Kashmir Tour with Vaishno Devi from Pune 10 Days & 9 Nights

Kashmir packages on TravelTriangle are rated 4.2 out of 5 across 2,401 traveller reviews, and 14,111+ travellers have planned their Kashmir trip with us. Every day of this itinerary can be changed before you book, and the price you see is per person on twin sharing, with flights and trains from Pune kept out so you can choose the cheapest way to Jammu.

Kashmir & Vaishno Devi from Pune at a Glance

Why This Route Takes 10 Days

Most combined Kashmir and Vaishno Devi tours sold from Pune run 7 or 8 days, which means a 13 km climb one day and a nine-hour drive to the valley the next. This one gives Katra two nights, so you come down from the Bhawan, sleep, and only then head north. It also adds Yusmarg, a quiet pine meadow that few packages include, alongside Sonamarg and the usual Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Srinagar. Ending on a houseboat means the last night is on the water, 30 to 45 minutes from Srinagar airport, with no long drive before your flight home. If you would rather travel with flights already booked from Pune and skip the yatra, the 7-day Kashmir tour from Pune with flights is the shorter option.

Highlights

• Mata Vaishno Devi darshan at the Bhawan, with the ropeway to the Bhairon temple to complete the yatra

• Two nights in Katra so seniors can rest after the climb

• Betaab Valley and Aru along the Lidder River in Pahalgam

• Gondola to Kongdori and, when it is running, on to Apharwat in Gulmarg

• Mughal gardens at Nishat and Shalimar, and the Shankaracharya Temple above the Dal

• Day trips to Yusmarg and to Thajiwas Glacier in Sonamarg

• A night on a deluxe houseboat with Kashmiri hospitality before you fly home

How to Reach Jammu or Katra from Pune

Your tour starts when the cab meets you at Jammu airport, Jammu Tawi station or Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra station, so pick whichever suits your budget and your time. Flying is fastest. The train is cheapest and lands you at Jammu Tawi on the third morning, ready for the 50 km drive up to Katra. For every route and fare from Pune, see our guide on how to reach Kashmir from Pune.

There is no non-stop flight from Pune to Jammu or Srinagar. Book the return from Srinagar for midday or later on Day 10, because the airport runs several security checks and asks passengers to arrive three hours early.

Your 10-Day Kashmir and Vaishno Devi Itinerary

Day 1: Pune to Jammu, Transfer to Katra (about 50 km, 1.5 to 2 hrs)

Your Kashmir tour from Pune begins when you land at Jammu airport or step off the train at Jammu Tawi, where our assistant meets you and drives you up to Katra, the base town for Vaishno Devi at the foot of the Trikuta hills. Arriving by rail at Katra station saves the drive, and the cab collects you there instead. After check-in, walk to the Yatra registration counter near the Katra bus stand with your Yatra Parchi and photo ID and collect your free RFID card. Spend the evening in Katra Main Market, where dry fruit shops, prasad stalls and dhabas stay open late, then turn in early. Tomorrow starts before dawn.

Overnight in Katra · No meals on arrival day

Day 2: Mata Vaishno Devi Darshan (Banganga to Ardhkuwari to Bhawan)

Leave the hotel around 3 or 4 am so you climb in the cool and reach the Bhawan before the late-morning queues. The cab drops you near the Banganga checkpoint, where your RFID card is scanned. The path climbs about 13 km past Charan Paduka and Ardhkuwari, the halfway point, to the Bhawan, where you take darshan of the three Pindies. Phones, belts and leather items go into the free cloakroom first. Most families then ride the ropeway to the Bhairon temple, about Rs 100 return, because the yatra is held to be complete only after that visit. Ponies, palkis, the battery car from Ardhkuwari and the helicopter to Sanjichhat are all options for parents. You are back at your Katra hotel by evening.

