Dubbed as the winter capital of Jammu & Kashmir, Jammu is a beautiful destination to be visited and explored. It has much to offer its tourists, from ancient temples and shrines to charming lakes and mountains, from museums and forts to wildlife sanctuaries, Jammu has everything. It also hosts number of festivals for tourists to attend and boasts of some great trekking trails for trekkers and hikers. Let us take a look at some of the things to do for tourists while in Jammu.

One of the most popular trekking trails in Jammu is the 13 km trek up to Vaishno Devi shrine from Katra. It is a mere 2 hours trail but thrilling nevertheless. The area around Mansar Lake also offers opportunities for tourists to trek. Trek to the shrine of Machail Mata covering a distance of 32 km from Gulabgarh is quite fascinating. Jammu serves as the base for several treks.

Bahu Mela is one of the most popular fairs celebrated by locals in Jammu every year. It takes place during Ramnavami and people come together near the Kali temple. The mela is a fun affair, complete with rides, ice creams, snake charmers and lip-smacking street food. It is a good time to enjoy a local fair which is bursting with local flavours.

Poonch is a charming picturesque town in Jammu which must be explored. It is a treat for the eyes and the best way to enjoy its beauty is not by driving to Poonch but taking a helicopter ride from Jammu. From the helicopter tourists are treated to the magnificent Pir Panjal Range and an aerial view of the enchanting landscape.

This is another beautiful locale in Jammu and a popular picnic spot for tourists. Surrounded by green forests and hills it is indeed a great getaway from Jammu. A 2 hours drive from Jammu will take tourists to the lake where they can spend few hours roaming around the place and enjoying the serenity of the surroundings. Tourists can go boating in the calm waters and some even indulge in fishing.

Jeep safaris are very popular in the rocky and rugged terrains of Jammu while camel safaris are perfect for enjoying the beautiful landscapes of the region. It is the best way to enjoy the local flavours of Jammu and soak in the beauty of the enthralling valleys and villages.

Known as the City of Temples, Jammu has several temples and shrines scattered across the region. Among the most popular in the district and in the country is Vaishno Devi temple. It is located at an altitude of 5200 feet; Mata Ka Bhavan is a 13 km trek from Katra. It is one of the most revered shrines of the country and is visited by thousands of pilgrims every year. Shiv Khori Cave is a naturally formed Shivling inside a cave. It is another popular pilgrimage spot in the area after Vaishno Devi. Shiv Khori Festival is celebrated every year on the eve of Shivratri. Apart from these there is Sudh Mahadev Temple, Krimchi Temples, Mantalai, Gauri Kund, Kailash Kund, Shri Budha Amarnath Temple etc.

Visiting Jammu without tasting its flavourful cuisine and Dogra dishes would be missing out an essential part of the trip. Kashmiri Pulao, Rajma, Patisa, Aloo Dum are among the most delicious dishes in the region. Every morsel of food is bursting with flavours and the dishes are mouth-watering. Jammu is equally popular for sweet items like Sund Panjeeri, Patisa, Chocolate Barfi and Kalaadi. Dogra dishes like Khatta meat, Kulthein di Dal, Phirni, Ambal, Dal Patt, Auriya are equally popular among tourists. Some of the best places to dine in are Moti Mahal, Imperial Grill Restaurant, Falak Revolving Restaurant etc.

Shopping is one of the major attractions in Jammu. Gole market is a popular commercial area in Jammu which has several shops selling goods ranging from shawls, bangles, curios, clothes etc. Raghunath Bazaar is another popular shopping area which too shares a variety of goods and delicious dry fruits. Hari Market, Boota Ram Market, Jain Bazaar, JDA Complex etc are some famous shopping markets and complexes in Jammu. Handicrafts, carpets, woollens etc are some of the popular items on sale here, which tourists pick up as souvenirs of their trip.