Badgam

The Mughal Emperor Jehangir is said to have once written about Kashmir: Agar firdaus bar rue zamin ast hamin asto, hamin asto, hamin ast! ("If there be paradise on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here!"). He was writing about the Kashmir Valley, a land divided between the northern half of Jammu and Kashmir in India and Azad Kashmir in Pakistan. Torn by war, terrorism and violence since 1948, this beautiful valley has long been considered a dangerous place to go to, but tourism is slowly coming back to the valley as militancy, which began in the early 1990s (as a means of protest against what some describe as forceful Indian occupation) has come down. The most famous places to visit in the Kashmir Valley are Srinagar, Pahalgam and Gulmarg. Other places include Sonamarg and Verinag. There are various trekking routes available across the whole of Kashmir. Adventure sports in the form of water rafting and paragliding, among others, are available at various tourist locations.