Find The Best Hotel In Katra, Jammu Isn?t The Only Place To Stay

Posted by Jyoti Kapoor on February 6th, 2019

For most of us, a trip to the beautiful state of Jammu and Kashmir is synonymous with a trip to the Vaishno Devi temple. The shrine is perched on a hill at a height of 1615m above sea level and getting there involves an arduous trek. Thus, find a good place to stay is crucial. Once upon a time, almost all pilgrims made Jammu their base but today, this has changed. Today, it is easy to find a good hotel in Katra. Jammu is over an hour and a half away and thus staying in Katra, near the trek’s starting point, is a much better idea.

Types of Hotels in Katra

There are many different types of hotels in Katra. These range from budget homestays to luxury resorts. While some hotels have restaurants on the premises and offer room service, others are just a short walk away from cafes that offer local specialties. Most people choose to stay at the hotels that are close to the trek’s starting point. Most hotels will help you get your registration done and may even help arrange for porters and horses for the trek. Many hotels offer complimentary Wi-Fi and some even have ATMs on their premises. This can be quite useful as the shops along the trek uphill may only accept cash.

Getting to Katra

Once you find a good hotel in Katra, Jammu and its hotels seem very far off. However, for pilgrims coming by air, Jammu is still the closest airport. The distance between Jammu and Katra is about 50km. This may be covered in an hour and a half by road. You can travel by private cabs or by bus. Taxis are also offered on a per seat basis wherein you will be sharing the taxi with other travelers. This is often a good balance between budget travelling and comfort. You can even hire a car and drive yourself to and from Katra. Parking is usually available at all hotels. One can also travel from Jammu to Katra by train. This journey takes about 2 hours.

The Pilgrimage

The 12km climb up to Vaishno Devi may be made on foot or on a pony. For all practical purposes, Katra serves as the base camp for this pilgrimage. Before starting out, one must collect the registration slip at the Yatri registration counter. There is no fee charged for registration. From here, pilgrims can take a taxi or autorickshaw to Banganga from where the trek begins. People who choose to walk up can choose between a route with steps and a gradual slope.

For many Hindus, a yearly trip to Vaishno Devi is a must. The earlier you plan your trip, the easier it will be to get accommodation. Hence, as soon as you’ve booked your tickets, start looking for a hotel in Katra, Jammu or Udhampur (if all the hotels in Katra are booked). Once you’ve got this organized, all that’s left to do is pack your bags.