HimLocal
Sign in
HimLocal
The tall wooden Khanqah-e-Moula with its carved balconies and a spired pagoda roof against the sky
1 / 3
Photo: Varun Shiv Kapur from New Delhi, India · CC BY 2.0
1 night · 2 dayscultureTemples & heritagebalanced

Two days in Srinagar — the old city's shrines, then the lake and gardens

A two-day Srinagar plan: the Khanqah-e-Moula, Jama Masjid, Hari Parbat and Shankaracharya Temple, then Hazratbal, Shalimar, Nishat and Dal Lake. Free to copy.
Planning to go?Add your dates — we’ll count down, and tell you when stays or batches open for them.

Two days that give the city its history and its water. The first goes through the old city: the Khanqah-e-Moula, the Jama Masjid, the Hari Parbat Fort and the Shankaracharya Temple. The second is the lake: the Hazratbal Shrine, Shalimar Bagh, Nishat Bagh and a shikara on Dal Lake. For one day only, see the one-day plan.

Photos: Varun Shiv Kapur from New Delhi, India (CC BY 2.0) · Taha Mirani 11 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Paul Zahid (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

Who this is for

Visitors who want the city's history as well as its gardens, in spring or autumn, with a night in Srinagar.

Day by day

Day 1

The old city and the hills

4 stops · 26 min on the road

Two historic mosques, the fort on its hill and the temple above the lake.

  1. 09:30
    Khanqah-e-Moula
    temple · 5 min from Srinagar · about 30 min there
    The wooden shrine on the Jhelum, built in 1395, about 5 minutes from the centre.
  2. ↓ 4 min by road · 1 km
    10:45
    Jama Masjid Srinagar
    temple · 5 min from Srinagar · about 45 min there
    The great Friday mosque of Nowhatta, begun in 1394.
  3. ↓ 3 min by road · 1 km
    12:30
    Hari Parbat Fort
    fort · 8 min from Srinagar · about 1 h there
    The hill fort of 1808 with its shrines, about 8 minutes from the centre.
  4. ↓ 19 min by road · 11 km
    15:00
    Shankaracharya Temple
    temple · 14 min from Srinagar · about 1 h 30 min there
    The hilltop Shiva temple above Dal Lake, reached by a flight of steps.
Day 2

The lake and its gardens

4 stops · 31 min on the road

The shrine on the north shore, then two Mughal gardens and the lake.

  1. 09:00
    Hazratbal Shrine
    temple · 12 min from Srinagar · about 1 h there
    The white-domed shrine on Dal Lake's north shore, about 12 minutes from the centre.
  2. ↓ 9 min by road · 6 km
    10:45
    Shalimar Bagh
    monument · 17 min from Srinagar · about 1 h 15 min there
    Jahangir's garden of 1619.
  3. ↓ 5 min by road · 3 km
    13:00
    Nishat Bagh
    monument · 14 min from Srinagar · about 1 h 15 min there
    The terraced garden of 1633.
  4. ↓ 17 min by road · 12 km
    15:30
    Dal Lake
    lake · 12 min from Srinagar · about 2 h there
    A shikara ride in the late light.

Getting there

Srinagar airport is about 12 km from the city. See how to reach Srinagar for the arrival table.

Where to stay

One night in Srinagar, in the city or on the lake. We have no verified lodging, prices or booking rules.

Know before you go

  • The mosques and shrines are active places of worship: dress modestly, remove your shoes and ask before photographing; avoid Friday prayer time at the Jama Masjid.
  • 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 fort, the mosques or the temple; ask locally on the day.

