” If there’s heaven anywhere on earth – it is here, it is here, it is here !!!”
I am sure you must have heard this about Kashmir, the famous slogan by the famous emperor Jahangir. And of course there is no exaggeration here. But, on my trip to Kashmir, as I navigated through the beautiful yet crowded tourist spots in Srinagar, followed by the valleys of Pahalgam and then the utterly crowded gondola ride in Gulmarg, in a way, I was still searching for my slice of heaven in Kashmir Valley. Sonmarg was the next and the destination on our Kashmir trip. But due to certain circumstances, we rather picked Doodhpathri – a lesser known, secluded, beautiful, enchanting valley located at a mere 2 hours drive from Srinagar.
To be honest, I did’t even know much about Doodhpathri before my trip to Kashmir. But, once there, we heard from a few fellow travellers and friends who happened to be there at the same time. That Doodhpathri was much less crowded and much more beautiful than many of the other most famous Kashmir Valley locations. And even our cab drivers vouched for it. Thus, materialised our trip to Doodhpathri.
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Srinagar to Doodhpathri day trip
Doodhpathri to Srinagar distance is about 45km. It takes around 2 hours to reach Doodhpathri from Srinagar. As, (1) the road is very winding with quick gain and loss of altitude. (2) the road passes through 4-5 small towns. Pertaining to both these reasons, it’s not possible to drive at a very fast pace. But, as you leave the towns and populated areas behind, and start reaching towards Doodhpathri, the last one hour drive is right out of fairy tales. Wherein you pass through picturesque valleys, witness massive waterfalls and beautiful meadows spread across the horizon. Here’s a glimpse of the whole drive, captured on our youtube channel for you :
A day trip from Srinagar to Doodhpathri is the most convenient way to explore Doodhpathri Valley. As, there are plenty of stay options in Srinagar. And you can conveniently explore Doodhpathri and come back the same day. We ourselves were staying in our houseboat in Srinagar on Dal Lake. And visited Doodhpathri on a day trip from there.
Where to stay in Doodhpathri
There are not many stay options in the Doodhpathri valley itself. There were a few resorts and hotels that I witnessed on the way to Doodhpathri valley. And I could see a lot more in the process of building. So, few years down the line, there sure are going to be many more stay options in Doodhpathri. However, if you will like to stay somewhere less isolated and more city-like, Srinagar is your best bet. As, the two are located quiet nearby. And you can conveniently do a day trip to Doodhpathri from Srinagar. You can book a hotel in Srinagar using this link here. And you can also book a houseboat. We stayed at Chicago group of houseboats in Srinagar when visiting Doodhpathri. And our stay was very comfortable and memorable.
Related read : How safe is it to visit Kashmir now ?
When is the best time to visit Doodhpathri
We visited Doodhpathri in summer, or, rather spring. In the month of April. And while Gulmarg and Sonmarg were still covered in snow, Doodhpathri was blooming in the spring colors. The valley was lush green and the mountain peaks surrounding it still loaded with snow. A view to behold!! I am sure it gets even greener in the peak summer months of June and July. The place already looked surreal , actually, picture perfect. With the vast stretch of green meadow, dotted with herds of grazing lamb. That looked like little balls of cotton rolled on green carpet. Add to it the beautiful thin springs originating from the mountains above and zig zagging through the valley, with horses running around these springs around the meadow. Doesn’t it sound just perfect ?? Well that’s what Doodhpathri is like in summer.
In winter, Doodhpathri transforms in an altogether different landscape, just like the rest of Kashmir. There is snow everywhere. The green meadows get covered in a blanket of snow. Flakes of snow hang from the pine trees and the whole area looks out of this world. Thus, Doodhpathri is beautiful, very beautiful, both in summer and in winter season. Which season you choose depends on what you seek from the destination. In summer, you can do a lot of things like horse riding, trekking through the valley, picnic on the meadow, etc. While in winter you can enjoy some winter sports like sledging, making a snowman, snow boarding etc.
Things to do in Doodhpathri
There are a lot of things to do in Doodhpathri which can vary depending on the weather. Listing below my top picks of things to do in Doodhpathri.
Stopping for a bite of local cuisine on the way to Doodhpathri Valley
The first and the foremost of the things to do in Doodhpathri Valley would be a stop on the way for a local cuisine and kahva. As you start approaching the Doodhpathri Valley, you will see many make shift stalls on the road side, with blankets spread near them. For you to stretch out on the lush green meadows. And taste the local delicacies that they have got to offer. Along with tea, coffee, kahva and maggie noodles. We did stop at one of these and had Kahva – the famous drink of Kashmir. The natural surroundings are very beautiful here. And you get beautiful views of the meadows and hills till far and wide!
A halt at the view point on the way to Doodhpathri
Apart from the several random locations where you will find yourself halting time and again on way to Doodhpathri, there are designated viewpoints. And stopping at one of these viewpoints should be the next thing on your list of things to do in Doodhpathri. We did stop at one, where there was a wooden shade, constructed at a little elevation from the the ground. And thus, provided excellent views of the surroundings.
