Hi, everyone! This week, let’s continue our Kashmir trip to the Shankaracharya Temple and stay at the Mughal Sheraton Houseboat, a very beautiful and comfortable houseboat in Kashmir ✨ ✨ ✨
Okay, so the next day, M picked me up from my hotel before latter stopped somewhere to pass the car to the new driver. On the way, suddenly he said,
M: “This is the Clock Tower. Do you want to stop and take photos?”
Oooh… the tour company really took my feedback seriously. M improved overnight. I said ‘yes’, went down, and asked strangers to help me take some photos.
After I was done, I returned to the car and we waited for a while until the new driver arrived.
M: “Actually, I’m sick,” he said.
Me: “Ooh… Get well soon,” I said in a flat tone.
When writing this blog post, I felt so relieved that I asked for a new driver. Not only because I was unhappy with M, but the Kashmir trip turned out to be very challenging for drivers.
For example, there were days when the temperature dropped very low, around a 5-10 hour drive with high altitude, etc… Even my new driver felt dizzy because of a lack of oxygen.
Oh, did I mention that the road on the mountain was very winding? And sometimes it was very bumpy.
So… imagine M, who was sick, continued being my driver. He would suffer and put both of us in danger 😨 😨 😨
So guys, follow your intuition and don’t be afraid to be the ‘bad guys’. You’re the one who can make or break the solo trip — it’s your call! 😉
Me: “Do you know the new driver?”
M: “Yes, he’s my brother.”
Me: “Oh, brother as in, your biological brother?”
M: “Yes, my biological brother.”
Me: “Oh okay… Thank you,” I handed him a tip.
M: “Thank you.”
Not long after, a local man approached the car. M talked to him for a while, then passed the car key to him.
Showkat (my new driver): “Hello ma’am, I’m Showkat. I will be your new driver.”
Me: “Hi, Showkat! Thank you for accepting the job although it’s very last minute.”
Showkat: “No worries, ma’am. Now we will go to the Shankaracharya Temple.”
Me: “Okay! By the way, M says you’re his biological brother?”
Showkat: “No, he’s my ex-colleague.”
Me: 😅 😅 😅
Alright, Shankaracharya Temple and Mughal Sheraton Houseboat, here I come!
Shankaracharya Temple, a Temple on Top of a Hill
The atmosphere was a bit stiff on the first day Showkat showed up as my driver. I could tell that he was careful and gave his best effort for me, the girl who let go of her driver on Day 3.
I understood it was natural for him to be like that. Maybe over time the ice would break and the atmosphere would be more relaxed, hehe!
Showkat spoke good English, was polite, had good driving skills, and was proactive. For example, whenever he had difficulty telling me something in English, he would use AI to translate it.
And then, there were small details and efforts that I noticed. So yes, I was very happy to have him as my driver in Srinagar!
Showkat: “Ma’am, do you see the temple on top of that hill? It’s Shankaracharya Temple,” he said.
Me: “Ooh… we’re going there, right?”
Showkat: “Yes.”
The Shankaracharya Temple is a Hindu shrine located on the Takht-e-Suleiman hill. To visit the temple, you had to climb some stairs and take off your shoes before entering the shrine.
There was nothing much to see at the Shankaracharya Temple, but I would still recommend you to visit this temple when you travel to Kashmir.
The Shankaracharya Temple is known as the most important pilgrimage site and the holiest Hindu shrine in Kashmir.
As you climb the stairs, you can see beautiful views of Dal Lake and the surrounding city.
I went to the temple alone while Showkat parked the car. After passing the security checkpoint, I climbed some stairs and took some photos before reaching the shrine.
Everyone left their shoes and slippers in the common area before entering the shrine. Don’t worry, nobody will steal your shoes and slippers! 😊
I met a local man who asked me to help him take some photos. I also asked him to help me take some photos, hehe!
Upon returning to the car park area, I saw some volunteers making bread and serving free food, like the ones at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
After visitting Shankaracharya Temple, I had lunch and checked into my houseboat. Actually, in the itinerary, I was supposed to visit two gardens.
