Dal Lake and Other Interesting Places You MUST Visit in Srinagar

Also called “The Jewel of Srinagar”, this lake is full of shikaras (floating hotels), houseboats and floating markets. The houseboats on Dal Lake feature floral motifs and intricate carvings and offer breathtaking sights of the majestic lake. These boats are equipped with single rooms and luxury suites and offer comfortable accomodation to the visitors. The shikaras are visited by traders selling their wares like jewelery, handicrafts, saffron etc for tourists to buy.

It is an islamic shrine most visited by tourists on the bank of Dal Lake.The name of the shrine is taken from the Kashmiri terms, “Hazrat” meaning “Sacred” and “Bal” meaning “Place”. Roza Bal near Hazratbal shrine is believed by some to be the place where Jesus’s tomb is. Some people even believe that Jesus was born in Kashmir.

This beautiful and well preserved Mughal garden overlooks Dal lake and showcases craftsmanship of Mughal horticulturalists. It is a perfect blend of artificial structures and natural marvels. The whole premise of the garden has been beautifully carpeted with green grass. The garden has umpteen varieties of colorful flowers as well as tall trees of walnuts and almonds. 

This garden again is located near the Dal Lake. It is 12 layered terraced garden packed with green trees, scented flowers, and beautiful fountains. With the majestic Zabarwan Mountains forming its backdrop, Nishant Bagh makes for one of the most scenic places to visit in Srinagar and attracts a huge number of photographers and couples. Strolling in the garden, the visitors can also catch a panoramic view of the beautiful Dal Lake.

Famous for its natural spring, it is again a 3 layered terraced garden showcasing persian style architecture. Tourists visit this attraction in Srinagar to drink the water from the spring which is believed to have medicinal properties. It is to be noted, even in the peak summer season, the water from the spring is always cold.

It is a beautiful garden spread over 80 hectares. The entire garden has been categorized into 4 segments, namely Sporting Garden, Research Section Garden, Centre of Plant Introduction, and Botanical Garden. This overlooks the Dal lake and lies at the foothill of Zabarwan range. It also houses a lake where one can enjoy boating. It has something to offer everyone, whether you want to enjoy a peaceful moment, click photos, observe the various fauna or just enjoy the paddle boat.

It is made of ancient grey stones adorns thickly wooded Shankaracharya Hill. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple rests at an altitude of 1000 feet and can be reached in 10-15 minutes by stairs.The view from the top is spectacular and well worth the effort.

Srinagar is counted among the most beautiful places of India owing to its lush green orchards, free flowing rivers and paradisal locales. Also, 80% of the country’s apple supplies afrom here. So, visit the emerald carpeted meadows full of green trees sprinkled with shiny red apples and let the picture perfect scene be etched in your memory forever.

The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in Srinagar holds South Asia’s largest Tulip Festival in the months of April – May near the Dal Lake. One of the most awaited festivals of Kashmir, the Tulip Festival celebrates the blooming season of the lovely Tulips that adorn the garden. This is an annual event where one can see 1000 of tulips in bloom at once. Spread across an approximate area of thirty hectares, the landscape is formed in terraced style, with flower beds scattered upon seven terraces. Traditional music is also a form of entertainment offered to visitors during the festivity. Local artists, as well as performers of rock music too, are present to showcase their art form, giving the atmosphere the most pleasant touch, along with the scene which is already picturesque.