7-day Kashmir family tour: Houseboat, glacier, meadows

Srinagar to Gulmarg in seven days: gardens, glaciers, and mountain meadows

A 7-day guided tour of Kashmir based in Srinagar, visiting Sonamarg, Pahalgam and Gulmarg with private transport and accommodation included. The itinerary moves through Mughal gardens and saffron fields, then up to mountain resorts where you walk to glaciers, ride horseback across wildlife sanctuaries and ascend by cable car to alpine peaks. English-speaking guide, minimum age 12.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Srinagar sightseeing

• Arrive at Srinagar Airport
• Drive through New Srinagar city
• Visit Mughal gardens Nishat and Shalimar
• Enjoy 2-hour shikara boat ride
• Dinner and overnight at houseboat

Day 2: Sonamarg day trip from Srinagar

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive to Sonamarg via Kangan and Mammar
• Stop for tea at Mammar trout farm
• Walk or horseback ride to Thajwass glacier
• Visit Sonamarg market
• Drive back to Srinagar
• Overnight at hotel in Srinagar

Day 3: Drive to Pahalgam and nature walk

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive to Pahalgam via Pampore and Anantnag
• Check in at hotel
• Nature walks in Pahalgam
• Overnight at hotel in Pahalgam

Day 4: Pahalgam sightseeing and leisure

• Breakfast at hotel
• Visit Chandanwari and Betaab valley
• Horseback ride to Baisaran meadows
• Leisure time
• Overnight at hotel in Pahalgam

Day 5: Drive to Gulmarg and local tour

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive to Gulmarg via Tangmarg
• Check in at hotel
• Short tour around Gulmarg meadow
• Overnight at hotel in Gulmarg

Day 6: Gulmarg sightseeing and activities

• Breakfast at hotel
• Ride Gondola cable car to Afarwatt peak
• Photography at mountain ranges
• Horse-riding to strawberry valley
• Dinner and overnight at hotel

Day 7: Departure and airport transfer

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive to airport with city stopover
• Assistance with luggage at airport
• Drop off outside terminal gate

The experience

Srinagar is your base for the first two days. After a 35-minute drive from the airport, you check into a deluxe houseboat and spend the afternoon exploring the Nishat and Shalimar gardens: two heritage sites built over 14 years by Mughal rulers, set against the Zabarwan mountains with cascading fountains and blooming flower beds. Later that day you take a 2-hour shikara boat ride across the lake, gliding past vegetable gardens and aquatic life. The second day is a full excursion to Sonamarg: a scenic drive through rolling hills, rice fields and clear streams, with a stop at Mammar's trout farm for tea, then a 3-hour walk or horseback trek to the Thajwass glacier. You return to Srinagar for the night.

Days three and four take you south to Pahalgam, a 97-kilometer drive along National Highway 1A that passes the saffron fields of Pampore, the ruins of Avantipura, and the Lidder river flowing parallel to the road. In Pahalgam you have the choice to ride horseback to Baisaran meadows across a wildlife sanctuary or drive to Chandanwari and Betaab valley, with the rest of the day free for your own pace. The fifth day is a 152-kilometer drive to Gulmarg through villages and rice fields, arriving early enough to settle in and take a short tour of the meadow itself.

Your final full day in Gulmarg centers on the Gondola cable car: an 8-minute ascent to the lower ridge of Afarwatt peak, where you photograph the surrounding mountain ranges before descending and riding horseback to strawberry valley. On day seven, after a late breakfast, the driver takes you back to Srinagar airport with time for a shopping stop in the city center on the way.

What’s included

• Private transport for all seven days.
• deluxe houseboat accommodation in Srinagar and hotel stays in Pahalgam and Gulmarg.
• shikara boat ride on Dal Lake.
• English-speaking guide throughout the tour.
• airport transfers on arrival and departure.

Before you book

Lasts 7d, runs every day at 10:30, from US$ 486 per person, with a live guide in English, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 10:30

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (12 to 80 years) · Under 12: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancy

Operated by Just Go Kashmir

Is this one for you?The seven days allow you to move through four distinct landscapes (lake gardens, river valleys, wildlife meadows and alpine peaks) without rushing any of them, and the private transport means the pace stays yours instead of tied to a group schedule.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's included in the 7-day Kashmir tour?

The tour includes private transport throughout the seven days, accommodation at a deluxe houseboat in Srinagar and hotels in Pahalgam and Gulmarg, a 2-hour shikara boat ride on the first day, and an English-speaking guide. Meals are not mentioned in the itinerary.

How long is the drive from Srinagar airport to the houseboat?

The drive from Srinagar International Airport to your houseboat takes 35 minutes, passing through the heart of New Srinagar city and over the Abdullah bridge that crosses the Jehlum river.

What can I do in Pahalgam on day four?

In Pahalgam you can choose between a horseback ride across the wildlife sanctuary to Baisaran meadows or a drive to the picturesque Chandanwari and Betaab valley. The rest of the day is free for your own activities.

What is the Gondola cable car experience in Gulmarg?

The Gondola cable car is an 8-minute ascent to the lower ridge of Afarwatt peak, where you can photograph the surrounding mountain ranges. After an hour at the top you descend back to Gulmarg base.

Is this tour suitable for children?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels and has a minimum age of 12 years. It is not recommended for pregnant travelers.

How many hours is the drive from Pahalgam to Gulmarg?

The drive from Pahalgam to Gulmarg covers 152 kilometers and takes 4 to 5 hours, passing through colorful villages and rice fields before arriving at the market town of Tangmarg and then the final 14-kilometer scenic drive to Gulmarg.