Doodhpathri, Budgam

About Doodhpathri

Doodhpathri means valley of milk. The name is said to come from the white, frothy streams that run through it. It is a wide, rolling meadow in Budgam district, surrounded by pine and fir forest, at a height similar to Gulmarg.

There is no gondola or large market here, which is the main reason to come. Families spread out on the grass, children play by the streams, and ponies take visitors to viewpoints and further meadows. The Shaliganga stream is the best-known spot.

Doodhpathri has far fewer hotels than Gulmarg or Pahalgam, so it is usually visited as a day trip from Srinagar. Food options are basic, and in winter heavy snow can close the road. The drive itself is part of the trip. The road leaves the Srinagar suburbs, passes through villages and orchards in Budgam district, and then climbs through forest to the meadow. In summer, nomadic herders bring their sheep and cattle up to graze, and you may see their seasonal huts on the edges of the grassland.