Batote Tourism

Batote is small hill resort located in the lap of Pir Panjal Range of Mountains in the state of Jammu & Kashmir. The place is famous for its natural beauty. The summers are very pleasant here and so lots of people come here in May and June to spend a quite holiday. It is in fact, one of the most popular summer resorts of this area.  

Unlike many other tourist resorts Batote does not have many places of tourist interest in the accepted sense of the word. Most people come here just to gaze at its natural beauty. Others go trekking in the adjoining hills. Bird watching is another popular activity in summer. Once the cold weather sets in, the birds leave for warmer places.

Places to Visit in Batote

The Chenub Gorge close to the city offer excellent view. You can either walk to the spot or take a pony ride. Indeed, ponies are the best means of transport within the town.

Also take time visit Baglihar dam located at a distance of 11 km from the town. It is a run-of-the-river hydroelectric project on Chenub and offers excellent view. Baghu Nala is another place to go; it has a Gurudwara built in the memory of two Kashmiri saints Sant Mela Singh and Sant Rocha Singh.  Otherwise, you can just walk through the pathways

Patnitop near Batote

You may also visit Patnitop, located on NH1A at a distance of 12.3 Km from the town. Once there, try visiting the 2800 years old Sudh Mahadev Temple; it is located at a distance of 15 Km from the town. To reach the temple you need to trek along Shivgarh ridge that offers marvelous view. On a good day, you can traverse the distance in five/six hours.

However, if that seems too tough a trek, try walking up to Billo ki Powri. You can complete the trek within two hours and from there go down paragliding to Kud.  You will be retrieved from there by the organizers. If you are a novice you can a hire a pilot to go with you. Since the city has many small or big hotels, you can also think of spending a night here.

Sanasar near Batote

Sanasar, located at a distance of 19 km from Batote, also offers great scope for paragliding, parasailing and hot air ballooning. There is also ample scope for horse riding, rock climbing and trekking.

While in town, try to visit the 400 years old Shank Pal Temple on the Shank Pal ridge. It is dedicated to Nag Shank Pal. It may find it interest to note that, stones in this temple have been fixed without use of mortar. It takes around five hours of moderate trekking to reach this temple. You can also visit Surni Kund, located at a distance of 2 Km from here; however, this 2 km trek is quite demanding.

Ladoo Ladi and Shanta Gala are two other trekking trails from Sanasar. The later is a pass that offers beautiful view of Panchari Valley located on the other side.

Accommodations in Batote

JKTDC Hotel Alpine run by Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation is the best available accommodation in Batote. The resort offers eco friendly huts complete with bed, drawing and dining facilities. These huts also have kitchens attached with them; consequently, guests can prepare their own food if they wish to. The resort also offers both vegetarian and non vegetarian meals. To book online you may click here. 

We should add that if you are coming here in summer, you must book in advance; otherwise, you may not get any accommodation at Batote. However, if you do have to face such a situation you may go back to Patnitop; you may get some accommodation there.

Best Time to Visit Batote

Summer is the best time to visit Batote. The weather is finest during May and June. However, September and October also draw a lot of tourists.

In general. tourists are not advised to visit Batote in winter because of heavy snowfall that often blocks the roads for days. At the same time, we must add that the town offers a different kind of charm during that time and therefore, if you are ready to brave road blockage you are welcome to come here even in the middle of the winter. In fact, many people come here just to witness that.

How to Reach Batote

Batote is located at the juncture of National Highway 1A and 1B. The city is 125 Km from Jammu and 172 Km from Srinagar. Therefore, if you want to visit Batote, you may first come to Jammu and then take a bus for Batote. Buses that leave for Srinagar, Doda, Bhaderwah and Kishtwar from the General Bus Stand at Jammu compulsorily make a stop at Batote. Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation plies regular buses on these routes.

It generally takes three hours to reach Batote from Jammu. However, if you come via Srinagar it may take five hours to reach the city. Other than J &K SRTC buses, private buses also ply on these routes; you can also avail them. Besides, you can also take a taxi to reach Batote in comfort.