Visit The City Of Vaishno Devi: Katra
Katra is a small town located about 42 km away from the city of Jammu. For years Katra has been known for Goddess Vaishno Devi. Katra serves as a gateway to Vaishno Devi shrine, a popular Hindu pilgrimage site. Every year millions of tourists visit this city. The popularity of Katra is mainly due to Vaishno Devi. The flourishing tourism industry in the city of Katra has drawn the attention of many businesses, especially hospitality business. A large number of hotels, restaurants, fast-food joints and other recreational places have come up in the past few years.
Booking Hotels in Katra
Katra has seen a remarkable growth in the sector of tourism. Every year, numerous pilgrims visit the city to offer their prayers. The stable growth of tourism industry has lead to increasing number of hotels in Katra. Hotels in Katra are available in every price range. From budget hotels to luxurious suites, a person can book a hotel from a wide range of options on Cleartrip. There are guest houses and 2-star to 3-star hotels for a limited budget. If luxury is what you seek, you can get a boutique hotel, 4-star or 5-star hotels in Katra. There are various aspects that must be covered before you book a hotel in Katra.
Katra Hotel Booking tips
- Location: It is important that you are aware of the location of your hotel and its proximity to significant landmarks of the town. Initially, you should consider getting a hotel near the prominent place like Katra Bus Stand. It should be easily accessible from there. Also, the locality must be serene and spiritual.
- Season: It is always best to visit Katra between the months of March and October when the weather is nice. If you go in the peak season of Navratras, be prepared to see Katra hotels fully packed with devotees. So, it is advisable to book your hotel in advance on Cleartrip.
- Budget: The budget is important. You can get an idea of the price range on Cleartrip and book your hotel in Katra accordingly. There are fair chances that you would get a nice hotel in your budget, as there are many options to choose from.
- Luxury: If budget is not a matter of concern, then you can choose from the luxurious hotels in Katra. There are 4-star and 5-star hotels with numerous facilities available at your service.
Best Localities for hotel booking in Katra
- Hotel near Katra Bus Stand or Katra Bus Terminus: This is probably the most significant destination in the town. People prefer hotels near Katra Bus Stand as the main market and Shrine Board office is here only. Cleartrip can get you the best hotels in Katra Bus stand.
- Hotel near Railway road Katra: Railway road Katra has various hotels in varying price ranges. It is just 1.5 km from the Bus Stand Katra.
The price range of hotels in Katra
The price range of hotels in Katra depends upon the services provided. There are about 150 hotels in the city of Katra. You can choose one that fits your budget and requirement. The price range starts from 450 INR to over 5000 INR per night. The price range also varies according to the location. Cleartrip offers you a many hotels in Katra that you can book easily online.
How to reach Katra?
In the early days, the primary means of transport to reach Katra was the bus service which connects the city to various other places. People used to travel from Jammu to Katra, which is at a distance of about 42 km. Recent years have seen the development of railway lines. Jammu Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla railway link connects Katra Railway station to the Northern Railways. This has also contributed to the growth of the number of tourists visiting the place. If you want to travel by air then you will need to take a flight till Jammu and then reach Katra by road. Reaching Katra is easy by road from Delhi, Chandigarh,Amritsar and other North Indian cities.
Dining places
- Prem Vaishno Dhaba
- Madhuban
- Pooja Vaishno Dhaba
- Kens Food Planet
- Punjabi Haveli
- Manoranjan Dhaba
- Saini Rajasthani Vaishno Dhaba
- Gulshan Da Dhaba
Places of Interest
Katra has always been a popular choice when it comes to tourism in India. There are plenty of tourist spots in the town and its beauty makes it stand out among others. Overall, Katra is a place filled with promising prospects when it comes to tourism. Following are the places that must be visited when you’re in town:
- Vaishno Devi
- Nau Devi Temple
- Dera Baba Banda
- Agar Jitoo
- Bhimgarh Fort
- Devi Mayi Maa temple
These places have been the topmost choices of tourists. The nearby cities of Udhampur and Jammu have also been chosen as prominent tourist spots.
Interesting facts about the city
Culture:Being the gateway to one of the most prominent pilgrim of Vaishno Devi, Katra has been considered as a holy city. The aura of the town is filled with spirituality. There are numerous temples which receive many devotees throughout the year.
Markets: The town is famous for various things ranging from dry fruit, Ayurvedic herbs, wooden items, artificial jewellery, and religious items.
Food: The food here is pure vegetarian and delicious. You can easily get Indian, South Indian and Continental food as well.
Places to visit near Katra:
Kud:
Kud is a popular hill resort located in Udhampur District and is at a distance of 105 km from Katra.
Aghar Jitto:
This place is named after a true devotee of Ma Vaishno Devi and the main attraction of this place is a temple dedicated to AgharJitto. It is located at a distance of 8 km from Katra.
Shiv Khori:
This place is well-known for the cave shrine of Lord Shiva. It is located in J&K and is 85km away from the town of Katra.
Nandini Wildlife Sanctuary:
For those who love wildlife and nature, this place is a must visit. It is located 28km from Katra.
Temperature:
Katra experiences sub-tropical climate all year round. The average temperature here ranges between 40 degrees Celsius and 5 degrees Celsius. Although the place remains crowded with pilgrims throughout the year, the best time to visit the place is from March to October. Navratri season has also been popular amongst the visitors.
The best time to book hotels in the city
Months
Details
October to March
The ideal time for visiting the town as the weather is cool and nice.
April to June
Summers are hot in Katra. However, the evenings are pleasant.
July to September
It is when the rainy season starts. The tourists avoid visiting during this time as it gets really cold at night.
Festivals of the town
- Navratri Festival: During this festival, special arrangements are made in Katra. The markets are decorated and there is festive spirit everywhere. The Navratri festival lasts for nine days.
- Jhiri Mela: It is celebrated in place called Aghar Jitto who was the devotee of Goddess, and it is held every year to give a tribute to him. It is also celebrated in Jammu.