The summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar, should be on your bucket list for many reasons. Tourists love Srinagar for its Dal Lake, which is one of the most popular attractions. There are also many other beautiful Mughal gardens and historical landmarks. The tranquil view of the Dal Lake from the Majestic Zabarwan Mountain Range is something you will love to admire during your time in the city. Your entire trip to Srinagar is incomplete without enjoying a scenic journey to Srinagar Dal Lake. This is my Srinagar travel guide, based on solo travels in Jammu & Kashmir, India. I visited many top attractions in Srinagar and discovered the best things to do there in two days and can add it in your srinagar tour packages to srinagar holiday packages.
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Srinagar’s Best Time to Visit
Spring (March-May) to summer (June-August) is the best time to visit Srinagar. It is pleasant and not too cold during this period. The average temperature is between 12 and 30 degrees Celsius. The paradise of the earth, Kashmir, is beautiful in all seasons. Srinagar’s largest Tulip Garden is best visited in April. April is the best time to visit Srinagar.
How to Reach Srinagar
It is easily accessible by rail, road, and air, from major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Chandigarh, Amritsar or Bengaluru, Amritsar, Amritsar, Amritsar, Amritsar, Amritsar, Amritsar, Bengaluru. You can fly to Srinagar, Leh, Leh, Jammu, Lucknow, Leh and Lucknow. Regular domestic flights depart from these cities to Srinagar Sheikh ul-Alam Airport.
Regular buses and trains run regularly to Srinagar. The Srinagar Railway Station can be connected to Udhampur or Jammu Tawi Railway Stations. These stations can be used to connect you with Srinagar via bus or private taxi.
Where to Stay
I spent seven days in Srinagar. Five nights I stayed at the Hotel Grand Labeeb, Babdem, Srinagar. Two nights had a budget-friendly stay in a houseboat on Dal Lake. It is possible to visit the city centre of Srinagar in two or three days. It is possible to take a day trip from Srinagar to the hill stations Gulmarg or Sonmarg.
Two days I kept for city sightseeing, two days was for a day trip to Gulmarg and Sonmarg from Srinagar. The last two days were spent in a houseboat enjoying the beauty of the Dal Lake.
There are many options for hotels, guest houses, houseboats and resorts. The majority of hotels are located on Boulevard Road in the Dal Lake area. This is the central tourist hub in Srinagar. The best hotels in Srinagar Dal Lake View include Centaur Lake View Hotel and Vivanta Dal View. Also, Fortune Resort Heevan is available, as well as Vivanta Dal View Hotel, Vivanta Dal View Hotel, Vivanta Dal View Hotel, Vivanta Dal View Hotel, Vivanta Dal View Hotel, Fortune Resort Heevan.
The Best Things to Do in Srinagar
Srinagar has many stunning destinations. You’ll find the best places to visit and the most exciting things to do once you are in the city. To move around the city, it is easy and inexpensive to take the Srinagar sightseeing bus service. To visit most of the gardens and other historical landmarks, you will need to purchase entrance tickets. It is worth spending at least one night in the Dal Lake Houseboat, as Srinagar’s top attraction. These are just a few of the top Srinagar City attractions that you will love to explore.
Asia’s Largest Tulip Garden
The top attraction in Srinagar is the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden. Most tourists visit Srinagar in April. The best time to visit Asia’s largest Tulip Garden, located at 5600 feet above sea level, is spring. There are 30 hectares of colourful tulips, with a total of 12.5 million. The view from the Tulip Garden of the Zabarwan Mountains and the distant view of Pari Mahal was my favourite things.
Visit the Beautiful Mughal Gardens
The main attractions of Srinagar are its Mughal Gardens. They are a must-see for everyone. Each garden boasts stunning architecture and beautiful views of the mountains and Dal Lake. Many locals enjoy spending their weekends in beautiful gardens with their families. The park is a great place to have fun. Authorities well maintain all gardens. All Mughal gardens were built in the 16th century. Pari Mahal, Shalimar Bagh were my top picks.
Pari Mahal
The Pari Mahal Garden, which has seven terraces, is also known as “The Palace of Fairies”, built during Shah Jahan’s reign. It is a stunning view of Dal Lake from the top.
