Stand on the wooden deck of a houseboat on Dal Lake at first light and you will hear the shikara oars before you see them, cutting through a maze of floating vegetable gardens. By mid-morning the lake is a working market, with boats selling saffron, shawls and carpets, and the Zabarwan hills behind it.
Srinagar suits travellers who want gardens, water and old-city architecture rather than a checklist of monuments. It rewards slow days: a boat ride, a Mughal garden, a mosque or shrine, and time in the bazaars for shawls, papier-mâché and wood carving.
This guide covers the lake and its islands, the Mughal and other gardens, the mosques and shrines, the temples, and the old city, with a one-day plan at the end.
Top things to do in Srinagar
1. Dal Lake
Dal Lake is the centre of the city and its prime attraction, covering open water, wetland and a complex maze of floating cultivation patches separated by narrow water channels. The lake is best explored on a shikara, the decorated boat that features in the logo of Jammu & Kashmir Tourism, with the skipper negotiating the channels of floating land and water.
Within the lake are floating markets, locally called rad, where matted vegetation and earth are detached from the bottom, drawn to a suitable place and anchored. These floating islands are used for growing tomatoes, cucumbers and melons. Floating shops approachable only by boat sell artifacts including Kashmiri carpets, and often double as workshops where you can see carpet making; floating hawkers sell Kashmiri shawls, wood work, saffron and Silajit. The lake consists of four parts: Gagribal in the south, Lokut Dal in the north, Bod Dal in the centre, and Nagin.
2. Nagin Lake
Nagin Lake is a separate lake connected to Dal Lake by a narrow water channel, on the western side of Dal Lake at the foot of Hari Parbat. It is the smallest of the four parts and is often considered a distinct lake on its own.
Like the rest of the lake it has its share of floating vegetable gardens and houseboats. Come here if you want the same scenery with quieter water, and combine it with the gardens and the shrine on the western side.
3. Shalimar Bagh
Shalimar means abode of love, and the garden was built by Mughal Emperor Jahangir for his wife Nur Jahan in 1619, on the northeast corner of Dal Lake. During Jahangir's reign Srinagar served as the summer capital of the Mughal empire and Shalimar Bagh served as the Mughal court.
The three-stage garden is centred on a central water channel. The lowest terrace contains the Diwan-e-Aam, the public audience hall; the Diwan-e-Khas, the Hall of Private Audience, is on the second terrace; and the uppermost terrace is topped with a central Zenna pavilion flanked by two smaller pavilions. Paved pathways are lined with chinar trees, and the water channels contain fountains and pools. It gives a grand view over Dal Lake and the surroundings.
4. Nishat Bagh
Nishat Bagh sits on the eastern banks of Dal Lake with the Zabarwan Mountains behind it, and was designed in 1633 by Asaf Khan, brother of Nur Jehan. It means garden of bliss, and commands a view of the lake and the snow-capped Pir Panjal range far to the west of the valley.
Although a Mughal garden, its plan was altered because of the hilly terrain, giving it an elongated rather than square layout centred on a water channel decorated with fountains and occasional fountain pools. It has 12 terraces representing the 12 signs of the zodiac, in two sections, the public garden and the private garden for the Zanana or harem. Pathways are lined with chinar trees.
5. Chashme Shahi Garden
Chashme Shahi is the smallest of the three Mughal gardens of Srinagar, and takes its name from a spring on the uppermost terrace; the water is said to have curative properties, especially for stomach ailments. The triple terrace garden was constructed by Ali Mardan Khan, governor of Emperor Shah Jahan, in 1632–33.
It is on the southeastern edge of Dal Lake and offers a good view of the lake area and the Jhelum River valley. Its small size makes it an easy stop to combine with the other gardens along the lake.
6. Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden
The Tulip Garden lies on the eastern side of Dal Lake at the foothill of the Zabarwan Range, overlooking the lake, and was opened in 2007 to promote floriculture tourism. It was formerly known as Siraj Bagh.
The garden holds 65 varieties of tulip along with daffodils, hyacinth and ranunculus, and hosts the Tulip Festival every year in the month of April. Time your visit to that month if the tulips are the reason you are coming.
7. Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Botanical Garden
Also known as Nehru Garden, this is a well-maintained park with a lake, run by the Department of Floriculture, off Dal Gate and before Chasmashahi Garden. There is a beverage shop run by the J&K Tourism department serving hot and flavoured kahva, a traditional drink of Kashmir.
There is adequate parking adjacent to the park, and the nearby Tulip Park only has seasonal access. Entry is ₹10 for adults.
8. Hazratbal Mosque
Hazratbal Mosque houses a strand from the Prophet's beard, which is displayed on special days, and takes its name from this relic. It stands on the western bank of Lokut Dal, the northern portion of Dal Lake.
