Aura of India: Jammu and Kashmir Region by Region: Valleys, Districts, Advice

A lone bench on the open green meadow of Doodhpathri in Budgam, with pine forest and snow-streaked ridges behind

Photo: Ankur P from Pune, India, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped), via Wikimedia Commons

The Kashmir valley in October, the meadows turning gold below the Pir Panjal range.

In Jammu and Kashmir today, the first question is not which valley is the loveliest, but which one is open.

The Kashmir valley beyond Srinagar

Jammu and Kashmir has twenty districts in two divisions of ten. Most visitors know only the Kashmir division, and within it only Srinagar. Beyond the city, each district holds its own meadow. Gulmarg, in Baramulla, is a high bowl of grass with a cable car, the Gondola, that stops for maintenance from time to time, so ask whether it is running before you build a day on it. Pahalgam, in Anantnag, sits on the Lidder river; the Betaab and Aru valleys are open, but the Baisaran meadow above the town, where the attack of April 2025 took place, is still closed.

Sonamarg, in Ganderbal, opens onto the Thajiwas glacier. In Budgam, the quieter meadows of Doodhpathri and Yusmarg reopened in February 2026, after months closed. Gurez, in Bandipora, depends on the road over Razdan pass, which snow can shut overnight from October.

Jammu, Katra and Patnitop

The Jammu division begins on the plains. Jammu city is the winter capital and the railhead. Katra, in Reasi district, is the base for the Vaishno Devi shrine: the path to the cave temple, the Bhawan, is 13 km uphill. Every pilgrim must collect a free RFID card, a card with a radio chip, at the Shrine Board counters before starting, and cross the first checkpoint at Banganga within the time printed on it.

North of Katra, the railway to Kashmir crosses the Chenab on a high steel arch, also in Reasi. Off the highway in Udhampur district, Patnitop stands on a pine ridge at about 2,024 metres, with Sanasar, a cup-shaped meadow, close by. Since May 2026 direct trains run from Jammu Tawi to Srinagar through Katra and Banihal.

The Chenab valley and the Pir Panjal

Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban make up the Chenab valley, steep country of deodar forest and river gorges. Bhaderwah, in Doda, about 205 km from Jammu, is a valley town with the meadows of Jai valley about 30 km away and the high meadow of Padri, at about 3,100 metres, on the road to Chamba in Himachal. In February 2026 Mughal Maidan in Kishtwar and Mahu Mangat in Ramban reopened to visitors.

West of here, Rajouri and Poonch lie south of the Pir Panjal range and along the Line of Control, the de facto border with Pakistan, which saw cross-border shelling in May 2025. The Mughal Road crosses the range from Shopian to Poonch over Peer Ki Gali, closed in winter by snow. These districts see few tourists, and foreign visitors are not allowed in some areas near the Line of Control.

Advisories and getting around

On 22 April 2025, gunmen killed 26 people at Baisaran, 25 tourists and a local pony operator. About fifty tourist spots were closed. They reopened in stages: Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Sonamarg in June 2025, more in September, and fourteen in February 2026. The UK government still advises against all travel to Jammu and Kashmir, including Srinagar, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg and the Jammu–Srinagar highway, except flying into and staying within Jammu city. The US advises its citizens not to travel there. Travel insurance may not cover areas under such advice.

Srinagar and Jammu have airports with flights from Delhi. Within the valley, hire taxis from Srinagar, carry photo ID for checkpoints, and ask each morning which roads and meadows are open.

What closed, and what has reopened

After the attack at Baisaran on 22 April 2025, the administration shut about fifty tourist spots across both divisions as a precaution while security was reviewed. Sixteen, including Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Sonamarg and the Mughal gardens of Srinagar, reopened in June 2025, and twelve more in September. On 16 February 2026 the Lieutenant Governor reopened fourteen others, among them Yusmarg and Doodhpathri, Peer Ki Gali on the Mughal Road, the Thajiwas glacier, Wular at Watlab, and Mughal Maidan in Kishtwar.

Gurez, Athwatoo, Bangus and Ramkund were to follow once snow cleared; in September 2026 Bangus, in Kupwara, was reported still shut. Around Pahalgam, Baisaran and several trekking areas remain on the district's closed list. The list changes after each security review, so ask before you go.

Districts at a glance

Srinagar (Srinagar): the lakes and Mughal gardens, and the base for day trips.
Baramulla (Baramulla): Gulmarg and the Wular lake shore at Watlab.
Anantnag (Anantnag): Pahalgam, the Betaab and Aru valleys, Kokernag; Baisaran closed.
Ganderbal (Ganderbal): Sonamarg and the Thajiwas glacier.
Budgam (Budgam): the meadows of Doodhpathri and Yusmarg.
Bandipora (Bandipora): the Gurez valley, when the pass is open.
Reasi (Reasi): Katra, Vaishno Devi and the Chenab rail bridge.
Udhampur (Udhampur): Patnitop and its pine ridge.
Doda (Doda): Bhaderwah, Jai valley and Padri.
Poonch and Rajouri (Poonch, Rajouri): the Mughal Road and the Line of Control.

Ask at the desk each morning which roads are open; in Kashmir, the answer is part of the plan.

Plan your visit

One base per division	In the Kashmir division, stay in Srinagar, by the lake or in Rajbagh, and reach the meadows as day trips or with a night in Pahalgam or Gulmarg. In the Jammu division, use Jammu city or Katra, with Patnitop or Bhaderwah for nights in the hills.
Between the two divisions	Direct trains have joined Jammu Tawi and Srinagar since May 2026, stopping at Katra and Banihal; the road route between the two cities is the NH44 highway.
Out from each base	From Srinagar, hire a taxi for Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Doodhpathri or Yusmarg. From Jammu, buses and taxis go to Katra, Patnitop and Bhaderwah. Keep photo ID ready for checkpoints.
When each region is at its best	The Kashmir valley from April to October, clearest and quietest in October, with snow at Gulmarg from December to February. Jammu and Katra suit October to March and are very hot in May and June. Gurez and the Mughal Road over Peer Ki Gali shut with snow.
Days per region	Srinagar and two or three of its valleys: five to seven days. Jammu, Katra and Patnitop: three. Bhaderwah: two more.
Government travel advice	Read in October 2026: the UK government advises against all travel to Jammu and Kashmir apart from flying into Jammu city and staying within it, and the US tells its citizens not to travel there. Some tourist spots are still shut by official order. Flights, permits and the Amarnath Yatra are covered in the Jammu and Kashmir travel guide.

Open Jammu and Kashmir, India in Google Maps

Questions people ask

How many districts are there in Jammu and Kashmir?

Twenty, split evenly between the two divisions. In Kashmir, Srinagar and Budgam sit in the middle of the valley; Ganderbal leads north-east to Sonamarg; Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora lie to the north and west; Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag to the south. In Jammu, Jammu, Samba and Kathua are on the plains, Udhampur and Reasi in the foothills, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban along the Chenab, and Rajouri and Poonch south of the Pir Panjal.

Is Pahalgam open to tourists?

Pahalgam town and the Betaab and Aru valleys are open. Baisaran, the meadow above the town where the April 2025 attack took place, was still closed in October 2026.

What do the UK and US governments advise?

The UK advises against all travel to the union territory, including Srinagar, Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg, except flying to and staying within Jammu city. The US advisory says do not travel, except to Ladakh. Read the current wording before you book.

Do I need to register for Vaishno Devi?

Yes. Every pilgrim needs a free RFID yatra card from the Shrine Board's registration counters, and is turned back at the Banganga checkpoint without one.

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Jammu and Kashmir Region by Region: Valleys, Districts, Advice