“I had seen snow from airplane windows, witnessing it in Kashmir in May feels magical”
Tauseef Ahmad
Srinagar, May 19: As temperatures soar past 40 degrees Celsius in several parts of country, valley’s offbeat destinations are witnessing an unusual tourism boom, with travellers rushing to snow-covered mountain passes to escape the intense summer heat.
In north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, the scenic Razdan Pass, located nearly 12,000 feet above sea level, has emerged as a major attraction this season. Tourists arriving at the mountain pass are finding thick layers of snow still spread across the landscape in May, a rare experience for visitors coming from heatwave-hit cities and towns across India.
Families, bikers and groups of young travellers were seen playing in the snow, recording videos and clicking selfies as chilly winds swept through the mountain route connecting Bandipora with the remote Gurez Valley.
“We left Delhi where the temperature was above 42 degrees, and within a day we were standing in snow,” said Rohan Mehta, a tourist from Delhi. “It feels unreal. We came here searching for relief from the heat and found an entirely different world.”
Officials and local residents say the growing tourist rush is also changing the fortunes of lesser-known border areas where authorities have been attempting to promote tourism in recent years.
Apart from the famous resort town of Sonamarg, Gulmarg, Phalgam several offbeat destinations in North and South Kashmir are witnessing a visible rise in tourist arrivals this summer. Locals say roadside stalls, tea shops and transport services are seeing increased business as more travellers move towards remote mountain regions.
“Usually people visit Gulmarg or Pahalgam, but now tourists are exploring places they had never heard about before,” said Bashir Ahmad, a local driver from Srinagar. “This is helping people in border villages earn during the tourism season.”
From Kerala, tourist Fazil said social media videos of Kashmir’s snowbound routes encouraged him to travel north. “The heat and humidity were becoming unbearable. We saw videos from Razdan Pass and decided to come immediately,” he said.
Aehana, a cabin crew member and tourist from Karnataka, said witnessing snow in May was like living a dream. “I always wished to see snow in real life in my childhood. I had seen it from airplane windows during flights, but witnessing it here in May feels like we are in heaven,” she said. “Kashmir has a natural appeal unlike anywhere else. People should also visit these offbeat destinations where they can witness real and untouched beauty.”
Officials say the growing flow of visitors to remote mountain destinations reflects a wider shift in travel patterns as climate extremes intensify across India, pushing more people toward colder Himalayan regions during peak summer months.
In recent years, the government has focused on promoting border tourism across Kashmir’s remote regions. According to locals, the initiative is now beginning to bring visible change, with tourists increasingly flocking to lesser-known destinations beyond the traditional tourist circuit.
