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Srinagar Tourism

Dal Lake Srinagar

Srinagar City - Fantasy Covered In Mist

Situated at an altitude of 1730 m above sea level, in the western part of Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar is the Summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir. Thriving on both the sides of River Jhelum, Srinagar is most famous for its numerous sublime lakes that earn it the name 'The land of Lakes'. Every corner of the city is covered with trees but green will not be the only color you will see here. The different trees, pear, apple cherry, peach, all are covered with blossoming pink and white flowers and in summers, you just can't help noticing the wild roses, they seem to spring up everywhere your eyes wander to. Just drive down in any direction, after every few kilometers you will find a fruit stall brimming with shinning fruits like apple, cherry, and oranges.

Srinagar is probably the best place to look for the arts and crafts of entire Jammu and Kashmir. The city is traditionally rich in handicrafts and has number of markets from where you can have the pleasure of buying yourself the best of them all. The most famous article that Srinagar offers is the handwoven silk shawls that over the time has acquired the recognition of being the best in the world. One can also look for the famous Pashmina wool garments, Buddhist masks, traditional wears, antique jewelery, thangka paintings and many more fascinating items. Saffron, honey and walnuts have always been the shopping favorite, but apart from these, do try the distinctive spices of the city. In Srinagar, Lal chowk, Badshah chowk and Polo view are the best places where you go out for shopping.

Srinagar might not have the most challenging treks for trekking and hiking, but they definitely are one of the most scenic ones in the entire country. Srinagar is more famous for adventure in waters. Srinagar is a land full of lakes with flawless charm and serenity. And the quiet waters of these lakes offer the best setting for sports like canoeing and Kayaking. Apart from these fun activities, if you move slightly out of the city, some 56 km to Gulmohar, you will be in India's premiere most Ski resort of winters where you can just skid down the snow topped hills and let all your worries go down the drain. The resort boasts of world-class facilities and is world's one of the highest lift served ski resort. People who are not very familiar with skiing need not to worry, as the resort has trained instructors and good skiing gear.

Srinagar Attractions - Simply Unparallaled Wonders

Srinagar is probably one of the most gifted city in terms of natural wonders. The city is nestling amidst the splendorous mountain range in the Kashmir valley. Starting from stunning Mughal Gardens to serene Dal Lake, tourists will have the best time of their life in the most important part of Paradise on earth.

The Dal Lake

Dal Lake is one of the most picturesque lakes in the entire country and is also the most visited tourist destination in Jammu and Kashmir. The Dal Lake is the second largest lake in Jammu and Kashmir and covers an area of 18 sq. km. The lake is divided into four parts by causeways and are named as Gagribal, Lokut Dal, Bod Dal, and Nagin Lake. The lake of shimmering blue waters never lets you have a dull moment when you are around it. The lake is full of Shikaras that give people a ride from the banks of the lake to the many house boats inside the lake. The lake also offers option for many water sports like Kayaking and canoing. Even you can hire a Shikara and row to the middle of the lake for an enchanting solitary moment. The lake also serves as a major boost to the fishing industry of J & K which is the second largest industry of the region. Although for fishing in the lake, one needs to have a license which is not possible to get for a tourist, but you can always enjoy looking at people who by permit are fishing in the lake.

The Mughal Gardens

The Mughal Gardens with their terraced gardens, numerous maple trees, refreshing fountains and blooming flowers, have become the outstanding attributes of Srinagar. Situated in the far eastern side of panoramic Dal Lake, The Shalimar Bagh(garden) and the Nishant Bagh are the most beautiful of all that are there in the city. Even Chashmashahi, though small, has made its mark as a successful tourist spot due to its spring of sweet and refreshing water which was once used for drinking by the Mughals.

The Temple of Shankaracharya

The Temple of Shankaracharya is balanced on a high octagonal plinth, on a hill called as Takht-i-Suleiman in Srinagar district. The temple dates back to 250 BC and over the time has become an important landmark on the face of Srinagar. It is said that the legendary philosopher Sri Shankaracharya stayed in this temple when he came to Kashmir to spread Sanatan Dharma. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and holds a lot of importance in religious as well as architectural context. The temple is built up of specially smoothened rocks which have been set at the peak of the hill with unimaginable precision. From the height at which this temple is located, you can have a scintillating bird's eye view of entire Srinagar.

Dachigam National Park

Spread over an area of 141 sq. km., Dachigam National Park is the best getaway for all animal and nature lovers. Situated just 22 km from Srinagar, the park is not only rich in flora and fauna but also turns out to be great bird watching spot. The parks has been divided into two sectors, the Lower Dachigam and the Upper Dachigam. The altitude difference between the lower and upper section is quite prominent which makes the climate drastically different. Dachigam has more than 20 species of mammals like Leopard, Himalayan brown bear, Langur, but the prize possession of this park is the Rare Kashmiri Stag called Hangul which is an endangered species of red deer. The place is also great for spotting beautiful birds of more than 150 species. Few of them are Golden Oriole, Golden Eagle, Black Bulbul, Bearded Vulture. The park remains closed between January and April and the best time to visit this park is may to August for Upper Dachigam and September to December for Lower Dachigam.

No problem whatsoever when it comes to staying options in Srinagar. Starting from luxury hotels and government run budget hotels, you even have the privilege of choosing to stay in a boathouse, which now a days are nothing less than luxury on the move. Being the summer capital of J&K, the city witnesses large number of business travelers as well, so to cater to their needs, most budget hotel are having good business facilities too. The best hotels are around the Dal Lake in Boulevard which give you scintillating views of the picturesque Dal Lake. One can safely expect a satisfying stay in hotels like Hotel Inter-Continental, Centaur Lake View Hotel, Hotel Silver Star and Hotel Broadway.

Getting there

By Air

Srinagar has good connection with all the major cities of India. It gets a daily flight from Delhi. From Srinagar you can take a flight to less developed cities like Leh.

By Rail

The nearest railway station is at Jammu Tawi which is around 305 km away from here. The bus service between the cities is quite good and it will take around 10 hrs to cover the distance. The average speed here is quite low due to the hilly terrain of the city.

By Road

The road connection between Srinagar and all major cities of north India is good. Buses from Delhi(876 km), Chandigarh(646 km), Amritsar(512 km) and other cities of Jammu and Kashmir are frequent to Srinagar.

Local Transport

The options of moving around in the city are ample and varied. You can choose to move around in a state transport bus, hire a taxi or auto rickshaw, or just pedal down the surprisingly flat lands of Srinagar. But the best way to explore the silent wonders of this charming city is by traveling in a Shikara, the long heart shaped kayak.