शुक्रवार, 24 अगस्त 2012

weekend @kashmeer

 day-1 Will reach Srinagar by afternoon 3pm, will check in and rest.overnight stay n Srinagar
 day-2   Will go to Gulmarg and explore gulmarg back to Srinagar 
 day-3  - Will go to Sonmarg and explore Sonmarg back to Srinagar
day-7  - Will go to Pahlagam and overnight stay in Pahalgam
day-5 - Explore Pahalgam and Overnight stay in Pahalgam
day-6  - Back to Srinagar explore Srinagar
day-7 - Back to home

around shree nagar

Seventh day , 3rd August 2012
Our day started at 4:30 am in the morning, Last night we contacted ghulam chacha who got around 10 shikara under his name, he got ready for my morning requirement which include early morning wholesale market, lotus garden, char chinaar, kabootar khana, vegetable farming in dal lake, Village in dal lake, floating market etc etc
After negotiating with him he got ready for 700/- ( if you go differently for both option you have to give around 500/- for vegetable market in morning & same for rest of the places to see)
We gave him advance Rs.200, because he especially have to send one shikara guy in the morning to make us see the market. We exchange the numbers for communication, & he told me to come to ghat no 10 for shikara (this is important please confirm the ghat to reach Early morning, I got a deal in 650 also but he was asking to come to ghat no 16 in early morning for saving 50 bucks you have to travel so much is not good in my view)
We got a call @ 4:30 from shikara guy that are you coming or not, I said we will reach at 5:30 we got ready and reached around 5:20 where our shikara guy was waiting.
Vegetable market starts around 4:00 in Dal lake but as a tourist I recommend 5 to 7 is best time to go there, more you get late less attraction you will see… 
Early morning it was lovely experience, hearing the gentle splosh as my Shikara’s oars went in and out of the water. We saw many shikara guys with variety of vegetable while passing by, After 25 min of memorable wait we saw buyers and sellers in their Shikaras, all was just like an artistic picture
But as you will come close to them they start trading like any other indian market shouting & bargaining the prices, but seeing all this on lake over the water was a memorable thing, Don’t miss it you will not see this thing anywhere else .
Sellers were farmers or traders. And buyers included houseboat owners, shopkeepers in town, other traders and consumers. Mostly men, a handful of women. Trading in vegetables, fruits, flowers and seeds..
Some shikara guys also selling great chocolate pudding at price of 800 per kg.
Seed rates as per the item you choose
Artificial jewellery was also available there … don’t forget to bargain everywhere
Mostly I saw foreign tourist there with big cameras in their hand, Indian tourists were very less 
We stayed there for more than 45 minutes. Then we move towards char chinar , on the way we saw lots of Lotus flowers (this is multipurpose flower it is used in decoration + it gives us makhane & lotus stem (sea food for vegetarian) 
There were in plenty there during my visit with white/red water lilies 
Around 7:00 we reached char chinar, I asked my shikara guy to check if i can get something in floating houseboat type restaurant on char chinar, Meanwhile I clicked pictures there, it was lovely experience standing in garden in centre of lake surrounded by water, till that we got the signal that restaurant is open & you can have breakfast there. We had kahwa there it was lovely drinking it early morning.
Around 8:15 we moved from that place on the way we saw village children with their small shikara going for school, it is tough call, as compared to us who wants bus stop next to our home, I even enquired about how relatives come to their home, he replied that they give a call to the owner he goes with his shikara to bring them to their house. Its looks good in hearing but how much tough in real life
Then we saw Kabootar khana which is under BSF now so you can’t visit it just see it from outside with surrounding covered with lilies,
Then we move forward then we saw vegetable farming in dal lake, actually where water level is less farmers has put an excess sand so that they can grow vegetable next to their home, but he did not allow me to go inside the farms. Then it comes floating garden, there are bunch of trees inside dal lake which are now tied up & they keep on floating inside dal lake, You can see many plants grown inside dal lake where ever you go in dal lake just check them under your shikara.
Then we saw floating market following meena bazar , & back to my ghat where we got the pictures clicked in Kashmiri dress for both of us he has taken 100, pictures were clicked from my camera.
You can get Kashmiri dress in every tourist place, for dress only you have to give Rs.20 rent & you can click pictures from your camera
Around 9:30 we are back, this time our shikara guy was asking for tip I give Rs.50 to him because he did not owned that shikara otherwise I would have avoided it ..
Then we had breakfast & as we were sure will not wake up before 1:00 pm
At 3:00 pm we were again ready to explore little Srinagar. We hired one auto – requirement 1.shankaracharya 2.Nagin valley 3.SPS museum 3. Lal chowk market + Gurdwara
He agreed for Rs.300…. 

