Kashmir Travel Guide: How to Plan Your Trip, Step by Step (2026-27)

How to plan a Kashmir trip, in 10 steps

Many Kashmir trips go wrong in the planning, not on the ground: too many places in too few days, the wrong season for what people wanted to see, or a prepaid SIM that stops working on arrival. Work through these ten steps in order and the rest falls into place.

1. Pick your season for what you want to see.
2. Decide how many days you have, and what fits in them.
3. Plan your route with Srinagar as the base.
4. Choose how you get there: flight, the Vande Bharat train or road.
5. Work out how you will get around once you arrive.
6. Choose where to stay, including one night on a houseboat.
7. Book the things that sell out, in the right order.
8. Set a budget using real, current prices.
9. Sort your phone, ID, money and any permits.
10. Check the latest safety and road advisories before you travel.

Step 1: Pick your season

Kashmir is a different trip in every season, so start with what you want to see. Snow and skiing mean December to February. Blossom and the Tulip Garden mean March to April. Green meadows and long days mean June to August. Red chinars, clear skies and the saffron harvest mean October to November.

For temperatures, rainfall and what is happening every month, see our guide to the best time to visit Kashmir.

Coming for snow? Our guide to snowfall in Kashmir shows when and where it falls, month by month.

Step 2: Decide how many days you need

Five to seven days is right for a first trip. Five days covers Srinagar, Gulmarg and Pahalgam at a steady pace; seven lets you add Sonamarg and a slower day in Srinagar without rushing. With only three or four days, stick to Srinagar and Gulmarg rather than trying to see everything.

We are writing detailed day-by-day Kashmir itineraries for 4, 5 and 7 days next. Until then, use the table above and keep one day free in winter, when snow can close roads or cancel flights.

Step 3: Plan your route around Srinagar

Almost every Kashmir trip is shaped like a star, with Srinagar at the centre. You fly or take the train into Srinagar, stay there for the lake, the gardens and the Old City, and go out to Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg from it. That keeps your luggage in one place for most of the trip and makes it easy to adjust around the weather.

• Start in Srinagar: spend your first night in the city. It is the easiest place to arrive, and it lets your body adjust before you go higher.
• Gulmarg: about 56 km away, a day trip in summer, but in winter it is worth staying at least one night and trying skiing.
• Pahalgam: a long day from Srinagar and better with a night or two, since its valleys are reached in local vehicles from the town.
• Sonamarg: on the road towards Ladakh; since the Z-Morh tunnel opened in January 2025 it stays reachable in winter.
• End in Srinagar: finish the trip in the city, close to the airport and the station, so a delay up in the mountains does not cost you your flight.

Start with our Srinagar guide for the city itself, and our Gulmarg guide for the mountains.

Heading up to the snow? Our Gulmarg guide covers where to stay, skiing and the chains rule at Tangmarg.

Step 4: Get there by flight, train or road

Most visitors fly into Srinagar International Airport, which has direct flights from Delhi and other major cities. The train is now a real alternative: since 30 April 2026, the Vande Bharat Express runs all the way from Jammu Tawi to Srinagar, covering 269 km in about 4 hours 50 minutes, six days a week (not on Tuesdays).

• By air: the quickest option. Srinagar's airport is on the edge of the city, and a taxi to Dal Lake costs about ₹1,200 to ₹1,500.
• By train: take any train to Jammu Tawi or Katra, then the Vande Bharat to Srinagar. Book early in peak season.

Timings, fares and how to connect are in our Delhi to Srinagar train guide.

• By road: the Jammu to Srinagar highway (NH44) takes most of a day and can close for snow or landslides. Check the J&K Traffic Police updates on jktrafficpolice.in on the morning you drive.

Comparing the options in detail? See our guide on how to reach Kashmir, with distances and road closures.

In winter, keep a spare day at the end of the trip. Heavy snow can shut the airport: on 27 January 2026, all 58 flights to and from Srinagar were cancelled.

