Top 10 Things to Do in Kashmir — A Bucket List for First-Timers

Kashmir is more than a destination. It is a feeling. Here are ten experiences that define it.

1. Shikara Ride on Dal Lake Gliding past floating gardens and carved wooden houseboats at sunset is the quintessential Kashmir experience. Book a private shikara for an hour as the sun sets behind the Pir Panjal.

2. Gondola at Gulmarg At 3,980 metres, the Gulmarg Gondola is the highest cable car in the world. The views of Nanga Parbat from the top are worth every rupee.

3. Pony Trek in Pahalgam Climb to Baisaran — Kashmir’s Mini Switzerland — on a sure-footed pony. The meadows open up like a green carpet under a blue dome.

4. Mughal Garden Wander Nishat, Shalimar, Chashme Shahi — three gardens built by emperors that redefine the word ‘paradise’. Go in spring for the tulips or autumn for the chinars.

5. Wazwan Feast A 36-course meal that is part ceremony, part feast. Rogan Josh, Gushtaba, Tabak Maaz — each dish tells a story.

6. Houseboat Stay Spend at least one night on a cedar-and-walnut houseboat on Dal or Nigeen Lake. Wake to the sound of lapping water and distant calls to prayer.

7. Thajiwas Glacier Trek A short but stunning trek from Sonmarg to the Thajiwas glacier. Snow even in summer. Marmots and wildflowers along the way.

8. Saffron Fields of Pampore Visit the Pampore saffron belt in autumn. The purple crocus fields against the brown earth are a photographer’s dream.

9. Old City Walk Wander through Srinagar’s old city — Jamia Masjid, the copper bazaar, the pashmina ateliers. Every lane holds centuries of stories.

10. Stargazing in Ladakh End your Kashmir journey under the dark skies of Ladakh. Pangong Tso by moonlight is a memory that never fades.