Firstly we have gone to shankaracharya temple but because of 33 degree temperature it was tough call to climb up 243 stairs. It took 1 hour there 10 min temple rest in walking….. View was very good but you cannot click pictures there.You have to leave camera phone with your taxi/auto guy.
While going down auto guy don’t even switch on their auto, gravity works for them alot, so they save alot that way. 
Then we move to SPS museum, lal mandi, around 4:30 but of our hard luck museum timings were 10- 4:00 only, so we didn’t see anything there, Then we have gone to lal chowk Gurdwara which is in main market only , checked few shops there also, with all brands you can expect (but I don’t see any KFC –Mcdonald-Pizzat hut) where ever I have gone all banks branches are there,then my auto guy kept on insisting to go to market with him , he took us to one underground market (which is expensive we stayed there for 10 minutes , so don’t want to dishearten my autodriver) then he said he will take us to another meena bazaar on gulmarg road, the actual road was closed , I told him that we really don’t want to go to any market but he said please go there once you will get good deal there. The shop was big and nice but no bargaining option but price was good as compare to other shops we have seen in between with lots of variety to offer, we bought few things from there. Then we moved on & after few minutes I saw dal lake , I was surprised to see because nagin lake was opposite to hazarat bal dargah & we are on dal lake, I stopped my driver asking why he hve not taken us to nagin lake, he said we refused him, I said when? ( and he said the time I said no to meena market was actually I am saying no to nagin lake) , So I came across a bad driver for the first time in my trip. I asked him stop my auto next to police man & I started talking with him in loud voice , he must understand that he cannot make fool of us & finally he has taken 100 for the whole trip.( I am sure he will get cut from purchasing we have done so he wasn’t interested in us anymore)
Then I hired another auto for 200, Shalimar garden ( I want to check in night f I can see anything different ) + nagin lake + Krishna dhaba for dinner,
But I did not find anything special at Shalimar garden in night, nothing has lighten up. Even little showers have started at that time, so we started moving for nagin lake, so that i can personally see what a view is at nagin lake, you can opt to see nagin lake while going to sight seeing Srinagar it is opposite to hazratbal …
But Ididl not see anything there, only houseboats are there with shikara nothing else, I even asked anything special here they said nothing this is part of dal lake only with two names ( you can even come from dal to nagin lake through shikara)
The difference here is that you can go to houseboat without using shikara… but no market is there, so if you just want to relax in houseboat nothing else go for nagin lake, I only saw few foreign tourists there.
The starting price we found here was Rs.1800 with food, but I didn’t bargain so try your luck…
We stayed there for less than 30 minutes there, then we moved to Krishna dhaba, which was closed that day, so we are back to Lahsa for dinner.
Last day 4th august 
Since last night till next day it was raining heavenly in Srinagar, we thank god that we have already done Dal lake market otherwise we would have missed it.
We could not go anywhere this morning because you can do nothing if it is raining, but temperature changed drastically today, we took little walk under umbrella around dal lake for our final good bye.
I called again Khurshid for my airport drop, because local taxi was asking for 700 and I gave Khurshid 500. Don’t go for auto it cannot enter airport premises.
I even told him to show me SPS museum today, it was a nice museum with history sculpture inside it, my driver told me that there are moving sculpture inside but it was not moving that day, camera is allowed inside but you can click pictures
Security Check At Airport,
Before entering airport premises there is full security check for you + your luggage & even taxi taking you, then again entering the airport, then at check counter, No hand baggage is allowed to be taken inside aircraft only camera, laptop & ladies purse are allowed , they allowed my bakery products as requested, then after check in baggage you have to go again inside to verify the luggage you submitted earlier, then we went for camera checking with my wife with her purse, they check each & every corner, they even checked few of my pictures in camera, They even make me taste by bakery products which I am carrying. But all things look nice because they are doing it for us only.
Our flight started roughly around 4:00 & we reach back safely around 5 back to Delhi.

