Where to go in Kashmir

🛶 Paradise on Earth

Srinagar

Srinagar is the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, and nearly every trip to the valley starts and ends here because this is where the airport is. Plan on two or three nights in total, often split between the start and the end of your trip, with at least one of them on a houseboat. The shikara ride on Dal Lake is the thing everyone does, and it is far nicer early in the morning or around sunset than in the midday sun. The Mughal gardens at Nishat and Shalimar sit along the lake's eastern shore and fill a relaxed half day. If you can face a 5 am start, the floating vegetable market is the part of Srinagar people still talk about when they get home. The old city gets skipped more often than it should. A slow walk through the lanes around Jamia Masjid, with its wooden pillars and quiet courtyard, shows you a side of Srinagar the lakefront does not. The floating shops that pull up beside your shikara are fine for a look, but you are under no obligation to buy. Come between March and October. Spring brings almond blossom and the tulip garden, summer is the busiest stretch, and by late October the chinar trees in the gardens have turned rust and gold.

• Shikara ride on Dal Lake
• Deluxe houseboat stay
• Mughal gardens tour
• Old city and Jamia Masjid walk
• Floating vegetable market

Best time: March to October

🏔️ Meadow of Flowers

Gulmarg

Gulmarg is about two hours by road from Srinagar and changes completely with the season. From December to March it is Kashmir's ski town, with deep snow and slopes that bring in skiers from all over. From April to September the snow pulls back to the peaks and the bowl turns into a wide green meadow ringed by pine forest. The Gulmarg Gondola is why most people come. Phase I goes up to Kongdoori, and Phase II carries on to Apharwat Peak at 3,979 m, where there is snow for much of the year. Phase II is often stopped for wind, so take the earliest slot you can get and buy tickets online a few days ahead in peak season. Most travellers do Gulmarg as a day trip from Srinagar, which is enough for the gondola and a walk around the meadow. Stay a night if you are skiing or want to see the place quiet in the evening once the day-trippers have gone. Pony rides to Strawberry Valley are pleasant, but agree the route and the rate before you set off. In summer the Gulmarg golf course, one of the highest green golf courses in the world, is open to visitors. In winter, bring proper boots or rent them at the base; Apharwat is far colder than Srinagar.

• Gulmarg Gondola, Phase I and Phase II
• Skiing and snowboarding
• Snow point at Apharwat Peak
• Strawberry Valley
• Gulmarg golf course, one of the highest in the world

Best time: December to March for snow, April to September for green meadows

🌲 Valley of Shepherds

Pahalgam

Pahalgam sits in the Lidder valley where the Sheshnag stream meets the Lidder river, two and a half to three hours by road from Srinagar. The drive takes you past saffron fields and the willow groves that Kashmir's cricket bat makers depend on. It is the most relaxed base in Kashmir, and it deserves at least two nights. Betaab Valley, Aru and Chandanwari are the three standard drives out of town and fit into a single day. Baisaran, the meadow above town, is reached on foot or by pony. Rafting on the Lidder is a short, easy run in summer rather than serious white water. One thing to know: Chandanwari is on the Amarnath Yatra route, so around the yatra in July and August the road and the town get very busy. Outside those weeks, the best thing to do in Pahalgam is often nothing much at all, sitting by the river with a cup of kahwa. The season runs from April to November. Spring and autumn are quieter and cooler, and evenings are cold even in midsummer, so pack a fleece.

• Betaab Valley
• Aru Valley
• Chandanwari
• Baisaran meadow
• Rafting on the Lidder river

Best time: April to November

❄️ Meadow of Gold

Sonmarg

Sonmarg sits on the Sind river about 80 km from Srinagar, roughly two and a half to three hours by road. It is the last Kashmiri valley before the highway climbs over Zojila into Ladakh. The name means meadow of gold. Most people see it as a long day trip, but stay a night if you want to walk to the glacier without watching the clock. The Thajiwas glacier is the main outing. It is a short pony ride or a walk of about two hours, through silver birch with the valley opening out behind you, and snow usually lasts there well into July. The drive up over Zojila to Zero Point depends on the pass being open and on the weather that day. The road is rough and slow, and it is mostly worth it if you have not seen snow anywhere else on your trip. Sonmarg is also the starting point for the Kashmir Great Lakes trek. Go between May and October. Earlier in the season there is more snow near the road, and by late summer the valley is at its greenest.

• Thajiwas glacier
• Sind river valley
• Drive to Zero Point
• Zojila pass
• Base for the Kashmir Great Lakes trek

Best time: May to October

🌊 Valley of Milk

Doodhpathri

Doodhpathri is what Gulmarg felt like thirty years ago. It is a wide green bowl at 2,730 m, crossed by streams that run white over the stones, which is where the name, valley of milk, comes from. There is almost no construction and very few visitors. It works best as a day trip from Srinagar. Walk or take a pony across the meadow to the streams, and on to the Tangnar viewpoint if the weather is clear. Bring a picnic or snacks, because facilities up here are basic, and a layer for the wind. Doodhpathri is for people who want the meadows without the crowds. There is no gondola and no ski slope, just open grass, pine forest and water, and that is the point. Go between April and October, when the road is open and the meadow is green.

• Milk-white mountain streams
• Open alpine meadows
• Pony rides
• Picnics and photography
• Tangnar viewpoint

Best time: April to October

🐎 Meadow of Jesus

Yusmarg

Yusmarg is a quiet pocket of pine forest and pasture in the Pir Panjal range, 47 km from Srinagar. The name is usually translated as meadow of Jesus, after a local legend. Most people come for the day. Walk down to the Doodh Ganga stream, ride a horse out through the forest to Nilnag lake, or, if you are fit and have the time, trek towards the Sang-e-Safed valley, where snow lingers most of the year. Be clear about what Yusmarg is. There are no big sights here and not much to tick off, which is exactly why it suits travellers who have already done Gulmarg and Pahalgam and want a slower day. Go between April and October.

• Doodh Ganga stream
• Nilnag lake
• Walks in the pine forest
• Horse riding
• Trek to Sang-e-Safed valley

Best time: April to October