Amritsar · 8 Nights / 9 Days
Amritsar, Vaishno Devi and Kashmir
The Golden Temple and the Wagah ceremony, the Vaishno Devi yatra from Katra, then the train into Kashmir for Srinagar, Gulmarg and Pahalgam — North India’s great pilgrimage-and-valley circuit in eight nights.
Duration
8 nights / 9 days
Route
Amritsar → Katra → Srinagar → Gulmarg → Pahalgam → Srinagar
Best months
April to October
Price
On request
Planned and run by the Falcon Trails team
Local team in Srinagar · private cab · itemised quote before you pay
Day by day
The whole itinerary, nothing withheld.
- 1
Arrive Amritsar, the Golden Temple and Wagah
Pickup at the airport or station, the Golden Temple and the langar, then the Attari–Wagah border for the evening Beating Retreat.
Hotel in AmritsarDinner - 2
Amritsar to Katra
The Golden Temple at dawn and Jallianwala Bagh, then the drive to Katra, about 250–266 km, 4 to 6 hours. The RFID Yatra Access Card in the evening, near the registration counter.
Hotel in KatraBreakfast & dinner - 3
The yatra
On foot from Banganga, about 13 km to the Bhawan at around 5,200 ft, past Ardhkuwari, darshan and Bhairon Nath; ponies, palkis, the battery car or the helicopter to Sanjichhat at the Shrine Board or posted rate. Back to Katra.
Hotel in KatraBreakfast & dinner - 4
Katra to Srinagar
The Vande Bharat from Katra reaches Srinagar in about 3 hours, or about 270 km by road. A shikara on Dal Lake in the evening.
Houseboat or hotel in SrinagarBreakfast & dinner - 5
Gulmarg
A day in Gulmarg: the gondola in two phases, Kongdoori and then Apharwat if the wind allows (tickets extra). Back to Srinagar for the night.
Hotel in SrinagarBreakfast & dinner - 6
Srinagar to Pahalgam
South through the saffron fields of Pampore and past the Avantipora ruins to Pahalgam, about two and a half to three hours.
Hotel in PahalgamBreakfast & dinner - 7
Pahalgam’s valleys
Betaab valley, Aru and Chandanwari by local union taxi at fixed rates, and an easy evening by the Lidder.
Hotel in PahalgamBreakfast & dinner - 8
Back to Srinagar
Nishat and Shalimar Bagh, the old city and a last evening by the lake.
Hotel or houseboat in SrinagarBreakfast & dinner - 9
Srinagar, departure
Drop at Srinagar airport. If you would rather end in Jammu, we plan the train or the road instead.
Breakfast
What’s included
- Hotels as per itinerary in the category you choose, on twin-sharing
- Daily breakfast and dinner
- Pickup and drop at Amritsar airport or railway station
- Private cab for all transfers and sightseeing in the itinerary
- The evening drive to the Attari–Wagah border for the Beating Retreat ceremony
- One named trip coordinator on WhatsApp for the whole trip
- Help registering for the RFID Yatra Access Card at Katra
- A shikara ride on Dal Lake
- The Katra–Srinagar leg by private cab, or by Vande Bharat train if you prefer (train tickets quoted separately)
Not included
- Flights or trains to and from Amritsar
- Entry tickets, camera fees, guides and anything not listed as included
- Seating or premium passes at the Attari–Wagah ceremony, where applicable
- Lunches, drinks, tips and personal expenses
- Vaishno Devi helicopter, pony, palki, pithu and battery-car tickets, at the Shrine Board or posted rate
- Gulmarg Gondola tickets
- Local union taxis at Pahalgam (Aru, Betaab, Chandanwari), paid on the spot at fixed rates
We list exclusions plainly rather than burying them. If something here matters to you, ask — most can be added to the quote.
A Small Promise from Us
When you book this tour with Falcon Trails, we plant a native tree in Kashmir in your party’s name as our contribution towards preserving the natural beauty of the valley for future generations.
Honest Travel Advisory
Who this Amritsar, Vaishno Devi and Kashmir itinerary is NOT for
- •A long but well-paced trip: Eight nights across the plains, the Trikuta hills and the valley. We keep the day after the yatra light — the train to Srinagar and a shikara, nothing strenuous — so Kashmir starts rested.
- •Katra to Srinagar by train or road: The Katra–Srinagar Vande Bharat is about 3 hours and the easiest option after the climb; the road is about 270 km. We hold both and decide once we see how the yatra day went.
If any of these apply to your party, speak to us and we will adapt the route.
Before you book
Questions on this itinerary.
How do we get from Katra into Kashmir?
The Vande Bharat from Katra reaches Srinagar in about 3 hours; the road is about 270 km. We quote either, with train tickets priced separately.
Can we start or end in Jammu instead of Srinagar?
Yes. Jammu is about 50 km from Katra and has flights and trains; we plan the first or last leg around your flights.
Is this suitable for elderly parents?
Yes, with planning: a palki, pony or the helicopter to Sanjichhat for the yatra, the train rather than the road into Kashmir, and an easy valley pace. Tell us and we build the trip around it.
Customise this trip
This is the template. Yours will be different.
Add a night, swap a hotel category, start from a different city, travel with fifteen people instead of two. Tell us what changes and we rebuild the itinerary and the quote around it.
Every quote comes from our own team, from the planner who will actually run your trip.