hotel Marjan 6 nights X 800 = 4800
Hotel highland 1 X 1000 = 1000
JKSRTC first day bus = 620
Auto Charges approx = 650 + 100 + 200 + 200 here & there
Shiakar all together = 850 (700 + 150)
yusmarg sumo shared = 720 ( 1800 all together)
Sonmarg = 800 (2000 all together)
Pahalgam = 3800 ( including night halt + verinag + kokernag + abchal )
Pahalgam Maruti van = 1000 (aru Vallye + betab valley)
Pony in khilanmarg = 500
pony in yusmarg = 240
pony in baisaran = 500
Food charges average per day Tea - lunch -dinner = 700 X 8 = 5600 (1 non veg + 1 veg member)
Entry charges eevrywhere 10/- per head

i know many things i skip but i already mention in my trip report please cheack it , approx 25000 i have spend there, rest is all depend on shopping

But i always say go there Tansport / hotel charges may vary accoring to tourist, this is just an idea,

Marjan Guest House , Mr Ali 09796181918
Shikara Guy : Ghulam Chacha : 9906634762 
Sumo Driver : Khurshid 09796961245 
hotel high land pahalgam -- Tele: 019 - 36243492 Cell:: 9419487930 , 9797050354

Trip Reports End

Sight seeing,pahalgam

Sight seeing,
We got ready around 8:00 am, there were many pony guys near to hotel, and they asked for 600 per head for Baisaran valley but finally agreed for couple @ same price. 300/-per head
But path to baisaran valley is as bad as compare to what we had while going to doodhganga in yusmarg, even little more then that, strictly avoidable in rainy season, it was good valley, but if you are not comfortable on pony ride like us (then you cant enjoy much there because half of time you will take to stress out your mind from the way you come in & another half time thinking you have to go back on a same route. (We find it little scary to go on pony ride everywhere, I felt the best ride on pony was while going to khilanmarg only, it depends on ones personal choice and depends on person to person there were people coming with small kids also without any worries so it’s all depends, I am not discouraging anybody I am giving my point of view)
We were back byl 11:30 to the hotel take breakfast there only, then we shifted our luggage back to our car & told the driver that we will give him a call & he should come to dana pani to receive us.(otherwise where to keep the luggae either take them wherever you go Or keep it back at hotel only but i am sure they will ask for more money, so if you are on 1 nigh trip it is better to keep car with you, at least you got a car for extra luggage 
Then we called taxi office for maruti van for Aru & Betab Valley (not going for chandawari because it is bad condition after yatra all the the wastage of yatra was dumped there only)
Maruti Van charges for Aru Valley + Betab valley = 950/- & he said 3 hours for you to explore it,
So we started around 12:00 & we are going to Aru valley first, now we got a check point for Aru valley & the guard asked for 25/- per head so another 50 spend there, There is personal car behind us they did not give any payment, so the tourist who has choose to use taxi has to pay the price, If you gone with your own car try going there with your personal car only, road is same you will get in any hilly area…. So be ready for that
12: 30 we have arrived at Aru not Aru valley….. & thanx to JKTDC, you have to take pony again to go Aru valley or start walk towards Aru valley (pony charges 100 per head) 
