Plan the Perfect Family Holiday in Kashmir: Tips & Itinerary (what actually worked for us)#

I finally did it. Took the whole khandaan to Kashmir. Parents, my kid, my sister’s forever-hungry teenager, and me with too many lists. And trust me, the place still knocked the wind out of us. Not just the postcard stuff — the real bits. The auntie on Dal Lake pouring kahwa straight from a copper samovar, the driver bhaiya who knew every walnut tree by name, the snow that creeps into your socks no matter how tight you think those boots are.

Why Kashmir just works for families right now#

Because it’s easy to love. Zero effort. The big tourist circuit — Srinagar, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg — is pretty well set up. Hotels are used to families, food is familiar enough, and distances are shorter than they look on the map. Safety-wise, the usual advice still holds: stick to the main tourist routes, avoid late-night highway runs, and keep an eye on local advisories. As of 2025, tourist areas have been steady, with record footfalls the last couple of seasons. You’ll see Tourist Police booths at key spots, and traffic is busy but manageable. Do check J&K Tourism’s social updates and local news in the morning before long day trips — sometimes there are weather or traffic restrictions on the highway.

When to go (and what you’ll actually get)#

Spring (late March to April) is pure magic — tulips in Srinagar’s Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, almond blossoms, soft light. Summer (May to June) gives you full meadows, gushing rivers, and kid-friendly hikes. Autumn (Sep–Oct) is underrated, with chinars turning fiery red and perfect sweater weather. Winter (Dec–Feb) is for snow lovers — Gulmarg skiing, snowman chaos, the whole shebang. If you want the Tulip Festival, aim for late March or early April, but dates shift with weather. Gulmarg’s Winter Festival pops up in Jan–Feb with music and snow sports. Shoulder months are cheaper and quieter, btw.

Getting there and getting around#

Fly into Srinagar (SXR) — tons of direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, etc. The Srinagar–Jammu highway can be moody because of landslides, so if you’re driving up, keep buffer time. The Kashmir Valley has trains between Banihal and Baramulla, but the big Katra–Banihal stretch is still in stages, so don’t plan your family trip purely on the train until the final run is officially active. For local travel, most families hire an Innova/Crysta with driver for the entire trip. Ballpark: airport pickup or Srinagar local 2.5–4k INR; Srinagar–Gulmarg return 3.5–5k; Srinagar–Pahalgam one-way 4–6k depending on season. Small gotcha: local taxi unions in Gulmarg, Pahalgam, and Sonamarg usually control internal sightseeing, so your outside vehicle may not be allowed past certain points — factor extra for local cabs or ponies where needed.

Stays that made us happy (and what they cost)#

Do at least one night on a houseboat. Dal Lake is iconic, but I actually prefer Nigeen — quieter, fewer shikara hawkers. Mid-range houseboats run ~4,000–8,000 INR per night with breakfast; premium heritage ones go higher. In Srinagar, boutique hotels and homestays are 3,500–9,000 INR; luxury like The Lalit Grand Palace or Radisson Collection is 16,000–30,000+. Gulmarg has The Khyber as the headline luxury (pricey but dreamy in snow), while tidy resorts and cottages are in the 6,000–12,000 INR range. Pahalgam has a lot of family hotels near the river — 4,000–10,000 INR typically. Prices jump in peak, drop in shoulder. Book early for Tulip weeks and winter weekends.

A 6-day family itinerary that actually works#

Day 1 — Srinagar houseboat + shikara: Land, breathe, float. We checked into a Nigeen houseboat, dumped the bags, did a slow shikara ride around golden hour. Fresh lotus stem chips, kahwa, gulls just… skimming. Keep it simple on day one. Dinner wazwan sampler if your kids are adventurous; otherwise lighter yakhni, nadru, and dum aloo works.

Day 2 — Srinagar sights, not too many: Start at Mughal Gardens — Shalimar, Nishat, and my fav, the terraced Chashme Shahi. If it’s tulip season, go early, it gets packed by 11. Later, hop to the Old City for Jamia Masjid and a stroll through Zaina Kadal bridges and markets. Khayam Chowk grills for dinner if you eat meat, or try Ahdoo’s for classic Kashmiri dishes. Tip: traffic gets heavy post 4 pm, so front-load your day.

Day 3 — Gulmarg: Leave Srinagar by 8 am. Park at Tangmarg if needed and take a local cab up. Book Gulmarg Gondola on the official J&K Cable Car site to avoid queues. Phase 1 is usually fine for most families; Phase 2 goes high and windy, so check weather and with grandparents. Winter adds skiing, sledges, and snow bikes — bargain politely, and rent gumboots there itself. My kid did a tiny ski lesson and then faceplanted, laughed like crazy, 10/10 memories. If budget allows, late lunch with views at Khyber is a vibe. You can return to Srinagar or stay a night.