However, since it was still cold, I doubted the flowers were already fully bloomed. Besides, I booked a wonderful houseboat; I wanted to check in early and take some photos 📸 🤩 🌊
Also read: “Oh Lucky Day! Visitting Tulip Garden in Srinagar”
Also read: “Gulmarg Gondola and the Wonderful Khyber Himalayan Resort & Spa”
Mughal Sheraton Houseboat, a Srinagar Houseboat with Beautiful Interior Design
If you’ve been following my blog post, you may remember that this Kashmir solo trip was my belated birthday present to myself.
Since I don’t plan to travel to Kashmir twice, I booked a very famous and beautiful houseboat in Srinagar, the Mughal Sheraton Houseboat.
I’d never stayed overnight on a houseboat before, so I was excited! I did some research about other Srinagar houseboats too, but I liked Mughal Sheraton Houseboat the most.
To reach my houseboat, I had to take a shikara (boat) ride. Luckily, I travelled solo, as I was worried the boat would be overturned because of me + my luggage.
Actually, the deluxe Srinagar houseboat my tour company proposed was also nice. It was also exotic and decorated in Mughal style. However, I felt the interior design was too chaotic…
So, the Mughal-style design usually has complicated flower patterns. If it’s applied everywhere, like the carpet + walls + curtain = the room becomes chaotic = not peaceful for resting.
I chose the Mughal Sheraton Houseboat mainly because of the interior design – it was Mughal style, elegant, and not chaotic. I felt at ease resting in such a houseboat.
Even better, it was considered the best houseboat in Srinagar!! ✨ ✨ ✨
Upon arrival, Ahmad, the houseboat owner, greeted me. He sat behind the reception table, asked me some questions, then continued writing.
While he was filling in my check-in papers, I marvelled at the interior design, set my tripod, and took some photos. Better do the photo shoot now while the lounge was still empty!
Ahmad: “Miss Clara, you booked a normal room. I’m upgrading you to a suite.”
Me: “Wooow, really?? Thank you so much!!!” 🤩 🤩 🤩
Hooraaay, a suite! I’d never stayed in a suite before, and this time it was a suite on a houseboat. What an experience! 🎉 🎉 🎉
I don’t know why he chose to upgrade me to a suite. There were some couples on the houseboat, a big room would suit them more than a solo traveller like me, right?
Well, let’s say I was very lucky 😁 😁 😁
Actually, between the normal room and the suite room at the Mughal Sheraton Houseboat Srinagar, there are only two things that differentiate them: the suite room has a jacuzzi and a steam shower ✨✨✨
I told the owner that I wanted to have the included shikara ride around Dal Lake at 4 pm. This way, I would have enough time to check out my room and take photos, hehe! 📸 📸 📸
Also read: “Am I Weird? Decoding Autonomy”
Also read: “Amritsar Day Trip and Welcomhotel Amritsar Review”
Afternoon Shikara Ride on Dal Lake, Srinagar
When my shikara arrived, I was so happy as it was very beautiful! The decoration was lovey-dovey like it was Valentine’s Day, haha… It should be for a couple 🩷 🩷 🩷
But it’s okay, let’s call this moment solomaxxing, hehe! 😁
My shikara ride around Dal Lake, Srinagar took about an hour. I saw the floating market and many houseboats.
Oh ya, before dropping me off at the Mughal Sheraton Houseboat, Showkat advised me not to buy anything from the houseboat and the floating market because the prices would be expensive.
So, then my boatman asked if I wanted to stop by some shops to take a look or buy souvenirs, I said ‘no’. I just wanted to have a leisurely boat ride in the afternoon.
I could see some floating shops sold pashmina, winter jackets, etc… Some boats also sold hot drinks, snacks, and handicrafts.
The view around Dal Lake was beautiful, especially the mountains. If only the lake were cleaner, it would be a different story. Anyway, I enjoyed my shikara ride 😊
Also read: “One Day in Pushkar, India”
Also read: “Why Couples Should Travel to Udaipur, Venice of the East”
Jacuzzi and Dinner on the Mughal Sheraton Houseboat, Srinagar
When I returned to my houseboat, I told Ahmad that I wanted to use the jacuzzi. He told me the preparation to warm the water would take around 30 minutes, because it would need a lot of water.
