6-day Kashmir Itinerary for First-Time Visitors | FREE
Day 1
Arrive at Srinagar
Arrive at Srinagar before 8 AM. Make sure to shoot some amazing visuals of the Himalayas before your flight lands. Left-side seats are better for this.
Have breakfast and go for a city tour, covering the following places. You can hire a cab or an auto for this.
You can spend around 30 - 45 minutes in each of these places.
Post the city tour, you can proceed for lunch. You can try out some of the following restaurants.
Post lunch, proceed towards Dal lake and check into your hotel. You can also stay in one of the houseboats in Dal lake. Listing down some recommendations for your stay:
After you checkin, rest till evening. In the evening, proceed towards Dal Lake for an amazing sunset boat ride. The ride typically lasts for 1 - 1.5 hours and shall cost you about INR 500 - 800 per person. Make sure that you bargain. During the ride, you will come across people in boats selling snacks, kahwa (traditional Kashmiri tea), artifacts, etc. You will also pass by the floating market. The prices here can be a tad bit more expensive compared to land costs.
Post the boat ride, you can have dinner and call it a day.
Day 2
Pahalgam
On day 2, finish your breakfast early and proceed towards Pahalgam. You can hire a cab for this. The journey from Srinagar to Pahalgam should take about 2 - 3 hours. En route, you will pass by saffron fields, apple orchards and cricket bat factory. You may also purchase dry fruits and saffron from any of the shops on the way.
On arrival at Pahalgam, check into your hotel. The following are our recommendations:
Post lunch, proceed towards Pahalgam taxi stand. You can hire a pony here to visit places such as mini Switzerland, Kashmir valley, Pahalgam valley, etc. The cost of pony will depend upon the places that you want to visit and should range from INR 4000 - 5000 per person. Again, make sure to bargain. This should take about 4 - 5 hours to complete.
P.S. Even though this experience is slightly expensive, we strongly recommend it. The views are to die for, and movies such as Bajrangi Bhaijan were shot in these places.
Post this trip, return to your hotel for dinner and call it a day.
Day 3
Pahalgam and return to Srinagar
Post breakfast, proceed to Pahalgam taxi stand. Please note that the cabs you hired from Srinagar are not allowed here, and you need to hire local union cabs from the taxi stand to visit Aru Valley, Betab Valley, and Chandanwari. During winter months, you may hire a sled in these valleys since walking can be a bit taxing in the cold weather. Gumboots will be available for rent in front of the entrance of these places. You can spend 1 - 1.5 hours in each of these places.
Once you cover these places, you can return to Srinagar. En-route, visit Avantipur ruins.
In the evening, you may visit Lal Chowk market or take a stroll along the banks of Dal Lake.
Day 4
Gulmarg
On day 4, finish your breakfast early and proceed towards Gulmarg. You can hire a cab for this. The journey from Srinagar to Gulmarg should take about 1.5 - 2 hours. Please note that during winter months, depending on road conditions, your vehicle may not be allowed in Gulmarg and you may have to hire a local union cab. Here also, on the top, you may hire a sled during the winter months. You can also rent jackets, gumboots, etc. here. The main attraction in Gulmarg is the Gondola ride. The queue for getting the tickets can sometimes be very long, so plan on reaching Gulmarg early. It is also possible to book these tickets online. Gondola has two phases. The ticket price will depend upon the phase that you want to visit.
You can also try out activities such as skiing and snowboarding here. You may spend 4 - 5 hours here, depending upon the crowd and number of activities that you want to do.
Post this, definitely visit Drung waterfall, especially if you are visiting during the winter months. The frozen waterfall is one of the best natural sights that you will see in your life!
You may choose to spend the day in Gulmarg, or return to Srinagar in the evening.
The following are some of our recommendations for stays in Gulmarg:
Day 5
Sonmarg
The journey from Gulmarg to Sonmarg can take 3 - 3.5 hours. If you are traveling from Srinagar, it will take 2 - 2.5 hours.
The biggest attraction of this place is the Thajiwas Glacier. You can hire a pony similar to Pahalgam here also.
Return to Srinagar in the evening.
Day 6
Departure from Srinagar
Check out from your hotel post breakfast and proceed towards with lots of memories to be cherished for a lifetime!
Pro-tips:
1. The land cost in Kashmir is expensive compared to other destinations (for hiring pony, local cabs, renting winter wear, etc.). Make sure that you bargain for a fair price and also carry sufficient amount of cash with you. While ATMs are available in Srinagar, they are sparsely available in other locations and online payment is not always an option.
2. If you are traveling during winter, make sure to carry sufficient amount of winter wear such as thermals, jackets, sweaters, etc. While gumboots are available for rent in places with heavy snow, you must carry woollen socks and a good pair of shoes.
3. Make sure to carry your essential medicines with you since medical shops may not be accessible everywhere.
5. Please leave for airport early on your departure day since there is security checking before entering the airport. Please make sure to factor in atleast 30 - 45 minutes for this, based on the crowd at the airport.
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