How to plan an adventurous solo trip to Kashmir?

Known to be the ‘paradise on earth’, my journey to Kashmir has been one of the most adventurous trips that I’ve ever been a part of. There are plenty of places to visit in Kashmir that would excite a tourist. In the following article, I’ll be sharing how to plan a solo trip to Kashmir, especially when you are traveling on a certain budget, based on my 7-day experience.

What is the best time or season to plan a trip to Kashmir?

The first week of November would be the most ideal time to plan a solo trip to Kashmir since that’s around the time you get to experience snowfall. This period also marks the beginning of winters with snow-filled mountain tops, which is a scenic beauty to watch out for. December to January is normally the extreme winter period in Kashmir, which may not suit all. Also, you would experience roadblocks to major hilltops owing to weather conditions. However, most people on honeymoons opt to travel during the summer season, which is what is considered to be the peak tourist season in Kashmir, which is anytime from March to July.

What are the best tourist places in Kashmir?

There are plenty of places in Kashmir that you can visit as a tourist. However, these are the most commonly visited places, and the most beautiful ones that cannot be missed out, in Kashmir, especially in winter. These places also offer plenty of adventurous trekking opportunities for people who plan a solo trip to Kashmir.

• Dal Lake (Srinagar)
• Gulmarg
• Sonamarg
• Pahalgam

How to reach Kashmir from Delhi?

There are a variety of travel options available for people who plan a trip to Kashmir from Delhi or nearby areas. You can either opt for air travel which is the most preferred one where you have direct flights to Srinagar. Then, there is travel via train, which is going to be a bit time consuming since there are no railway stations in Kashmir. The nearest railway station to Kashmir is Jammu Tawi Railway Station, which is like an 8-hour ride from Srinagar. Else, you have other travel options like govt’ and private buses, which is again time-consuming and hectic (Delhi to Jammu, and then Srinagar) or private transports like cars or bikes, which are opted by the more adventurous who plan a solo trip to Kashmir.

How much does it cost to travel to Kashmir?

The expenses of a visit to Kashmir can be as low as Rs. 20,000 per person, which includes to and fro flight charges, hotel charges while in Kashmir, food, and commuting. The same could even higher than Rs. 50,000 if you are going through a travel agent, traveling with elders or not willing to take that extra effort while commuting. In the article below, you can find my detailed itinerary on how I planned my solo trip to Kashmir, visiting all the major tourist places, staying in 3-star accommodation, yet spending less than Rs. 20,000.

My 7-day solo trip plan to Kashmir in detail

Day 1: Delhi -> Srinagar (local sightseeing)

I started my trip from Delhi on the 6th of November via morning flight. Takes ~ 1.5 hours to reach Srinagar. The flight journey was so ecstatic with such amazing views of Himalayas.

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Even before reaching, I had a plan in mind on the places to visit in Kashmir. I reached Srinagar airport at around 11:30 am. From the airport, you can get shared vehicles to travel to different locations. They are pretty cheap and if you’re traveling alone or with friends, that would be the most economical mode.

Resorts / hotels to stay in Kashmir

There are plenty of hotels available to reside in Srinagar, which can be booked via Booking.com, Make My Trip, or others. I had done my hotel reservations prior to undertaking the trip. In Srinagar, I had booked a stay in a boathouse (cost varies as per the facilities, you can boat houses for as cheap as 300-400 per day to as high as 4k-5k). Though there are plenty of hotels available but its fun to stay in a boathouse and enjoy the view.

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In case you are in need of a houseboat in Dal lake or elsewhere in Srinagar, you could contact Fayaz (Ph: 9596499725).

I had booked the houseboat close to TRC (Tourist Reception Center) as it lies right at the heart of the city with close proximity to other places.

Sight Seeing in Srinagar: 

I decided to go for the Shikara ride in Dal Lake post-lunch (at around 4 pm). Dal lake I situated pretty much in the center of Srinagar and can be easily accessed via public transport available. Dal lake is also home to plenty of houseboats. Booking for houseboats in Dal lake can be done directly online through any of the travel agencies. Or you could directly go there and book the houseboat since there are plenty.

It roughly takes around 2-3 hours in the Shikara ride and costs ~1000 – 1500 Rs. The boat ride takes tourists on a relaxing sightseeing tour of interior parts of the calm and placid waters of Dal Lake, and be part of shopping-by-shikara expeditions. Nishat and Shalimar gardens, as well as the Hazratbal mosque in Kashmir, are directly accessible by Shikara.

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I completed the ride at around 6:30 pm, post which I visited the local markets around and came back to the houseboat.

Day 2: Srinagar -> Gulmarg

I had decided to spend 2 days in Gulmarg since I wanted to go on a trek.

• Distance from Srinagar to Gulmarg – ~60 km
• Time taken – ~ 2 hours
• Mode of travel – Shared vehicle 
• Route – Srinagar -> Batmaloo -> Tanmarg -> Gulmarg
• Costs – ~250 – 300 Rs

I started from Srinagar at around 8 am. From Srinagar, you get the shared vehicles right in front of the Dal Lake gate. Takes about 15 – 20 mins to reach Batmaloo. From there, takes around 1 – 1.5 hour to reach Tanmarg, and about 30 mins from Tanmarg to Gulmarg. It is pretty economical on shared rides, hardly takes about Rs 300 to reach Gulmarg.  The same would be charged at about 2k – 3k in private vehicles.

On reaching Gumarg;

Gulmarg is one of the most picturesque places in Srinagar, and if you like to trek or go for skiing, this is the place to be.

