Patnitop

Things To Do In Patnitop

One of the most beautiful hill stations in the country, Patnitop is located around 100 km away from Jammu and is known for its picturesque locations and adventure sports. The original name of the hill station was Patan da talab meaning “pond of princess”. Here are a few must do things when visiting Patnitop-
The Naag temple- this 600 old temple in Patnitop is dedicated to the snakes. Thousands of pilgrims from all across the country visit this wooden temple, especially during the festival of Naag panchami. The temple is a treat to eyes as it’s nestled in lush green surroundings and mountains.
Sanasar- another hill station in Jammu, these twin village of sana and sar are located 20 kms away from Patnitop and are named after the lakes of same name. Along with offering peace and serene surroundings to the tourists it also hosts adventure activities like paragliding and camping.
Nathatop- located around 14 kms away from Patnitop and 8 kms away from shanty ridge, Nathatop is an ideal place for nature and adventure lovers. Surrounded by snow covered mountains, it is popular among tourists for sports like paragliding and skiing.
Gaurikund- a natural spring located just 3 kms away from Sudh Mahadev Temple; it is believed that Goddess parvati used to take a bath in this spring. An easy trek of around 2kms leads to this kund. Thousands of religious devotees come to Gaurikund to attend a fair held every year in the month of june in which Shiva and Parvati are worshipped in the form of Uma and Shankar.

Places To See In Patnitop

Sudh mahadev mandir- This lord Shiva temple was built around 2800 years ago at the spot where a Shiva devotee was killed accidentally by trishul. The trishul is in 3 parts and is believed to be of Lord shiva himself. Thousands of shiva devotees visit the temple every year.
Mantalai- known to be the birthplace of goddess Parvati, this spot is situated 17kms away from Patnitop and is surrounded by deodar forest. There is another ancient temple of lord Shiva in Mantamalai.
Mansar lake- located around 80 km away from Patnitop, Mansar Lake is an extremely important part of Hindu mythology. It is believed that this lake is holy and pious and taking a dip in it will rid you of all your sins. Along with this, there is a wildlife sanctuary also in the area which is home to diverse range of flora and fauna.

Food And Shopping In Patnitop

Food
Patnitop is popular among food lovers as it provides yumm food at reasonable prices. North Indian, south Indian and Chinese food items are there on almost every menu. Chocolate barfi, Sund panjeeri and Rice kalaadi are some of the speciality of Patnitop. A iety of pickles is available. From kasrod, grigle,mango, potato- you name it and they have it. Don’t miss tea and snacks available at Nathatop. Khatta meat is another typical jammu dish, which is a must try when in patnitop. Bistro and Hotel Shivalik are some of the famous restaurants in Patnitop.
Shopping
Patnitop is a small hill station and there is not much to take back home. If you are food lover you can take back the famous “patisa” and dry fruits back home. Apart from this kashmiri handicrafts and pashmina shawls and stoles are some other things to take back from patnitop.

How To Reach Patnitop

By Bus
Regular state government buses and private buses run from delhi and other nearby places for jammu by nationwide street 1A. The roads are well built and buses are simple and basic.
By Taxi
Roads are well constructed and regular taxi services run from nearby places of jammu, katra, Srinagar and Punjab. It takes mere 3 hours to reach patnitop from jammu.
By Train
The nearest rail head to Patnitop are in Jammu and Udhampur. These 2 stations are connected to all major cities of the country. cabs and busses are available at the stations to take you to your desired destination.
By Air
The nearest airport to Patnitop is around 100 kms away, in jammu. Regular flights from Delhi and other major cities of the country operate to Jammu. Cabs and busses are available at the airport which helps you reach Patnitop in about 4 hours.
Nearest airport- Jammu civil airport
Distance from nearby places-
Patnitop from jammu-112 km
Patnitop from Srinagar-123 km
Patnitop from katra-81 km
Patnitop from delhi-650 km
Patnitop from simla-470 km
Patnitop from Punjab-333 km
Patnitop from leh-240 km