A week-long trip to the Kashmir Valley is sufficient to cover the major hill stations and tourist attractions. Curating a well-planned itinerary is all you need to have a fun and satisfying trip. But it is the most confusing thing due to sometimes lack of proper knowledge, and the fear of missing places. While doing this, keep in mind that it is according to your preferences, interest, activities you would like to do etc. Kashmir has many valleys starting from Aru to Betaab, many hill stations such as Pahalgam, Sonmarg etc. You can not choose between these places hence having a schedule that caters to your plans is essential. You can also take help of these well designed Kashmir tour packages to plan your own itinerary as per your choice.
Here, we have created a 7 day itinerary for you that is also one of the most picked ones for a Kashmir Trip.
Day 1: Arrive in Srinagar
The most convenient way to reach Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir would be by a flight. They are quite affordable and would save some time. After landing at the airport, take cab or taxi service to reach the hotel. Most of the tour operators in Kashmir include these services in their packages, if you opt for them. After that, take some time to relax and rest, clearing all the jet lag.
Have a local Kashmiri dish in your lunch and relish it. Visit Dal Lake the major tourist place of Srinagar and enjoy Shikara ride there. Spend the evening exploring the nearby markets. You can stay there in a houseboat and enjoy the beautiful sunset view. Tasting kashmiri cuisine is something you can do everyday. Have an authentic Kashmiri dinner at night and call it a day.
Day 2: Sonmarg
Wake up to the beautiful view from your stay in a houseboat at Dal Lake. After having your breakfast, head out to Sonmarg, the beautiful hill station and a small town of Kashmir. The distance between Srinagar to Sonmarg is 80 kilometres and it would take 2.5 hours to cover it. Once you are there, you will see why it is loosely translated as “meadows of gold”. The place will mesmerise you to your core. It is breathtaking with its scenic beauty and adventurous activities that are available.
Some of the places to visit in Sonmarg are Thajiwas Glacier where you can have a pony ride up to there. A picnic with your family is a perfect choice near Krishnasar lake. A small trek to the lake is thrilling. A shopping spree in Sonmarg Market or Main Road Market, Thajiwas Park Market can be enjoyed. Stay in sonmarg in a hotel or guesthouse that night. Relax and rejuvenate for the next day.
Day 3: Gulmarg
Spend day three of your trip in Gulmarg. Gulmarg is 125 kilometres away from Sonmarg. Start the road trip a little early in the morning as it would take about 3.5 hours to reach there. Regular buses run on scheduled time. In Gulmarg, you can do skiing, snowboarding, skating etc. The hill station is famous as a skiing destination globally. Gulmarg Gondola, the largest cable car ride is a must-have experience. It is done in 3 stages. Click stunning pictures here. Some of the places that you visit when you are in Gulmarg are Apharwat Peak, Outer Circle Walk, Alpather Lake, etc.
After enjoying a gorgeous sunset in the evening, head out to your hotel and relax for the night. Sleeping for a long enough amount of time is not optional as everyday involves long distance walking.
Day 4: Pahalgam
Your next place on the list is Pahalgam, the valley of shepherds. Covering a distance of 172 kilometres from Sonmarg, you have to start early to reach there in about 5 hours. You can not miss this stunning town of Kashmir. The place is full of lush meadows, streams with sparkling and crystal clear water and peaks in the background. River rafting in Lidder river is the perfect activity for every thrill-seeker.
You have slow walks along the edges of it. The place is known for sightseeing. Celebrated as a famous Golfing destination, you can play golf here and take golfing lessons too. Mamaleshwar temple is a Hindu temple where you can go to add a religious aspect to the trip. After having dinner, stay in Pahalgam to explore the nearby places the next day.
Day 5: Betaab valley & Nearby Places
Starting the day in Pahalgam, you can visit nearby places. First tourist place would be Betaab Valley, renamed after the hit movie ‘Betaab’ starring Sunny Deol and Amrita Singh.
Located at just 15 kilometres from Pahalgam, the place is a base camp for many treks.
After soaking in the beauty of Betaab, visit another beautiful valley called as Aru Valley.
Where you can enjoy fishing in Aru river, river rafting, sightseeing, photography, horse rides etc. Tarsar Marsar trek starts from here. You can set up picnics and pitch camps to enjoy the surroundings. Chandanwadi is unmissable which is the starting point of the religiously famous Amarnath Yatra. Come back to your hotel in Pahalgam to relax for the night.
Day 6: Back to Srinagar
Spend the morning enjoying the scenic views of the place and you can visit Tulian Lake where you can meditate and do light yoga. Return to Srinagar in the evening and you will make it there by night. It would take about 2.5 hours to cover the distance of 90 kilometres between Pahalgam to Srinagar.
Day 7: Explore Srinagar
Dal Lake is not the only thing to explore in Srinagar. After relaxing for the whole night, you can spend the last day of your trip visiting other attractions of Srinagar. It is famous for its Mughal Gardens which were constructed by Shah Jahan. Visit Nishant Garden, Pari Mahal Garden, Shalimar Gardens. You can give a chance to Indira Gandhi Tulip Garden and it is worth it. By evening, you can scroll around in the markets to buy things that are Kashmir-specific such as saffron, Pashmina shawls and other souvenirs to take back home as a memory.
After having a fun and peaceful trip in kashmir, you are ready to go home with memories of a lifetime. Book a cab to the Srinagar Airport and Say goodbye to this piece of heaven on Earth.
