Dal Lake, Srinagar: Shikara Rides, Houseboats and What to See

What is Dal Lake, and where is it?

Dal Lake lies on the eastern side of Srinagar below the Zabarwan hills. The city runs along its shore on Boulevard Road, where hotels, restaurants and the boat ghats stand, and the Mughal gardens climb the slopes on the far side. The lake is a set of basins joined by channels. It holds houseboats, floating gardens where vegetables are grown on rafts of weed and soil, and small islands, including Char Chinar. A narrow channel leads to the smaller Nigeen Lake, which is quieter; see our Nigeen Lake houseboats page.

Everything on the water is reached by shikara, the long wooden boat with a canopy and cushions. Our Srinagar guide places the lake within the wider city.

What can you do at Dal Lake?

How does a shikara ride work?

Our shikara page lists standard rides of one to two hours, sunset rides, full-day lake exploration with lunch and special-occasion rides. A standard boat carries about four to six people, and life jackets are available on request for children and non-swimmers. Our Kashmir valley packages include a one-hour shikara ride.

• Agree the duration and route before you step in, and check whether stops at the floating market or Char Chinar are included.
• Ask to see the rate card posted at the ghat, as fares change; we confirm the figure for packaged rides.
• Small boats with vendors selling flowers, saffron and handicrafts will come alongside. Decide what you want and agree the price first, or decline politely.
• Wear shoes with grip; the ghat steps and the step into the boat can be slippery.
• Take a jacket in the evening, since the air cools quickly on the water.

Should you stay on a houseboat or in a hotel on Dal Lake?

A houseboat is the traditional stay, with walnut-carved rooms, a dining room, a deck and a shikara to take you ashore. A hotel is easier, with road access and, in many cases, heating that is more dependable in winter. Many guests do both: a night on the water and the rest of the trip in a hotel.

Our houseboats in Srinagar guide covers our six houseboats and what to ask before you pay, our Dal Lake houseboat page describes a stay, and houseboat or hotel helps you decide. For lake-view hotels, see Taj Dal View and The LaLiT Grand Palace, and for the full range, our Srinagar hotel booking page.

What is Dal Lake like in each season?

For longer detail, see our month-by-month Kashmir guide guide and, for the cold months, Kashmir in December and Kashmir in January.

What else is close to Dal Lake?

• The Mughal gardens (Nishat, Shalimar, Chashme Shahi and Pari Mahal); see our Mughal gardens guide.
• The tulip garden on the hillside in spring; see our tulip festival tour package.
• Shankaracharya Temple on its hill and the Hazratbal shrine; both sit on a city day in our Srinagar sightseeing tour.
• The old city and its markets; our heritage walk guide shows a route.
• Your onward trips to Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonmarg, which start from the same side of the city.

How do we fit Dal Lake into your trip?

We usually place the lake on the first or last Srinagar day, so that a houseboat night frames the trip: a shikara ride and a quiet evening on arrival, or a slow final night before the flight. The gardens go in the morning, when the light is soft. Our packages put a houseboat night in each of these valley itineraries, with a one-hour shikara ride, daily breakfast and dinner and Srinagar airport pickup and drop; all figures are per person, twin sharing, ex-Srinagar.

Send your dates and the number of travellers through our contact page and we confirm the houseboat, the lake and the ghat, the shikara arrangement and what is extra, before you pay.

Common mistakes at Dal Lake

• Booking a houseboat on price alone, without asking for its lake, ghat, heating and meal plan.
• Giving the lake only an hour at midday, when the sun is harshest and the light is flat.
• Forgetting that winter and early spring evenings on the water are cold.
• Skipping the sunrise ride because it is early, although it is the calmest time.
• Assuming every houseboat is reached by road; some are reached only by shikara.