Once the hot water was ready, he showed me how to use the jacuzzi. It turned out, the jacuzzi and steam shower in the Mughal Sheraton Houseboat’s suite room weren’t ordinary.
They were built with a radio! 👀 👀 👀
The jacuzzi itself was very cool. There were different kinds of settings too!
For example, you can have the water in your jacuzzi bubbling, or have the water move like a fan to massage your back, or move like the wind, etc…
Did I tell you that you can have neon lights in the jacuzzi and steam shower area? If you turn off the bathroom lights, you can play music and have a water rave 😂 😂 😂
Then Ahmad showed me how to use the jacuzzi and steam shower. While he was filling the jacuzzi water for me, I asked him some questions.
Me: “You take care of this houseboat very well! It’s very clean, comfortable and with this cool jacuzzi…”
Ahmad: “Yes. Actually, this houseboat has already existed for a long time. It’s like a part of history.”
Me: “Oh, really? But you did some renovation, right?”
Ahmad: “Yes, just a little bit, for example, the wood. We preserve the design and most of the layout.”
Me: “I see… The suite is very beautiful! It’s elegant and the design isn’t chaotic. I heard this is the best houseboat in Srinagar?”
Ahmad: “Yes, many famous people stayed here.”😊 😊 😊
Me: “Who stayed in this room? Shah Rukh Khan? The Indian prime minister?” 😁😁😁
Ahmad: “Many… (and he indirectly agreed on Shah Rukh Khan) One of them is the national cricket team’s captain.”
Me: “Ooh… Thank you so much for upgrading me!” ✨ 🙏 ✨
I enjoyed my jacuzzi time because the weather started to get chilly. There’s no AC on the houseboat, but luckily I came during winter, so it was cold in the evening.
After that, I went to the living room to have my dinner at around 8pm. Although there were less than 10 guests on the boat, but Mughal Sheraton Houseboat served a buffet-style dinner.
There were chicken, mutton, vegetables, basmati rice, vegetarian options, dessert, and fruits. As I walked to my table, suddenly my feet tripped and… voila!
Everything on my plate landed on the beautiful carpet.
THE CURRY. THE RICE. EVERYTHING.
At that time, there were only me, a male guest, and the cook in the living room. All of us were stunned for a few seconds with our mouths open.
Me: “Oh my god, I’m SO SORRY…!!! I’m sorry, you just cooked all of these… and the carpet!!” 😱 😱 😱
I quickly took some tissues and cleaned up the mess. I even went to the kitchen, grabbed a wet cloth, and used water mixed with soap so the carpet wouldn’t be stained.
I felt super bad, especially there was only one cook on the boat, he cooked all of the food… And I wasn’t sure if the carpet would be stained (it’s curry!!).
Plus, that man wasn’t just a cook; he was also the porter, the one who cleaned the rooms, etc etc… Basically, I felt like a horrible guest who made his life harder 😭 😭 😭
Meanwhile, the guy who was waiting for his girlfriend/wife looked like he was unsure if he should laugh or not 🤣
But the cook assured me that it was fine, I didn’t have to clean it…
Luckily, there was no stain on the carpet. By the time other guests arrived for dinner, the carpet looked fine as if nothing had happened ✨ 🙏 ✨
…and that guy who witnessed the incident was still chuckling when he shared the story with his gf/wife 😆 😆 😆
Alright guys, I hope you enjoyed our trip visitting the Shankaracharya Temple and staying on the Mughal Sheraton Houseboat in Srinagar.
By the way, the bed on the Mughal Sheraton Houseboat was very comfy… I slept like a baby, hehe! Thank you so much, Ahmad, for upgrading me to a suite and the warm hospitality! 🙏 🙏 🙏
Thank you too for reading this blog post, have a wonderful week ahead! 🌷 🌷 🌷
Also read: “Baliem Valley Festival Budget Tour: Day 1”
Also read: “Baliem Valley Festival Budget Tour: Day 2”
Click here to read more about travel stories…
