Dal Lake

Dal Lake

11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Monday
11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Tuesday
11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Wednesday
11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Thursday
11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Friday
11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Saturday
11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
About
Duration: < 1 hour
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  • NayantSavani
    Mumbai, India840 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    The Old Nostalgic Feeling
    The lake brings back the vision of the movies filmed here and have been hits in the past years. The shikara ride is good for all visitors. You cannot avoid the sellers on routes. Here you can see the only floating post office in the world. The commute to the house boats are via these or their boats. Lake is a little filthy and needs to be cleaned up.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written March 24, 2024
  • labal
    Chennai (Madras), India367 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Enjoyable unique kind of boat ride
    Enjoy the shikara ride on dal lake. Mornings and evenings are highly recommended. Watch the floating markets, the houseboats, the post office, Nehru garden and meena bazaar as you enjoy the boat ride.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written April 4, 2024
  • Manish S
    Mumbai, India13 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful lake and view, beware of floating market
    Beautiful place with amazing shikara ride. But it’s little over hyped. The lake is kinda dirty with lots of plants in the water and mosquitoes in evening time. Also we aware of floating market guys who come to sale. As soon as u start the shikara, one or other person will come to sell something. They price all items at 10 times so quite price that way. We got shikara miniature at 400 after bargaining and same was available in lal chauk at 100 with even bargaining. Same for artificial jewellery, they guy quoted 5500 and we left and was eventually ready to give in even 1000. So don’t buy anything or bargain at 1/10th price. Thanks me later.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written April 9, 2024
  • Map My Destination
    New Delhi, India60 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A Mixed Experience on the Overhyped Shikara Ride
    While the shikara ride at this beautiful place was picturesque, the reality didn't quite match the hype. The lake was marred by plants and mosquitoes, detracting from the experience. Additionally, the constant barrage of vendors on the water, pricing items exorbitantly, was off-putting. Bargaining helped, but it was disheartening to find the same souvenirs for a fraction of the cost elsewhere. Overall, the experience was tarnished by the environmental conditions and the relentless sales pitches, leaving much to be desired.
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written April 12, 2024
  • miliriri
    San Jose, California87 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Riyaz at Dal Lake Gate: 4 is BEST SHIKARA BOATMAN
    We stayed 5 Days in Srinagar . Everyday we went in Shikara . from Dal Lake Gate No: 4 … Ride was very Relaxing . Ride is , A must when you are in Srinagar . One found great Shikara Boatman sailor name Mr. Riyaz Shikara At Gate No :4 tele: 95961 25293 Please Direct negotiate. Avoid middlemen like Guide or Drivers. We took Shikara from gate:3 but they cheated us , by increasing 5 time cost . Thanks to Riyaz Boatman . He is best reasonable honest accommodative and well behaved. We highly recommend Riyaz .
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 27, 2024
  • hiral c
    138 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Dal lake is always beautiful
    Any visit to Kashmir is incomplete without a shikara ride at Dal lake. It is still as beautiful as it was years back. Shikara people bargain well . If you are not interested in shopping from the floating market in Dal lake plz tell the shikara person accordingly. We went about an hour before the sunset and it was lovely
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written May 10, 2024
  • Xerxes Rave
    Bengaluru, India125 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    The Jheel of Dal
    We took our Shikhara Ride from Ghat 18, and covered the pristine Dal Lake - Nehru Park, Meena Bazar and Floating Gardens (Blooms in June / July). Shikhara ride was comfortable and although it rained a bit, it was a pleasant experience. Do visit the Nehru park, it has some good views.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written May 21, 2024
  • Let's Go Sightseeing
    Noida, India2,896 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Icon to Srinagar
    The Lake is integral to Kashmir & has been given many sobriquets – ‘Jewel in the crown of Kashmir’, ‘Srinagar’s Jewel’ etc. Around it, you can spot Mughal gardens like Nishat Bagh & houseboats. Don’t miss the relaxing shikara ride, called ‘the Gondola of Kashmir’. You’ll be astonished to see the multiple uses of shikaras – ferrying visitors, vending of fruits etc., fishing, & aquatic vegetation harvesting. On your shikara ride, you can spot ‘rad’ – vegetation that’s detached from the lake bottom but still anchored! We believe you can swim & canoe in the Dal Lake too (not sure though). When we visited, the first thing that struck us about the Lake was its size. It’s gigantic. No wonder it’s so famous.
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written May 24, 2024
  • Nostalgiyeah
    Bothell, Washington2,068 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A Shikara ride adventure crossed off the bucket list!
    A visit to Srinagar remains incomplete without embarking on a Shikara ride around Dal Lake. While the experience of gliding through the lake is enchanting, increased tourist activity has unfortunately led to water quality deterioration. Plastic and garbage patches are visible in some areas, yet the idyllic ride against the backdrop of majestic mountains remains captivating. Brace yourself for a constant stream of vendors peddling snacks, trinkets, and souvenirs—the art of bargaining is the norm here and adds to the overall experience. Along the lake’s shores, colorful Shikaras are moored, and impressive boathouses dot the landscape. Although I didn’t have the chance to stay in one, some of these boathouses are beautifully maintained. However, others could benefit from better upkeep, slightly diminishing the overall experience. The lack of strict governance is evident, and the impact of over-tourism and lax regulation enforcement may gradually diminish the beauty of this cherished experience over time. Don’t miss the splendid view of the Shankaracharya Temple perched on the hill, visible from Dal Lake.
    Thank you so much ! We’re thrilled to hear that you had a fantastic experience with us. It’s wonderful to know that your trip to Kashmir was one of your best record thrillers! Your support means the world to us, and we look forward to making your next holiday just as memorable. Best record trip thrillers holiday in Kashmir Www.tripthrillers.com
    Written August 18, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written July 3, 2024
  • ramkam
    Georgetown, Guyana16 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Experiences of living on a houseboat
    The experience was so different from staying at a hotel. We stayed at Koloo group of house boats and the staff and owner were very accommodating to help plan our tour tours and sightseeing. There was nothing that we needed that they would not advise accordingly. The location is very central and everything is a summer ride away to restaurants and local shopping for souvenirs. The highlight was the mutual gardens and the shikara ride on dal lake.
    Thank you so much ! We’re thrilled to hear that you had a fantastic experience with us. It’s wonderful to know that your trip to Kashmir was one of your best record thrillers! Your support means the world to us, and we look forward to making your next holiday just as memorable. Best record trip thrillers holiday in Kashmir Www.tripthrillers.com
    Written August 18, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written July 10, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles4,324 reviews
Excellent
2,239
Very good
1,450
Average
492
Poor
89
Terrible
54

