What you do once you reach Katra depends upon the time of your arrival and the time on which you decide to begin your 12-km trek upwards.

• One can stay at Hotel Clarks Inn, about a km from Katra Market, room tariff for which was Rs. 3000 on double occupancy basis.

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In this day you can explore shopping options in the Katra market, which has shops selling clothes, toys, dry fruits (especially walnuts), etc.

Snack suggestion – For a short snack like delicious Aloo Tikki, you may visit the famous Kapoor Sweets. They also sell Hot Kesar (saffron) milk after 5 pm every day.

Dinner – Manoranjan Dhaba – This eatery is quite popular for its homely food sold at a reasonable price. The place is located just 200 m from the Katra bus stand.

• Overnight Stay at Katra.

You can begin your Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra early morning from Katra. The total trek (to and fro) is about 30 km long and most of it is reasonably steep.

• Breakfast – You can choose to eat a light breakfast at any of the eateries available in Katra market prior to begin your journey. Most of the eateries run 24x7 or open up quite early in the morning to cater to the rush of pilgrims.
• You may want to book an accommodation (especially if you are planning to spend the night up at the Bhawan) upstairs. There are quite a few options available on the SMVDSB website.

• There are 3 main spots on the way to Bhawan - Ban Ganga, Ardhkuwari & Main Bhawan – besides several small stopovers you can take a rest while trekking.

At the Bhawan, you will have the holy darshan of the Goddesses Saraswati, Lakshmi and Kali, in the form of Pindi (natural stone deity) inside the holy cave. Then you may proceed to Bhairo Temple which is around 2 km from Bhawan, Trek to Bhairon temple is steep, which makes it difficult for the pilgrims to walk. Either you can walk or can take the Ropeway (to & fro Rs 100) which is available near bhawan. 

• There are free langar services available at some places enroute Bhawan and apart from that, there are Shrine Board operated Dhabas/restaurants where you can pay nominal amount for a hot meal and refreshments.
• At the end of the Yatra and after having darshan, you can choose to either stay overnight at the Bhawan or start your return journey immediately after.
• In case you return the same day, you will be spending the night at Katra.

Breakfast – Start your day with a sumptuous North Indian breakfast at Manoranjan Dhaba, located in the Katra market.

First Stop – Baba Jitto Shrine - This memorial, located 8 km from Katra, is dedicated to Baba Aghar Jitto and has become a recent attraction for the pilgrims who visit Katra.

• Dera Baba Banda – A pilgrimage center for the Hindus and Sikhs is located 30 km from Katra and is famous for its Gurudwara by the banks of river Chenab.

Nau Devi Temple – A beautiful temple complex dedicated to Nine Goddesses located about 9 km from Katra railway station, you need to climb a set of stairs to reach the inner sanctum.

Baba Dhansar – This holy place, with a waterfall, is located by the Karua pond in village Karua, about 17 km from Reasi on the Katra-Reasi road. You will need to walk for about 200 m from the main road.

Shiv Khori Shrine – This holy cave is located at the end of a 3.5 km trek that begins in Ransoo village in Reasi Tehsil, about 80 km from Katra.

• Return to Katra, overnight stay in Katra.

Before you proceed for Patnitop, stop for a hearty breakfast of Chhole Bhature made in Pure Desi Ghee at the famous Jagan Sweets, in the main marketplace.

• There are two main stops that you shouldn’t miss on your way to Patnitop –
  • Samroli – This small hamlet, 60 km from Katra, is famous for its Kaladi-Kulcha combo and special Kashmiri tea.
  • Kud – Another small town, 7 km short of Patnitop, is known for its sweet shops selling the yummiest local sweet called Patisa.

At Patnitop, you will find private/govt accommodation to stay in.

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Patnitop is known primarily for the peace and quiet it offers to tourists but it also has many interesting places to visit, like-

• Naag Temple – one of the oldest temples in the region, it is located down a small trek from Patnitop town, amidst lush greenery.

Nathatop – This beautiful location is about 11 km from Patnitop and offers a great experience, especially during Jan-Feb, when it snows.

Sanasar – This place is the combined name of two small villages – Sana and Sar – and is about 20 km from Patnitop. Sanasar is also the base camp for the Shankhpal trek to the Shankhpal Temple, located at an altitude of 2,800 meters.

• Overnight stay in Patnitop and next day proceed to your home location.