But frustrated at this point, we are fool or what, we are on vocational or torture, we have to pay extra for local taxi + entry charges 25/- per head & now pony to actual go to the place. This will come up as Rs.400/per head for Aru valley, & in return what we are getting 20 mins to see the valley?
You can walk up to the aru valley, but we didn’t go we were out of breath & secondly we got less time, taxi union say that only 3 hours for both place, I must say these all are mafia there interlinked forcing you to use each & every service…. 
I just click picture there, there is Lavender Park there, it was ok there just down version of yusmarg. we stay there for 20 mins, There only 2 sumo parked there with our van so I can judge tourist is not favourable to this place… even our driver is discouraging this place by saying stay less here & more at Betab Valley…
1:00 we reach at Betab valley, First time in Kashmir side trip I did not see pony there, & believe me I see several car parked there even locals people were quite a number there, This is the perfect place which every tourist demand , betab valley derived its name from sunny deol movie “betab” , here you will get a feel of you are near to beach (difference is that instead of sand there are stone).
Rs.10 per head ticket entry here any person of any age can easily move here, no stress nothing we stay there for 2 hours & loved it. Lovely scenery totally different which we haven’t seen it anywhere , good green water flowing, But there are only two refreshment counter made, nothing much to eat, JKTDC Hut is perfect location inside betab valley , recommend if you want to stay in pahalgam near to nature.
I even talk to the localities’ they also prefer to come here because there is no hassle here, car parked next to betab valley & you there are near to nature to feel the beauty & relaxed, but I don’t see any restaurant there … or I miss cant tell…
We started back around 3 pm & you will not believe me in just 10 min we reach at pahalgam market (Dana pani), then I understand why they don’t have restaurant there because one can easily commute to local market.
Accommodation in pahalgam: in my findings I found 3 places where you can get accommodation in pahalgam are 1. Pahalgam main market 2. Lari pora village which is over hill around 3kms from main market 3.Chandwari road – if you are coming from sringar you will cross over pahalgam market then there are many hotels which comes as chandwari road – from here betab valley is just 5 mins. So try to get a local bus from here for betab valley it saves lots of money + no time restriction , or try talking your own srinagar taxi there because not so far from main road 
At 3:15 we have opted for same thali because it has good variety, we even asked for our phirni promised yesterday, Food was great 7 phirni was too good, must try.
Then we gone down to Lidder River for some more pics around 4:00 we started our journey back to Srinagar.
Pahalgam is very much famous for River rafting, which we don’t see anywhere else, we are not favourable in rafting so moved on….
While going back I bought 2 bats for gifting young kids in our family, then buy kesar from one of the shop at pampore, showed my wife “Gucchi” also there, in Kashmiri wedding you have to make a dish with gucchi especially for bride groom “ it cost 20,000” per kg, we did not buy it just for knowledge

