Things to Do in Srinagar: Dal Lake, Mughal Gardens & the Old City

Take a shikara ride on Dal Lake

Shikara rides leave from the ghats along the Boulevard Road. A one-hour ride takes in the houseboats and the Char Chinar island; longer rides go through the lake's inner channels, past floating gardens, lotus beds (in summer) and lakeside houses. Rates are officially fixed at many ghats; confirm the route and time before you go.

Time needed

1–3 hours

Best time

Sunrise or sunset

Good for

Everyone

See the floating market

Before sunrise, farmers from the lake's floating gardens paddle their boats full of vegetables to a meeting point in the inner lake to trade. It is short-lived and over soon after dawn, so book a shikara the evening before.

Best time

Around 5 to 7 a.m.

Good for

Photographers

Stay on a houseboat

Staying on a carved cedar houseboat on Dal or the quieter Nigeen Lake is one of Srinagar's classic experiences. Families running the boats serve home-cooked meals and kahwa. Choose a registered boat with good recent reviews; standards range widely.

Good for

Couples, families

Visit Shalimar Bagh

Shalimar Bagh was laid out by Emperor Jahangir in 1619 for Nur Jahan. Its terraces descend with a central water channel, fountains and pavilions, framed by chinar trees. It is the largest of the Mughal gardens in Srinagar.

Time needed

1 hour

Best time

April to October

Walk through Nishat Bagh

Nishat Bagh, the garden of joy, was built in the 1630s by Asif Khan, brother of Nur Jahan. With twelve terraces rising from the lake towards the Zabarwan hills, it has the best views of Dal Lake of all the gardens.

Time needed

1 hour

See Chashme Shahi and Pari Mahal

Chashme Shahi, the royal spring, is a smaller garden built by Shah Jahan around a natural spring whose water is said to have healing qualities. Above it, Pari Mahal, a terraced garden built by Dara Shikoh, once served as a school of astrology. Its views over the lake at sunset are among the finest in the city.

Time needed

1.5 hours

Best time

Late afternoon

See the tulip garden

The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, on the slopes of the Zabarwan range, has over a million tulips in dozens of varieties. It is open for only a few weeks in spring, usually from late March into April. Weekday mornings are the least crowded.

Best time

Late March to April

Good to know

Open only during the bloom

Climb to the Shankaracharya Temple

The Shankaracharya Temple, dedicated to Shiva, stands on a hill about 300 metres above the city, reached by a road and then a flight of steps. It offers a sweeping view of Srinagar, Dal Lake and the Jhelum. Phones and cameras may need to be deposited at the security point.

Time needed

1.5 hours

Stay or row on Nigeen Lake

Nigeen Lake, connected to Dal to the north-west, is calmer and less commercial, with houseboats set among willows and fewer shikara touts. It is a good choice for a quieter houseboat stay and for an early-morning row.

Good for

Couples, slow travellers

See Hari Parbat

Hari Parbat, a hill in the old city crowned by an 18th-century Durrani fort, has a temple to Sharika Devi, the shrine of Makhdoom Sahib and a gurudwara on its slopes, reflecting the city's mixed heritage. The Mughal-era wall around the hill was built under Akbar.

Time needed

1.5 hours

Look for the hangul in Dachigam

Dachigam National Park, about 20 km from the city, is the last stronghold of the hangul, or Kashmir stag, a critically endangered deer. The lower park can be visited with permission from the wildlife department, and autumn is the best time to hear stags calling. Himalayan black bears also live here.

Best time

October to November

Good to know

Entry permit from the wildlife department

Visit the SPS Museum

The Sri Pratap Singh Museum near the Jhelum has collections of Kashmiri shawls, papier-mâché, arms, manuscripts and archaeological finds from sites such as Harwan and Parihaspora. It is a good introduction to the valley's arts.

Time needed

1–1.5 hours

Visit Hazratbal Shrine

Hazratbal, a white marble mosque on the northern shore of Dal Lake, houses a relic believed to be a hair of the Prophet Muhammad. It is the most important Muslim shrine in Kashmir. Women may not be allowed into all parts of the prayer hall; dress modestly.

Time needed

45 minutes

Best time

Friday afternoon for the atmosphere (non-prayer times for visits)

See the Jama Masjid

Srinagar's Jama Masjid, first built around 1400 under Sultan Sikandar, has a vast courtyard and prayer halls supported by hundreds of deodar pillars. Its Indo-Saracenic design with pagoda-like roofs is unlike mosques elsewhere in India.

Time needed

45 minutes

Visit Khanqah-e-Moula

Khanqah-e-Moula, on the banks of the Jhelum, is a wooden shrine dedicated to the Sufi saint Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani, credited with bringing many crafts to Kashmir. Its painted and carved wooden interiors are extraordinary. Non-Muslims and women may be restricted from the inner hall.

Walk the old city and buy crafts

The old city's lanes around Zaina Kadal and the bridges over the Jhelum are full of old wooden houses and workshops. Look for papier-mâché, walnut-wood carving, pashmina, carpets and copperware. Government emporiums are a reliable place to compare prices.

Good for

Shoppers, photographers

Eat wazwan and bakery bread

Try a wazwan meal with rogan josh, rista and gushtaba, and in the mornings, fresh breads such as girda and lavasa from neighbourhood kandur bakeries. Noon chai (salted pink tea) and kahwa are the local drinks.

Good for

Food lovers

Autumn chinars

From late October into November, the chinar trees in the gardens, at Naseem Bagh and along the Boulevard turn red and gold. It is one of the most beautiful times to be in Srinagar, with crisp days and fewer crowds.

Best time

Late October to mid-November

Winter in the city

During Chillai Kalan, the 40 coldest days from late December, parts of Dal Lake can freeze at the edges and the city is quiet. Locals keep warm with kangris (fire pots) and pherans, and eat harissa, a slow-cooked mutton dish sold at dawn in the old city.

Best time

Late December to January

What are the best things to do in Srinagar?

Take a shikara on Dal Lake, see the floating market, stay on a houseboat, visit Shalimar, Nishat and Chashme Shahi gardens and Pari Mahal, see the tulip garden in spring, visit Hazratbal and the old city, and eat wazwan.

When does the Srinagar tulip garden open?

Usually from late March to April, for a few weeks during the bloom. Dates are announced each year.

How many days are enough for Srinagar?

Two to three days for the city; five to six if you use it as a base for Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg.

What is the best time for a shikara ride?

Sunrise, when the lake is calm and the floating market is on, or sunset for the light over the mountains.