From Delhi, Mumbai and other cities

Srinagar has direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Amritsar and Noida, run by IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air and SpiceJet. From Delhi, you can also take the train: any train to Jammu Tawi or Katra, then the Vande Bharat to Srinagar. From Mumbai, Bengaluru or Hyderabad, flying direct is by far the easiest option.

Srinagar's airport is owned by the Indian Air Force, with a civilian terminal run by the Airports Authority of India, so security is thorough. Reach the airport early for your flight home, especially in peak season.

Step 5: Getting around Kashmir

Inside Srinagar, use a cab app for short rides. In our experience Rapido is the most reliable and fastest to book, and the local apps Aala and Novo also work. For sightseeing and for trips out of the city, hire a taxi for the day or for the whole trip, and get what is included in writing: which places, how many hours, and whether local sightseeing is extra.

• In Pahalgam: sightseeing to Aru, Betaab Valley and Chandanwari is done in local union vehicles from the town, not in your Srinagar taxi, and is paid separately.
• In Gulmarg in snow: only 4x4s and cars with anti-skid chains may drive the last 13 km from Tangmarg; chains are fitted there for about ₹600 a pair.
• During the Amarnath Yatra: in 2026 the J&K Police advised tourists to travel within the valley only between 7 am and 6 pm from 2 July to 28 August. Vehicles on the road after 6 pm were stopped and sent to the nearest camp.

Step 6: Choose where to stay

For most trips, stay in Srinagar for most nights, with one night on a houseboat, and add a night in Gulmarg in winter and a night or two in Pahalgam. J&K Tourism grades licensed houseboats into Deluxe, A, B and C categories after inspection, and the category tells you more about comfort than the photos do.

• Srinagar: a houseboat on Dal (lively) or Nigeen (quiet) for one night, then a hotel on Boulevard Road or in Rajbagh for easy early starts.
• Gulmarg: stay close to the Gondola and the meadow so you can walk everywhere in the snow.
• In winter anywhere: ask exactly how rooms are heated and whether power backup covers the heating. It matters more than the view.

Step 7: Book these in advance, in this order

1. Flights or train seats, especially for December to February, April to June and holiday weeks.
2. Your Srinagar stay, including the houseboat night.

Gulmarg Gondola tickets on the official JKCCC portal, etickets.jammukashmircablecar.com. Dates open months ahead, and peak-season slots go first.

1. Gulmarg rooms for winter, which fill up from December to February.
2. A taxi for the trip, with the inclusions written down.
3. Ski lessons and gear in winter, if you want an instructor on a particular day.
4. A final reconfirmation of stays and taxis a few days before you travel.

Package or plan it yourself?

Both work. A package bundles your hotels and a taxi for the trip into one price, which is simpler if it is your first time or you are travelling with a large family. Planning it yourself is more flexible and lets you choose where you stay, how long you spend in each place and when you move on, which matters in winter when the weather decides your plans.

• If you buy a package: check exactly what is included. Ask whether Gondola tickets, local union vehicles in Pahalgam, shikara rides and heating in winter are covered, and get the hotel names in writing.
• If you plan it yourself: book travel and your Srinagar stay first, the Gondola on the official portal, and one taxi for the whole trip with the inclusions agreed.
• Either way: be wary of paying the full amount upfront to an agent you cannot verify, and never pay for Gondola tickets to a personal UPI number.

Want help from someone local? Use our Plan my trip form: share your dates and budget, and a Kashmiri will reply with an honest plan and real prices.

Step 8: Set a budget with real prices

What a Kashmir trip costs depends most on your flights, the season and where you stay. The day-to-day costs below are the ones people ask about most, each with where the price comes from. We are putting together a full Kashmir trip cost guide with totals by budget level; until then, these are the building blocks.

Step 9: Sort your phone, ID, money and permits

• Phone: prepaid SIMs from other states do not work in Jammu and Kashmir; postpaid SIMs do. If you are on prepaid, buy a local tourist SIM at the airport or in Lal Chowk with your Aadhaar. 4G and 5G work across Srinagar, Gulmarg, Pahalgam and the main tourist areas.