Places on this route

Khanqah-e-Moula — the wooden shrine of Shah-e-Hamadan on the Jhelum
Khanqah-e-Moula — the wooden shrine of Shah-e-Hamadan on the Jhelum
temple · 5 min from Srinagar
Jama Masjid Srinagar — the great wooden Friday mosque of the old city
Jama Masjid Srinagar — the great wooden Friday mosque of the old city
temple · 5 min from Srinagar
Hari Parbat Fort — the hill fort above Srinagar's old city
Hari Parbat Fort — the hill fort above Srinagar's old city
fort · 8 min from Srinagar
Dal Lake — shikara boats, houseboats and floating gardens in Srinagar
Dal Lake — shikara boats, houseboats and floating gardens in Srinagar
lake · 12 min from Srinagar
Hazratbal Shrine — the white-domed Sufi shrine on Dal Lake
Hazratbal Shrine — the white-domed Sufi shrine on Dal Lake
temple · 12 min from Srinagar
Nishat Bagh — the terraced Mughal garden of joy on Dal Lake
Nishat Bagh — the terraced Mughal garden of joy on Dal Lake
monument · 14 min from Srinagar
Shankaracharya Temple — the hilltop Shiva temple above Srinagar
Shankaracharya Temple — the hilltop Shiva temple above Srinagar
temple · 14 min from Srinagar
Shalimar Bagh — the Mughal garden on Dal Lake's north shore
Shalimar Bagh — the Mughal garden on Dal Lake's north shore
monument · 17 min from Srinagar

Going together

No one has started a group going on this plan yet. Start one and other travellers can ask to come along.

Start a groupHow groups work

Other ways to do it

All Srinagar itineraries →
One day in Srinagar — the Mughal gardens and a shikara on Dal Lake
One day in Srinagar — the Mughal gardens and a shikara on Dal Lake
Day plan · First visit · Temples & heritage
A one-day Srinagar plan: the Mughal gardens of Shalimar, Nishat and Chashme Shahi, Pari Mahal above the lake, and a shikara ride on Dal Lake. Free to copy.
Best Apr–May · Sep–Oct
See the plan →

More places nearby

All of Srinagar →
Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden — Asia's largest tulip garden
Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden — Asia's largest tulip garden
park · 2.9 km away
Pari Mahal — the terraced garden of fairies above Dal Lake
Pari Mahal — the terraced garden of fairies above Dal Lake
monument · 3.1 km away
Chashme Shahi — the royal spring garden above Dal Lake
Chashme Shahi — the royal spring garden above Dal Lake
monument · 3.9 km away
Kheer Bhawani Temple — the spring shrine at Tulmulla near Srinagar
Kheer Bhawani Temple — the spring shrine at Tulmulla near Srinagar
temple · 15 km away

Nearby destinations

All destinations →
Dalhousie hill station across its five hills
Dalhousie
202 km away · 2 itineraries · 5 places
Chamba town on the bank of the Ravi, seen from the hillside above
Chamba
208 km away · 3 itineraries · 5 places
The stone tower of the Narasimha temple at Bharmour with a green mountain behind it under a blue sky
Bharmour
242 km away · 2 itineraries · 4 places
Namgyal Monastery, the Dalai Lama's temple complex in McLeod Ganj
Dharamshala
250 km away · 5 itineraries · 15 places
Been here?Help the next traveller — our team checks every contribution.

Questions people ask

How many days do you need in Srinagar?

Two days cover the old city's historic mosques and shrines, the fort and the hilltop temple on the first day, and the lake, its shrine and two Mughal gardens on the second. A third day is easily spent on a trip to Gulmarg, Pahalgam or Sonamarg, or on the tulip garden in spring.

Can you visit the mosques as a tourist?

They are active places of worship, and we have no verified rules for visitors. Ask locally on the day, dress modestly, remove your shoes and avoid prayer times, especially Friday at the Jama Masjid. Access has varied over the years, so be ready to skip a stop if it is closed.

Where should you stay in Srinagar?

Either on the lake in a houseboat or near the boulevard, or in the city near the old town. We have no verified rates or booking rules. The houseboats are built of local cedar and are one of the experiences the city is known for, so many visitors spend at least one night on one.