Travel guide · Kashmir
Kashmir travel guide
When to go, how to reach Srinagar, getting around the valley and what to pack — practical advice from the team that plans our Kashmir trips.
By Holiday Guru Travel · Updated 29 Sep 2026
When to go
For sightseeing, March to October is the most comfortable time to visit Kashmir; choose December to February if you want snow.
| Months | Season | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| March – May | Spring | Blossom season; Srinagar’s tulip garden usually opens around late March to April. Pleasant days, cool nights. |
| June – August | Summer | Peak season with long, mild days — best for meadows, pony rides and Sonmarg. Book hotels and houseboats early. |
| September – November | Autumn | Clear skies and chinar trees turning red and gold. Quieter than summer and good for photography. |
| December – February | Winter | Snow in Gulmarg and Pahalgam, and skiing in Gulmarg. Very cold; heavy snow can close some roads, including towards Sonmarg. |
How to reach Kashmir
Fly to Srinagar airport (SXR), which has direct flights from Delhi and other major Indian cities; most itineraries start there.
Srinagar airport (SXR) has direct flights from Delhi and other major Indian cities. Our packages start with pick-up at Srinagar and use a private cab for all transfers and sightseeing in the itinerary. Some local excursions — for example ponies at Sonmarg or the Gondola at Gulmarg — are paid locally.
If you are combining Kashmir with Mata Vaishno Devi, the longer itineraries continue by road from Srinagar to Katra (about 268 km, 6–7 hours) and end in Jammu.
Getting around
Srinagar is the base; Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonmarg are day trips or short stays by road.
Srinagar
The base for most trips: shikara rides on Dal Lake, houseboat stays, and the Mughal gardens — Nishat Bagh, Shalimar Bagh, Chashme Shahi and Pari Mahal — plus the Shankaracharya temple viewpoint.
Gulmarg
About 56 km from Srinagar. Meadows, snow views and the Gulmarg Gondola cable car (tickets at your own cost); known for skiing in winter.
Pahalgam
In the Lidder valley, roughly a 186 km round trip from Srinagar. Riverside walks and local-transport excursions to nearby valleys.
Sonmarg
The “meadow of gold”, roughly a 196 km round trip from Srinagar. Ponies go up towards the Thajiwas glacier, where snow can remain into summer.
What to pack
Pack layers in every season — evenings are cool even in summer, and Gulmarg and Sonmarg are colder than Srinagar.
| When | Pack |
|---|---|
| March – May | Light woollens and a jacket; rain layer; comfortable walking shoes. |
| June – August | Cotton clothes for the day, a fleece or jacket for evenings and for Gulmarg and Sonmarg; sunscreen and sunglasses. |
| September – November | Layers — warm sweater and jacket for cool mornings and evenings. |
| December – February | Heavy winter wear: thermal layers, down jacket, gloves, cap and waterproof boots for snow. |
A 5-day plan for a first visit
Five days covers Srinagar, Gulmarg and Pahalgam, with a night on a Dal Lake houseboat.
- Day 1: Arrival Srinagar
- Day 2: Srinagar – Local sightseeing 50 km
- Day 3: Srinagar to Gulmarg 56 km
- Day 4: Gulmarg to Pahalgam 149 km
- Day 5: Pahalgam to Srinagar – Departure
See the full day-by-day itinerary · Compare all Kashmir packages
How long to stay
Five days is enough for a first Kashmir trip covering Srinagar, Gulmarg and Pahalgam; allow 6–7 days to add Sonmarg, and 8 days if you also want to visit Mata Vaishno Devi at Katra.
| Trip length | What it covers | Our itinerary |
|---|---|---|
| 4 days | Srinagar and Gulmarg | Srinagar Gulmarg Tour Package |
| 5 days | Srinagar, Gulmarg and Pahalgam, with a houseboat night | Srinagar Gulmarg Pahalgam Tour Package |
| 5 days | Srinagar with day trips to Gulmarg and Sonmarg | Srinagar Gulmarg Sonmarg Day Trip Tour |
| 6 days | Srinagar, Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonmarg | Srinagar Pahalgam Gulmarg Sonmarg Tour |
| 8 days | Kashmir valley plus Katra and Mata Vaishno Devi, ending in Jammu | Srinagar Gulmarg Sonmarg Pahalgam Katra Tour |
Where to stay
Stay in Srinagar for most of the trip, with a night on a Dal Lake houseboat, and add a night in Gulmarg or Pahalgam if you want more time in the mountains.
Our Kashmir packages use hotels in Srinagar, Gulmarg or Pahalgam — deluxe category on twin sharing in most itineraries — and many include one night on a Dal Lake houseboat. If a listed hotel is unavailable, a hotel of similar standard is arranged.
- Srinagar — the best base: hotels near Dal Lake and Boulevard Road, and houseboats on Dal and Nigeen lakes.
- Gulmarg — stay a night for early Gondola rides and snow in winter.
- Pahalgam — riverside hotels in the Lidder valley, quieter than Srinagar.
Food and shopping
Try a Kashmiri wazwan meal and kahwa tea, and shop for pashmina, papier-mâché and saffron.
What to eat
- Wazwan dishes such as rogan josh, yakhni and gushtaba
- Kahwa — green tea with saffron, cardamom and almonds
- Noon chai (salted pink tea) and local breads from the bakeries
- Vegetarian dishes such as dum aloo and nadru (lotus stem)
What to buy
- Pashmina and Kani shawls
- Papier-mâché and walnut-wood crafts
- Hand-knotted carpets
- Saffron — our 5-day itinerary stops at saffron fields on the drive to Pahalgam
Practical tips
- Carry a government photo ID for hotel check-ins; foreign nationals need a passport and valid Indian visa.
- Prepaid mobile SIMs issued outside Jammu & Kashmir generally do not work there; postpaid connections usually do.
- Pack layers even in summer — mornings and evenings are cool, and it can be much colder in Gulmarg and Sonmarg.
- Book early for June–August, long weekends and the Amarnath Yatra period, when hotels fill fast.
- Snow and weather can change sightseeing plans at short notice; the driver will follow what is open that day.
Kashmir travel questions
Is Kashmir good for a first visit?
Yes. Srinagar, Gulmarg and Pahalgam are easy to cover in five days by private cab, with short walks, ponies or the Gulmarg Gondola for the higher points.
How far is Gulmarg from Srinagar?
About 56 km. Pahalgam is roughly a 186 km round trip and Sonmarg roughly 196 km round trip from Srinagar.
Do mobile phones work in Kashmir?
Prepaid SIMs issued outside Jammu & Kashmir generally do not work there; postpaid connections usually do.
Is the Gulmarg Gondola included in packages?
No — Gondola tickets are paid locally, like pony rides and shikara extensions.
What should I buy in Kashmir?
Pashmina shawls, papier-mâché, walnut-wood carvings, carpets, dry fruits and Kashmiri saffron — buy from government emporiums or trusted shops.