Travel Guide
A Complete Guide to Kashmir
By Flyocat Travel Team
Everything worth knowing about where to go, when to travel and how to plan a first trip to the valley.
Kashmir packs a lot into a small area, and most first itineraries move too fast between them. Srinagar makes a natural base, with the surrounding valleys close enough for day trips or a night each.
1. Base yourself in Srinagar
The lake, the gardens and the old city are all here, and the roads to every other valley start from the city. Two nights at the start of a trip is rarely wasted.
2. Pick valleys, not a checklist
Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg each have a different character. Choosing two and staying a night in each beats driving to all three and seeing car parks.
3. Seasons change the trip completely
Spring brings blossom and the tulip gardens, summer is green and mild, autumn turns the chinars gold and winter is about snow. Decide which trip you want first.
4. Allow for slow roads
Mountain roads take longer than the distance suggests, and weather can close them. Leaving slack in the itinerary matters more here than almost anywhere.
5. Plan a houseboat night
A night on Dal Lake is worth building in even if the rest of the trip is land-based. Mornings on the water are the part people describe afterwards.
