Highlights
- Shikara ride on Dal Lake and a night on a houseboat
- Nishat, Shalimar and Chashme Shahi gardens
- Gulmarg gondola, Phase 1 to Kongdoori
- Two nights in Pahalgam, with Betaab Valley and Aru
- Sonmarg and the Thajiwas glacier
- Gondola tickets booked on the official portal
This is the Kashmir trip we’d plan for a family seeing it for the first time. Srinagar is the base at both ends, so the bags move only twice, and the longest drive is about three hours. One night is on a houseboat, which is plenty for most families, and the gondola day is kept flexible in case Gulmarg’s weather turns.
Day-wise itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Srinagar, shikara on Dal Lake
Pickup at Srinagar airport or station. Check in to your houseboat, rest, and take a shikara ride in the late afternoon, past the floating vegetable gardens and the old houseboats. Dinner on board.
Day 2: Mughal gardens and the old city
Move to a hotel after breakfast. See Nishat Bagh, Shalimar Bagh and Chashme Shahi, then the Hazratbal shrine on the lake shore. If there’s energy left, an hour on the Boulevard in the evening.
Day 3: Day trip to Gulmarg
About two hours by road. Take the gondola’s Phase 1 to Kongdoori; Phase 2 to Apharwat only if the weather is clear and everyone is well. In winter there’s snow play and sledging; in summer, pony rides on the meadow. Back to Srinagar for the night.
Day 4: Srinagar to Pahalgam
A drive of about three hours through Pampore’s saffron fields and the Awantipora ruins. Afternoon walk by the Lidder river. Night in Pahalgam.
Day 5: Betaab Valley and Aru, back to Srinagar
Local taxis from the Pahalgam stand take you to Betaab Valley and Aru, which are open again. After lunch, drive back to Srinagar for the last night.
Day 6: Sonmarg day, or departure
If your flight or train is in the evening, drive to Sonmarg in the morning for the meadows and the Thajiwas glacier, then straight to the airport or station. With a morning departure, we drop Sonmarg and keep the day easy.
Five nights or six?
Five nights works if your flight home is in the evening. If it’s in the morning, or you’re travelling between December and February, add a night in Srinagar. Snow can close the Gulmarg road or delay flights for a day, and a spare night means you don’t lose the gondola or miss a connection.
If you’re coming from Vaishno Devi, we can start the trip with the Vande Bharat from Katra to Srinagar instead of a flight.
What's included and what isn't
Included
- 1 night on a houseboat and 4 nights in hotels in Srinagar and Pahalgam, with breakfast and dinner
- Private car with a driver, Srinagar to Srinagar, for all sightseeing in the itinerary
- Pickup and drop at Srinagar airport or railway station
- Shikara ride on Dal Lake
- Booking of Gulmarg gondola tickets on the official portal
Not included
- Flights or train tickets to Srinagar (quoted on request)
- Gondola fares (paid at the official rates)
- Local taxis at Pahalgam and Sonmarg, ponies and sledges
- Garden entry fees and lunches
- Extra nights from snow, road closures or flight cancellations
- Tips and personal expenses
Visa, costs, best time and travel tips: Kashmir Tour Packages.