Around 7:00 we reach at Dal Lake I told my driver to take me to shankarycharya temple, but being raksha bandhan on that day, it was overcrowded & finally we are back to hotel…
Next day plan was to woke up early in morning around 5:00 am to see wholesale vegetable market + all sight seeing in dal lake
Transport charges

Sumo : 2400 (400 halt charges for a car)
For verinag + kokernag + abhchal = 1400 extra
Pony ride to baisaran : 500 per couple
Hotel High land Pahalgam (you can chk there site for detail ) : 1000 per night
Maruti van for aru Valley & betab valley : 550 & 450 respectively And 25 per head extra at aru valley entry
Food one time at dana pani : 225


Attached Images
IMG_7057.jpg IMG_7064.jpg IMG_7078.jpg 

Pahalgam trip

Pahalgam trip
We started our journey at 9:00 am, around 9:25 we reach pampore to see nothing there but only empty kesar fields, we talk to one guy there he told us now there are putting bulb (kesar seed) in august come in october to see in full bloom, so nothing here for us, you can see many shops selling kesar but I said I will buy while coming back. 
Around 9:45 we reach at awantipura ruins, Got 2 tickets for Rs.10 per head there is a guide there who will tell you everything about this + he will click picture from your camera also. He showed us ancient wall with all god statues on it. I had given Rs.100 to the guide from my pocket he didn’t ask…
Opposite of this place is JKTDC cafeteria also, I don’t go there but you can try it
Around 10:25 we got bat factory lots of them on the way both side we did not stop, leave it for while coming back
From Verinag to achabal is different route so you have to pay extra if you want to go there.
At 11:30 we reach verinag (Nag stand for water coming from land), It was lovely blue water there , You got to sea the Trout Fish farm at the end of the garden, you can even buy fish from there to make delicious cuisine from it.
At 1: 20 we reach Kokernag, Thanks to bad road condition, strictly avoidable in rainy season.
Nothing special here as a garden, difference is that there is landscape done all over with wooden bridges to cross over water flowing. We had lunch there in JKTDC & food looks like you prepare in home only.( actually during Ramzan time there is less visitor everywhere so they make very less things in lunch hours) flavour was on lighter side, so doesn’t like much, so just eaten there as a necessity
Then we got plan to go to achabal, on the way I see Red apple tree, and I stopped my car immediately, we were very happy to finally see red apple, we clicked may pictures , owner of that garden invited to the backyard of there house which is having more red apple garden, he also give us few to taste. His two son plucking up red apple & putting in basket, it was nice view, on the way we also see honey trap procedure used in Kashmir.
It was 2:50 in my watch & we reach Achabal (same 10/- per head) nothing special I found here just similar to nishat bagh) Here one man interacted us as head gardener of this park, he guided us all the things, click many pictures with poses as he used to see click by photographer everyday, I gave him Rs.100 at the end he told me that during ramzan there is less visitor in garden otherwise its little crowded 
Now we headed towards pahalgam again then 2:53 we reach Martand Temple, we firstly visit Sikh Gurdwara Mattan sahib there, had a tea langar there, then in the same premises is martand temple famous for Fish feeding, this place is similar as Haridwar, so priest will interact with you here & if you are willing to spend money on your ancestors talk to them and just say “shukriya” we are not interested, Do fish Feeding there with Rs.30 plate
Around 5:15 we reached pahalgam, the road is similar to sonmarg route in that route we have Sindh River on our side & during Pahalgam Lidder River was our companion
Then we headed to hotel High land which is near to nathu rasoi, the hotel suggested to me by one of tourist in gulmarg he said he stayed there for 2 nights at price of 1000 per night, The hotel is very good with all luxury requirement & even the room was upto the mark, Bed was electronic heated, Here we don’t find fans in room. 
Anyway I see many hotels which are inside market which looks like budget accommodation but I went straight towards Hotel high land. The manager ask for 1500 for the room, I was dishearten then that now I have to search the hotels again I told him that I will pay 1000, if he accepts otherwise I would go downside & surely will get room there , after 10 mins he come down to 1200, then I gone back to my car so that I can search for another hotel, but till then one of guy from hotel appears he agreed for 1000/- 
Then we shifted to our new room, I must say room was very good + hotel if I compare it to Srinagar hotel it should not be less then 1800
There was also good view hotel in laripora village as recommended by spgupta , but it is away from market area so I thought staying near to market only.
Around 7:00 we came down to explore pahalgam market, we also see dana pani restaurant on left side. At TRC pahalgam road I enquire about any bus service for sightseeing they said not available, we enquire about the last order he said till 10:00 you can come, There is Gurdwara Pahalgam on same road we visited there also seen lidder river there. There is a taxi stand in between, but I found one thing good there rates are fixed with difference of what type of car you choose, you can just call them tell them which car you want & all the places you want to go… they will send you car at hotel only, so don’t waste your time there asking & trying to bargain…… Just give them a call 15 min before you require the cab
We had dinner at dana pani we asked for special dana pani thalli, & we asked 1 extra roti. Was enough for both of us, we did enquire where to get phirni in Srinagar or pahalgam, he said come to me tomorrow at lunch I will make it for you…
We are back to hotel around 10:00…

