Day by day
| Day | Plan | Night | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Srinagar. Your driver meets you at the airport or railway station. Check in; a shikara ride on Dal Lake. | Srinagar | Easy |
| Day 2 | Mughal gardens (Nishat, Shalimar, Chashme Shahi) in the morning; the old city and Jamia Masjid after lunch; evening at leisure. | Srinagar | Easy |
| Day 3 | Drive to Gulmarg. In the afternoon, the Gulmarg Gondola (Phase 1 to Kongdoori; Phase 2 on clear days for fit adults), a meadow walk and St Mary’s Church. | Gulmarg | Moderate |
| Day 4 | Drive from Gulmarg to Pahalgam. Check in and take it easy. | Pahalgam | Easy |
| Day 5 | The valleys by local union vehicle: Aru in the morning, Betaab after lunch, Chandanwari if access allows. | Pahalgam | Easy |
| Day 6 | Drive from Pahalgam to Srinagar, leaving early for your flight or train, and transfer to the airport or station. | None | Easy |
The Gondola is run by the J&K Cable Car Corporation (JKCCC). Tickets are booked online by each traveller in their own ID, and they are not part of the package.
What is optional or paid separately
- Gondola tickets, and the choice of Phase 2 on clear days.
- The local union vehicle in Pahalgam. The valleys are visited by that vehicle, paid locally, and your own cab does not enter them.
- Ponies, entry tickets and lunches.
- A houseboat night: you can swap one Srinagar hotel night for a houseboat night, or add one as an extra night.
What changes with arrival time or season
Arrival time. The Day 1 shikara depends on when you reach Srinagar. If you land late, Day 1 is check-in and rest. Day 6 starts early if your flight or train is early.
Season. The plan is suggested for March to November. Gulmarg conditions vary through the season, and in winter we use different plans built around Gulmarg, such as Kashmir Winter Snow. Check the when-to-visit pages for the month you want.
Access. The Pahalgam valley day depends on access that day, which is why Chandanwari is listed as “if access allows”.
A slower or shorter version
- Fewer hotel changes: Senior-friendly Kashmir, five nights with three in Srinagar and two in Pahalgam, so one change.
- Shorter: Kashmir Classic, four nights, with one night each in Gulmarg and Pahalgam.
- Sonmarg instead of Gulmarg: Srinagar – Sonmarg – Pahalgam.
- More time: Family Kashmir, six nights, with Sonmarg added.
What to confirm in the inclusions
The package lists rooms on twin sharing in your chosen stay category, breakfast and dinner daily, a private cab for all transfers and sightseeing (driver, fuel, tolls and parking), airport or railway-station pickup and drop, a one-hour shikara ride and GST. Your quote is what governs, so check each line, and check that the items above that are paid separately are not assumed to be in it.
Questions This Article Does Not Answer Above
Can I add a houseboat night?
Yes. The usual way is to swap one Srinagar hotel night for a houseboat night, which keeps the plan at five nights. Adding one as an extra night makes it a six-night plan.
Is this suitable for older travellers?
We cannot say it suits everyone. Day 4 and Day 6 are long drives, and Day 3 is rated moderate. If you want fewer hotel changes, Senior-friendly Kashmir is the slower option; tell us your needs and we will say what we can arrange.
Can I do this in winter?
The route can be affected by snow, and we use different plans for December to February. See Kashmir Winter Snow and the winter guide pages.
How much of the first day can I use?
That depends on your arrival time. If you arrive in the morning, the shikara ride is possible; if you arrive in the evening, plan for check-in and rest.
Next Step
Tell us your dates, who is travelling and how you like to travel. We will adjust this route and explain what the quote covers.
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About This Article
Published by Kashmir Tour Plan, a Kashmir-based planning team. No individual author is named. It contains no operational claim that needs a dated check.
- The itinerary, overnights and inclusions are from our package record for Srinagar – Gulmarg – Pahalgam (5N/6D). Distances and drive times are not given because we have not verified them.