Almost all roads from the Jammu airport lead to the Vaishno Devi temple in Katra. This Shakti Pitha remains one of the most popular pilgrimage destinations in the country and attracts millions of devotees every year. However, my two-hour journey from the Jammu airport took me in a slightly different direction — to the charming Patnitop region in the Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir. While many locals around Jammu and Punjab might be familiar with the charms of this region, it was a ropeway that commenced operations earlier this decade that has put Patnitop in the spotlight.
India’s highest gondola
Patnitop ropeway is India’s highest in terms of ground clearance and also the only gondola in India with a long span of 849 metres between two towers Photos by Ashwin Rajagopalan
One of my first gondola rides in India was in Gulmarg, where a two-stage gondola lift transports visitors to and from the Kongdoori Mountain. While that is among the highest in the world in terms of altitude, the Patnitop ropeway is India’s highest in terms of ground clearance. It’s also the only gondola in India with a long span of 849 metres between two towers. It was this ride that brought me all the way to Jammu, but as I discovered over an extended weekend, there’s more to this charming pocket in the Udhampur district than just a gondola ride.
Sweeping views
Views from Skyview by Empyrean
“Wait till you board the gondola,” my host at Skyview by Empyrean said, raising my expectations for India’s highest gondola even as I marvelled at the sweeping views of the Sanget Valley from one of the mountain view rooms at the resort. This integrated resort is home to the starting point of the gondola and also offers luxury accommodation complemented by a whole bunch of high-adrenaline activities. Like most guests at the resort, my Skyview by Empyrean experience started on a high. The gondola ride barely lasted 10 minutes, but the landscape kept changing through this ride — from views of pine forests and terraced cultivations to bird’s-eye views of the valley. I discovered, the gondola also cuts the travel time to the tourist town of Patnitop by more than an hour.
Patnitop and beyond
For a long time, Patnitop has been a popular getaway for Jammu residents, who need to beat the summer heat in the plains. Fun fact: Jammu is located at a much lower altitude (327 metres) than Bengaluru. Located at an altitude above 2,000 metres, the tourist town of Patnitop offers a variety of smaller resorts and homestay accommodations. While the town can get busy with day trippers and weekend visitors, I’d suggest making extra time to explore the area around Patnitop. There are multiple trails that lead to the misty pine forests in and around town.
Watch bees and flowers as you explore the area around Patnitop
While I opted for one of the shorter treks and was content photographing bees and butterflies up close, the area offers some challenging treks, including one that leads to Shiv Garh. This day-long return trek winds through pine forests and offers views of mountain towns like Kud, famous for its sinful sweet treat, the kud patisa.
Food trails
This century-old Prem Sweets is a local legend in Kud, and one of the best-known spots to try kud patisa
After a short trek through the woods, I opted for the easy route to Kud to sample the mountain town’s most popular export. Prem Sweets is a local legend in Kud. This sweet shop, which dates back almost a century, is one of the best-known spots to try a local delicacy — the kud patisa. The recipe is a closely guarded secret in the region. Think of it as a tastier, flakier version of soan papdi, combining ghee with sugar and besan. It tastes best when enjoyed as a free sample at the shop, made fresh daily, and doesn’t quite have the same flavour once packed into boxes and exposed to the humidity of the plains.
Kud was always a popular pitstop for travellers heading to Srinagar on NH44 from Jammu before the new Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel allowed travellers to bypass Kud. Another local delicacy I enjoyed in Kud was the unique, traditionally ripened cheese called kalari. It might remind you of mozzarella with its stretchy texture, and several stalls in town slide this into kalari burgers — a must-try street treat.
Adrenaline highs
A mountain biking trail that offers beautiful views and glimpses of rural life in the region
I began my third day at Skyview by Empyrean determined to embrace the outdoors, and the resort’s activity desk ensured I wasn’t disappointed. The day started with a mountain biking trail that offered beautiful views and glimpses of rural life in the region. After more than an hour of huffing and puffing through the high-altitude trails, it was time to head back for more action at the resort. While I’m no stranger to zip-lining, the course at Skyview presented an intriguing challenge. This zigzag line (Asia’s longest, according to Skyview) features a DIY element, where you have to switch lines by unfastening and fastening your harness, adding a cool ‘twist’ to the classic zip-lining experience. The action culminated with a thrilling ride on the tubing sledge that is certainly not recommended for the faint hearted.
The zipline, where you have to switch lines by unfastening and fastening your harness, (right) a thrilling ride on the tubing sledge
After an action-packed morning and a weekend full of fun trails, it was time to take in the views and unwind with local flavours, including khatta mutton curry, a staple of the Dogri community in Jammu, at the Banana Leaf restaurant in Skyview. It was a final chance to savour the views and reflect on an engaging trip at a destination that offers a great detour for anyone travelling to Jammu or the Vaishno Devi temple in Katra.