Sonmarg day trip

Sonmarg day trip
We woke up around 7:30 this morning and our cab mates picked us around 9:15, & we started our journey towards sonmarg, on Dal lake only near to ghat no 24 opposite them I see Apple Garden, so if you are staying in Srinagar only you can see apple near to it (not sure but its opposite to ghat no 24)
While travelling we also took few apples along with us which we bought from tantmarg, Around 10:00 along with our road we started getting view of sindh river, it was a lovely view, there are many restaurants on the way of all category so if you want to have a breakfast there you can have it. In between I saw major trekking point, sorry don’t remember it but I saw many people doing mountain trekking there. On the way our driver suggested that you can go Rs.120/- per head for sumo which will take you till satte pe satta point.
We Reached sonmarg around 11:00 am, thanks to good road & less traffic, There are groups of hotel there , so our driver stops at second last hotel..
But then the regular problem started again, the drivers running towards us & then we got shock of the day, He asked 3200 for cab. We all felt cheated, as we were under impression for 120 per head (I have also gone through IM got an idea of 1000). Then we waited for some time so that few more tourists can come & we can share so our costing will come down, then another tourist came but our bad luck they were already 8 all together after few min of talk he has gone for 2800/- with them
Then all of decided to go on a road try to check another taxi walla which were away from here, there we found a couple who were also facing the same problem, as soon as we interacted with them, The war between Taxi Driver started as like India & Pakistan ,, They told us that our car has been park at different hotel & there different so you cant go together, What the Bullshit Concept , we try to find any tourist office there but cant see anything there so that we can complain about all this...
In this process the taxi guy who is talking to that couple agreed for 250/- per head, they requested him that they should also take us but he strictly said no….so they move on with him.. (But I request you if you find in similar situation you should be always stay together as a tourist we should be united)
Then we ask our drive what’s this he can take them for 250 per head, why are you asking for 2800 for 5, He started giving excuses that there is entry point Thajiwas glacier for which you have to give GR Rs.500, he is ready to but you have to pay that from your pocket, but we did not agreed finally after more than hour of drama he said 1500/- without any GR…So we have already wasted lots of time we agreed & move on
Pony is also available there it is asking for 500 per pony but they will take you till thajiwas glacier, But we were not very fond of pony ride as it was little bit scary so avoided it
Around 12:20 our car move around 3 min later we reach the entry point. Our driver & gatekeeper talks each other in local language (I am sure they were talking to each other for grabbing more money from tourist) But they didn’t ask us anything, and you will not believe me in just 10 mins drive which is around 30km/per hour with all left & right turns we reached at satte pe satta point. If we have had gone through walking around 1 hour we can reach to this place it has lovely condition for walking.
But after so much fight & barraging we were still away from thajiwas glacier around 2 kms, you can get pony from here too for glacier for Rs.200, but after so much trauma I said either I would go walking or I will come back, we started for glacier, the road condition are ok with few risky point, but you got water flowing next to you, the view is lovely with snow capped mountain all over place..
Around 1:30 we reach at thajiwas glacier, but I don’t see snow there because snow is now converted in to mud. We had tea there, sledging Walla approached us they started around 400 & come down to 100 … There i felt that I have paid allot in Khilanmarg, but when I actually done it my whole blue jean dying in to brown jean. Then I say thanks to god that I have done good sledging in khilanmarg, atleast I can show the pictures to my family friends that I have sledging on ice only..
You can get boots for 100/- per head, but I did not opted for that because maximum crowd was not wearing…do carry your sports /comfortable shoes it will help a lot while walking.
Then sledge guy recommended us that he will take us till white ice & we do sledging from there for that he will take another 1200/- only. 
Then I told him as a tourist, we also got some limitation, from Srinagar to sonmarg cost us 2000, then 1500 for satte pe satta point & if you need pony 200 again, then how can you expect he can do some activity here, if you have allowed our taxi near to glacier then we have saved almost Rs.2000, then we love to spend here, there are many sledge Walla, tent hotel guy was there he agreed to my points but say cant help in them it is going like this only. We even find one family who had come giving 3000 for car.
Our fellow friends gone very up in search of white ice … we also gone little & just relaxed at mid point.. it was lovely view everywhere you see mountain covered with snow peaks, small waterfall one side, water running under glacier … it was nice & different which we did not see in Kashmir yet.
We clicked many pictures while trekking on glacier & while going down, water flowing next to your trekking point is lovely to watch.
At 3:15, we started our journey back , now its very comfortable because now we are going downwards so less exertion if you are coming back it takes 45 min while clicking pictures in between, 30 min enough if go without wasting time.
Around 4:00 we are back in Tavera & took us exactly 10 min to reach out hotel, I did see desert safari bike in between but nobody there to give info about it, so can’t put hand on it.
We reached our hotel where our sumo was parked, there were few tourists after taking lunch from the restaurant, and I enquire them regarding the food they said ok ok not good, then me & my wife don’t want to take risk asked for omelette. It was also very simple in term of price 50 per plate. My Bengali friends eaten fruit & there are not in favour of having food there, I talk to my driver regarding the wrong info he give about 120 per head, He said I cannot say anything in front of them it all depend on tourist rush, if he can take a car for 500 then anything is possible.Then I also talk him regarding my next day plan of going pahalgam he said yes for 3800 (otherwise taxi union guy asking for 4800 + I also ask few indica driver also but they quoted almost same around 4500. So me & my wife decided trusting a new driver is not favourable he is nice jolly guy go with him , we are pretty sure he will take us everywhere. So I have given him a duty for next day also

