide range of Kashmiri items at reasonable prices. If you are staying in Kashmir houseboat then you can also buy fruits and flowers from Shikara. Don't forget to buy kahwa powder which you can use to make your own kahwa tea when you come back home to remind you of your wonderful Kashmir trip.

The story goes that King Jambulochan founded Jammu in the 14th century BC and named it Jambu after himself. In course of time this name got corrupted and it became Jammu. In another folk tale, the name Kashmir is derived from Sanskrit 'ka' meaning water and 'Shimira', meaning desolation. Kashmir is one of the oldest inhabited land in India. It has been partially invaded and ruled by rulers of Bactria, Tartari, Tibet, rulers of the Indus Valley and even the rulers of the Ganges Valley. Religion in the state has fluctuated continuously from animist, Buddhist, Hindu and now Muslim, with the latter being the dominant religion.
After the British left India, Maharaja Hari Singh, who was the ruler of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, could not decide whether to merge with Pakistan or India. This decision was taken when some insurgent tribals of Pashtun region attacked Jammu and Kashmir in October 1977. The Maharaja requested help and India agreed to include them in the nation. Unfortunately, there is an ongoing debate over the merger, and Jammu and Kashmir remains an area of conflict between India and Pakistan.

Initially, the city of Srinagar was founded by the Buddhist Mauryan emperor Ashoka, and therefore Buddhism was prevalent throughout Kashmir. Ashoka was followed by the Karkota kingdom which originated in this region and made it one of the prominent places in South Asia. As time passed, Muslims set their foot in the region and brought Islam to the kingdom; It is followed by the Mughals, Afghans and Sikhs. All these religious issues made Jammu and Kashmir one of the most disputed lands of India. As a result of this, it is divided into three parts, each belonging to Pakistan, India and China. So far, Kashmir is the only place in India where the number of people who believe in Islam is high. Because of this it has been an important target of many terrorist threats in the past. Despite all these facts, tourism in Kashmir has attracted crowds from all regions of the world.

According to geography, Kashmir is the northernmost part of India. Earlier the area between the Pir Panjal mountain range and the great Himalayas was known as Kashmir. However, after the middle of the 19th century, the boundaries of the region were extended to cover a larger area. This includes the Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir regions now under Indian control, the Pakistan-controlled areas of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir, and the Trans-Karakoram Tract and Aksai Chin areas that are under Chinese control. The area under Indian control is home to several valleys, including the Tawi Valley, the Kashmir Valley, the Panch Ghati, the Chenab Valley, the Lidder Valley, the Sindh Valley, among many others. Jammu and Kashmir has been divided into 22 separate districts for the east of administration. Important among them are Anantang, Jammu, Srinagar, Udhampur and Baramulla.