30/07/2020
We are pleased to inform that Tourism department would permit trekking activities in the Kashmir region with certain guidelines in place that we have to adhere to, kindly refer the following list as per the government order w.e.f 14/07/2020
1. General
a) These guidelines apply to entry of tourist to the union territory of J&K in phase-1.
b) In this phase, there will be a partial opening of the tourism sector for external visitors from outside J&K, limited to tourists arriving by air only.
c) All in-coming tourist must have confirmed hotel bookings for the duration of the stay. (for trekkers the day 1 and the last day hotel bookings at Srinagar as informed by the tourism director).
d) All incoming tourist must have confirmed return air tickets to any place outside J&K, either to their departure point or any other destination.
e) There shall be compulsory RTPCR testing of all tourist on arrival.
f) Taxis/transport facility has to be pre-booked through hotel/travel agency, for which procedures will be put in place by tourism department (to be mentioned on the website of J&K Tourism).
g) Tourists above the age of 65 should avoid coming on a tourism holiday.
h) The Tourism department will make arrangements to ensure that guidelines are followed in all respects.
2. Arrival, Testing, and Accommodations
a) Tourists have to mandatorily pre-book their accommodation online in hotels, houseboats or guesthouses etc. The proof of the same shall be checked on arrival. Taxis/transport to the hotel shall be checked on arrival. Taxis/Transport to the hotel shall also be pre-booked by the hotels/travel agencies. The list of such hotels and travel agencies will be available on the website of J&K tourism.
b) Only tourist coming by air shall be permitted. On arrival, there shall be compulsory RTPCR testing of all the tourists at the airport of arrival.
c) Till the test results show a negative result for COVID 19, a tourist will remain in the hotel where the booking has been made and shall not be permitted to move out. A form to this effect shall have to be signed at the airport. The test result will normally arrive within 24 hours except in special circumstances. The hotel management shall be required to ensure compliance with this protocol.
d) Those tourist arriving with COVID negative reports from their departure points will not be required to remain isolated in hotels. They shall, however, be also required to give their sample for RTPCR testing on arrival at the airport.
e) Tourists testing positive will be sent for treatment to a medical facility as per protocol.
3. Pick up facility.
Travel agents, hotels, houseboats and guesthouses shall provide pick-up facility from the airport for their tourist guests. Prescribed social distancing norms shall be followed everywhere during transportation.
4. Aarogya Setu
All tourists should have the Aarogya Setu app installed on their phones and shall be checked for ‘safe’ status on the aarogya setu app at the time of arrival before entering the premises.
5. Departure.
The hotels, houseboats and guest houses or the travel agents will arrange for transport of the tourists to the airport for their departure from J&K.