We started our journey back to Srinagar, In Between we stop at one of the restaurant there for a lunch, At 6:45 we reach Dal lake, We all stand together & our driver click the group picture of us to remember the good time we had together…
Today we had dinner at old ahuja Punjabi rasoi which is next to our hotel only, it was good but you need change it got every variety from north to south but only in veg.
After dinner we gone for walk on dal lake, after coming back I cleared my hotel bills & requested them to book the room for 2-3 night also, & then asked him can I leave my extra luggage here only, He agreed he said (Mr. Ali) that lock your baggage & I will put in my personal room otherwise I cant give the room to anyone for one day. We make 2 small bags for pahalgam; it’s a real relief for us for not to carry whole luggage with you again.
Our Next day plan was to 1 night stay trip to pahalgam with watching 1.Kesar at pampore 2.Awantipur ruin 3.Bat factories 4.Verinag 5.kokernag 6.Abhchal 7.Martand 8.Pahalgam…
(One thing I want to say that as a tourist we should be united the couple who met us at sonmarg entry did not take second when they got option of going in 500, they did not think that because of us he got a good deal because there driver was afraid that he will loose them, if we go together we have good deal + going in group will be more powerful & he cannot ask for unnecessary money)

Sonmarg day trip

Sonmarg day trip
We woke up around 7:30 this morning and our cab mates picked us around 9:15, & we started our journey towards sonmarg, on Dal lake only near to ghat no 24 opposite them I see Apple Garden, so if you are staying in Srinagar only you can see apple near to it (not sure but its opposite to ghat no 24)
While travelling we also took few apples along with us which we bought from tantmarg, Around 10:00 along with our road we started getting view of sindh river, it was a lovely view, there are many restaurants on the way of all category so if you want to have a breakfast there you can have it. In between I saw major trekking point, sorry don’t remember it but I saw many people doing mountain trekking there. On the way our driver suggested that you can go Rs.120/- per head for sumo which will take you till satte pe satta point.
We Reached sonmarg around 11:00 am, thanks to good road & less traffic, There are groups of hotel there , so our driver stops at second last hotel..
But then the regular problem started again, the drivers running towards us & then we got shock of the day, He asked 3200 for cab. We all felt cheated, as we were under impression for 120 per head (I have also gone through IM got an idea of 1000). Then we waited for some time so that few more tourists can come & we can share so our costing will come down, then another tourist came but our bad luck they were already 8 all together after few min of talk he has gone for 2800/- with them
Then all of decided to go on a road try to check another taxi walla which were away from here, there we found a couple who were also facing the same problem, as soon as we interacted with them, The war between Taxi Driver started as like India & Pakistan ,, They told us that our car has been park at different hotel & there different so you cant go together, What the Bullshit Concept , we try to find any tourist office there but cant see anything there so that we can complain about all this...
In this process the taxi guy who is talking to that couple agreed for 250/- per head, they requested him that they should also take us but he strictly said no….so they move on with him.. (But I request you if you find in similar situation you should be always stay together as a tourist we should be united)
Then we ask our drive what’s this he can take them for 250 per head, why are you asking for 2800 for 5, He started giving excuses that there is entry point Thajiwas glacier for which you have to give GR Rs.500, he is ready to but you have to pay that from your pocket, but we did not agreed finally after more than hour of drama he said 1500/- without any GR…So we have already wasted lots of time we agreed & move on
Pony is also available there it is asking for 500 per pony but they will take you till thajiwas glacier, But we were not very fond of pony ride as it was little bit scary so avoided it
Around 12:20 our car move around 3 min later we reach the entry point. Our driver & gatekeeper talks each other in local language (I am sure they were talking to each other for grabbing more money from tourist) But they didn’t ask us anything, and you will not believe me in just 10 mins drive which is around 30km/per hour with all left & right turns we reached at satte pe satta point. If we have had gone through walking around 1 hour we can reach to this place it has lovely condition for walking.
