Around Katra...


Patni Top

112 kms from Jammu. This famous hill resort is perched on a beautiful plateau, at an altitude of 2024 metres across which the Jammu-Srinagar Highway passes. Enveloped by thickly wooded forests, Patnitop offers beautiful picnic spots, peaceful walks and breathtaking views of the mountainscape of the Chenab basin. In winter, the resort is generally covered with a thick mantle of snow thus providing opportunities for various snow games including skiing. It is the best developed tourist spot of Jammu and is second to none in its natural charm, climate, pine forests and lush green cover. The occupancy of the huts and Dak Banglow is full in summer months. There is ambitious plan of Patnitop Development Authority to develop Patnitop, Kud, Sud-Mahadev, Mantalai circuit. The costruction work of Mall Road at Kud is also proposed to be taken up. Trekking route from Kud to Patnitop-Sanasar has already been completed. The complete tourist circuit covers Jammu-Katra-VaishnoDeviji, Kud-Sanasar, Patnitop-Gourikund, Sudmahadev, Mantali, extending upto Latti-Dhuna.



Accommodation:


There are a large number of huts and Tourists Bunglows, all managed by J&K TDC, having facilities of Drawing room/Dining room and fully equipped kitchen in all huts and LPG facility.

Food and Beverages Services :

Ice cream Parlour
Chinese Corner
Restaurant serving Indian food of choice including authentic Kashmiri cuisine.

Other Facilities :

Well stocked library
Indoor games including Billiads, Table Tennis, Carrom, Cards etc.
Conference hall facilities having capacity of 150 persons.
Skiing during winter months.
Several private hotels also provide rooms to suite every pocket and preference.

What to Do ?

Trekking
A range of trekking options is available here. Summer is the season when all trekking routes are open while some are open in winter too. There are excellent camping sites also enroute.The Sundarani- Jungal Gali-Jasarkote-Sanasar route in Jangal Gali area lets you choose any of three exciting treks. For more details check the Jangal Gali trek route in trekking brochure available from JKTDC (Free). There are Trekking equipment hire shops of tourism Deptt. at Jammu and Kud. They stock imported and local gear. These are available for fixed prices.

Equipment available

-Tents :
- 4 man tent (Indian)
- 2 man tent (imported)
- Carry mat (Indian and Imported)
- Sleeping bags (Imported)
- Jackets (Indian and Imported)
- Windcheaters (Indian)
- Rucksacks, Boots(Indian and imported).

The equipment is issued against cash receipt or on Guarantee letter from Dy. Dir Tourism/Dy. Secy of State or Central Govt. For a foreign tourist Passport is held as security deposit. Some travel agencies in Jammu city also organize Trekking in the area.

Skiing

Skiing courses are conducted at Patnitop in the months of January and Feburary. During winter mionths there are introductory courses for tourists/beginners at gentle gradient slopes of Patnitop. At Madhatop (5/6 Kms from Patni top on Sanasar Road) excellent possibilities for all kind of skiing exist. A ski-lift in the area is also proposed.

As for facilities 40 sets of equipment is available at Patnitop and Sanasar. Also available are wooden sledges locally. For beginners Instructors are also available.

Accomodation for Skiers is also available in Huts of JKTDC at Patnitop,KUD and Sanasar.Private Hotels around the area also offer accomodation.
Restarurants and Dhabas serve tourists round the year.

Aero sports

Paragliding has been introduced at Sanasar and Jammu. Equipment is available on Hire from tourist office in Jammu city. May-June and Septemer October are best suited for paragliding. Other aero sports like Parasailing and Hotair ballooning are also becoming operational shortly.

60 kms. A beautiful lake fringed by forest-covered hills. Boating facilities are available on the spot. Every year around Baisakhi, a food and crafts festival is organised here by J&K Tourism.