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Raasta
Shikaras waiting on the misty water of Dal Lake with mountains behind

Journey No. 02Northern Himalaya

KashmirValleys, Lakes & Mountain Roads

A week where almost every window deserves a photograph.

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Duration
6 Days / 5 Nights
Route
Srinagar → Gulmarg → Pahalgam → Sonamarg
Starting from
₹34,900per person
Best time
April to October for meadows

01The short version

Six days.One lake, three valleys,and almost no windowthat doesn't deserve a photograph.

Kashmir does beauty without trying. Mornings on still water, afternoons in alpine meadows, and roads that follow rivers into valleys where shepherds still move their flocks with the seasons. This journey is built around slowness — a houseboat base, unhurried drives, and time to simply look.

Highlights

  • Dal Lake
  • Shikara ride
  • Houseboat stay
  • Gulmarg
  • Pahalgam
  • Mountain drives
  • Kashmiri food
  • Local markets

02The route

4 stops. One unbroken line.

Starts in Srinagar, ends in Srinagar. The road gets quieter with every stop.

  1. 01 · Days 1–2, 6

    Srinagar

    Lakes & houseboats

  2. 02 · Day 3

    Gulmarg

    Meadow of flowers

  3. 03 · Day 4

    Pahalgam

    Valley of shepherds

  4. 04 · Day 5

    Sonamarg

    Meadow of gold

03The itinerary

The story of your journey, one day at a time.

Every day can bend: slower mornings, extra nights, a detour you hear about on the road. This is the shape of it.

  1. Boats drifting on Dal Lake beneath a moody evening sky

    Srinagar

    Day 1 of 6, Drift: Sunset from a shikara

    Arrive in Srinagar and trade the car for a shikara. Glide across Dal Lake as the mountains turn pink, past floating gardens and houseboats with carved cedar balconies. Tonight, you sleep on the water.

    • Sunset shikara ride
    • Heritage houseboat stay

    Overnight: Houseboat, Dal Lake

  2. A floating vendor selling fruit from his boat on Dal Lake

    Old Srinagar

    Day 2 of 6, Explore: Gardens, workshops and kahwa

    Rise early for the floating vegetable market, when boats loaded with lotus stems and greens trade at first light. Then the old city: Mughal gardens, papier-mâché and walnut-wood workshops, timber shrines, and endless cups of saffron kahwa.

    • Floating market at dawn
    • Mughal gardens
    • Craft workshop visit

    Overnight: Srinagar

  3. A red gondola cabin climbing above pine forest in Gulmarg

    Gulmarg

    Day 3 of 6, Climb: A meadow at the edge of the sky

    Drive up to Gulmarg, a high meadow ringed by pine and snow. Ride the gondola for views across the Himalaya when the weather allows, or simply walk the meadows and let the afternoon go quiet.

    • Gulmarg Gondola (weather permitting)
    • Meadow walk

    Overnight: Srinagar

  4. A wide green meadow and pine forest in Aru Valley near Pahalgam

    Pahalgam

    Day 4 of 6, Follow: Where the Lidder runs

    The road follows the Lidder river into the valley of shepherds. Walk out to Aru or Betaab valley, pass flocks moving between pastures, and picnic beside water so cold and clear it seems to hum.

    • Aru Valley walk
    • Riverside picnic

    Overnight: Pahalgam

  5. Golden grass below the snowy peaks of the Thajiwas glacier near Sonamarg

    Sonamarg

    Day 5 of 6, Rise: The meadow of gold

    A day for big mountains. Sonamarg sits beneath glaciers and sharp, snow-streaked peaks. Walk or ride towards Thajiwas, and watch the late light turn the grass to the gold that gives this place its name.

    • Thajiwas glacier trail
    • High mountain drive

    Overnight: Srinagar

  6. Shikaras waiting on the misty water of Dal Lake with mountains behind

    Srinagar

    Day 6 of 6, Linger: One more cup of kahwa

    A slow morning by the lake — one last shikara, one last kahwa — before your transfer to the airport. Somewhere over the Pir Panjal you'll realise you didn't take a single bad photograph.

    • Slow breakfast by the lake
    • Airport transfer

04What you'll remember

Long after the photos are sorted, these stay.

  • Carved wooden houseboats on Dal Lake with snow on the mountains beyond
    Waking on a houseboatCarved cedar, still water and snow on the far mountains.
  • A floating vendor selling fruit from his boat on Dal Lake
    The floating market at dawnBoats piled with vegetables, trading in whispers.
  • A summer meadow of purple wildflowers in Gulmarg
    Wildflowers in GulmargA summer meadow turned violet at the edge of the pines.
  • A flock of sheep grazing on a green meadow below the mountains of Pahalgam
    Shepherds of the Aru valleyFlocks moving between pastures as they have for centuries.

05The gallery

Kashmir, in 11 frames.

Tap any photograph to see it full screen.

06The fine print, beautifully

What's in the bag. What isn't.

Included

  • Handpicked boutique, heritage and homestay accommodation throughout
  • Daily breakfast, plus the special dinners noted in the itinerary
  • Private air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced local driver
  • Local guides for the walks and experiences listed
  • Entry fees to the monuments and sites listed in the itinerary
  • Airport or railway station transfers on arrival and departure
  • A dedicated trip designer before you go and 24/7 support on the road
  • Two nights on a traditional heritage houseboat
  • Sunset and dawn shikara rides on Dal Lake

Not included

  • Flights or trains to the start and from the end of the journey
  • Lunches and dinners unless mentioned
  • Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
  • Camera fees, tips and personal expenses
  • Optional activities not listed in the itinerary
  • Applicable taxes — confirmed in your personalised quote
  • Gulmarg Gondola tickets (booked on request, subject to weather)

Starting from

₹34,900 per person

Demo price, based on two travelling together. Excludes flights. Final inclusions and price are confirmed in your personalised quote.

07Trip personality

Is this your kind of trip?

  • Pace

    2 out of 5 (Unhurried to On the move)

  • Adventure

    3 out of 5 (Gentle to Thrilling)

  • Culture

    3 out of 5 (Light to Immersive)

  • Nature

    5 out of 5 (Towns & cities to Wild)

  • Comfort

    4 out of 5 (Rustic to Polished)

Good to know

  • Best timeApril to October for meadows; December to February for snow

  • Group size2–10 travellers, or completely private

  • Starts / endsSrinagar

6 Days / 5 Nights · Kashmir

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