Kashmir Long Weekend
Fly in, Dal Lake + Gulmarg day trip, fly out. Kashmir in 4 days.
Highlights
Logistics
Fly into Srinagar. Hire driver for 4 days.
Day by Day
Arrive Srinagar. Check into houseboat on Dal Lake. Afternoon shikara ride — let the boatman take you through the floating vegetable market if it's morning, or the lotus gardens. Evening: Mughal Gardens (Nishat Bagh is the best one). Dinner on the houseboat.
Full day Gulmarg. Leave by 8AM. Gondola Phase 1 (must do, views of Nanga Parbat on clear days). Phase 2 only if no small kids and weather is good — it's 4000m up and can be brutal. Khilanmarg meadow walk. Lunch at Gulmarg. Return to Srinagar by 5PM.
Srinagar day. Shankaracharya Temple (hilltop, city views). Old City walk through the lanes. Hazratbal Mosque. Chashme Shahi garden + Pari Mahal. Afternoon: Dal Lake kayaking or second shikara ride. Lal Chowk for shopping — saffron, papier-mache, pashmina (bargain hard).
Early morning: flower market by shikara (5:30-6:30AM, worth the alarm). Pack up. Last chai on the houseboat. Depart.