India, being a kaleidoscope of varied cultures and communities, has every corner of the country speak a different tone, live a different life, eat different food and of course, and add different spices and flavors to life and cooking. Yet, the people maintain a strong unity among themselves. Food and cooking are the two important facets that describe a clan largely.
Due to the existence of the huge variety of communities in this country, there is automatically a variety of cooking styles in India. Each state has a typical cuisine and each of these cuisines is unique. Once you delve deep into the cooking tour in India, you get to learn about Indian cuisines beyond ‘Chicken Tikka Masala’.
Day 01 Arrive Delhi (By Flight) / Delhi – Srinagar (By Flight)
Arrive Delhi & catch flight to Srinagar. Arrive Srinagar meet-assist & transfer to hotel.
Boat excursion around Dal Lake visiting best gardens Shalimar Bagh, Nishat Bagh, Pari Mahal. Srinagar tour visiting main sights and mosques.
Overnight on houseboat-hotel.
Srinagar:- Srinagar is located in the picturesque Kashmir valley and one of the most beautiful cities in India in terms of natural splendor. The tourist attractions of Srinagar are mainly related to natural beauty like lakes, gardens, etc
Dal Lake is a major tourist attraction in Srinagar. Located on the eastern end of the city, the Dal Lake comprises of a series of lakes, including the Nagin Lake some 8 kms from the city center. One can enjoy the panoramic view of the mountains dotting Srinagar from this lake. You can enjoy taking a ride on traditional Kashmiri boats or the Shikaras to discover the intricate network of waterways of this lake.
Shalimar Gardens:- Shalimar Gardens are the piece de resistance of Srinagar’s many gardens and parks. This royal garden was laid out four hundred years ago by the Mughal Emperor Jehangir for his wife.
Nishat Bagh Gardens :- Nishat Bagh, though smaller than Shalimar, is more intensely beautiful. Descending in tiers to the Dal’s edge, Nishat is well known for its stately chinar plane trees, imported to Kashmir from distant Persia by the Mughals. Many of the giant chinar trees have been planted by the Mughals.
Pari Mahal :- Pari Mahal is as much a monument as garden. This was initially a garden built by Dara Shiko for his Sufi teacher, Mulla Shah. Once punctuated wth several springs that have since dried up, the Pari Mahal gardens are now the pride of the state. Pari Mahal is illuminated at night, and can he seen, located on the spur of a hill, from most places in Srinagar.
Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 02 Srinagar – Gulmarg – Srinagar (By Road) (50 km/ 2hrs – One Way)
After breakfast, Full day excursion trip to Gulmarg.
Gulmarg 2440 Meters above Sea level – it is one of the most beautiful hill station in this world and also called meadows of flower. It has world highest golf course World Highest and Gulmarg is also famous for winter sports skiing etc. Enjoy guided sightseeing of Gulmarg also enjoy Gondola ride Cable car, own cost from Gulmarg to Khilan. Return back to Srinagar.
Overnight Srinagar.
Day 03 Srinagar–Pahalgam–Srinagar (By Road) (87 km/ 2h,20m -One Way)
After breakfast, Today enjoy full day excursion trip to Pahalgam 2440 Meters above Sea level. En-route visit Saffron fields, Anantnag Sulphur Springs. Drive through the green pine forest and along the Lidder River. Return back to Srinagar. Overnight Srinagar.
Pahalgam – The town of Pahalgam Village of Shepherds offers breathtaking views. One can just relax in one of the many hotels in Pahalgam, or trek on some of the many mountains. One can trek to Lidderwat, Kolohoi Glacier or to Sonmarg. Pahalgam is also the entry point for the famous Amarnath Cave, a holy site for Hindus.
Anantnag – At this point the road fords, one route turning northeast to Pahalgam and two others southeast to Achabal and Kokarnag or to Verinag. The Jammu road leaves this route just before Anantnag at Khanabal. Anantnag has a number of sulphur springs, esteemed for their curative properties. The largest spring is believed to be the home of Ananta, the serpent on which Lord Vishnu reclines and from which the town takes its name – ‘Abode of Ananta’. Ananta means ‘endless’ and the water issues from the base of a small hillock and rushes into another spring in the middle of which is a natural mineral deposit column which the locals revere as a lingam. On the 14th day of a full moon fortnight in September/October, there is a festival where the people fast and pour rice and milk into the spring to feed the goldfish.
Day 04 Srinagar – Sonmarg – Srinagar (By Road) (80 km / 2hrs – One Way)
After breakfast, Enjoy full day trip to Sonmarg Meadow of Gold also called Gateway to Laddakh.
Return back to Srinagar. Overnight Srinagar.
Sonamarg: is situated at a height of 2740 m in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Sonamarg is a small and beautiful hill resort. Sonamarg literally means the ‘Meadow of Gold’ and is known so due to the flowers that wraps the meadow in the spring. In the earlier days, Sonamarg lies on the main trading route into central Asia. Sonamarg is the last major point in the Kashmir valley before the Zoji La pass into Ladakh. At the pass, the green and lush Kashmiri landscape changes to the barren and dry landscape of Ladakh. Sonamarg offers various places of interest to the tourists like Nilagrad, Bisansar Lake & Krishnasar Lake and Nichnai Pass.
Day 05 Srinagar – Leh (By Flight)
After breakfast, transfer to Srinagar airport for flight to Leh, Arrive Leh, meet-assist & transfer to hotel .
Rest stay at hotel.
Day 06 Leh
In the morning after breakfast exucrsion to Monasteries.
Overnight at hotel.
