SWISS HOTEL KASHMIR

Mughal Gardens :- Seven kilometers from Swiss Hotel

With terraced lawns, cascading fountains, paint-box-bright flowerbeds with the panorama of the Dal in front of them - the three Mughal Gardens of Chesmashahi, Nishat and Shalimar are the Mughal Emperors' concept of paradise and are today very popular places for picnics and excursions.

Chasmachai Natural Water Spring :- Six kilometers from Swiss Hotel.
At Chashmashai, is a tastefully laid garden in terraces, which commands a magnificent view of the Dal Lake below and surrounding mountain ranges. The cool water of the spring is highly refreshing and digestive. The original garden was laid out by Shah Jehan in 1632 AD.

Pari Mahal :- Nine kilometers from Swiss Hotel .

Once the royal observatory, Pari Mahal has a charmingly laid out garden and is a five-minute drive from Cheshmashahi. A Buddhist monastery at one time, it was converted into a school of astrology by Dara Shikoh, Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan's eldest son. Situated on the spur of a mountain overlooking the Dal, the ancient monument, with a well-laid spacious garden in front.

Tulip Garden :- 

Nishat Garden :-
Situated on the banks of the Dal Lake, with the Zabarwan Mountains as its backdrop, (9 kms from Swiss hotel), this 'garden commands a magnificent view of the lake and the snow capped Pir Panjal mountain range which stands far away to the west of the valley. Nishat was designed in 1633 AD by Asaf Khan, brother of Nur Jehan.

Shalimar Garden :-

Built by Emperor Jehangir for his wife Nur Jehan, Shalimar, 12 kms from the Swiss hotel, is a beautiful garden with sweeping vistas over gardens and lakes, and shallow terraces. The garden is 539 m by 182 m and has four terraces, rising one above the other. A canal lined with polished stones and supplied with water from Harwan runs through the middle of the garden.
 

Harwan Garden :-

In the hillside, south of the village of Harwan (17 kms from the Swiss Hotel), Used to be wayer reserviour for srinagar city. Has remarkable remains of ancient ornamented tile pavements of the Buddhist period have come to light.

Hazaratbal Mosque :- Fifteen kilometers from Swiss Hotel.

Across the Dal from Shalimar is the mosque of Hazratbal, the only one of its kind architecturally in Kashmir. Made of white marble with a dome and a minaret, Hazratbal is the repository of a single hair of the Prophet Mohammed, exhibited to the public on certain days of the year.

The Rozabal Tomb :- Four kilometers from Swiss Hotel in the old city is

believed to be be Tomb Of Jesus;
Roza Bal is the name of a shrine located in the Khanyar district of Srinagar, in Kashmir, India. Venerated by Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists. People of many religious sects identify the sage buried there with one Yuz Asaf and with Jesus, whom they allege to have fled to Kashmir after his crucifixion. Several notable authors have held the view that Jesus had travelled to the Indian subcontinent including Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and the Russian traveler Nicolas Notovitch.

Pahalgam :- Ninty six kilometers from Swiss Hotel.

Which is also called valley of shepherds is situated 94 kms from Swiss Hotel. Now it is Kashmir's premier resort, cool even during the height of summer when the maximum temperature does not exceed 250C.
Around Pahalgam are many places of interest, and because the resort is set between fairly steep hills, it is worth hiring a pony rather than walking. Pony fares are posted at prominent locations.
The most beautiful of these is the huge, undulating meadow of Baisaran, surrounded by thickly wooded forests of pine. Hajan, on the way to Chandanwari, is an idyllic spot for a picnic.

Gulmarg :- Fifty six kilometers from Swiss Hotel.
Gulmarg's legendary beauty, prime location and proximity to Srinagar naturally make it one of the premier hill resorts in the country. Originally called ‘Gaurimarg’ by shepherds, its present name was given in the 16th century by Sultan Yusuf Shah, who was inspired by the sight of its grassy slopes emblazoned with wild flowers. Gulmarg was a favourite haunt of Emperor Jehangir who once collected 21 different varieties of flowers from here. Today Gulmarg is not merely a mountain resort of exceptional beauty- it also has the highest green golf course in the world, at an altitude of 2,650 m, and is the country's premier ski resort in the winter. In winter, Gulmarg acquires a new persona - that of the country's premier skiing resorts. The gentlest slope of 200m is linked with a ski lift, which helps one to go up. When one graduates to intermediate level -which will happen after the first few days of practice, there are other slopes, longer and steeper, which are connected by chair lift. The longest ski run in Gulmarg is provided by the Gondola cable car, which allows a ski run of 2,213m.

Sonamarg :-  Ninty eight kilometers from Swiss Hotel.
The drive to Sonamarg is through the Sindh Valley which presents yet another spectacular facet of countryside in Kashmir. Situated at an altitude of 2730 m, Sonamarg (‘The meadow of gold’) has, as its backdrop, snowy mountains against a cerulean sky. The Sindh River that meanders through the valley abounds with trout and mahaseer. Ponies can be hired for the trip up to Thajiwas glacier, which is a major local attraction during the summer months.Sonamarg is the base of a major trek that passes along several mountain lakes –Vishansar, Kishansar, Gadsar, Satsar and Gangabal. Sonamarg is also the take off station for the drive to Ladakh across the Zojila, a major pass in the Great Himalayan Range, through which the Srinagar-Leh Road passes.Sonamarg is also a base for undertaking the yatra to the holy Amarnath cave.

Yusmarg :- Fourty two kilometers from Swiss Hotel.
Standing in the Pir Panjal hills, out beyond the airport, at an altitude of 2,700 metres, the meadow of Yusmarg is reputed to have the best spring flowers in Kashmir. The beautiful valley is at the foot of the Sangisafaid valley on the northern slopes of the Pir Panjal range.

Dachigam National Park :- Seventeen kilometers from Swiss Hotel.At one time the exclusive hunting preserve of the Maharaja of Kashmir, it was declared a national park in 1951.

Dachigam is spread over an area of 141-sq-km. and altitudes vary between 1,700 and 4,300 metres.