I reached around 1 pm in Gulmarg (had taken breaks in-between places).

Since there was snowfall recently, I was greeted by a snow-covered beauty. The view was just breathtaking.

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The first thing I do is go skiing, which was so much fun. If you’re a newbie, you can get people who will help you with skiing. Else you can directly get the equipment and have fun. I spent most of my time skiing on the snow-covered paths, and trust me, it gets really tiring!

At around 5 pm, I decided to go about searching for hotels (there are plenty). Decided to take the room in Hotel Pine View resort, costs about 1500 per night, but the facilities provided were amazing. And they have a pretty good in-house restaurant as well. Post reaching, I went around for a while, had dinner and called it a day.

Day 3: Gulmarg (trek to Alpather lake)

Alpather Lake, also known as the Frozen Lake, is situated at the foot of the twin Apharwat Peaks, and the trek to this lake starts from Gulmarg. The unmatched landscapes, lesser crowds and a resemblance to the famous Lake Louise of Canada make for a great one-day excursion from Gulmarg.

• Trek route – Gulmarg -> Khilanmarg -> Apharwat Ridge -> Alpather Lake
• Trek Level – Moderate to Difficult
• Total trek time – ~ 5 hours one way

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The trek route is pretty steep and if you start early (9 am or before), you won’t find a single soul until you reach Gondola Phase 1. Once you reach Phase 1, you will find plenty of dhaba’s around to enjoy a cozy meal before continuing with your trek.

However, if you’re not a big fan of trekking, you could directly take the Gondola rides to reach Phase 2. From there, you could reach the lake in 30 minutes.

I completed the trek and was back to my room by around 6 pm, and decided to call it a day.

Day 4: Gulmarg -> Sonamarg

This can be a bit longer ride, considering you need to come back to Srinagar and then go to Sonamarg.

• Distance from Srinagar ~ 80 km
• Route: Gulmarg -> Tanmarg -> Lal Chowk (Srinagar) -> Kangan -> Sonamarg
• Time Taken ~ 5 hours (from Gulmarg)

Again, the entire route can be covered by shared vehicles that will be available from the above-mentioned stop.

I reached Sonamarg around the afternoon, got freshened up in the hotel and went sightseeing. Compared to other places, Sonamarg was the coldest one and unlike Gulmarg, it’s pretty difficult to go about places on foot once there. But the view is very pretty, you get horse rides as well which take around places.

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Owing to the weather, and uncertain road conditions, I decided to go back to Srinagar the following day. However, if you plan on visiting Leh, you could continue your onward journey directly from Sonamarg.

Day 5:  Sonamarg -> Srinagar

Following the same route as above, I came back to Srinagar (reached around 11 am). I decided to do a small trek in Srinagar that day and go to Pahalgam the following day.

Trek to Shankaracharya Temple:

The temple is located on the top of a mountain, easily accessible through road route as well. However, if you like to have a bit of fun, try reaching it through the mountain trek. The trekking route is well laid out but can be tricky at certain points, and is really tiring (since you would actually be climbing the mountains).

• Time for the trek: ~ 2 hours (one way)
• Route: The trekking route is laid out pretty close to the Dal lake. You could ask any of the locals to get that route.

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Post the trek, in the evening I visited some local places like Pari Mahal and other local sites.

Day 6: Srinagar -> Pahalgam

Known to be mini Switzerland, it is one of the most picturesque places you would come across. There are quite a few places in Pahalgam that you could visit, but owing to time constraints, I could only visit the Betaab Valley. If you’re undertaking the journey on some personal vehicle, you could opt for more places, but again, that won’t be as much fun as the trekking route.

• Distance ~ 90 km
• Route: Srinagar -> Anantnag -> Pahalgam
• Time Taken: ~ 2.5 hours

Again, the shared vehicles would be available directly from Dal Lake.

Trek to Betaab Valley:

I reached Pahalgam at around 10 am. I decided to go directly for the Betaab Valley through the trekking route. The trekking route begins pretty close to the Pahalgam stand. You won’t find people taking this trek as its moderately difficult and a pretty long and tiring trek.

Total trek time ~ 4 hours (one way)

Not enough people tend to trek in these places. Hence, you won’t find a proper trek route as such. This is where Google Maps come in pretty handy. Just drop in the destination as Betaab valley and keep following the route. It’s a complete snow-covered trek and you may feel at some point that you’re lost, but just keep following the map and you’ll be amazed to reach the destination. During the trek, you’ll find waterfalls, snowcap mountains, trek through a river and in-between mountains. It makes up for a perfect trek.

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I spent a couple of hours in the Betaab valley and took a ride back to Srinagar. Reached back around 8 pm.

Day 7: Back to Delhi

I had my flight early morning. So booked a cab and was back in Delhi by 11 am. Overall, this was an amazing trip and an amazing experience.

Is it safe to visit Kashmir?

Most people planning a trip to Kashmir tend to ask this question. Especially, if you plan to undertake a solo trip to Kashmir, this is something that would be bugging you. If you ask me, I found it the most peaceful of place. The scenic places in Kashmir are breathtaking and not something you could experience elsewhere. Kashmir offers you everything, let it be a romantic Shikara ride, visit to historic monuments, trek amongst the mountains in Pahalgam or skiing on Gulmarg, it has something to offer for everyone. The people in Kashmir are very friendly and they would out of their way to help you out if you seek any.

FAQs on Kashmir Travel Guide