The white mosque is a striking sight, and from the mosque compound you can see the island of Sona Lank with its four chinar trees in the four corners. Women may enter only the first part of the mosque. The adjoining area is a foodie's delight, with several makeshift food shops selling deep-fried snacks.
9. Rupa Lank
Rupa Lank means silver island, and lies in Bod Dal, the central area of Dal Lake. The man-made island was constructed by Murad Baksh, brother of the last Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb.
The island consists of manicured lawns and paved pathways, with four giant chinar trees at the four corners, which is why the islands are popularly known as Char Chinar. There is a small houseboat restaurant next to the island.
10. Sona Lank
Sona Lank means gold island, and is located in Lokut Dal in the northern part of Dal Lake, next to the shrine of Hazarat Bal. It was also made by Murad Baksh and follows the same plan as Rupa Lank, with four chinar trees at the four corners.
Because it sits beside Hazratbal Mosque, the two are natural to see together on the same boat trip across the northern part of the lake.
11. Jamia Masjid, Nowhatta
Jamia Masjid at Nowhatta is one of the most important mosques in Kashmir and stands at the centre of Srinagar's religio-political life. It was built between 1394 and 1402.
The mosque has been a platform to debate and discuss the complex politics of Kashmir. It is in the old city, so pair it with the other old-city mosques and shrines rather than trying to reach it from the lake in the middle of the day.
12. Khanqah-e-Moula
Also known as Shah Hamadan Mosque, this Sunni mosque was built in 1539 and is held to be the first khanqah, or mosque associated with a specific saint, in the Kashmir Valley. It is one of the best examples of Kashmiri wooden architecture and is decorated with papier-mâché.
It stands opposite Pathar Masjid, so the two can be seen in a single stop. Look at the papier-mâché work closely; it is one of the crafts the city is known for.
13. Pathar Masjid
Pathar Masjid is a Mughal-era stone mosque built by empress Noor Jehan, consort of Jahangir, in 1623. It stands opposite Khanqah-e-Moula.
Its position on the left bank of the Jhelum makes it an easy addition to a walk along the river and through the old city, and its stone construction is a contrast to the wooden mosque across the way.
14. Dastgeer Sahib, Khanyar
Dastgeer Sahib in Khanyar is a Sufi shrine housing the relics of the saint Abdul Qadir Jeelani (1077–1166), who earned deep reverence across the subcontinent despite never having set foot in the region.
It is in the old city, close to the other mosques and shrines, and fits naturally into a morning spent walking between them.
15. Shankaracharya Mandir
Shankaracharya Mandir is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, on a hill above the city. It is named for the 8th-century scholar Adi Shankara, who visited the city and founded the temple here at the site of the earlier Jyeshteshwara Temple.
Because it sits on high ground, it is a natural pairing with the lake and gardens below rather than a separate trip; check locally before setting out, as hilltop sites can be affected by conditions on the day.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start on Dal Lake by shikara, when the water is calm and the floating gardens and floating market are at their most active. Ask the skipper to take you through the channels of floating cultivation and past the floating shops, then continue to Rupa Lank and Sona Lank, the two Char Chinar islands, and on to Nagin Lake.
Afternoon: Move to the gardens along the lake. Begin with Chashme Shahi Garden, the smallest of the Mughal gardens, then Nishat Bagh on the eastern banks, and finish at Shalimar Bagh on the northeast corner. If you are travelling in April, put the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in this stretch, and stop at the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Botanical Garden for a cup of kahva.
Evening: Cross to the western bank of Lokut Dal for Hazratbal Mosque, where you can see Sona Lank from the compound and eat at the food shops nearby. If you have the energy, finish in the old city at Jamia Masjid, Nowhatta, Khanqah-e-Moula and Pathar Masjid, with Dastgeer Sahib in Khanyar close by.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get around Dal Lake?
The lake is best explored on a shikara, the decorated boat that features in the logo of Jammu & Kashmir Tourism. The skipper negotiates the maze of floating land and water, and floating shops and hawkers are approachable only by boat.
When is the best time to see the tulips?
The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden hosts the Tulip Festival every year in the month of April. The garden holds 65 varieties of tulip along with daffodils, hyacinth and ranunculus.
What can you buy on the lake?
Floating shops sell artifacts including Kashmiri carpets and often double as workshops where you can see carpet making. Floating hawkers sell Kashmiri shawls, wood work, saffron and Silajit.
Can women enter Hazratbal Mosque?
Women may enter only the first part of the mosque. The strand from the Prophet's beard kept there is displayed on special days.
Decide which month you are travelling, pick your gardens and your boat ride around it, and start planning your days on the water and in the old city.