Leh town offers a number of sightseeing options for the visitors. A historic town that served as the royal capital of the Old Kingdom, it is dominated by the nine-storey palace built by King Singge Namgyal in the grand tradition of Tibetan architecture, which is said to have inspired the famous Potala in Lhasa built about half a century later.
Down in the historic bazaar, the main sites to visit are the Jo-khang, a newly built Buddhist temple, and the imposing historic mosque founded in the late 17th century standing, almost opposite. But the pleasures of Leh are not confined to the visiting of monuments and sites. For locals and visitors alike, a stroll along the main bazaar, observing the varied crowd and looking into the curio shops is an engaging experience. A particularly attractive sight is the line of women from nearby villages sitting along the edge of the footpath with baskets of fresh vegetables brought for sale. Behind the main bazaar, Chang Gali is less bustling but has interesting little shops selling curios and jewellery. Further on are the labyrinthine alleyways and piled-up houses of the old town, clustering around the foot of the palace hill. In the other direction, down the bazaar, are the Tibetan markets where one can bargain for pearls, turquoise, coral, lapis lazuli and many other kinds of semi-precious stones and jewellery, as well as carved yak-horn boxes, quaint brass locks, china or metal bowls, or any of a whole array of curios.
Day 07 Leh – Alchi – Lamayuru – Leh (By Road) (120 km/ 4 hrs)
In the morning after breakfast today visit to Alchi – Lamayuru.
Lamayuru: Often called moonland, Lamayuru has some beautiful mountains capes formed by a drained lake that are unique to the place. The slopes with their soft and creamy appearance were once working as walls of the enormous lake. Lamayuru’s Yung-Drung Gompa stands precariously perched a little high up the village. Visit the gompa, its prayer hall and its monastic school where children study Tibetan scriptures. Lamayuru is also the starting point for the trek to Padum over Sengge La.
Alchi Gompa dates back to the year 1000 AD and was built by the Translator, Rinchen Zangpo. He even made a reference about the monastery in his biographies. It is written that he brought thirty-two sculptors and wood carvers from Kashmir, for the construction of the Alchi Monastery of Leh Ladakh. The monastery is sited at a distance of approximately 67 km to the west of Leh. One can easily see an Indian touch in this monastery, especially in the way its paintings have been made.Three sacred temples, with the main one being that of Rinchen Lhakhang at Lotsa Lhakhang, make up a major part of the Alchi Gompa of Ladakh. However, there are other temples also, namely Jamyang Lhakhang Manjusri temple, Sumtsag Lhakhang and so on. There are a number of images inside the monastery. However, the main one is that of Vairocana. The other images include the ones of the five Buddha Families, along with their attendant deities.
Return back to Leh for overnight stay at hotel.
Day 08 Leh – Nubra Valley – Leh (By Road) (150 kms. / 4hrs – One Way)
Today samde day excursions trip to Numbra Valley.
Later in the evening return back to Leh for overnight stay at hotel.
Nubra Valley is situated about 150 km north of Leh, the capital town of Ladakh, India. Its name is derived from Ldumra the valley of flowers. The average altitude of the valley is about 10,000 ft. above the sea level. The common way to access this valley is to travel over the Khardung La from Leh where one will first encounter the Shuok Valley.
Day 09 Leh – Delhi (By Flight)
After breakfast, transfer to airport for flight to Delhi, on arrival transfer to hotel.
Rest stay at hotel.
Day 10 Depart Delhi (By Flight)
Pick-up from your hotel and transfer to airport for flight back to Home
| City | Night (s) | 5* Hotels |
| Srinagar | 04 | Vivanta by Taj |
| Leh | 04 | Grand Dragon |
| Delhi | 01 | Radisson Blu |
- Meeting and assistance by our representative.
- 09 Nights hotel accommodation.
- Daily breakfast, lunch & dinner.
- 03 cooking lessons in Srinagar.
- 02 cooking lessons in Leh.
- 01 cooking lesson in Delhi.
- Covering all main / major monuments and tourist attractions in each city.
- Flight ticket Delhi – Srinagar – Leh – Delhi in economy class.
- All transfers, sightseeing, excursions as per the program by private vehicle.
- Car with driver at disposal.
- All Inner line Permit / Permits in Protected Areas in Kashmir & Ladakh Region.
- Entrance fees to monuments.
- Local English / French / German / Italian / Spanish / Chinese / Russian speaking guide.
- Transport, Parking, Gasoline & Toll ways.
- All taxes.
– Tips
– International Air Fare
– Visa Fees
– Travel Insurance
– Personal expenses and drinks.
– Accommodation in good hotels.
– Check-in / out time is 12 noon at most of the hotels.
– Extension to other places is also possible with a minimal extra cost.
– Additional nights are available at each place with minimal supplement.
– A visa is required and must be obtained prior to your departure from your Country.
– If quoted hotel is not available, we will provide one of a similar category and standard.
– Small deviations in the tour program are sometimes necessary, depending on weather, road conditions, flight schedules and room availability.
– In case the government changes presently applicable taxes, increase in airlines prices, fuel surcharge our rates will need to be adjusted accordingly.
– In Asia, there is no relevance between the distance and time of travelling, as it depends upon the condition of the roads and congestion of the traffic.
– While every effort will be made to maintain the itinerary, in view of local strikes etc that are beyond our control all schedule and itineraries are subject to last moment changes.
– Clients must be fully insured, as the company cannot accept liability for loss or damage to client’s property, medical emergencies or any other loss suffered by them whilst on tour.
– In Case of issuing Domestic or International air tickets, SGV is not responsible for any refund if the flight is delayed or cancelled, as it is the responsibility of airline.