Srinagar Private City Tour: Mughal Gardens, Dal Lake & Old City

Srinagar's landmarks and waterways in one guided day, from Mughal terraces to floating gardens.

A private Srinagar city tour with hotel pickup, English-speaking guide and AC transport covers the Mughal Gardens (Nishat Bagh, Shalimar Bagh, Chashme Shahi), Shankaracharya Temple, a Shikara ride on Dal Lake, Old Srinagar's historic lanes, and Pari Mahal. You choose whether to add entrance fees, lunch and guide to your car-only booking, or bundle them upfront. The tour runs seven to eight hours and ends with hotel drop-off.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Shankaracharya Temple1h · entry included
2. Dal Lake1h · entry included

Explore Srinagar's gardens and landmarks

• Pick-up from hotel
• Visit Nishat Bagh, Shalimar Bagh, Chashme Shahi
• Visit Shankaracharya Temple
• Lunch break
• Shikara ride on Dal Lake
• Explore Old Srinagar and visit Jamia Masjid and Hazratbal Shrine
• Visit Pari Mahal
• Drop-off at hotel

The experience

Srinagar's day starts at your hotel with pickup by a local guide who drives you in a private AC vehicle to the three main Mughal Gardens on the eastern and northern shores of Dal Lake. Nishat Bagh spreads across terraced lawns with views toward the Zabarwan Mountains; Shalimar Bagh, built by Emperor Jahangir for his wife Nur Jahan, unfolds in a larger formal design with water channels and pavilions; Chashme Shahi sits higher on the mountainside, smaller and quieter, built around a natural spring. The guide walks you through each one and explains the 16th-century layout and the emperors who commissioned them.

By late morning you drive uphill to Shankaracharya Temple, a 2,500-year-old Hindu shrine perched on a hilltop that commands views across the entire city and the surrounding peaks. After lunch (included if you select that option), you board a traditional wooden Shikara on Dal Lake for a leisurely cruise past the floating gardens (plots of vegetation anchored in the water), and you can talk with the boatmen and locals who work the lake. The boat ride is the most photographed moment of the day and the one most travelers remember.

The afternoon takes you into Old Srinagar's narrow lanes and bazaars, where the guide points out Jamia Masjid, one of the oldest mosques in the city, and Hazratbal Shrine on the lakeshore. The final stop is Pari Mahal, a 17th-century terraced garden built by Mughal Prince Dara Shikoh on the mountainside, which offers another panoramic view of the city, the lake and the mountains before you return to your hotel.

What’s included

• The tour includes private AC transport with hotel pickup and drop-off.
• an English-speaking local guide (if selected).
• entrance fees to the Mughal Gardens, Shankaracharya Temple and Pari Mahal (if selected).
• lunch (if selected).
• bottled water in the car.
• and government taxes.

Options for this experience

4 options

Car OnlyGuide in English · No fixed timeCovers a private car with driver. Pickup is included.

Car & GuideGuide in English · No fixed timeCovers a private car with driver and private guides. Pickup is included.

Entrance, guide and carGuide in English · No fixed timeCovers a private car with driver, private guides, and the entrance and activity fees listed in the itinerary. Pickup is included.

Lunch, entrance, guide and carGuide in English · No fixed timeCovers a private car with driver, private guides, the entrance and activity fees listed in the itinerary, and lunch. Pickup is included.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Child (5 to 10 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Agora Voyages Pvt. Ltd.

Is this one for you?Book the car-only option if you already have a guide or prefer to explore at your own pace; add the guide if you want context on the gardens' history and the city's layout; bundle entrance fees and lunch if you want everything arranged and no stops for payment or finding a restaurant.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 10 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What are the three Mughal Gardens I'll visit in Srinagar?

Nishat Bagh, Shalimar Bagh and Chashme Shahi. Nishat Bagh sits on the eastern shore of Dal Lake with terraced lawns and mountain views; Shalimar Bagh is the largest, built by Emperor Jahangir for his wife, and features water channels and pavilions; Chashme Shahi is smaller and perched on the mountainside around a freshwater spring.

Is the Shikara boat ride included in this tour?

Yes. The Shikara ride on Dal Lake is part of the tour itinerary after lunch. You'll cruise past the floating gardens and interact with locals during the leisurely boat ride.

What time does the tour start and end?

Hotel pickup begins at 9:00 AM. The tour runs seven to eight hours and ends with drop-off at your hotel around 5:30 PM.

Can I add a guide and entrance fees, or do I have to book them all together?

You have four options at checkout: car only; car with guide; car with guide and entrance fees; or car, guide, entrance fees and lunch. Choose the bundle that fits your needs.

Does the tour include lunch?

Lunch is included only if you select one of the options that bundles it in. The car-only and car-with-guide options do not include a meal.

What is Shankaracharya Temple and why is it on this tour?

Shankaracharya Temple is an ancient Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva, believed to be over 2,500 years old, situated on a hilltop. The temple offers panoramic views across Srinagar city and the surrounding mountains, making it one of the highest vantage points on the tour.