Key facts
- Region
- Srinagar, Sonmarg, Gulmarg and Pahalgam, with nights in the hills as well as in the city
- Best for
- Honeymooners, families and anyone who wants the valley at a slower pace and with less time in the car
- How long people stay
- Six nights and seven days, enough for a rest day and a night each in Gulmarg and Pahalgam
- Matching packages
- Our 6N/7D Summer Special, and our 6N/7D with Doodhpathri, which swaps in a quiet meadow day
- How we plan it
- Fewer one-day round trips, hill nights on purpose, a free day in Pahalgam and early booking for the hill stays
A week lets Kashmir breathe. Instead of driving out and back every day from Srinagar, you sleep in the hills, wake up in the meadows and have a day with nothing to do. This guide, from the TDI Holiday Ventures planning desk in Srinagar, follows our 6N/7D Summer Special day by day, shows the Doodhpathri variant, and explains how the week differs from the shorter plans.
What does a 7-day Kashmir itinerary cover?
The same four places as our shorter itineraries, but with the nights in the right places. You spend two nights in Srinagar at the start, a night in Gulmarg, two nights in Pahalgam and a last night on a houseboat. The result is fewer long out-and-back drives and more time in each place.
| Day | Route | Drive | Night |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Airport pickup, Mughal gardens, Botanical Garden, Shankaracharya temple | City only | Hotel in Srinagar |
| 2 | Sonmarg and Thajiwas Glacier, back to Srinagar | About 3 hours each way | Hotel in Srinagar |
| 3 | Srinagar to Gulmarg via Tangmarg, gondola, horse-riding | About 1.5 hours | Hotel in Gulmarg |
| 4 | Gulmarg to Pahalgam via Anantnag, with Betaab, Aru and Chandanwari at your own cost | About 3 hours | Hotel in Pahalgam |
| 5 | A full day in Pahalgam: the amusement park, horse-riding, Baisaran by pony | Local only | Hotel in Pahalgam |
| 6 | Pahalgam to Srinagar, shikara ride, houseboat check-in | About 2 hours | Deluxe houseboat |
| 7 | Airport drop | City only | Fly out |
Days 1 and 2: Srinagar and Sonmarg
Day 1 is for the city. You are met at the airport, visit Nishat Bagh and Shalimar Bagh, the Botanical Garden and the Shankaracharya temple, then check in. Day 2 takes you up the Sindh valley to Sonmarg through Kangan, Mammar and Gagangir. You walk or ride a pony to Thajiwas Glacier, the most prominent attraction there, and return to Srinagar to sleep. Our Sonmarg guide and Mughal gardens guide help you prepare.
Day 3: Gulmarg, with a night on the meadows
On this plan you leave Srinagar after breakfast, drive to Gulmarg via Tangmarg and sleep there. The gondola, which our itinerary calls an eight-minute ropeway, and horse-riding are available the same day or the next morning. A night in the hills means you are on the meadows at dusk and at dawn, when the day trippers have left. Gondola tickets are extra. See our gondola page and Gulmarg hotels page.
Days 4 and 5: Pahalgam, with a day to spare
On day 4 you drive to Pahalgam via Anantnag along the Lidder, stopping at Betaab, Aru and Chandanwari if you wish, all at your own cost, and check in. Day 5 is Pahalgam's own day: the local amusement park, horse-riding and Baisaran by pony. You can also do none of it and sit by the river. This unhurried day is why many travellers prefer a week. See our Pahalgam hotels page and Pahalgam itinerary.
Days 6 and 7: the houseboat and departure
On day 6 you drive back to Srinagar and take a shikara ride on Dal Lake or Nigeen Lake, then check in to a deluxe houseboat for the last night. On day 7 you transfer to the airport after breakfast. Ending on the water suits the pace of the week. If you want to choose between the two lakes, read our Dal Lake vs Nigeen Lake guide.