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Explore924
Australian Capital Territory, Australia5 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Family
It was an unforgettable experience that my mom had always dreamt of enjoying.

One highlight of the trip was the traditional Shikara ride, an absolute must for those looking to explore the lake and its vibrant markets. I strongly advise against opting for motorboats due to their negative impact on aquatic life, noise pollution, and lack of cultural or tourism appeal.

However, the lake left much to be desired in terms of cleanliness, with a constant barrage of hawking activities that could be quite irksome. Our houseboat, fortunately, was located on the better side of the lake. Some fellow tourists did mention that the opposite side of the lake had houseboats where the water quality was poor and stinks, and spending time there was a challenge. Unfortunately, I didn't record the direction or location of the houseboat I stayed, so can't suggest the direction or side of lake to choose in review.

I thoroughly enjoyed our traditional Shikara ride, which lasted about 1.5 hours. The Shikara owner initially quoted us INR 1600, but after some negotiation, we settled on INR 1300, which included a Rs. 200 tip we decided to give him. In Australian dollars, this amounted to approximately $25. It's important to note that prices in Kashmir often require negotiation is there is too much price gouging here, so spending your money wisely and haggling is highly recommended to make the most of your visit.

We savored the local delicacy, Kahwa, at a hotel nestled within Dal Lake while aboard our Shikara. Although I can't recall the name of the restaurant, I highly recommend indulging in Kahwa at the restaurants situated within Dal Lake rather than purchasing it from Shikara vendors during the evening. The Kahwa served at the restaurant is notably fresher. This valuable suggestion came from our Shikara sailor, and it turned out to be the best Kahwa we had throughout our stay in Kashmir.

We also enjoyed some fruit chat plate from a shikara vendor, I think it is good to give some business to local shikara vendors.

