Vaishnodevi Mata

Tucked away at a height of 5,200 feet in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, Mata Vaishno Devi attracts hundreds of thousands of devotees every year. The pilgrimage site is perched atop the Trikuta Mountains. The shrine features images of three Hindu deities - Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati. It occupies a position 61 km north of Jammu. To make a visit to the Mata Vaishno Devi, pilgrims need to obtain the 'Yatra Slip' from the tourism reception centre, located in Katra. The Yatra Slip is provided to devotees free of cost. The entire Mata Vaishno Devi yatra takes 5-6 hours to complete; the distance can be covered either by walking or riding a horse or a pony. The charge of hiring one horse is anywhere between Rs 130 and Rs 170.

Air : The closest airport is also located in Jammu. Ranibagh, at a distance of 9 km from the city centre, is the civil airport in Jammu. The airport offers regular flight services to places like Srinagar, Leh and Delhi.

Rail : The closet railway station from Mata Vaishno Devi shrine is Jammu, which is situated at a distance of 56 km. Being an important railhead in northern India, Jammu Tawi remains quite well connected by train to all the key destinations of the country.

Road : The yatra begins from the town of Katra, situated at the foot of the Trikuta Mountains. If you decide to take a walk, you will need to cover a trekking distance of 13 km. Porters and horses are also available to reach the shrine from the town of Katra.