Overnight in Katra · Breakfast

Day 3: Katra to Pahalgam via the Navyug Tunnel (about 240 to 250 km, 8 to 9 hrs)

This is the longest drive of the trip, so the cab leaves straight after an early breakfast. The road climbs past Udhampur to Chenani, where the Chenani to Nashri tunnel cuts out the old mountain road; if the day is clear and you leave on time, ask the driver to take the old road over Patnitop's pine meadows instead, which adds about an hour. After Ramban and Banihal you cross into the valley through the Navyug tunnel, which runs below the old Jawahar Tunnel, and come down at Qazigund. From Anantnag the road follows the Lidder River up to Pahalgam, the Valley of Shepherds. Check in, then take an easy walk along the river before dinner.

Overnight in Pahalgam · Breakfast and dinner

Day 4: Pahalgam, Betaab Valley and Aru Valley

Pahalgam's side valleys are reached only by local union taxis, which you hire at the Pahalgam taxi stand at fixed rates, and visitors must leave Betaab and Aru by 4 pm. Start with Betaab Valley, up the Lidder from town, where the Lidder runs through a flat green meadow ringed by pines. Chandanwari, the first camp of the Amarnath route a little further on, has stayed closed to tourists since April 2025, so ask the taxi union whether it has reopened before you set off. In the afternoon head to Aru, about 12 km on the other branch of the river, for a short pony ride or a picnic on the meadow. Baisaran, the hilltop meadow above town, has been closed to visitors since April 2025, so pony operators should not take you there. Evening free on the Lidder bank.

Overnight in Pahalgam · Breakfast and dinner

Day 5: Pahalgam to Gulmarg via Avantipora and Pampore (about 140 km, 4 to 5 hrs)

Leave Pahalgam after breakfast and drive down to Anantnag, then north on the Srinagar highway. Stop at Avantipora to walk through the ruins of the 9th-century Avantiswami temple, and again at Pampore, where saffron fields line the road and purple crocus flowers bloom in late October and early November. Skirt Srinagar and climb through Tangmarg to Gulmarg, the Meadow of Flowers. If time allows, ride Gondola Phase 1 to Kongdori in the afternoon, or walk up towards Khilanmarg for a view of Nanga Parbat on a clear day. Gondola tickets are sold online only on the J&K Cable Car Corporation portal, so book them before you leave Pahalgam. See our Gulmarg Gondola ticket guide for phases and timings.

Overnight in Gulmarg · Breakfast and dinner

Day 6: Gulmarg at Leisure, Snow, Skiing or Golf

A slow day with no hotel change. Take the Gondola's Phase 2 to Apharwat at about 3,950 m for snow even in early summer, though it is best skipped by anyone with heart or breathing trouble. From December to March Gulmarg is a ski resort, with sledge rides and beginner ski lessons on the lower slopes. From April to October the meadow turns green, and you can hire a pony, play a round on one of the highest golf courses in the world, or visit St Mary's Church. Come back to the hotel early, because the mountain air turns cold fast after sunset.

Overnight in Gulmarg · Breakfast and dinner

Day 7: Gulmarg to Srinagar, Mughal Gardens and Shankaracharya Temple (about 50 km, 1.5 to 2 hrs)

After breakfast, drive down to Srinagar and check into your hotel. Visit the Mughal Gardens, Nishat Bagh with its 12 terraces and Shalimar Bagh built by Jahangir, both terraced up the slopes of the Zabarwan Mountains with views across the Dal Lake. Climb the steps to the ancient Shankaracharya Temple for the widest view of the city, then stop at a carpet-weaving unit to watch hand-knotted silk being made. End the day with a shikara ride on the Dal at sunset, paid to the boatman at the ghat, where the government rate card is displayed.