Shalimar Bagh
Shalimar Bagh, also known as the Crown of Srinagar, is one of the most beautiful Mughal gardens. It was built during Mughal Jahangir’s reign.
Nishat Bagh
Nishat Bagh, one of Srinagar’s most beautiful and extensive Mughal gardens, is a must-see. It is also known as the ‘Garden of Joy.’
Chashme Shahi
The holy spring is also found in another Mughal garden, Chashme Shahi. It is also known as the “Royal Spring”, which was built during the Mughal era.
Badam Wari
Badam Wari garden has many almond trees. It is best to take in the beautiful view of the mountains from this garden. Locals love to walk through this garden in the morning.
Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Botanical Garden
Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Botanical Garden was not constructed during the Mughal period, but it is worth visiting. This garden contains many rare plants and other vegetation. The enclosure was filled with tall Poplar trees.
Visit Oldest Jamia Mosque
The oldest Jamia Mosque, built by Sultan Sikandar Shah Kashmiri Shahmiri in 1394 and found in Downtown Srinagar. There are many interesting facts about the mosque. Srinagar Jamia Masjid is capable of holding 33,333 people at once for salah. It is a unique architectural masterpiece that has been renovated three times.
Jamia Mosque is a landmark in Srinagar. Lakhs of people offer the salah every year on the Friday of the Holy Month of Ramadan.
Take in the top view of Srinagar City from Hari Parbat Fort.
Hari Parbat Fort in Srinagar is a must-see. In 1590, Akbar the Mughal Emperor built the historical Hari Parbat Fort. This fort was constructed by Atta Mohammad Khan in 1808. It is located on top of Hari Parbat Hill. From the defence, you can see Srinagar City’s top view. You will find Shakti Temple, Muslim Shrines, and Gurudwara within Hari Parbat.
Top Dal Lake View From Shankaracharya Temple
The Shankaracharya Temple was built in 371 BC. It is one of the most sacred places in Srinagar. The temple is located at the summit of Shankaracharya Hill, 1000 feet above sea level. The temple offers a view of the top Dal Lake from its base. However, photography is prohibited. To visit Shankaracharya Temple, you will need to climb more than 200 steps. However, there is one viewpoint of the Hindu Temple. There is a spot to sit and enjoy the distant view of Hari Parbat Fort. Many people stop here.
Boulevard Road offers a stunning view of the landscape around Dal Lake.
Boulevard Road is the most famous spot to see Dal Lake and the Zabarwan Range. Chinar Ghat is a popular spot along Boulevard Road. Here you will see many locals relaxing and enjoying the view of Dal Lake. From Boulevard Road, I saw the beautiful landscape of Dal Lake on my first day in Srinagar.
This road also houses the beautiful Nunkun Lake View restaurant, where you can enjoy tea or coffee while taking in the stunning view of Dal Lake. This is the most popular restaurant in the city, and it’s best known for its Chinese cuisine.
Enjoy Kashmiri Wazwan at Any Top City Restaurant
Wazwan, a traditional Kashmiri dish, is usually served at weddings and other significant events. It’s a popular Kashmiri non-veg dish and is prepared with 15-30 dishes (lamb). Wazwan’s must-have dishes include Kabab, Rishta and Tabak maaz. Any of these can be ordered and served with plain rice. Wazwan was served at Karema Restaurant, Residency Road. Wazwan can also be enjoyed at Ahdoos Restaurant.
If you’re looking for vegetarian food, Krishna Vaishno Dhaba, Srinagar is best for trying and reviewing many veg items. Durganagh’s Krishna Dhaba is a pure vegetarian restaurant.
Tour Around Popular Srinagar Food Streets
It’s fun to go to local food markets and food streets. For Srinagar street food, the best places to go are Khayam Chowk and Dalgate Road. The city’s most famous street food is halwa Partha, crispy potato and lotus stem fries, chicken tandoori and kabab.
You might also not like to leave the city without purchasing or collecting souvenirs. You can find many traditional Kashmiri items at Lal Chowk, the floating markets and Meena Bazar in Dal Lake. Kashmiri shawls, pashminas, Kashmiri-stitched salwar and Poncho, carpet, walnut wood products, dry fruits, almond, apricot, and other traditional Kashmiri items are just a few of the many best Kashmiri products you can buy in Srinagar.