Have you ever imagined yourself surrounded by pyramid-like sharp peaks, the sound of music, beautiful cottages peeping through the trees, and the calls of Black-necked cranes? If you fancy waking up to the rushing of waterfalls then the wonders of Jammu and Kashmir are the waiting for you. The beautiful state has some of the best places to visit for discerning travellers. While a lot of you already know about the popular tourist places, there are some hidden gems that often go unnoticed.
Here is a list of some unexplored places to visit in Jammu and Kashmir on your next trip.
Ransoo is a small village near Kangar in the western region of Jammu and Kashmir. The town has only about 150 households. It is a very active community that works hard to make its lifestyle enjoyable and rich.
Ambaran, also known locally as Pambaran, is a village in Akhnoor tehsil, Jammu district. It is said to have been founded by Amba Jagdev Pawar, a scion of the Pawar dynasty of Dhar Ujjain, and appears to have been Akhnoor's original capital. It was named Ambari after the family deity Amba, one of Goddess Durga's names. The name was gradually changed to Ambaran. Buddha relics have been discovered in a stupa here.
Tehsil Headquarters Basantgarh is a beautiful village located approximately 101 kilometres from Ramnagar and 126 kilometres from Chenani. Basantgarh and its surrounding areas, including Punara, Khaned, Loudhra, Rai Chak Kadwah, Berli, Lalaon, Chochru Galla, and many other beautiful but underdeveloped sites, have a vital scope for adventure tourism, ecotourism, and winter sports.
Dudu, also known as Parla Dudu, has breathtaking natural beauty. Dudu attracts Vasuki Naag jee devotees. The ancient temple of Vasuki Naag is managed by a committee of Dudu residents. Dudu is the official starting point for the annual Baskund Yatra, which takes place every year in August-September and attracts thousands of devotees from all over the district of Udhampur. There is also a waterfall on the bank of the river Tawi, about 400 metres away from Vasuki Naag's Temple.
Pogal The name of a valley in the Banihal district drained by the Sundari or Pogal stream, which rises on the southern slopes of the Nandmarg mountain and flows in a south-westerly direction to meet the Peristan stream, a tributary of the Bichlari River.
Paristan is the name of a narrow valley in Banihal district's southeast corner. The range of mountains on the south side is of significant elevation, and the slopes are covered with forest. The hills on the north side are not as high and are bare and stony. There are no large villages in this valley, but there are numerous hamlets and a small town.
By Air: Jammu Airport is well-connected to the cities of Srinagar, Delhi, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
By Train: The major railheads from Jammu that you can take are Jammu Express, Shalimar Express, Sealdah Express, Jhelum Express, Jammu Mail, and Malwa Express, among a few others.