Patnitop Tour

Location: Located in the Shivalik Belt of the Himalayas, Udhampur District on NH 1A.

Best Time To Visit: In summer: May-June, In Autumn: September-October. Snowboard lovers prefer visiting Patnitop between December to March.

Patnitop is yet another hill station that fulfills your dream of living in the snowy slopes of the Alps. Situated near the river Chenab, this beautiful town offers a unique atmosphere of the Shivalik range of the Himalayas. Patnitop was earlier known as “Patan da Talab”, meaning “Pond of the Princess”. It waas believed to be the bathing area for princesses. If you are a sports lover, this is the perfect location to enjoy sports like skiing and trekking.

Major Attractions

Finding beautiful plateau and dense forests at a height of 2024 m from the sea level is itself a great attraction to draw tourists from the world around. People love to visit the Chenab Basin, formed by the Chenab river and mountains. The place is covered with a thick layer of snow in winters. Chinar garden and saffron fields provide a picteresque view of divine natural beauty.

People can go skiing, paragliding, camping, walking and trekking at Patnitop. Sundarani-Jungal Gali-Jasarkote-Sanasar route in Jangal Gali area is the perfect route for trekking. Besides, a 9-hole golf course lures tourists to Patnitop in summers.

You can also visit the Sudh Mahadev, a holy place near Patnitop. Several other religious holy places near Patnitop are Naag Temple, Vaishno Devi Temple, Buddha Amarnath Temple, and Bahu Fort & Temple.

Food/Cuisine

You can find a number of restaurant/roadside dhabas serving a wide range of Indian food including traditional Kashmiri cuisine. A few Chinese food corners are found alongside fast food joints. Apart from this, a number of ice cream parlours do brisk business in summers.

Shopping

Patnitop does not offer much to shop for. You can only find a few handicraft shops/stalls which are known for good quality Kashmiri handicraft items and traditional specialties like namdas (embroidered wool carpets), pherans (embroidered long shirts) and woolens.

Climate

The maximum temperature during summers rarely go above 18-20 degrees. Winters are cold, and the temperature can fall to 0 degrees. It is preferred to carry light woollens during rainy/autumn season.

Accommodation

Patnitop offers a large number of huts and Tourists Bunglows, which are managed by the state-run J&KTDC. These accommodation units are well equipped with basic facilities of drawing room/dining room and kitchen.

Getting There

By Air: Three major civil airports at Srinagar, Jammu, and Ladakh.
By Rail: Jammu Tawi is the main railhead.
By Road: Quite close to NH 1A, Patnitop is easily accessible from Srinagar through state transport buses or taxis.