Is It Safe To Visit Kashmir in June 2018?

[ISO2015]

I want to self drive to Kashmir and then Leh, Laddak in coming June 2018.

Reports of stone pelting on tourist makes me skeptical. What is current situation? Has any member visited Kashmir recently?

 

[krishna6239]

These incidents are isolated to places like Anantnag, Shopian, Baramulla, Sopore, Bandipora and Sonamarg. Rest of Kashmir & Jammu is relatively safe.

If your plan is just going to Ladak & Leh, it better to take route via Manali. Leh is almost 14hr drive from Manali.

Just don't try anything that might attract attention and if you are travelling with women ask them to dress conservatively.

 

[ISO2015]

These incidents are isolated to places like Anantnag, Shopian, Baramulla, Sopore, Bandipora and Sonamarg. Rest of Kashmir & Jammu is relatively safe.

If your plan is just going to Ladak & Leh, it better to take route via Manali. Leh is almost 14hr drive from Manali.

Just don't try anything that might attract attention and if you are travelling with women ask them to dress conservatively.

Thanks. Going through Kashmir would be better as my wife haven't seen it.

 

[mathuranuj]

My advice would be to keep safety first. Why do you want to go to a place which is known to be unsafe and unpredictable! Better to go to Ladakh via Manali. I would never plan my vacation there as I simply do not want to spend my leisure days in fear and be mindful of places where one can go or not.

Much better and safer places in India, my friend!!

I want to self drive to Kashmir and then Leh, Ladakh in coming June 2018.

Reports of stone pelting on tourist makes me skeptical. What is current situation? Has any member visited Kashmir recently?

 

[ISO2015]

My advice would be to keep safety first. Why do you want to go to a place which is known to be unsafe and unpredictable! Better to go to Ladakh via Manali. I would never plan my vacation there as I simply do not want to spend my leisure days in fear and be mindful of places where one can go or not.

Much better and safer places in India, my friend!!

Ya that is one more option but why do not we have actual picture? I believe season has began and on the peak.

 

[GrandRk]

Two of my colleagues went in Kashmir just a couple of days back along with their families. They have traveled to Gulmarg, Sonmarg, Pahalgam, Srinagar city and Katra. They said it is fine to travel in these places along with family. Media shows Kashmir in different way.

 

[ISO2015]

Two of my colleagues went in Kashmir just a couple of days back along with their families. They have traveled to Gulmarg, Sonmarg, Pahalgam, Srinagar city and Katra. They said it is fine to travel in these places along with family. Media shows Kashmir in different way.

Thank you so much for showing actual picture. Actually tourism is bread and butter of Kashmiris.

 

[abhijeetp]

If you are self driving to Leh from Srinagar, the highway is 'relatively' safe and has lot of army presence. But if you want to cover other tourist places in Kashmir, I would suggest to park your car at hotel in Srinagar and then take a local taxi for visiting tourist places around Srinagar and Gulmarg. Not worth driving outstation car around Kashmir, considering we are not aware of the roads and google maps is not reliable for internal roads. You can spend couple of nights in Srinagar and then continue to Leh via sonmarg.

 

[ISO2015]

If you are self driving to Leh from Srinagar, the highway is 'relatively' safe and has lot of army presence. But if you want to cover other tourist places in Kashmir, I would suggest to park your car at hotel in Srinagar and then take a local taxi for visiting tourist places around Srinagar and Gulmarg. Not worth driving outstation car around Kashmir, considering we are not aware of the roads and google maps is not reliable for internal roads. You can spend couple of nights in Srinagar and then continue to Leh via sonmarg.

Valid suggestion.

We want to stay in houseboat. Is there any secured paid parking near Dal Lake?

 

[abhijeetp]

Valid suggestion.

We want to stay in houseboat. Is there any secured paid parking near Dal Lake?

We had been to Kashmir 2 years in a row 2016(only Kashmir) and 2017 (while selfdriving to Ladakh), I had seen couple of parking lots on the main road on Dal lake. We never stayed in houseboat. You can check with the houseboat owner about nearest safest parking.

 

[ISO2015]

We had been to Kashmir 2 years in a row 2016(only Kashmir) and 2017 (while selfdriving to Ladakh), I had seen couple of parking lots on the main road on Dal lake. We never stayed in houseboat. You can check with the houseboat owner about nearest safest parking.

Thanks again.

Any reason not staying in houseboat? And which car you took to leh?

 

[abhijeetp]

Thanks again.

Any reason not staying in houseboat? And which car you took to leh?

As the houseboats are stationary in the lake we were not too interested in staying. Only took shikara journey in the lake.
I had taken Tata Aria to ladakh.

 

[Dr.Jude]

Without a doubt, kashmir is a paradise on earth, and is a part of my places to visit list. But as such it also remains extremely volatile. Back in 2016 I had plans to do a Delhi - leh - Delhi road trip via srinagar and return via manali. However just a month before departure violence erupted in the valley.
I did complete my road trip but we used the manali route both to n fro.
If you are ready with a back up plan and your dates are flexible, then a visit to kashmir can be definitely planned with hourly updates via the net.
However since we had a rental vehicle, we did not want to take any chances.
Research and planning is the key.
Have a safe trip.