» Srinagar Tours

The capital of Jammu and Kashmir and the largest city in the state, Srinagar (1,730m) is famous for its canals, houseboats and Mughal gardens. The city itself is quite unlike most other large Indian cities for here you are much more in Central Asia than on the sub continent. It's a city full of intriguing alleyways and curious buildings. A place where it's very easy to spend a few hours simply wandering - particularly along the old city streets near the Jhelum river.

An Ancient Learning Centre Arts & Culture The city has long been a centre of the arts and learning - it has had a university or for hundreds of years and is a centre of Sanskrit study. 'Sri' means beauty or wealth of knowledge and 'Nagar' means city.

The city was originally founded by the great Buddhist emperor Ashoka - his old city is marked by the present village of Pandrethan. The present city was founded by Pravarasena II (79-139 AD) who named it "Praparapura" and built it practically contiguous with the old capital, which was called "Srinagari".

» Major Attractions of Srinagar

Dal Lake : The Dal is famous not only for its beauty, but for its vibrance, because it sustains within its periphery, a life that is unique anywhere in the world. The houseboat and Shikara communities have lived for centuries on the Dal, and so complete is their infrastructure on the lake, that they never have to step on land! Doctors, tailors, bakers- one can see them all in tiny wooden shops on the lake, near picturesque vegetable gardens and acres of lotus gardens.

Mughal Gardens : Set some distance back from the lake, but reached by a small canal, the Shalimar were built by Emperor Jehangir for his wife Nur Jahan, 'light of the world' in 1616. The Nishat Bagh is another lovely garden with its 12 terraces representing the 12 signs of the zodiac, which descend gradually and seem to almost merge into the lake. Smallest of the Srinagar Mughal gardens, measuring just 108 metres by 38 metres, the Chasma Shahi, or 'Royal Spring', are well up the hillside, above the Nehru Memorial Park.
Shankaracharya Hill : Rising up behind the boulevard, beside Dal Lake, the hill was once known as Takht-i-Sulaiman, the throne of Solomon. The philosopher Shankaracharya stayed at this place when he visited Kashmir ten centuries ago to revive "Sanatan Dharma".

Gulmarg Biosphere Reserves : The reserve area is located at a distance of 48-km from Srinagar, to its southwest. It is famous for retaining several rare and endangered species such as the musk deer, and a rich and varied avifauna.

Hazratbal Mosque : The most important Muslim shrine of Kashmir, that commands the reverence of the people beyond measure, is undoubtedly the Hazratbal Shrine, which is situated on the left bank of the famous Dal Lake in Srinagar. This unmatched reverence is anchored in the love and respect for the Prophet.

Khir Bhawani Temple : Situated at Tullamula in the Srinagar district, it is an important Hindu Shrine. The temple is associated with the Hindu Goddess, Ragnya Devi. An Annual festival is held here on Jeshth Ashtami (May-June) when Hindus visit the place in large numbers to offer prayers to seek the blessings of the deity.
Gulmarg : The best ski resort in the Himalayas, Gulmarg's legendary beauty, prime location and proximity to Srinagar naturally make it one of the premier hill spot in the country. Originally called 'Gaurimarg' by shepherds, its present name was given in the 16th century by Sultan Yusuf Shah, who was inspired by the sight of its grassy slopes emblazoned with wild flowers.

Sonmarg : Situated at 9,000 kms. above sea level, Sonmarg is one of the smallest resorts in Kashmir, lying in the heart of a gorgeous valley carved by the river Sindh.. Also known as "Golden meadow", this place gets its name 'Son' meaning golden, from the bloom of yellow crocuses that fill this valley in the spring. It can be reached by roads, which runs through the picturesque Sind valley flanked on one side by the densely populated slopes and many varieties of alpine flowers.


Pahalgam : Situated ninety five km east of Srinagar at an altitude of 2,130 metres Pahalgam is a quaint little village nestled on the banks of river Lidder. Away from the grind of daily life, Pahalgam is situated among the soaring mountains, glistening glaciers, gushing silvery streams of ice water and dense pine and cedar forests with soft whistling winds and re-vitalising air. Pahalgam has a golf course at 2400 meters above the sea level. Camping equipment, ponies and skiing equipment is readily available.

» Places to Stay in Srinagar

Srinagar has a great number of hotels apart from its well-known floating hostelries. If one wants something at the very bottom of the price scale or, conversely, at the top end of the luxury scale, one may find it easier on dry land. Prices are very variable with the season and the number of tourists.

» Shopping in Srinagar

There is a whole string of Government Handicraft Emporiums scattered around Srinagar but the main one is housed in the fine Old British Residency buildings by the Bund.

Here one will find a representative selection of reasonably good quality items at reasonable prices. Even if one doesn't buy anything, and take advantage of the government's quality guarantee, it's a good idea to familiarise oneself with what's available here.

» How to Get there

Air : Various airlines fly to Srinagar from New Delhi, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Jammu and there are flights operating from Srinagar to Leh and back. Flights are more frequent during the summer Tourist Season; at that time there will probably be several flights a day between Delhi and Srinagar. Some services are direct, while others operate via Chandigarh, Amritsar or Jammu. Flight time duration from Delhi on the direct flights is about an hour and ten minutes.

Road : Srinagar is connected by an all weather road to Jammu, which in turn is connected to many parts of North India. One can catch buses from Delhi but people making the trip by road should take up the route via Chandigarh, Amritsar or from the Himachal Pradesh hill stations.

Local Transport : The best known Kashmiri transport is, of course, the Shikara. These are the graceful, long boats, which crowd the Srinagar lakes. They're used for getting back and forth from the houseboats or for longer tours. Officially there is a standard fare for every trip around the lake and these are prominently posted at the main landings.