Travel guide
How many days do you need in Kashmir?
Five to seven days is the sweet spot for a first trip. Here are sample plans for five, seven and ten days.
By the KashmirRide team 2 min read
Most first trips to Kashmir work best at five to seven days. That's enough to see Srinagar properly and spend real time in two of the three big valleys - Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg - without living in a taxi.
A simple way to plan
Think in bases, not day trips. Every destination outside Srinagar is 1.5–3 hours away by road, so a night or two in a valley saves hours of driving and lets you be there early, before the day crowds.
Five days
- Day 1 - Srinagar. Arrive, transfer to a houseboat on Dal or Nigeen, sunset shikara ride.
- Day 2 - Srinagar. Mughal gardens (Nishat, Shalimar, Chashme Shahi) and the old city.
- Day 3 - Gulmarg. Day trip by taxi; ride the Gondola in the morning when queues are shorter.
- Day 4 - Pahalgam. Drive via the saffron fields at Pampore. Stay the night.
- Day 5 - Pahalgam to the airport. Morning in Aru or Betaab Valley by local taxi, then back to Srinagar Airport (about 3 hours).
Seven days
Add a night in Gulmarg instead of the day trip, and a day trip to Sonamarg for the Thajiwas glacier walk. If you like quiet meadows, swap Sonamarg for Doodhpathri or Yusmarg - both are under two hours from Srinagar.
Ten days or more
Between June and October you can add Gurez, a remote valley beyond the Razdan pass. Plan at least two nights there; the road is long and closes in winter.
When to go
- April–June: tulips, green meadows, busy and pricier.
- July–August: warm days, monsoon showers in the plains bring more Indian tourists.
- September–November: clear skies and chinar trees turning red - many people's favourite.
- December–February: snow in Gulmarg and Pahalgam, cold nights; some roads close.
Book the pieces in one place
Use the Trip Builder to add your airport transfer, taxis, stays and a shikara ride day by day, and see the estimated total before you book.
