Pahalgam Travel Guide: The Lidder Valley, Betaab and Aru

The tourist places in Pahalgam are mostly natural: a river, valleys, meadows and high lakes, with a few shrines. Incredible India says the name means the village of shepherds in Kashmiri, and Anantnag district describes the town as lying in the north-east of the district, among lofty hills covered with evergreen forests, with a cool, invigorating and pleasant climate. It is one of the places we put on our Kashmir routes, and our trips that stop here are on our Kashmir tour packages page.

The Lidder

The district says that the melodious flow of the Lidder draws visitors to Pahalgam. Incredible India calls the river the lifeline of the region and lists riverside walks and trout fishing among the pleasures, along with river rafting for those who want something livelier. Riverside walks are the simplest of these.

Betaab Valley

Incredible India describes Betaab Valley as a place of greenery and panoramic vistas, made famous by a Bollywood film, where visitors can lose themselves in the tranquillity of nature, away from the bustle of city life. The official pages give no distance from the town, so ask your driver or hotel what the outing involves before you plan around it.

Aru Valley and Katarnag Lake

Anantnag district places Katarnag Lake in the Aru Valley, "right in the lap of the mighty Himalayas". It lists the lake as an adventure and recreation site. The trail starts through meadows and pine forests and becomes rocky, with less vegetation, as it climbs. The district's pages describe only the lake and its trail in the Aru Valley, so confirm any other detail locally.

Lidderwat and the Kolahoi glacier

Lidderwat is a valley in the district, set between the Kolahoi and Tarsar ranges. The district says it is the base camp for the Kolahoi glacier, Tarsar and Marsar and a number of peaks and high-altitude lakes. It is also where two rivers from the glaciers meet to form the Lidder, which is how it got its name, and shepherds bring their herds to graze there in summer. The district files it under adventure.

Tulian Lake

The district lists Tulian Lake as one of the many high-altitude glacial lakes near Pahalgam. It describes the route as an arduous journey: thick tree cover at the start of the trail gives way to huge meadows, and then to rock and snow. The page gives no distance and no season, so treat it as a trek for which you take local advice and a guide.

Aishmuqam and the shrine of Zain-ud-Din Wali

The shrine of Sheikh Zain-ud-Din Wali stands at Aishmuqam, about 20 km from Pahalgam, on a hillock about 100 feet high, with a cave reached by stairs. The district says the shrine dates from the 15th century and is important to the culture and history of Kashmiris. Incredible India calls the Aishmuqam shrine primarily a Sufi shrine that also houses a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva, and lists the Mamleshwar Temple, the Lok Bhawan temple and the Khanqah-e-Moula among Pahalgam's spiritual sites.

Pahalgam and the Amarnath Yatra

Anantnag district calls Pahalgam an important transit camp on the way to the cave shrine of Amarnath, which it places 72 km from the district headquarters. The Yatra falls in July and August, and the district advises booking accommodation well in advance then. For visitors who are not on the pilgrimage, that is the time to book early and to ask what the Yatra means for the roads on your dates.