Details

Category: ENVIRONMENT

Published: 01 October 2017

• Prominent adventurer and travel author Garry Weare calls for lifting travel advisory on Kashmir

SRINAGAR: Prominent adventurer and author of travel books, Garry Weare, who is on a tour in Kashmir as part of a group of 13 travelers from Australia, Sunday said that travel advisory on Kashmir by various countries should be reconsidered. He said travel advisory on Kashmir is a misplaced regulation, saying travelling to Kashmir is as safe or unsafe as anywhere in the world, adding that Kashmir is more safe and hospitable than a lot of places around the world.

Garry Weare has travelled extensively into the Indian Himalayas and has led over 100 trekking groups to Kashmir mountains since his first travelling group here in 1973. He said Kashmir offers a rich cultural heritage and unmatched beauty and that foreigners find themselves mesmerized by many an attraction upon arriving here. Garry has authored several books prominent among those being A Long Walk in the Himalaya: A Trek from the Gangotri to Kashmir, Everest: Reflections From The Top, Trekking in the Indian Himalaya and Rethinking Africa's Globalization: The Intellectual Challenges.

During his travels into the Himalayas, Garry discovered many trekking routes in the mountain ranges. The explorations have attracted travelers from many countries since. Garry’s upcoming book is inspired by Kashmir’s rich culture, art, craft and landscape. “I hope it will inspire more travelers to come to Kashmir and lead to lifting of travel advisory on Kashmir”, he said. Director Tourism Kashmir,  Mahmmod A Shah, speaking in reference to it, has thanked Garry Weare and his group for travelling to Kashmir and his ambassadorship. He said growing number of tourists are now visiting Kashmir and find themselves in love with everything that the place offers, adding that the Tourism Department is exploring new means to tap more foreign market and encouraging them to travel to Kashmir.