Kashmir Tour: Srinagar, Gulmarg & Pahalgam with Transfers

Ride a Shikara on Dal Lake, then explore three valleys in five days with a private guide and driver.

A 5-day private tour of Kashmir based in Srinagar with stays in a houseboat and handpicked hotels, covering Dal Lake, the Mughal gardens, Pahalgam's valleys and Gulmarg's gondola. The itinerary includes a one-hour Shikara ride, private air-conditioned transfers, breakfast and dinner daily, and the flexibility to move at your own pace through pine forests, meadows and ancient temple ruins.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Dal Lake Shikara Ride

• Arrive at Srinagar Airport
• Transfer to Deluxe Houseboat
• Enjoy Shikara Ride on Dal Lake
• Dinner on Houseboat

Day 2: Pahalgam Day Trip via Awantipora

• Breakfast at Houseboat
• Visit Awantipora Temple Ruins
• Drive through Saffron Fields
• Explore Pahalgam area
• Visit Betaab Valley
• Visit Chandanwari picnic spot
• Dinner at Houseboat

Day 3: Srinagar Mughal Gardens Tour

• Breakfast at Hotel
• Visit Nishat Bagh Garden
• Visit Shalimar Bagh Garden
• Visit Chashma Shahi Garden
• Visit Hazratbal Shrine
• Visit Shankaracharya Temple
• Dinner at Hotel

Day 4: Gulmarg Excursion and Sightseeing

• Breakfast at Hotel
• Gulmarg Gondola Ride
• Visit Gulmarg Golf Course
• Dinner at Hotel

Day 5: Departure from Srinagar

• Breakfast at Hotel
• Transfer to Srinagar Airport

The experience

The tour opens with arrival in Srinagar and a transfer to a deluxe houseboat on Dal Lake, where you spend the first night. That evening you take a one-hour Shikara ride across the lake: a wooden boat that moves slowly enough to see the water gardens and floating markets that line the shore. The houseboat itself is the accommodation, not a side visit. You wake there and have breakfast before heading out each day.

Day two is a full excursion to Pahalgam, a valley town famous as a film location. The route passes through saffron fields and stops at Awantipora, where eleventh-century temple ruins sit among the fields: the Archaeological Survey of India maintains the site. In Pahalgam itself, you visit Betaab Valley, where a clear stream runs down from the mountains, and Chandanwari, fifteen kilometers away, the starting point of the Amarnath pilgrimage route. The day ends back in Srinagar.

Day three stays in Srinagar for a sightseeing tour of the Mughal gardens: Nishat Bagh, built in 1633 with twelve terraces rising up the mountainside; Shalimar Bagh, linked to Dal Lake by a water channel; and Chashma Shahi, built around a spring in 1632. You also visit the Shankaracharya Temple, perched on a hilltop, and the Hazratbal Shrine on the lake's edge. Hotel accommodation replaces the houseboat for this night.

Day four is a full day in Gulmarg, a high-altitude meadow at 2,650 meters. The Gulmarg Gondola is one of the world's highest cable cars, a two-stage lift that climbs to Kongdoori Mountain. The golf course, established by the British in 1911, sits at the same elevation and holds the title of highest green golf course on earth. You return to hotel accommodation in Srinagar. On day five, after breakfast, you transfer to Srinagar airport for departure.

What’s included

• Pickup and drop at Srinagar airport.
• one-hour Shikara ride on Dal Lake.
• deluxe houseboat accommodation for night one.
• breakfast and dinner daily.
• private air-conditioned transfers throughout.
• sightseeing at Nishat Bagh, Shalimar Bagh, Chashma Shahi, Shankaracharya Temple and Hazratbal Shrine.
• full-day Pahalgam excursion with Betaab Valley and Chandanwari.
• full-day Gulmarg excursion with access to the gondola and golf course area.
• driver's allowance, road tax and fuel charges.

Options for this experience

5 options

Option 108:00

Option 208:00

Option 308:00

See 2 more options

Option 408:00

Option 508:00

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

AgesAdult (7 to 90 years) · Child (4 to 6 years) · Infant (under 4)

GroupPrivate

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

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 today

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Holiday Tours And Travels

Is this one for you?Choose the accommodation level that matches your comfort preference, options range from 2-star to 5-star, since the itinerary and activities remain the same across all five days. The houseboat on night one is fixed. The remaining nights shift to hotels, so you're not staying on the water for the full duration.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 6 years); Infant (under 4).

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 daily meals on this 5-day tour?

Breakfast and dinner are included every day. Lunch is not mentioned in the itinerary, so you'll arrange that independently or at stops along the way.

Do I need to book the gondola ride in Gulmarg separately, or is it part of the tour?

The Gulmarg Gondola and horse ride are optional add-ons you can choose at checkout. They're not included in the base tour price.

Where do I stay on the first night in Srinagar?

You stay in a deluxe houseboat on Dal Lake for the first night. The remaining nights are in handpicked hotels in Srinagar, and you choose the star rating when you book: options range from 2-star to 5-star accommodations.

How long is the Shikara ride on Dal Lake?

The Shikara ride lasts one hour and takes place on your arrival day in Srinagar, giving you a view of the water gardens and floating markets on the lake.

What's included in the private transfers?

Pickup and drop-off at Srinagar airport on arrival and departure are included, plus all transfers between Srinagar and the day-trip destinations in an air-conditioned vehicle. The driver's allowance, road tax and fuel charges are covered.

Is Awantipora on the way to Pahalgam, or do we make a special detour?

Awantipora lies on the route to Pahalgam, so you stop at the eleventh-hundred-year-old temple ruins without backtracking. The saffron fields are also along the same road.