Places to visit near Vaishno Devi


Baba Dhansar

On the way from Katra to Salal Dam, at a distance of about 14 - 15 Kms. from Katra, there is a temple of Lord Shiva with a naturally forming Shivling. The shivling is formed by a constant stream of water droplets. The water comes from a holy rivulet, which, in turn results from a huge spring that emerges from upper rocks. The spring gives rise to a number of small cascading waterfalls before forming the rivulet. The whole scene of dense groves, gurgling water in cascading waterfalls, and the serenity at the place is spell-binding. 

The place is well-known locally due to A big fair, which is held here during Shivratri. To cater to the flow of the pilgrims at that time, and even otherwise, a Dharmshala has been constructed by the Shrine Board with basic amenities.


Shivkhori 
 
Another well-known place, Shivkhori is located at a distance of 70 Kms from Katra. It is known as an abode of Lord Shiv and is famous for a Naturally - Forming 4 Feet high Shivling at the heart of a deep cave. The ling is formed by water dripping from the top of the cave. The cave is a real wonder in itself as it measures nearly half a kilometer in length and is in the shape of Lord Shiv's Damroo i.e. wide at the two ends while very congested at the center. The shape is quite interesting as at certain places, the cave is so narrow that a person can barely crawl through the passage, whereas, at several places, it is over a hundred feet wide and quite high. 

Shivkhori, like Baba Dhansar, is famous for a major fair on Shivratri. The place is well connected to Katra / Jammu by road with some buses connecting the places. Taxis are also available at Jammu / Katra to Shivkhori.


Jammu

It is the main city in the region and has several places of tourist interest. It is the main entry point in the region as it has the Jammu Tawi Railway Station as well as the Inter-State Bus Terminus. There are 2 major routes branching out from Jammu, one leading to Nowshera and Rajouri, while the other splits midway to connect to Vaishno Devi and Katra at one end and to Udhampur at the other end. The route to Udhampur further goes to Kud and Patnitop.................. Read More about Jammu




Map of Tourist Places near Vaishno Devi