Everything worth sorting out before you fly into Srinagar or Leh, in the order you will need it. If anything here does not match what your operator has told you, ask us — rules on permits and connectivity in this region do change.
Documents you must carry
- Government photo ID for every guest, including children. Hotels and houseboats in Jammu & Kashmir are required to record ID at check-in, and a photo on a phone is often not accepted — carry the physical card or a printed copy.
- Foreign nationals: passport and a valid Indian visa. Keep a photocopy separate from the original.
- Ladakh permits. Indian nationals need an Inner Line Permit for Nubra Valley, Pangong, Tso Moriri and the Dah-Hanu villages; foreign nationals need a Protected Area Permit instead. Both are arranged in Leh and need ID copies and passport photographs. Tell us your itinerary in advance and we will have the paperwork ready rather than losing a morning to it.
- Driving licence if you plan to hire a self-drive vehicle or a motorcycle.
Phones and internet
This catches out more visitors than anything else on this page. Prepaid SIM cards issued outside Jammu & Kashmir do not work in the region. Postpaid connections roam normally. If you are on prepaid, either switch to postpaid before you travel or plan to be offline outside your hotel Wi-Fi. This has been the position for several years, but confirm with your operator before you fly.
Signal is good in Srinagar, Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Leh, patchy in Sonmarg and the side valleys, and absent for long stretches on the Nubra and Pangong roads. Download your maps and any tickets before you set off for the day.
Money
ATMs are plentiful in Srinagar and reliable in Leh. They thin out quickly beyond that, and machines in smaller towns run dry at weekends and during the season. Draw what you need before leaving the city. Card payment works in hotels and larger shops; shikara wallahs, pony handlers, roadside dhabas and most handicraft sellers are cash only. Keep small notes for tips and short rides.
What to pack, by season
- Spring, March to May. Warm days and genuinely cold evenings. Layers, a fleece, a light waterproof for the showers that come through the valley in April.
- Summer, June to August. Pleasant by day, cool after sunset. Cottons, one warm layer, a hat and high-factor sunscreen — the sun at this altitude is stronger than the temperature suggests.
- Autumn, September to November. The chinars turn and the air sharpens. A proper jacket, closed shoes, gloves by late October.
- Winter, December to February. Sub-zero, snow across the valley. Thermals, an insulated jacket, waterproof boots with grip, gloves and a hat. Skiing kit can be hired in Gulmarg, so there is no need to carry it.
Whatever the month: comfortable walking shoes you have already broken in, sunglasses, a reusable water bottle, and a small daypack. Modest clothing is appreciated at shrines and mosques, and a scarf is useful for covering your head at the ones that ask for it.
Ladakh and altitude
Leh sits at roughly 3,500 metres and the high passes go far higher — Khardung La is 5,359 metres. Almost everyone feels the altitude to some degree on arrival.
- Rest on your first day in Leh and give yourself at least twenty-four hours, ideally forty-eight, before going up to Nubra or Pangong.
- Drink more water than feels necessary and go easy on alcohol for the first two days.
- At the very high passes, stay fifteen to twenty minutes, not longer.
- Headache, breathlessness or nausea that worsens is a signal to descend — going lower is the remedy that works. Tell your driver; every Ladakhi driver knows what to do.
- If you have a heart or lung condition, or you are pregnant, speak to your doctor before booking a high-altitude itinerary.
Getting around
Taxi rates in Kashmir and Ladakh are set by local taxi unions and are fixed by route rather than negotiated. Vehicles are usually changed at district boundaries — that is the local rule, not an operator adding a leg. Roads to Sonmarg, Gurez and the Ladakh passes close in winter and reopen with the snow clearance, so build a spare day into any itinerary that crosses one.
A week before you travel
- Check your SIM is postpaid, or arrange one that is.
- Send us ID copies and photographs if your trip includes Ladakh permits.
- Confirm your arrival flight with us so the airport pickup matches it.
- Pack medicines in your hand luggage with prescriptions, and carry a small first-aid kit.
- Tell us about dietary needs, mobility needs or anything else that shapes the day — it is far easier to plan around before you arrive.
Anything not covered here, call +91 9018 44 0000 or write to info@dukekashmirtravels.com and we will answer properly.