Horse ride till the Doodhpathri Waterfalls
The next most popular thing to do in Doodhpathri is to take a horse ride till the waterfalls that lie almost 8km from the main meadow where you halt. There are several people here offering horse ride to tourists in the peak season. And definitely, the hidden place that you see through the horse ride are much more beautiful than even the enchanting valley that you see spread in front of your eyes. So, imagine!!
Trekking through the Doodhpathri Valley
Another option to explore the Doodhpathri Valley is to trek through it. The trekking path is lightly marked. And it is not an easy trek. So, avoid doing it with kids or elderly. But, if you are feeling adventurous enough, you can trek through the Doodhpathri Valley for as far as you like and your strength permits. When we visited the valley, Abhishek and a friend of ours attempted to trek further down the Doodhpathri Valley, while the rest of us decided to just sunbath and let the kids enjoy their time in the meadows. Although the trek in itself was not very great. But what was interesting was that they met a local. Who told them interesting stories about the surrounding and also offered to be their guide while on the trek. Which as a unique experience in itself.
A picnic with family at Doodhpathri Valley
Enjoying a picnic in the Doodhpathri Valley is one of the best things to do in Doodhpathri. With the vast green meadows, you will be spoilt by options to choose a spot to spread your picnic. Carry a bag with your favorite snacks, a book to read, a bed-sheet to spread on the grass. And you are all set. The way we visited it was bright, sunny with cold winds blowing. So, it was neither very cold, nor very hot, a perfect weather to enjoy a picnic. And when I spread my own things, relaxed and sat on the meadows, just watching the world go by – that is when I realised that today I had found my slice of heaven in Kashmir.
Visiting Yousmarg and exploring Nilnag
With beautiful pastures and amazing meadows, Yousmarg and Nilnag are two spots a little ahead of Doodhpathri that you can cover along with Doodhpathri on your day trip here. Both these locations are also supremely beautiful. With green fields, snow capped mountains and beautiful lakes and rivers flowing through them. Try not to miss them when you visit Doodhpathri.
Tips on visiting Doodhpathri Valley in Kashmir
- Pack your own food. I didn’t see too many food options in Doodhpathri Valley except for some packaged food that you get at the refreshment and information center at the entrance to Doodhpathri parking. So, pack options like fruits, packaged food and even lunch – from your hotel or any restaurant in Srinagar.
- Start early from Srinagar, by 9:00am to avoid traffic. This way you will reach Doodhpathri by 11:30am max even if you take pit stops on the way.
- Carry ample woollen and jackets. Because, the weather here can change suddenly. When we were visiting Doodhpathri from Srinagar, it was very sunny and comfortably warm till noon. But then, post noon, all of a sudden, it got cloudy and very cold wind started blowing. And we had to quickly add on layers of thick blanket.
- I will personally prefer a day trip. And not venture till late evening in this area, as I didn’t see any habitation nearby. So, my suggestion, plan a day trip and start back by max 4:30 pm – 5:00 pm to reach back Srinagar in time.
Doodhpathri or Gulmarg – which is better?
Gulmarg and Doodhpathri have two very different offerings for visitors. While most of us go to Gulmarg to enjoy the snow – in the upper reaches of the mountain through the Gulmarg Gondola. And enjoy numerous snow sports and activities. My reasons for visiting Doodhpathri would be solace, sun and solitude. I would like to have a relaxing day in Doodhpathri while a day in Gulmarg would be action packed with sports and snow activities. I will suggest, visit both if you can. To enjoy two very different flavours of Kashmir in the same trip. Of course, Gulmarg will anytime be much more crowded than Doodhpathri.
Doodhpathri or Sonmarg – which is better?
We chose Doodhpathri over Sonmarg on our trip to Kashmir. The reason for us was that we just had our tryst with enough snow and snowfall in Gulmarg the previous day. And we were now on a lookout for a green and somehow warm spot where our kids could enjoy running, playing in the sun etc. And at the same time, we wanted to see the green, serene Kashmir. So, we chose Doodhpathri. If you want to prefer snow sports and don’t mind a little crowd, choose Sonmarg without doubt. We have reserved it for our future trip to Kashmir.
Doodhpathri or Pahalgam – which valley is more beautiful ?
The valleys of Pahalgam have their own charm. We visited Aru Valley, Betab Valley and Chandanvari on our trip to Pahalgam. Doodhpathri on the other hand has it’s own charm. Spread wise, the meadows of Doodhpathri spread much wider over a vast almost plain stretch. While the valleys of Pahalgam feel a little more enclosed between the mountains. Apart from visiting the valleys of Pahalgam, reaching there was like visiting a destination in itself. With the ever winding roads that took us to much more height. And some of the glimpses of the valley from up above was just out of this world. Comparatively, Doodhpathri is much less crowded. And is a wider meadow. To enjoy the sun and the green fields – definitely you can pick Doodhpathri. But at the same time, I will also like to reserve couple of days for exploring Pahalgam Valley on my Kashmir trip.
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Your article about Doodpathri is really useful. As a tour operator, I appreciate it the most and will double-check everything you’ve said about this valley. However, Doodpathri will be able to accommodate tourists in the near future. Many more places can be added for visitors.
Thanks for sharing such information and we hope you will put afforts on other spots of Kashmir too.
Thank you!!
Beautifully written and at the same time informative too.