The fairy tales of my childhood came alive as we stepped on the green carpet of grass with herds of sheep grazing all around. We had just arrived at Doodhpathri (literally meaning the Meadow of Milk), an alpine valley dotted with tall pine, fir and deodar trees and the mighty peaks of the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas covering the far end of the landscape. Away from the hustle and bustle of Srinagar, the lush green meadows and serene Shali Ganga River provide every nature lover an opportunity to savour a few hours’ solitude.
I have written a separate blog on how to plan for a trip to the Kashmir Valley. It has the details of the important places to visit, how to reach, best time to visit, local Kashmiri food, hotels & restaurants, restriction on using Mobile SIM cards and many other topics. That article will guide you to plan a visit to the majestic valley on your own, and you will find it here: Kashmir Travel Guide.
Our Itinerary:
We visited Doodhpathri on the Day 3 of our 8 nights / 9 days of Kashmir trip during the summer of 2023, where our itinerary was:
- Day 1: Catch early morning flight from Kolkata and reach Srinagar via Delhi. In the evening, Shikara ride in the Dal Lake to visit Open Lake, Lotus Lake, Meena Bazar Floating Market, followed by shopping at Lal Chowk. Overnight at Srinagar.
- Day 2 – Day trip to Sonmarg. Horse ride to Thajiwas Glacier. Due to lack of time, we couldn’t visit Kheer Bhavani temple on the way back to Srinagar. Overnight at Srinagar.
- Day 3 – Check-out from Srinagar hotel and visit Doodhpathri. Then travel to Gulmarg. Walk around Gulmarg town. Overnight at Gulmarg.
- Day 4 – Gandola ride (Phase 1 and Phase 2) in Gulmarg. Return to Srinagar by evening. Overnight at Srinagar.
- Day 5 – Srinagar Local sightseeing – Shankaracharya Temple, Four Mughal Gardens (Chashma Shahi, Pari Mahal, Nishat Bagh, Shalimar Bagh), Hazrat Bal Dargah, Jamia Masjid, Shikara ride in Dal Lake to visit the Char Chinar Island. Overnight at Srinagar.
- Day 6 – Check-out from Srinagar hotel and visit Yusmarg and Charar-e-Sharif. Then travel to Pahalgam. Overnight at Pahalgam.
- Day 7 – Local sightseeing in Pahalgam – Aru Valley, Betaab Valley, Chandanwari. We didn’t go to Baisaran Valley as we felt that the horse ride is risky. Overnight at Pahalgam.
- Day 8 – Visit Pahalgam Golf Course. Then travel from Pahalgam to Srinagar. On the way, visit: Apple Orchard, Martand Sun Temple, Awantipora ruins, Cricket bat factory and Kesar shops of Pampore. Overnight at Srinagar.
- Day 9 – Check-out from Srinagar hotel and return to Kolkata.
Reaching Doodhpathri:
Most travellers make separate day trips to Gulmarg and Doodhpathri from Srinagar. But to make better use of time, we planned to club both the spots together – from Srinagar we first travelled to Doodhpathri and then to Gulmarg on the same day; and then spent the night in Gulmarg. You can also plan to visit Doodhpathri on your way back to Srinagar from Gulmarg.
Doodhpathri is located at a distance of around 45 KM from Srinagar, in the Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir.
The rain stopped early in the morning, and it was cloudy when we started from Srinagar around 8.30 AM. On the way, we zipped past fields of almond, pears and peas. Around 10 AM, we reached the main entrance gate of Doodhpathri Development Authority, where the local authorities collected the entry fee.
Hiking along Parihas Meadow and Dobiwan Meadow:
Soon after, we crossed another gate, and got down from the car. What we saw in front of us made us fall in love with the place – a vast velvet of green grassland with herds of grazing horses and sheep, which created a prefect picture postcard. This pasture is named the Parihas Meadow. After the overnight rain, the weather was sunny and the entire surrounding was overwhelmingly beautiful. We entered the meadow, but there were puddles of water all around. So, we came out.
We saw that the way ahead was downhill, and so we decided to walk. We requested our driver Zahoor bhai to drive forward and wait for us if the road becomes uphill.
This well-paved zig-zag road, bordered by fir and deodar trees was a treat to our eyes. We halted on numerous occasions to adore the beauty of nature.
Soon we reached another mead, named the Dobiwan Meadow. We found local Kashmiri families spreading bed sheets and bringing out baskets of food. They had come here for a picnic.
After walking for around 1.5 KM, the road started becoming uphill, and we found Zahoor bhai waiting for us.
Hiking to Shali Ganga:
A drive of around 500 meters brought us to another entry gate, cum a car parking space. From here, the banks of the Shali Ganga River is around 1 KM. Cars are also allowed till the river bank, by paying a fee of Rs. 150.
We decided to walk during our onward journey and ride the car while coming back. So, we again requested Zahoor bhai to take the car till the river bank and wait for us there.
The hike to Shali Ganga was equally delightful, with green meadows and herds of sheep giving us company. We spoke to a shepherd and came to know that, they come here in the summer months to graze their sheep and go back to the lower altitude during winter.
The attraction here is the Shali Ganga River, a fierce mountain brook that flows through the heart of the Doodhpathri valley. The whole environment is mystical – surrounded by towering pine trees, the river dashes against the large boulders as it makes its way forward. The milky white water bubbling ahead spins a magic in the minds of every visitor.
There is small wooden bridge over the river. We crossed it and then sat on a boulder, wetting our feet in the cool water. There were too few tourists around. A few horse riders came and persuaded us to go for some “sightseeing”. But we preferred spending our time alone in tranquility in the lap of nature.
After more than an hour, the crowd gradually started swelling, and we got up and came back to the parking lot. We wished we could spend an entire day here in seclusion.
The twist of Makai roti:
Outside the main entry gate of Doodhpathri, local villagers have setup makeshift food stalls, where they sell Makai roti, maggi, tea, coffee etc.
It was around 1.30 PM. We were hungry and stopped at one of these stalls. The freshly baked hot Makai roti, served with local saag, mixed pickle and carrot chutney felt divine.
I would surely recommend everyone visiting Doodhpathri to stop here and taste the makai roti. But if you prefer to have a proper meal instead, there are a few restaurants in the town of Raiyar.
Some useful information and tips:
How to reach Doodhpathri:
Doodhpathri is located at a distance of around 50 KM from Srinagar, in the Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. The most convenient way to reach Doodhpathri from Srinagar is by hiring a car, and it takes a little more than 1.5 hours to reach.
What is the best time to visit Doodhpathri:
Kashmir is a place which you can visit in all seasons. The summer caters you to a green Kashmir with lots of foliage. Winters welcome you with a blanket of snow. From mid-March to mid-April, the added attraction is the Tulip festival. If you are visiting in October-November, you will be fascinated by the changing colour of the leaves of Chinar tree.
So, you can visit Doodhpathri all throughout the year, except during the peak winter months, when the roads are fully covered with snow.
Where to stay in Doodhpathri:
There is no good option to stay in Doodhpathri. So, you can either make a day trip from Srinagar or club Doodhpathri during your visit to Gulmarg.
Details of Car Rental:
We rented a Sedan car from a Srinagar based rental agency – Kashmir Car Rental (+91-88250-62819). As per our itinerary, the rental charges were Rs. 19,800 (Airport pickup on Day 1 to Airport drop on Day 9). That comes to Rs. 2200 per day. Zahoor Bhat (+91 70064 05231) was our driver for the entire trip. A perfect gentleman and guide, our Kashmir trip wouldn’t have been that smooth without Zahoor bhai.
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