Jammu and Kashmir, India

Places to visit in Kashmir

Houseboats on Dal Lake, the meadows of Gulmarg and Pahalgam, and the glaciers of Sonamarg.

16 places to see in Kashmir

1Must visit
Lake · Srinagar
Dal Lake
Srinagar's best-known sight, with houseboats, shikara rides at sunrise and sunset, the floating vegetable market and views of the Zabarwan hills.
Time needed: Half day, plus a houseboat night if you likeRead more →
2Must visit
Meadow and ski resort
Gulmarg
A wide alpine meadow at about 2,650 m, known for the Gulmarg Gondola, winter skiing and snow at the top for much of the year.
Time needed: 1 day, or 2 days with skiingRead more →
3Must visit
Valley town
Pahalgam
A town on the Lidder river, surrounded by pine forest. It is the base for Betaab Valley, Aru Valley and Chandanwari.
Time needed: 1 to 2 daysRead more →
4Must visit
Valley and glacier
Sonamarg
The 'meadow of gold' on the Srinagar to Leh road, along the Sindh river, with pony rides to the Thajiwas glacier.
Time needed: 1 dayRead more →
5Must visit
Cable car · Gulmarg
Gulmarg Gondola
A cable car in two phases, from Gulmarg to Kongdoori and then up to Mount Apharwat, with snow at the top for much of the year.
Time needed: 3 to 5 hours for both phases, including queuesRead more →
6Must visit
Mughal garden · Srinagar
Nishat Bagh
A terraced Mughal garden on the eastern shore of Dal Lake, laid out by Asif Khan in the 1630s, with chinar trees and views over the lake.
Time needed: 1 hourRead more →
7
Mughal garden · Srinagar
Shalimar Bagh
A formal Mughal garden built by Emperor Jahangir for Nur Jahan in the early 17th century, with water channels, fountains and a black stone pavilion.
Time needed: 1 hourRead more →
8
Tulip garden · Srinagar
Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden
A large tulip garden at the foot of the Zabarwan hills, open for a few weeks in spring, usually from late March to April.
Time needed: 1 to 2 hoursRead more →
9
Mughal garden · Srinagar
Chashme Shahi
The smallest of Srinagar's Mughal gardens, laid out around a natural spring in the 1630s, on a hillside above Dal Lake.
Time needed: 30 minutes to 1 hourRead more →
10
Valley · Pahalgam
Betaab Valley
A green valley on the road from Pahalgam to Chandanwari, with the Lidder river, meadows and pine forest. It takes its name from the 1983 film Betaab.
Time needed: 1 to 2 hoursRead more →
11
Valley and village · Pahalgam
Aru Valley
A small village and meadow above Pahalgam, with pine forests and mountain views. It is a base for treks to Tarsar Marsar lakes and Kolahoi glacier.
Time needed: 2 to 3 hoursRead more →
12
Meadow · Budgam
Doodhpathri
A quieter meadow in Budgam district, about 2 hours from Srinagar, with streams running through open grassland and pine forest.
Time needed: 1 day, including the driveRead more →
13
Temple · Srinagar
Shankaracharya Temple
An old stone temple to Lord Shiva on a hilltop above Srinagar, reached by road and a flight of steps, with views over Dal Lake and the city.
Time needed: 1 to 2 hoursRead more →
14
Shrine · Srinagar
Hazratbal Shrine
A white marble mosque and shrine on the north-western shore of Dal Lake, revered for a relic believed to be a hair of the Prophet Muhammad.
Time needed: 1 hourRead more →
15
Mughal garden · Srinagar
Pari Mahal
A terraced garden and the remains of a 17th-century building on the Zabarwan hillside, built by Dara Shikoh, with wide views over Dal Lake.
Time needed: 1 hourRead more →
16
Mosque · Srinagar
Jama Masjid, Srinagar
The main mosque of Srinagar's old city at Nowhatta, first built in the 14th century, known for its courtyard garden and hundreds of deodar pillars.
Time needed: 1 to 2 hours, with the old cityRead more →

Best time to visit Kashmir

March to June for gardens and meadows; December to February for snow in Gulmarg.

Ideal trip length: 5 to 7 days

How to reach Kashmir

By air: Srinagar International Airport (SXR) has direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and other major cities.
By train: trains run to Srinagar via Katra; Jammu Tawi is the main long-distance railhead, about 8 hours by road from Srinagar.
By road: the Jammu–Srinagar highway (NH 44) takes 8 to 10 hours, crossing the Banihal tunnels.