Drung, Gulmarg.

Drung, a small village is a beautiful tourist spot in the Tangmarg tehsil of Gulmarg, Baramulla. It is around 50 kilometers away from the capital city of Kashmir, Srinagar. Quite often people who visit Kashmir because of huge social media appeal only visit places like Gulmarg, Pahalgam which makes them miss out on this quite little place which is nestled just around 10 kilometers away from Tangmarg. 

 Drung as I’ve mentioned is a village but what attracts the locals as much as the tourists here is the towering waterfall which merges with the water streams flowing from the glaciers & that makes it a sight to behold. The drive towards Drung although quite narrow is simply beautiful as it the road runs through deep pine forest where the old mud houses are at show. The place remains accessible throughout the year & looks spectacular in all the seasons whether that be in the pleasant summer or the chilling winter.

There are one or two hotels near Drung which were build recently as the place has hit spotlight in recent years. In today’s blog I wanted to share my contrasting experiences of visiting Drung in both summer as well as winter. In the summer, the place looks absolutely radiant. With all the greenery around & the bright & scenic waterfall in the middle of it, Drung remains a must visit place for all as it is quite near to the city. One can see scores of people enjoying a day out with their friends & family here. The view & the ambience of the gushing waters of the glaciers and the waterfall is mesmerizing & when you put you feet in the cold glacier water, it really hits different. It is like a therapy to the body, mind & soul. 

I’ve visited Drung in the summertime a lot of times & every time I visit it is an experience to remember for eternity but what inspired me to write a blog on Drung are the experiences I’ve had when I’ve visited this majestic place in the winters. 

In the dead silence of the winters when everything rests under a blanket of snow, this place shows it’s true nature. Because of extremely low temperature, the waterfall freezes just like everything that surrounds it. Unlike in the summers, only a handful of people visit Drung but I truly believe the Drung looks so much more beautiful in the winters. I can stare at the frozen waterfall all day long while sipping a cup of hot tea which the locals provide as there are a few tea stalls which remain open all throughout the year. The whole aura of the place becomes quite & peaceful in the winters. 

The experiences of visiting drung in summer & winter are different & unique in their own way but what remains constant is the fact that Drung retains its charm all through the year. In summers, this place is for people who like to relax and have a fun time with their friends and family but if adventure & offbeat is what you crave for, a visit to Drung in winters is a must. As tourism has finally started to bloom again in Kashmir, for all of you visiting Kashmir, Drung is a place that should be high priority on your visit list.