Overnight in Srinagar · Breakfast and dinner

Day 8: Yusmarg and Charar-e-Sharief Day Trip (about 47 km, 1.5 hrs each way)

Following breakfast, take the full-day excursion to Yusmarg, a high meadow of pine and fir in the Pir Panjal range that stays far quieter than Gulmarg. On the way, stop to pray at Charar-e-Sharief, the shrine of the Sufi saint Sheikh Noor-ud-din Noorani. At Yusmarg, hire a pony to the Doodh Ganga stream, named for the milky white water that rushes over its rocks, or walk the meadow edge at your own pace. Return to Srinagar in the evening for dinner at the hotel.

Overnight in Srinagar · Breakfast and dinner

Day 9: Sonamarg Day Trip and Houseboat Night (about 80 km, 2.5 to 3 hrs each way)

After breakfast, drive along the Sindh River to Sonamarg, the Meadow of Gold, now open all year since the Z-Morh tunnel opened in 2025. Ponies take you up to Thajiwas Glacier, where you can play in the snow even in May and June; agree the pony fare at the counter before you set off. Back in Srinagar in the evening, check into your deluxe houseboat, where carved walnut-wood rooms, kahwa on the deck and a quiet view of the lake make for the trip's last and most memorable night.

Overnight on the houseboat, Srinagar · Breakfast and dinner

Day 10: Srinagar to Pune

Wake up on the water, have breakfast on the houseboat and check out. Your driver takes you to Srinagar airport, 30 to 45 minutes away, and you should reach at least three hours before the flight, because there is a security check at the airport gate as well as inside the terminal. Flights to Pune connect through Delhi or Mumbai, so most families are home the same night. Taking the train back instead? The cab can drop you at Srinagar station for the Vande Bharat towards Katra and Jammu. Carry a few walnuts or a tin of saffron from Lal Chowk as a souvenir.

Breakfast on the houseboat

Your Vaishno Devi Darshan on This Tour

The climb is the part of the trip pilgrims plan most carefully, so here is how it works with this package. Registration is free and mandatory. Book your Yatra Parchi online on the Shrine Board website or at the Katra counters, then collect the RFID card in person at Katra with a photo ID, which you do on Day 1. You can walk the full route or mix modes, and the table shows what each one involves. For senior parents, we suggest the helicopter or a palki for the climb.

For timings, fees and darshan rules in more detail, read our Vaishno Devi entry fees and RFID guide. Want the yatra on its own? See all Vaishno Devi tour packages or the shorter Vaishno Devi tour from Pune.

Hotels on This Tour

Our agents book these or similar hotels depending on availability.

Inclusions and Exclusions

Best Time for a Kashmir and Vaishno Devi Trip from Pune

Vaishno Devi is open all year, so the season you pick is really about Kashmir and the crowds at Katra. For the full month-by-month picture, read our guide to the best time to visit Kashmir.

How Payment Works

You pay a booking amount to confirm the trip and the rest in installments, as guided by your travel agent. Before you pay anything, you see quotes from up to 3 verified agents and can change hotels, move the houseboat night or add a day.

How It Works

• Personalise this package. Make changes as per your travel plan and submit the request.

• Get multiple quotes. Connect with top 3 agents, compare quotes and customise further.

• Book the best deal. Pay in easy installments and get ready to enjoy your holiday.

Prices, inclusions, distances and yatra rules on this page are checked by our Kashmir desk against the agent rate card, Indian Railways schedules and the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.

Other Kashmir Packages from Pune

• 7-day Kashmir tour from Pune with flights includes return airfare and skips Vaishno Devi.

• 9 nights 10 days Jammu and Kashmir family tour from Pune is another 10-day route for families.

• 8 days Kashmir tour from Pune suits travellers who want the valley at a slightly shorter pace.

• Kashmir and Vaishno Devi tour from Mumbai is the same pairing for travellers starting in Mumbai.

Every duration and departure from Pune is listed on Kashmir tour packages from Pune, and all routes across the valley are on Kashmir tour packages. For places, weather and food, our Kashmir travel guide has the detail.

Edited by TravelTriangle