Pahalgam Travel Guide: The Lidder Valley and Aru Meadows

Pahalgam is the riverside town of Kashmir's Lidder Valley, with the meadows of Aru and Betaab beyond it. Where Gulmarg is about the gondola and Srinagar about the lake, Pahalgam is the gentler, slower stop on a Kashmir itinerary: log cabins, river walks and a valley floor rather than a single headline sight.

• The Lidder river running through the town
• Aru meadow, a short drive beyond Pahalgam
• Betaab Valley
• Gentle walks rather than strenuous trekking

One night is typical, as one of the two valleys — usually Pahalgam and Gulmarg — most Kashmir itineraries add to a Srinagar base.

Pahalgam shares the Kashmir valley's seasons: April to October is the green season, with meadows at their best in June and July and autumn colour arriving by mid-October; December to February brings snow. Convoy movement for the Amarnath Yatra pilgrimage, usually July and August, can slow the roads near Pahalgam, so build in buffer time if you travel then.

Pahalgam is reached by private car from Srinagar as part of a wider Kashmir itinerary. Accommodation ranges from family guesthouses to luxury resorts, and the quieter meadows nearby offer simple homestays and cottages.