Patnitop Development Authority

Patnitop is a mesmerizing hill top which has become an attractive place for tourists. It is located in Udhampur district of Jammu & Kashmir. The place sits in the lower Himalayan range near to the Pir Panjal range.

Due to the dedicated efforts put in by Patnitop Development Authority (PDA), this place is converted into a fascinating hill resort. The Jammu-Kashmir highway, NH 1A, passes across it. Towns of Kud and Batote are located near this place. The Chenab River flows near this hill top.

It is a hill top, as it is perched on a plateau, which is covered with natural beauty. The plateau is in the Himalayan Shivalik belt.

When visiting this place, tourists do not miss visiting Kud town. Its sweet called Patissa is famous. It melts in the mouth and gives a taste of local sweet cuisine. Batote town is famous for its high quality kidney beans or “rajma.”

History of the Name

The original name of Patnitop is “Patan Da Talab.” It means “Pond of the Princess”. As the folklore goes, in ancient times, there existed a pond in the meadows. A princess used to bathe here. A part of the pond still exists near the youth hostel.

Things to do at Patnitop

Patnitop features thick woods featuring Cedar or Deodhar trees. This place is an ideal picnic spot. It offers spectacular views of the mountains and is just the perfect place to go on long and serene walks.

In winter, the hill top gets covered with thick snow. Skiers visit the place for their favourite sport and also for other snow games. Patnitop Development Authority (PDA) has created fantastic holiday homes here for tourists to enjoy the white sheets of snow in winter and the lush green cover during summer.

Tourists can also do paragliding here. They are conducted at Dawariyai, which is a couple of kilometres from here and is a landmark on the Patnitop-Sanasar road. Again, the PDA has made arrangements for this thrill sport. The area is popularly known as “Billow Di Powri” point.

There is a steep rock here which features about 400 steps to make it negotiable. The steps lead to Dawariyai, which is called the “gateway”. Tourists can also paraglide accompanied by a pilot. Usually, the flights are of 7-15 minutes duration. If the wind conditions are favourable, a flight can also last an hour. The flight takes off from Patnitop and ends at Kud. For a tourist this can be one of the most thrilling experiences of life.

Sanasar Lake, which is some 20 kilometres by road from Patnitop, offers an excellent environment for paragliding, trekking, camping, rock climbing, abseiling and picturesque nature walks.

With concentrated efforts of Patnitop Development Authority, tourists can find pleasure in various activities here, though the place is not so densely populated. Yet, a trip to this place becomes a memorable experience, in fact, a stress-buster for those looking to drain off their life’s tensions.