But after so much fight & barraging we were still away from thajiwas glacier around 2 kms, you can get pony from here too for glacier for Rs.200, but after so much trauma I said either I would go walking or I will come back, we started for glacier, the road condition are ok with few risky point, but you got water flowing next to you, the view is lovely with snow capped mountain all over place..
Around 1:30 we reach at thajiwas glacier, but I don’t see snow there because snow is now converted in to mud. We had tea there, sledging Walla approached us they started around 400 & come down to 100 … There i felt that I have paid allot in Khilanmarg, but when I actually done it my whole blue jean dying in to brown jean. Then I say thanks to god that I have done good sledging in khilanmarg, atleast I can show the pictures to my family friends that I have sledging on ice only..
You can get boots for 100/- per head, but I did not opted for that because maximum crowd was not wearing…do carry your sports /comfortable shoes it will help a lot while walking.
Then sledge guy recommended us that he will take us till white ice & we do sledging from there for that he will take another 1200/- only. 
Then I told him as a tourist, we also got some limitation, from Srinagar to sonmarg cost us 2000, then 1500 for satte pe satta point & if you need pony 200 again, then how can you expect he can do some activity here, if you have allowed our taxi near to glacier then we have saved almost Rs.2000, then we love to spend here, there are many sledge Walla, tent hotel guy was there he agreed to my points but say cant help in them it is going like this only. We even find one family who had come giving 3000 for car.
Our fellow friends gone very up in search of white ice … we also gone little & just relaxed at mid point.. it was lovely view everywhere you see mountain covered with snow peaks, small waterfall one side, water running under glacier … it was nice & different which we did not see in Kashmir yet.
We clicked many pictures while trekking on glacier & while going down, water flowing next to your trekking point is lovely to watch.
At 3:15, we started our journey back , now its very comfortable because now we are going downwards so less exertion if you are coming back it takes 45 min while clicking pictures in between, 30 min enough if go without wasting time.
Around 4:00 we are back in Tavera & took us exactly 10 min to reach out hotel, I did see desert safari bike in between but nobody there to give info about it, so can’t put hand on it.
We reached our hotel where our sumo was parked, there were few tourists after taking lunch from the restaurant, and I enquire them regarding the food they said ok ok not good, then me & my wife don’t want to take risk asked for omelette. It was also very simple in term of price 50 per plate. My Bengali friends eaten fruit & there are not in favour of having food there, I talk to my driver regarding the wrong info he give about 120 per head, He said I cannot say anything in front of them it all depend on tourist rush, if he can take a car for 500 then anything is possible.Then I also talk him regarding my next day plan of going pahalgam he said yes for 3800 (otherwise taxi union guy asking for 4800 + I also ask few indica driver also but they quoted almost same around 4500. So me & my wife decided trusting a new driver is not favourable he is nice jolly guy go with him , we are pretty sure he will take us everywhere. So I have given him a duty for next day also

We started our journey back to Srinagar, In Between we stop at one of the restaurant there for a lunch, At 6:45 we reach Dal lake, We all stand together & our driver click the group picture of us to remember the good time we had together…
Today we had dinner at old ahuja Punjabi rasoi which is next to our hotel only, it was good but you need change it got every variety from north to south but only in veg.
After dinner we gone for walk on dal lake, after coming back I cleared my hotel bills & requested them to book the room for 2-3 night also, & then asked him can I leave my extra luggage here only, He agreed he said (Mr. Ali) that lock your baggage & I will put in my personal room otherwise I cant give the room to anyone for one day. We make 2 small bags for pahalgam; it’s a real relief for us for not to carry whole luggage with you again.
Our Next day plan was to 1 night stay trip to pahalgam with watching 1.Kesar at pampore 2.Awantipur ruin 3.Bat factories 4.Verinag 5.kokernag 6.Abhchal 7.Martand 8.Pahalgam…
(One thing I want to say that as a tourist we should be united the couple who met us at sonmarg entry did not take second when they got option of going in 500, they did not think that because of us he got a good deal because there driver was afraid that he will loose them, if we go together we have good deal + going in group will be more powerful & he cannot ask for unnecessary money)