Dal Lake — shikara boats, houseboats and floating gardens in Srinagar
What it is
Dal Lake is a freshwater urban lake in the middle of Srinagar, about 18 square kilometres in area, set inside a larger wetland of about 21.1 square kilometres. Wikipedia calls it the city's most visited place. Its shore runs for about 15.5 km along a boulevard beside Mughal gardens, parks, houseboats and hotels, and the Zabarwan Range stands behind it.
Photos: Slyronit (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
On the water
Causeways cut the wetland into four basins, named Gagribal, Lokut Dal, Bod Dal and Nigeen. Two islands, Rupa Lank (also called Char Chinar) and Sona Lank, sit in the centres of Lokut Dal and Bod Dal. The floating gardens, called raad in Kashmiri, blossom with lotus in July and August. Houseboats of local cedar lie along the shore, and the shikara, a wooden boat with a pointed bow that seats about six, is the way most visitors get about.
The gardens on its shore
Three Mughal gardens look onto the lake: Shalimar Bagh, Nishat Bagh and Chashme Shahi. The Shankaracharya Temple and Pari Mahal overlook it from the hills.
Getting there
By road the lake is about 12 minutes and 7 km from the centre of Srinagar on our routing. We have no verified shikara or houseboat rates; agree the price and the length of the ride first.
Know before you go
Wikipedia says serious pollution, from untreated sewage and waste, has damaged the lake, and that large sums are being spent on restoring it. The lake can freeze in winter. See when to visit Srinagar and the one-day plan.
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Questions people ask
What is Dal Lake?
A freshwater urban lake in Srinagar, about 18 square kilometres, with a shoreline of about 15.5 km that has a boulevard, gardens, houseboats and hotels along it. It is the most visited place in the city. Wikipedia ranks it as the region's second biggest lake and says its floating gardens flower with lotus in July and August.
How do you see Dal Lake?
By shikara, the wooden boat that seats about six with the boatman paddling at the back, and by walking the boulevard on its shore. Houseboats line the water, and the Mughal gardens of Shalimar and Nishat overlook it. We have no verified rates, so agree the price and the route before you board.
Does Dal Lake freeze?
In winter it can. Wikipedia says the air can fall to 11 °C below zero, and the water then freezes. The lake is at an average elevation of about 1,583 m. Causeways split the wetland into four basins, and the lake faces serious pollution problems that a large government restoration is trying to address.