Srinagar, Gulmarg, Sonamarg & Pahalgam – Self-Launched Kashmir Adventure

Land at Srinagar Airport (pre-arranged airport taxi ~£8, or shared taxi ~£3). Check into a Dal Lake houseboat or a budget guesthouse in Rajbagh/Dalgate (houseboat rooms £12–20/night, guesthouse £8–14). Spend the afternoon wandering Dal Lake's ghats and the floating vegetable market area — it's liveliest at dawn but good for orientation now. Book your own shikara with a registered boatman at the Nehru Park ghat (1-hour ride ~£8–12; negotiate and confirm a licensed boatman). Floating vegetable gardens and Char Chinar are the classic routes. Evening: garlicky Kashmiri wazwan at a local dhaba in Dalgate (~£3–5).

🚌Prepaid airport taxi ~£8 or shared taxi ~£3

🛏Dal Lake houseboat or Dalgate/Rajbagh budget guesthouse (£8–20/night)

• →Airport transfer by prepaid taxi
• →Self-booked shikara ride on Dal Lake with floating vegetable gardens
• →Walk Dal Lake ghats and floating market area

Hire a local auto-rickshaw or shared taxi for the garden loop (~£10–14 half day). Start early at Shalimar Bagh — the largest Mughal garden, best in morning light. Walk 15 minutes to Nishat Bagh for lake-facing terraces, then take an auto to Chashme Shahi for the spring-fed garden. Entrance is roughly ₹24–50 (~£0.30–0.50) each. Optional mid-afternoon stop at a carpet-weaving workshop in the old city — free entry, no obligation to buy; Srinagar's Government Arts Emporium is a less pressured option. Late afternoon shikara out to Char Chinar island (~1.5 hrs, ~£10–14). Dinner of lotus stem (nadru) and rogan josh in Dalgate (~£4–6).

🚌Auto-rickshaw / shared taxi for garden loop ~£10–14

🛏Dal Lake houseboat or Dalgate guesthouse

• →Shalimar Bagh
• →Nishat Bagh
• →Chashme Shahi
• →Carpet-weaving workshop / Government Arts Emporium
• →Evening shikara to Char Chinar via floating gardens and canals

Shared Sumo taxi from Srinagar's Tourist Reception Centre bus stand to Gulmarg, ~2 hrs each way, ~£4–6 per seat each way (a private day-hire car is ~£35–45 if you want flexibility). Pre-book or queue early for the Gondola: Phase 1 (Gulmarg–Kongdoori) ~£8–10, Phase 2 (Kongdoori–Mary Shoulder, ~3,979 m) ~£12–15 — book direct at the gondola counter or via the JKTDC site. Note the gondola closes on maintenance days and in high wind; have a backup plan of walking the meadow loop and visiting Strawberry Valley. Walk part of the Kongdoori meadow if snow conditions allow. Return to Srinagar for the night — or stay one night in a Gulmarg budget guesthouse (£12–18) if you want a slower pace.

🚌Shared Sumo taxi Srinagar–Gulmarg ~£4–6 each way

🛏Return to Srinagar houseboat/guesthouse

• →Gulmarg gondola Phase 1 and Phase 2 (Kongdoori / Mary Shoulder)
• →Meadow walks around Gulmarg
• →Optional pony hire (pay locally)

Take a shared taxi or shared Sumo towards Sonamarg (~3 hrs, ~£5–7), asking the driver to stop at Manasbal Lake (small shikara/boat ride ~£2–4) and Kheer Bhawani Temple at Tulmulla on the way. In Sonamarg, walk the valley floor or hire a local pony to Thajiwas Glacier (negotiate ~£8–12 return, pay the guide directly; horse rates are set by the local union). Optional sledge ride on snow in season. Return to Srinagar the same evening, or overnight in Sonamarg in a basic guesthouse (£10–16) if the road is slow — check return transport times with your driver before committing.

🚌Shared taxi/Sumo Srinagar–Sonamarg ~£5–7 each way

🛏Srinagar guesthouse/houseboat (or Sonamarg basic guesthouse £10–16)

• →Manasbal Lake
• →Kheer Bhawani Temple, Tulmulla
• →Sonamarg valley walk
• →Optional pony trek to Thajiwas Glacier
• →Optional sledge ride

Long day out to Pahalgam (~2.5 hrs each way, shared Sumo ~£5–7 per seat; a private day car with driver ~£35–45 is worth splitting between two or three travellers). En route stop at the Pampore saffron fields (best in late October/early November), the Avantipura ruins and the Anantnag sulphur springs. In Pahalgam hire a local union taxi for the valley circuit — Betab Valley, Aru Valley and Chandanwari are each ~₹800–1,000 per vehicle (~£8–10) sharing between passengers; per-person shared rates are cheaper. Add a pony ride to Baisaran 'Mini Switzerland' meadow if time allows (~£8–12). Back to Srinagar for the night.

🚌Shared Sumo to Pahalgam ~£5–7 each way; local union taxi for valley circuit ~£10

🛏Srinagar guesthouse/houseboat

• →Pampore saffron fields
• →Avantipura Ruins
• →Anantnag sulphur springs
• →Betab Valley
• →Aru Valley
• →Chandanwari
• →Optional Baisaran Valley pony ride

Early-morning shikara to see the floating vegetable market at its best (~£8) if you haven't already. Browse Lal Chowk and the old-city copper and papier-mâché workshops, or pick up pashmina and kahwa tea. Late breakfast of harissa or Kashmiri bread and nun chai. Head to Srinagar Airport at least 2.5 hours before departure — security checks in Srinagar are thorough. Prepaid taxi ~£8, or shared taxi ~£3 from Dalgate.

🚌Prepaid airport taxi ~£8 or shared taxi ~£3

🛏None (departure day)

• →Dawn floating vegetable market shikara
• →Lal Chowk and old-city craft shopping
• →Departure from Srinagar Airport