Kashmir and the Old Mughal Road

Indus Tours, specialist tour operators to India, have launched a marvellous new summer programme to Kashmir – once coined ‘Heaven on Earth’ - in Northern India.

By 2010, you will be able to travel along the ‘Old Mughal Road’ that was travelled by the caravans of Mughal emperors and their royal armies more than four centuries ago.

Soon to be opened anew, the 84 kilometre route from Kashmir to Jammu will open up adventure and nature tourism, including hiking and wildlife watching.

During your visit to the area, you can also take a break at one of the State’s most luxurious hotels, Vivanta by Taj, when it opens in April 2010.

The Vivanta Taj is a spectacular new 89-room property spread out over six acres on a hilltop location; it has breath-taking views over the famous Tulip Gardens and Dal Lake and offers contemporary villa accommodation with all the traditional Taj touches.

These are just some of the opportunities in Indus Tours’ renowned escorted and independent touring programme.

One spectacular journey includes Srinagar’s famous Lake Dal, with its picturesque houseboats, flowering meadow lands in the foothills of the Himalayas, and the soaring mountain ranges of Ladakh.

Managing Director, Yasin Zargar, Managing Director of Indus Tours, said: “… we hope to bring life to this spectacular road, which has remained largely untouched since Mughal emperor Shah Jahan travelled the route nearly 500 years ago.”

Zargar added that travellers can travel through the area’s rich Mughal history to small isolated villages and ancient fortifications, and visit favourite spots along the route. One such is the Noori Chamb Waterfall, named for its sheer beauty after Emperor Jahangir’s wife.

Full details of the new tours will be announced in the New Year.

The Indus Tours Kashmir summer programme currently comprises two independent itineraries – Kashmir, The Secret Garden (9 days, from £1598 pp, including flights) and the Vale of Kashmir and Little Tibet (14 days, from £2382 pp, including flights).

Additionally, two 9 day escorted tours with Royal Geographic Society Fellow, Joan Pollack, will depart in 2010 - on 4 June and 3 September (from £1995/person including flights).

Indus Tours will create bespoke itineraries to the region for travellers who have their own individual ideas for travel or special requirements.

Over the winter months, Indus Tours run a specialist ski programme, Ski India, to Gulmarg in Kashmir.

For more information on programmes in Jammu and Kashmir, please call Indus Tours on 020 8901 7320 or click for more information here.