#KashmirDiaries: Doodhpathri – Where water turns into milk

In our quest to be far away from the maddening crowd, we visited some truly stunning, less touristy places in Kashmir. The one that really stood out for me is Doodhpathri, which is still being developed and promoted by the Jammu and Kashmir tourist board. Located in the Budgam district, it is a roughly 3 hour drive from Srinagar. And what a drive it is! There are some breath-taking valley views and lots of cute little villages along the way. In fact, the entire route is dotted with rivers and streams and small, tinkling waterfalls.

winding-roads-doodhpathri

Winding roads, Doodhpathri, Kashmir

And once you enter the Doodhpathri development area, the vistas turn even more stunning! The narrow, winding road is dotted with deodar and pine trees, there’s not much traffic – only a few other tourists and locals heading to Doodhpathri, the air is crisp and clear, and it feels like you’ve entered into a timeless zone, one that is as yet untouched, undiscovered and pristine.

There comes a point where the road ends – it’s still under construction beyond that – that’s where you have to park your car and walk the rest of the way. Eventually the road will go all the way to the river, but I really wish that wasn’t on the cards. It’s an 8 kilometer walk {or pony ride}, and that was a huge part of the charm as well.

Sheep grazing in the meadows, Doodhpathri

And the sheep were gently grazing in the meadows, Doodhpathri

We meandered leisurely through meadows, among sheep happily munching on the grass, through the woods with ancient tree trunks lying across the path, pausing every now and again to breathe in the sights around us. As we got closer to our destination, we could hear the roar of the water long before we were anywhere close to it. And the first sight of that river – it stopped me right in my tracks! I don’t think any words I say can do justice to the sheer beauty that greeted us, so I’ll leave you with these two panoramic shots.

Doodhpathri-scenic-beauty

Feast your eyes on that lush green meadow


Doodhpathri river Kashmir

Be still my beating heart: Look at that majestic beauty of a river, with a little wooden bridge to cross over to the other side.

We spent a couple of hours sitting on the stones, our feet dipped in the chilly water, just soaking in the majesty of nature. I almost didn’t want to return back, but a rumbling tummy and the thought of an 8 kilometer walk before we could get something to eat, forced me to, very reluctantly, bid adieu to Doodhpathri.

More in this series: The journey begins | Romancing the Dal | Srinagar in a day | Pahalgam: Of fairy tale gardens and the majestic Lidder | Nara Nag: Where nature and history meet | Doodhpathri: Where the river turns into milk | Sonamarg: Heartbreak and healing

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Modern Gypsy

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I’m an artist and art educator, podcaster, tarot reader, and writer. I share my discoveries along the path to inspire you to live a more creative, soul-centered life. Receive my love letters for more of my musings on life and creativity. P.S. I love Instagram - join me there?

32 Comments

  2. This makes me want to revisit the beautiful valleys of Kashmir. We didn’t visit Doodhpathri but I can see it is absolutely stunning and thankfully not that touristy. You drove here yourself? I can imagine the stunning scenery throughout the drive!

  5. Oh my gosh, this looks such a magical place. What a wonderful name!! I think I would have felt like staying there all day.

  6. This is gorgeous! I love to ‘travel’ through the blogs of people like you who live in far away places I may never see in person. So lovely and makes me realize how much we have in common. The photo of the meadow could have been taken in Maine where I live.

    • It’s a beautiful place – especially the areas that aren’t too touristy. I don’t think my photos do it enough justice, but I’m glad you liked them. 🙂

  12. Doodhpathri seems like a perfect haven of peace and beauty! If I ever visit Kashmir I’d love to visit this place after reading your account here. So much to revel in nature if only we have the ye to find it, as you did!

  14. This is so lovely Jini. I had been to Kashmir 5 years back. Never knew of this place. I do hang on to the hope that I can revisit this beautiful place sometine again. Cheers.

  16. Oh Jini! Someday I’ll visit Kashmir. It’s so beautiful. This is the first I’m hearing of Doodhpathri – it’s always these non-touristy places that take our breath away!

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