Jaypore Journeys, in collaboration with Breakaway, presents a curated journey amidst Kashmir's glorious crafts and breathtaking landscape.

The imagery of Kashmir is exotic, beautiful and startling, yielding literature, poetry and handicrafts that are both exquisite and unmatched. Five days spent in Kashmir offer the opportunity to get exposed to the wondrous history and intricate craftsmanship of this mountainous region, allowing you to witness the way of life and traditions of Kashmir up close and personal.

Kashmir rests like a jewelled crown on the map of India, with its breathtaking beauty and multi- faceted cultural influences from ancient Greeks, the Mughals and Hindus to Buddhists and the British. The Great Himalayan Range and the Pir Panjal surround this landscape, from where great rivers flow into the valleys forested with orchards and decorated with lakes. With its saffron fields, apple orchards, walnut wood workshops, intricately painted paper mache, ornately handwoven pashminas, silk carpets woven around prayers, Kashmir is a land soaked in the glory of its wondrous landscape and eclectic past.

This is an opportunity to immerse yourself in the rich cultural influences; early Tibet-Chinese, Greek and Indian influences layered later with Central Asian, Sikh and European.

The diversity in influences can be witnessed vividly through Kashmir's many craft forms. Although a total of 34 crafts are attributed to the region, Kashmir is most well known for its fine pashmina shawls, silk hand knotted carpets, papier mache and variety of carved walnut wood crafts.

Pay a visit to a walnut wood studio to watch the master craftsmen at their workshop or witness the intricate work of jamawar embroiderers. Join the conversation around the spinning wheels of weavers of kani and pashmina shawls.

The world of Papier Mache will draw you in with this fine craftsmanship and creation of unique designs in the artist’s studio. The Papier Mâché technique best reflects the cultural mix of influences where the Kashmiri skill of painting is fused with the Central Asian designs & motifs and applied onto surfaces of papier-mâché, a technique of European origin.

Walk leisurely among Kashmir’s finest architectural marvels, from the majestic Jama Masjid to the quaint tomb complex of Hazrat Imam Zain ul Abdin’s mother.

The incredible sights and sounds of Kashmir come together in the by lanes of Zaina Kadal market, where dry fruits, spices and traditional samovars invite visitors to peek closer.

There will be plenty of time to relish the local cuisine in the form of a traditional Kashmir Wazwan dinner, where the ritual of serving this delectable meal is as enticing as the multifarious dishes on the platter. Rista, Rogan Josh, Gushtaba, Yakhni are some of the many delicacies worth devouring.

Trek amidst fragrant pines, dip your toes in glacier streams, fish for trout and greet the Gujjars, a nomadic community that calls the valley home.

The Kashmir valley beckons travellers to soak in the verdant views of the peaceful environs and breathe in the enchanted scents of its glorious past.

Trip Dates:

16th to 21st May
4th to 9th July
12th to 17th Sept

How do we get to the location? The best way to get to Hyderabad is to fly in from Bombay or Delhi. We can help you with flight bookings if need be. All travel within Telangana state for the 4 days is organised by us and built into costs. What kind of accommodation is provided? Great in terms of accessibility to the groups we want to visit, comfortable place to stay at, the property is in the heart of the city. How do we book this breakaway? Email us at journeys@jaypore.com with your details and we will call you back. What if we are not coming from Delhi? You could fly straight into Hyderabad from your city, or maybe a hopping flight via Delhi and we will make arrangements for you from there. Will we get vegetarian food? Yes, we can cater to vegetarians as well. Please do mention during booking or before travelling of the same.

We had a very good trip all in all and were very impressed by your attention to detail to make us comfortable. Gulzar made the difference between a nice trip and a unforgettable experience with his passion for Kashmir coupled with his in-depth knowledge of Srinagar, Pahalgam and Aru. He was a great addition to your arrangements and his unfailing good humor and cheerful demeanour was very refreshing.

- Viveck, August 2015

It was a magical trip! Such incredible memories were created! Thanks for that!

- Brinda, August 2015

The last week was an experience of a lifetime. It was a perfectly organised trip with a great schedule, we enjoyed it tremendously. Our facilitator's deep knowledge and passion for all things Kashmir brought alive the place for us in a way no ordinary tour could have. In addition to this, his patience and understanding of our needs, attention to detail and fun personality, made this a truly special trip.

- Devika, September 2015