Patni Top

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Patni Top – Mansar Lake

Our tour included two main destinations: Vaishno Devi and Patni Top.

After reaching Jammu Tawi by train in the morning, first we went to Vaishno Devi via Katra. We returned from Vaishno Devi little after midnight, and in the morning left for Shiv Khori by taxi. Returned to Katra late in the evening and proceeded for Patni Top.

Patni Top is in Kashmir region of Jammu and Kashmir State. Katra to Patni Top is about 80 km (via Udhampur) – 2 ½ - 3 hrs by road. It is the gateway to Kashmir and has developed in to a tourist destination thanks to unrest in the Kashmir Valley. It is a small road-side village with good hotels coming up on the hills. In November tourist traffic is very less as the winter starts at this time of the year. We reached Patni Top around 11 pm and settled in a hotel.

Main attraction is the Patni Top garden – a vast expanse of mountain slopes and tall trees. When snow fall starts in peak winter, the slopes turn in to skiing fields. In early November it was fun walking for hours in pure air (although it was a little windy) and natural surroundings. Ponies are available for those who cannot walk.

How much time you should keep for Patni Top depends entirely on how much time you have at your disposal. One can include Delhousie or Pathankot-Waghah border or Amritsar in the itinerary. Patni Top to Jammu is 80 km (2 ½ hrs)

We had our return train from Jammu next day evening. So we left Patni top in the morning and on way (slight detour) went to Mansar Lake – a nice picnic spot about 60 km (1 ½ hrs) from Jammu.

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Photos

Mansar lake
Tourists feed 'dough' to fish in the Mansar Lake. Not to be encouraged.