• ID: carry an original photo ID (Aadhaar, passport or driving licence) at all times, plus a few photocopies. Hotels register guests, and there are security checks on the roads, especially near the Line of Control.
• Money: UPI works in hotels, restaurants and most shops in the tourist areas, but keep cash for ponies, shikaras, small stalls and tips. Withdraw it in Srinagar before you head up to the resorts.
• Permits: the main Srinagar, Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg circuit needs only your ID. Border areas such as Gurez, close to the Line of Control, are different: recent sources disagree on whether Indian tourists need a permit, so confirm with the district administration or your operator shortly before you go, and expect to register at checkposts.

Step 10: Check safety and road advisories

Kashmir's main tourist areas are open and busy, but check the latest advisories before you travel. On 22 April 2025, militants attacked tourists at Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam, killing 26 people. Nearly 50 tourist spots across Jammu and Kashmir were closed afterwards as a precaution. They have been reopening in phases: on 17 February 2026, 14 more reopened after a security review, bringing the total to 42, and the Chief Minister said all remaining closed destinations were expected to reopen by May 2026.

• Before you go: check which spots are open, and the road status on jktrafficpolice.in on the day you drive.
• On the road: travel between towns in daylight, follow any travel windows (such as during the Amarnath Yatra), and cooperate calmly at checkpoints.
• Useful numbers: police 100, and 1363, the Ministry of Tourism's free 24x7 tourist helpline (also 1800-11-1363).

We are writing a full, dated guide to safety in Kashmir. Until then, the official advisories and the numbers above are the best sources on the day.

What to wear and pack for Kashmir

Dress in layers and dress modestly. Days and nights can differ by 10°C or more, and at shrines such as Hazratbal and Jamia Masjid women cover their heads and everyone removes their shoes. In snow, bring an extra pair of clothes and shoes that can handle snow: after a morning playing in fresh snow, you will be glad of them.

Mistakes first-time visitors make

• Trying to see everything: Kashmir rewards slower days. Three places done well beat six done in a rush.
• Day-tripping Gulmarg in winter: you arrive late, queue for the Gondola and leave as the light gets good. Stay a night.
• Booking the Gondola from agents: book only on the official portal, and ignore anyone who says the system is down.
• Buying saffron and pashmina from touts: buy saffron only from authorised sellers (look for GI-tagged saffron), and look for the government's QR-code GI label on handmade crafts.
• Getting on a shikara without agreeing terms: agree the price, the route and the time first, and say "no shops".
• A tight flight home in winter: snow can cancel flights. Keep the last day free.
• Arriving with a prepaid SIM: it will not work. Switch to postpaid or buy a local SIM on arrival.

Altitude and health

Most of Kashmir is high enough that you will notice it. Srinagar is comfortable for almost everyone, but the resorts are higher, and Apharwat, at the top of the Gulmarg Gondola, is close to 4,000 m, where the air is noticeably thin.

• Go up gradually: spend your first night in Srinagar, not in Gulmarg or Sonamarg.
• Take it slowly at the top: walk slowly at Apharwat, drink water, and come down if you get a bad headache or feel dizzy.
• Heart or breathing problems: stay at Gondola Phase 1 (Kongdoori) and skip Phase 2.

Language

Kashmiri is the language of the valley, and the official languages of the Union Territory are Kashmiri, Dogri, Urdu, Hindi and English. You can get by with Hindi or English everywhere tourists go. A few words of Kashmiri, even just a greeting, are always appreciated.

Planning for families, older parents and small children

Kashmir is easy with family if you plan around comfort. Choose May, June or September for mild weather, and avoid the coldest weeks of late December and January with older parents. In Srinagar, Nishat and Shalimar gardens are gentle to walk, while Chashme Shahi and Pari Mahal have more steps. In Gulmarg, Gondola Phase 1 to Kongdoori suits small children, older parents and anyone with heart or breathing problems; Phase 2 goes close to 4,000 m. Spend your first night in Srinagar before going higher.