Travel Photography | Once Upon a Time in Kashmir | Hotel Swiss Kashmir

© 2012 Wazari Wazir | Hotel Swiss Kashmir | Second From Right is The Hotel Swiss Manager Mr Rouf

During my visit to Kashmir, I spend seven days in this hotel, Hotel Swiss Kashmir . I did not pre-booked the hotel in advance but just an email to the Hotel Swiss Manager Mr Rouf about my planning to visit there. I also ask him whether I need another document other than India Visa to get into Kashmir, everyone knows that Kashmir is an area of conflicts, sometimes I get confused whether Kashmir is in India or Kashmir has it’s very own government, an autonomous region.

Once I get the confirmation from Mr Rouf that I don’t need any special permit to enter Kashmir, then I start planning how to get into Kashmir. I want to know the best way to get there from New Delhi, I’ve already bought the ticket to New Delhi because AirAsia offers great price that really interest me, so I bought the ticket with my friend Mr Azman, I just told him that why not we go to India again, this time, the weather was very good, we can phtograph Taj Mahal comfortably, the last time we visit Taj Mahal in June 2010, the weather was scorching hot, it was summer time there, and it is very uncomfortably hot then.

When I got the ticket which is very cheap, less than USD200 for a return trip from Kuala Lumpur to New Delhi and back. I told myself, why don’t I try to go to Kashmir, so I start doing some research and then I told Azman about it and he agrees. To cut the story short, I bought another tickets from IndiGo Airlines for my journey from New Delhi to Srinagar Kashmir. The fees at that time is less than USD100 for a return trip between New Delhi and Srinagar. I bought the tickets online here from Kuala Lumpur, why I chose IndiGo? It’s because from my little homework’s, IndiGo Airlines is among the best low fare airlines in India and their track record is very good, so I chose IndiGo, I did not buy the flying ticket blindly, I do my homework first, off-course there are other airlines like GoAir, SpiceJet, Jet Airways and Jet Lite that fly to Srinagar from Delhi but I found out that IndiGo Airline offer the best value for money with a very good track records and yes I’m very happy with their service. You don’t have to believe me but you can do your own research.

Most people who has visit Kashmir will told you to stay at the houseboat but after a lot of readings, I choose not to stay there, I’ve my very own reason why I’m not staying there. One of the reason is that, I’m a photographer and most of my times will be spent outdoors and I don’t want to pay a Shikara every time I want to get out from the houseboat and I’m not sure whether the houseboat package comes with a free Shikara ride to the mainland and even if the ride is free, I cannot be sure that they are always made available in front of the houseboat. Anyway I’ve made a decision not to stay at the houseboat and never regret about it, in fact I’m very happy making that decisions.

Once we arrived at Srinagar airport, we took a pre-paid taxi (four wheel Toyota Land Cruiser) and told them to take us to Hotel Swiss Kashmir and the driver seems to know the hotel very well. Like I said before I did not pre-booked the hotel but I just told Mr Rouf the hotel manager, that I planned to visit there and I gave him the date, I just don’t tell him that I want to stay there. Once we arrived in front of the hotel entrance, Altaf, one of his staff welcoming us, I ask him whether there is a room or not, he just called us inside and then I meet the hotel manager and told him about the email that I send before. Normally he said people have to booked a few month in  advance to stay at the hotel, but during winter, which is considered as low season for tourist arrival in Kashmir, people can try their luck, and lucky for us, we have a room to stay.

© 2012 Wazari Wazir | Shikaras at Shikara Station (Refer Map) Nearby Boulevard Road | Srinagar Kashmir

The hotel location is not very far from the famous Dal Lake, in fact it will took less than three minutes walk to get into one of the Shikara station, so I don’t have to worry about getting there and just across the road from the Shikara station, there is a food stalls where I can get my meals everyday. What I’m trying to say is that, the hotel location is very convenient for me.

* Please stay with me, this story is not finished just yet, to be continue…