Day 4 — Pahalgam base + river time: It’s a longer drive (3–4 hours depending on traffic). Check into a riverside hotel, walk the Lidder river trail, let kids throw pebbles till your soul resets. For local sightseeing, Pahalgam union cabs do the circuit: Aru, Betaab, Chandanwari. If you’re doing it the same day, keep it to two spots max with kids. Rafting on the Lidder runs in late spring and summer — choose a milder stretch if you’re with younger ones. Avoid overdoing pony rides unless the kids truly want it.

Day 5 — Sonamarg or Doodhpathri (pick one): Sonamarg is dramatic, glacier views, and in summer you can do a short pony/ATV to Thajiwas. It opens around late April, weather permitting. Doodhpathri is my personal soft spot — rolling meadows, fewer crowds, and perfect picnic vibes. We had noon chai in a shepherd’s hut and my nephew declared it the best tea in the world. Both are day-trip doable from Srinagar; if you’re in Pahalgam, it’s better to head back to Srinagar the previous night and then do Sonamarg next day.

Day 6 — Slow Srinagar + fly out: Do a morning walk around the lake bund, pick up saffron at Pampore on the way to the airport if you’re driving that side, and get dry fruits from a trusted shop. I also look for good papier-mâché and walnut woodwork — just compare prices and ask about authenticity. If you’ve got time, Hazratbal and a short bakery run for sheermal and baqerkhani is chef’s kiss.

Offbeat add-on if kids are older: Gurez or Yousmarg#

Gurez Valley is unreal — wooden homes, Habba Khatoon peak, starry skies you won’t forget. But the Razdan Pass road opens roughly May to Oct and it’s a long drive with sharp bends. Permits aren’t a big drama for Indian tourists these days, but carry original IDs and always check current rules and weather. Homestays here are simple and warm, perfect for teens who can handle longer road days. Yousmarg is closer and super green, a lovely alternative if you want meadows without a big drive. Oh, and apple orchard stays around Shopian or Sopore are trending — late summer to autumn is prime.

What to eat (and where we over-ordered)#

Wazwan highlights: rogan josh, rista, gushtaba, tabak maaz. For milder tastebuds or vegetarians, try haak saag, nadru yakhni, dum aloo, and tchaman. Kahwa all day, noon chai when it’s cold. Bakeries are a thing — try kulcha, sheermal, and baqerkhani with tea. Ahdoo’s, Mughal Darbar, Stream, 7C’s Café, and tiny local dhabas will feed you well. Street grills at Khayam Chowk after sunset are smoky and addictive. If your kids are fussy, most places will make simple pulao or dal-chawal. Quick tip: check how spicy they cook wazwan, you can ask them to tone it down. We also stopped at a saffron farm in Pampore — the uncle gave the kids a tiny lesson on stigmas and we left with more than we planned to buy, whoops.

Practical stuff we learned the hard way#

Connectivity: Postpaid SIMs from outside J&K work better; many prepaid numbers from other states don’t. You can get a local tourist SIM at the airport with proper ID if needed. UPI is widely accepted but the network can be moody in the hills — carry some cash. Clothes: dress modest, layer smart. Mornings and evenings bite even in summer. Winters need thermals, waterproof gloves, and proper shoes. Tickets: book the Gulmarg Gondola online and go early. Health: hydrate, sunscreen, and go slow if you plan Phase 2 of the gondola — it’s high and windy. Transport: confirm what’s included with your driver, and remember the local union rules. Sustainability: skip plastic, don’t litter meadows, and stay gentle with wildlife. Shopping: for pashmina, ask for burn test or certification and buy from reputable stores; machine-made stuff is sold everywhere as “hand”.

Rough costs so you can plan without headaches#

Very approx for a family of four on a mid-range plan: Hotels/houseboat 6–10k INR per night, per room, two rooms if you want space. Driver + vehicle for 6 days 22–35k INR depending on season and vehicle. Internal union cabs for Pahalgam/Sonamarg circuits 2–5k per circuit. Gondola tickets vary by phase and season — book official. Meals per day maybe 2–4k depending on where you eat. Activities like sledging, ATVs, rafting are extra and negotiable. You can do it cheaper with homestays and shared taxis, or go luxe and, well, sky’s the limit.

Little moments that made it perfect#

We had kahwa on a cold shikara morning, with the mist sitting on the lake like a bedspread. My mom bargained for a pheran and wore it the whole trip, feeling like a movie star. The kid fed grass to a pony named Sultan and then refused to leave. Me and him went on a tiny snow trek in Gulmarg and he kept saying, Baba it’s like ice-cream. Honestly, that’s what Kashmir does — turns your family into mush in the nicest way.

Final thoughts#

Don’t overplan, don’t underpack. Keep time for doing nothing at all — just watching the water go by, or the chinar leaves fall, or snowflakes landing on your eyelashes. Build your perfect family holiday in Kashmir around slow mornings, safe drives, and warm food. The rest will find you. If you want more such real-deal travel stories and planning guides, I keep peeking at AllBlogs.in — it’s a nice rabbit hole when you’re dreaming up your next trip.