Betaab valley is a gorgeous expanse by the Lidder river, offering panoramic views of the Himalayas. Its landscape looks picture-perfect with a carpet of emerald green interrupted by a river flowing through it and the snow-clad mountains in the background. It is covered by a thick forest of deodar and pine trees and is dotted with colourful flowers. The valley also serves as a base camp for trekkers and is a good place to start a further exploration of the mountains. Betaab Valley gained prominence after the Sunny Deol and Amrita Singh starrer film, Betaab, was shot here in 1983. Thus, the valley was named after the hit film. The valley falls on the way to the famed Amarnath temple yatra and is one of the three stunning valleys of Pahalgam, the other two being Chandanwadi and Aru. It lies halfway along the Chandanwari road and was earlier known as Hagan valley or Hagoon.
Aru is a village, tourist spot in the Anantnag District of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It lies 53km from Anantnag city, the district headquarter. It is located around 12 km from Pahalgam, 11 km upstream from the Lidder River. Noted for its scenic meadows, lakes and mountains, it is a base camp for trekking to the Kolhoi Glacier, Tarsar Lake, Marsar and Herbaghwan Lake. The village lies on the left bank of the Aru river, which is a tributary of the Lidder river. Jammu & Kashmir’s biggest Fodder Seed Product Station is also located in the Aru village.
River Rafting in Pahalgam is usually done in the Lidder River or the Indus River. Depending on the kind of difficulty level you have selected, the journey will commence on either of the rivers. There are three options to choose from when you are planning to raft on the Lidder River – the 2.5 km (Lidder joy ride), the 5 km (Lidder long ride) and the 8 km white water rafting (extra long ride). Each of the courses is filled with grade II to III and IV rapids respectively. The Lidder River is a gushing river with a difficult current and meanders that the rafters will have to tackle. The rafting trip usually starts at the Langanbal Bridge and finishes at Ganeshpura for a distance of 8 km and takes about 45 minutes to finish. The further trip takes you all furthermore down stream. There are many centres and agencies who conduct river rafting in Pahalgam and you need to contact them for making the arrangements.
The white water rafting in Pahalgam on the Indus River is still not that popular and in its infancy. Therefore, it is better to visit the Lidder and enjoy a more thrilling experience. However, beginners and children can practice here easily. The most difficult and challenging rafting experience in Pahalgam is found at Zanskar River. It has a spectacular course through gorges in between the Zanskar Mountains, and also between Padum and Nimu. This is strictly recommended for experts and highly trained river rafters who have years of experience.
Baisaran Valley, located just 5 kilometers away from Pahalgam in the Anantnag district of Kashmir, is famous as a top sightseeing destination, called mini-Switzerland because of its picturesque beauty. It’s a hilltop green meadow dotted with dense pine forests and surrounded by snowcapped mountains. This famous offbeat tourist place in Jammu and Kashmir is great for those wanting to spend a quiet time in the company of nature. It also serves as a campsite for trekkers going to Tulian Lake. Some of the famous tourist points which you can see en route to Baisaran are Kanimarg, Pahalgam Old Village, Kashmir Valley Point, Dabyan and Deon Valley Point. You can also enjoy panoramic sights of Pahalgam town & Lidder Valley from here.