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Kashmir

Srinagar

Dal Lake, shikara evenings, Mughal gardens and the old city — the natural base for any Kashmir trip.

Best time: March to October; December to February for snow Altitude: 1,585 m
Srinagar is where most Kashmir holidays begin and end, and it rewards more than the single night most itineraries give it. Mornings on Dal Lake are quiet and cold and worth waking up for. The Mughal gardens — Nishat, Shalimar and Chashme Shahi — step up the hillside with the lake below them. The old city, around Jamia Masjid and the Khanqah, is where Srinagar feels least like a tourist stop.

Staying on a houseboat is worth doing for a night, though newer hotels around Boulevard Road are more comfortable for longer stays. Give the city two nights if you can.

Main attractions

  • Dal Lake & shikara rides
  • Nishat Bagh
  • Shalimar Bagh
  • Chashme Shahi
  • Shankaracharya Temple
  • Hazratbal Shrine
  • Old City & Jamia Masjid
  • Floating vegetable market

Things to do

  • Sunrise shikara ride on Dal Lake
  • Stay a night on a houseboat
  • Walk the Mughal gardens
  • Shop for pashmina and walnut wood in Lal Chowk
  • Try wazwan at a local restaurant

Trips that include it

Srinagar tour packages

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Nearby

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