Summer Special or the Doodhpathri version?
| 6N/7D Summer Special | 6N/7D with Doodhpathri | |
|---|---|---|
| Day 3 | Gulmarg and a night there | A Doodhpathri day trip from Srinagar, with the Budgam valley and its milky stream |
| Day 4 | Gulmarg to Pahalgam | Srinagar to Gulmarg via Tangmarg, gondola and horse-riding, night in Gulmarg |
| Day 5 | A full day in Pahalgam | Gulmarg to Pahalgam via Anantnag, with Betaab, Aru and Chandanwari |
| Nights in the hills | One in Gulmarg, two in Pahalgam | One in Gulmarg, one in Pahalgam |
| Per person, two travellers | ₹18,400 | ₹18,200 |
| Suits | Travellers who want a free day in Pahalgam | Travellers who want a quiet meadow and a lighter schedule |
Our Doodhpathri package uses a snow jeep at Tangmarg if heavy snow falls, and it is an extra. Read about the destination in our Doodhpathri guide.
What does the week cost, and what is extra?
| Travellers | Summer Special, per person | Doodhpathri, per person | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | ₹18,400 | ₹18,200 | Sedan |
| 4 | ₹14,600 | ₹14,390 | Ertiga or Rumion |
| 6 | ₹13,120 | ₹12,910 | Ertiga or Rumion |
| Extra bed | ₹8,100 | ₹7,990 |
These are twin-sharing prices, ex-Srinagar, from each package's own table: 6N/7D Summer Special. Both include accommodation as per the hotel list, daily breakfast and dinner, a shikara ride on Dal Lake, airport pickup and drop, and all taxes. They exclude flights, lunch, the gondola, the Betaab, Aru, Chandanwari and Baisaran trips, guide charges, entrance fees and personal expenses. Both listings carry a season note, so ask us for the rate on your dates before you plan around the headline figure.
How does a week differ from the shorter plans?
Who is the 7-day plan for?
- Honeymooners: the nights in the hills and the free day are the point. See our seven-day honeymoon itinerary and honeymoon packages.
- Families: the slower pace is kinder to children, and the hill hotels give them room. See our family packages.
- Older travellers: fewer out-and-back days. Check heating and room access with us. See our senior citizen packages.
- Travellers who want more: add the Gurez Valley with our 8N/9D Gurez package, priced at ₹25,350 per person for two.
When should you go?
The plan is built for the warm months, when the hill roads are open and the meadows are green. In winter the Gulmarg night is different: colder, snowier and more dependent on the road, so we confirm the plan for your dates. Our winter packages page says plainly what we do and do not sell in winter. For the other seasons, read our month-by-month guide.
What is the next step?
Send your dates, the number of travellers, your flights and your preferences through our contact page. Our site says a Srinagar planner replies within 30 minutes. Book the hill nights early in busy weeks, and we confirm the rate and what is included before you pay.
Questions travellers ask
Is a week too long for Kashmir?
No. A week lets you sleep in Gulmarg and Pahalgam instead of driving out and back, and gives you a free day. Many travellers find it the most relaxed way to see the valley. If you also want Doodhpathri or Gurez, you could use more.
How much does the 7-day Kashmir package cost?
The 6N/7D Summer Special is ₹18,400 per person for two on twin sharing, ex-Srinagar, from its price table, and the Doodhpathri version is ₹18,200. For four travellers the figures are ₹14,600 and ₹14,390, and for six ₹13,120 and ₹12,910. Ask for the rate on your dates.
Which is better, the Summer Special or the Doodhpathri version?
It depends on what you want. The Summer Special has a free day in Pahalgam and two nights there. The Doodhpathri version swaps that for a quiet meadow day and a lighter schedule. Both give a night in Gulmarg. Tell us your priorities and we suggest one.
Do the hill nights cost extra?
The package prices include accommodation as per the hotel list, including the hill nights, with daily breakfast and dinner. Lunch, gondola tickets, local trips paid directly, entrance fees and guide charges are extra. Ask which hotel tier a price assumes before you pay.
Can I add Gurez or Ladakh to a week in Kashmir?
Gurez, yes: our 8N/9D Gurez package is priced at ₹25,350 per person for two. For Ladakh you need more days, because the road to Leh takes two days each way. Read our Kashmir Ladakh combo guide and Srinagar to Leh road guide before you decide.
What if the weather or a road closure changes the plan?
We check the roads on the morning of each drive and re-order the days where we can, for example moving Pahalgam before Gulmarg. Nobody can promise the weather, and costs caused by landslides or strikes are not in the package price. The free day in Pahalgam helps.
Written by the TDI Holiday Ventures planning desk in Srinagar. Conditions, fares and rules change: confirm anything that affects your booking with us on WhatsApp before you pay.
