One day in Srinagar — the Mughal gardens and a shikara on Dal Lake
A day that covers the lake and its gardens. It runs along the shore of Dal Lake from Shalimar Bagh to Nishat Bagh, climbs to Chashme Shahi and Pari Mahal, and ends with a shikara on the water. For the old city and the shrines, see the two-day plan, and for the tulips, the spring day.
Photos: Suhail Skindar Sofi (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Pradeepkjoshi (CC BY-SA 4.0) · McKay Savage (CC BY 2.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Who this is for
First-time visitors and families, in any season when the road is open, with the spring and autumn mornings the clearest.
Day by day
Day 1Three gardens, a palace of fairies and the lake
5 stops · 43 min on the road
Three gardens, a palace of fairies and the lake
The three Mughal gardens of the shore in order of distance, then the hillside and the lake in the evening light.
- 09:30Shalimar BaghThe garden Jahangir laid out in 1619, the furthest of the three at about 17 minutes from the centre.
- ↓ 5 min by road · 3 km11:30Nishat BaghThe terraced garden of 1633, with the Zabarwan Range behind it.
- ↓ 9 min by road · 6 km13:30Chashme ShahiThe small spring garden of 1632, about 11 minutes from the centre.
- ↓ 4 min by road · 2 km15:00Pari MahalThe seven-terraced garden above the lake, with the view over the city.
- ↓ 25 min by road · 16 km16:30Dal LakeA shikara ride in the late light, among the houseboats and floating gardens.
Getting there
Srinagar airport is about 12 km from the city, and Jammu is about 240 km by road. See how to reach Srinagar for the arrival table.
Where to stay
Stay in Srinagar, on the lake or in the city. We have no verified lodging, prices or booking rules.
Know before you go
- Agree the shikara price and route before you board; we have no verified rates.
- Check the current local conditions and your own government's travel advice before any journey to Kashmir.
- We have no verified opening hours for the gardens; ask locally, and start early.
Places on this route
Going together
No one has started a group going on this plan yet. Start one and other travellers can ask to come along.
Other ways to do it
All Srinagar itineraries →
More places nearby
All of Srinagar →
Nearby destinations
All destinations →
Questions people ask
What can you see in Srinagar in one day?
The three Mughal gardens on Dal Lake, Pari Mahal on the hillside above, and a shikara ride on the lake itself. They lie 11 to 17 minutes from the centre on our routing, so the day is comfortable with a car. Add the Hazratbal Shrine or the Shankaracharya Temple if you start early and keep one fewer garden.
Is a day enough for Srinagar?
For the gardens and the lake, yes. The old city, with its wooden shrines, the Jama Masjid and the Hari Parbat Fort, deserves a second day, so the two-day plan adds it. Many visitors also take day trips to Gulmarg, Pahalgam or Sonamarg, each of them about an hour or more away by road.
When is the best time for this plan?
Spring and autumn, when the gardens are at their best and the air is clear; the tulip garden has its own plan for the spring bloom. Summer is warm, and winter is cold, with snow and a possible freeze on Dal Lake. Ask locally about the day's conditions and the roads before you go.