Cab Booking Scam – Cabs in Kashmir Are Exorbitantly Priced

When you leave the airport, you’ll encounter many cab drivers. This is a common sight at every airport, but Kashmir is different. You’ll find a taxi stand at every tourist spot, such as Pahalgam and Gulmarg.

It was midnight when I reached Jammu. I approached a nearby taxi union to go to Pahalgam. Initially, they asked for three thousand rupees, then two thousand rupees. However, we decided not to go at that time. Instead, we opted to spend the night and arrange for local transport in the morning. We faced another problem when we tried to find a hotel using local transport called Tuktuki. We wandered the streets of Jammu but couldn’t find any hotels because a special permit is required to accommodate foreigners, which many hotels didn’t have. After much searching, we finally found a hotel, but the rent was much higher. It was almost one o’clock in the morning when, after many requests, we managed to secure a room for four hours for one thousand rupees. The next morning, we went to Pahalgam for five hundred rupees.

Taxi drivers charge significantly higher prices, sometimes doubling or tripling the fare. You cannot hire any other cab except a local one in different places in Kashmir, and they often inflate the fare.

Pro Tip: First, find out the fare from the taxi stand; there are fare details written on a board. However, don’t hire a taxi from the stand. Walk a little further, and you’ll find many taxis. Bargain with them and negotiate the fare.

Always try to use Google Maps. If you have internet access, it’s not a problem. If you don’t have internet access, try to use offline Google Maps.

Local Souvenirs Pashmina Shawl Scam – Everyone Sells Real Shawls

If you plan to buy something local in Kashmir, the first thing that comes to mind is the shawl, particularly the Pashmina shawl. Pashmina shawls are sold everywhere you go, and almost everyone claims to sell genuine Pashmina shawls. It’s quite amusing.

I can’t provide a guide on how to recognize an original Pashmina shawl because I’m not familiar with them. What I can say is that these shawls are very expensive, and it takes up to five years to make one. I bought one with the help of a local.

Pony Ride Scam – Pony Owners Try to Mislead

From hiking trails to gondolas, you’ll find ponies almost everywhere you go in Kashmir. Pony owners will approach you, and it’s not just one or two; sometimes, ten or fifteen people will surround you. Each will try to mislead you in different ways.

We only intended to hike, but we ended up taking a pony ride. As an adventure lover, I initially wanted to hike, but after a full day of visiting different places in Pahalgam, we were tired, and it started raining heavily. The roads became muddy, so we decided to take a pony ride. However, after the ride, I realized I would have missed out on a great experience if I hadn’t taken the pony ride.

The path our pony took was incredibly adventurous, with water flowing on one side of the high hill and a twenty-meter low trail on the other side, along with numerous rocks. The pony I rode was quite fast, and there were moments when I felt scared, but overall, it was a fantastic experience.

We specifically wanted to see Baisaran Valley (Mini Switzerland). Every pony owner we spoke to about it would say, “Just go to Baisaran Valley. I’ll show you five places; come with me.” When we asked about the rent, they quoted prices ranging from 1500 to 3000 rupees per person, claiming Baisaran Valley was 5 kilometers away. We were unsure what to do until we met someone we knew who advised us otherwise. He said, “You don’t need to visit four or five places. If you go to Baisaran Valley, you’ll see two or three more valleys on the way.” He also mentioned that the claimed 5 kilometers was inaccurate; it only takes 25 to 30 minutes to reach Baisaran Valley by horse. After negotiating, we hired six ponies for 500 rupees each.

Pro Tips: Communicate well with each pony owner to understand what they’ll show you and negotiate the rent. Often, a portion of the rent goes to a shepherd guiding the horses, who may try to emotionally manipulate you by claiming they’re paid less and ask for tips.

Snow Scam (You Can’t Find Snow or Ice Everywhere)

The same applies to Gulmarg and Sonmarg as it does to Pahalgam. If you’re traveling in the summer, you won’t find ice or snow everywhere. However, pony owners in Gulmarg and Sonmarg may try to deceive you by claiming they’ll show you ice or snow.

They may also try to mislead you about distances. For example, the distance from Gulmarg Taxi Stand to Gulmarg Gondola is only 1 kilometer, with signs indicating distances to various places. However, pony owners and taxi drivers may try to confuse you, insisting that the Gondolas are much farther away and encouraging you to hire a cab or pony. Don’t fall for it; walking allows you to enjoy the street views and only takes 15 to 20 minutes.

Snow Clothes, Boots, and Ski Equipment Renting Scam – Exorbitant Prices for Renting

In places like Gulmarg or Sonmarg, you may need to rent clothes, boots, or ski equipment. There’s often a syndicate in place, and renting such items can be expensive. For example, we were initially quoted 500 rupees for each set (one boot and one jacket) for just one day, but after negotiating, we managed to reduce it to 150 rupees.

The same applies when renting ski equipment; prices may be inflated, so be sure to negotiate.

Activities Scam – They keep trying to fool

When I entered the Gulmarg area, two or three people approached us, offering various activities. Although we initially had no intention of participating, we eventually agreed to sled with one of them.

However, he cheated us by promising a 100-meter slide but delivering less than twenty meters. We promptly canceled the activity.

Be cautious when engaging in activities, and negotiate prices as operators often ask for 5 to 10 times the normal price.

Shikara (Boat) Ride Scam – Dal Lake Shikara Rides are Exorbitantly Priced

On our last day in Kashmir, we left our hotel in Srinagar and heard about a houseboat fire the previous night that claimed three lives. Although we didn’t stay in a houseboat or visit Dal Lake, I wanted to explore Dal Lake.

We tried to rent a boat for an hour, but the boat drivers quoted exorbitant fares ranging from 2000 to 3000 rupees per hour. After much bargaining, we managed to negotiate the fare down to 800 rupees for two boats for an hour. However, the boatman sailed rather slowly, and despite our requests to speed up, he continued at his own pace.

Pro Tips: Always bargain with boat owners, and avoid shopping at shops on Dal Lake as prices are inflated. You can find similar items at lower prices in the Srinagar market. Additionally, standing or shopping at these shops eats into your time, as boat owners usually count the time spent.

Regarding Houseboats

We chose not to stay in a houseboat on Dal Lake due to a recent tragedy where three people lost their lives in a houseboat fire. You can find more information in the following article.