Overall, stay in houseboat no more than one day, and definitely enjoy shikara ride.
Written October 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

mdeligiosphoto
Sassari, Italy3,261 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Solo
Srinagar is a little Venice, with its canals that connect the old city with the lake. There are over 20 ghats from which boats depart. For about two hours of travel, between the lake, the floating market and the old city I spent just under 1000 rupees. In the evening it is very relaxing and cool. There are several houseboats available for overnight stays, of various levels.
Google
Written September 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sunshine
Dubai, United Arab Emirates310 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Family
Dal lake is huge with natural beauty but very dirty and polluted. It is worth going for a Shikara ride only from ghat nos.14 to 17 to enjoy the nature’s beauty around 4 to 5pm (depending on season and length of the days) to enjoy the gorgeous sunset views . Some agents are charging a lot of money . Book through hotel or directly with Shikara owners. It should be Rs.1,000 to 1,200/-
Rupees for one hour’s ride.
Kashmiries should take pride in their province, keep it much, much, much cleaner and preserve it’s natural scenic beauty. Dal lake which is biggest attraction of Kashmir is dying from pollution. They should do massive campaigns for clean ups and preservation of it’s natural scenic beauty which is alluring and bountiful.but sadly neglected.
Written November 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jaya Waskar
Mumbai, India4 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Friends
We had already booked 45mins shikara ride via travel planner, however upon reaching there the driver insisted on getting the ride time extended for better experience. We paid 1k extra per shikara to extend by 45mins. We were told that 90 mins will be the overall ride time and stopping time in between wont be counted. The moment we start the ride, there are 2-3 sellers who surround you with their products and take around 8-10 mins. Later they forcibly stop at a floating market even if you tell them no for it. After that they ask you to take a tea break. And later including all these halt time, they dropped us back to the end point in 90 mins overall including all halt time as well.
moreover, all people managing this along with the shikara riders are extremely arrogant & rude. They actually spoilt our entire charm of shikara ride! Such people are responsible for giving a bad tag to a beautiful place like Kashmir.
Written August 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Amelie9626
Cape Town, South Africa1,618 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Family
"Official rate" i.e. the union rate for shikara is Rs. 700 per hour, but we negotiated it to Rs. 500 an hour. We took it for 3 hours, so the guy was really slow in moving around as he didn't want to cover many places. There are shikaras which will sell kahwa (Rs 50), fruit chaat (Rs. 100 for a tiny plate), and kashmiri costumes, kashmiri handicrafts, saffron, photos, and even bbq kebabs that will keep rowing up to you. The best part we liked was a market where they take - we didn't visit any shops, but the market was bustling. There are over 1100 licenced houseboats on Dal Lake and over 10,000 shikaras (commercial and private) operating on it. 29 ghats support this vast eco-system.

How much you enjoy the shikara ride depends very much on the person manning the shikara. One of the people who took us to the houseboat was a grumpy guy, so we tried to avoid taking him for the 2 hours ride even though he had a prettier shikara.

Written October 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TPANANTH
Mumbai, India39 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022
We went to dal lkae twice. Once was during afternoon when it was very crowded. Then we went again at 5.30 am in the morning and had the entire lake to ourselves. Dal lake is breathtaking at sunrise and i would highly recommend an early morning visit there to avoid all the crowd. View the sunrise!
Written May 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Vishal Bhargava
Dubai, United Arab Emirates236 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Family
While visiting Srinagar, Shikar Ride in Dal Lake is a must. It s an experience worth exploring. There are different options available depending on time you want to spend. Please bargain as there are no fixed rates, there will be local vendors who will sell fruits, kahwa, artificial jewellery, while you are still on Shikara, again remember to bargain hard. If you want to enjoy the ride, please take ride either in the morning or evening as the afternoon ride in summer may not enjoyable. Request boatman to play your favourite music, sit back, enjoy and take lots of photos..
Written August 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Deepak P
Bengaluru, India17 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
The Dal lake (especially the Ghats from where Shikaara rides operate) are very commercial. One needs to be careful while booking the rides as some of the operators charge a heafty amount. If one were to take a 2-3 hour trip, they usually take you a bit deeper inside the lake and show you the floating markets and other scenic spots, but most of them are focussed on taking you to the floating shops that sell shawls, sweaters, sarees and other items. Be careful before purchasing items from these shops as the same items are much cheaper on the ground and in the markets.
Written May 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mohammed Obaid
Mumbai, India115 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2025 • Family
Today we visited Dal lake 31/1/2025. Lake temperature was freezing as it started raining and completely changed the atmosphere. But people were enjoying the shikhara ride even with small kids. Now the shikhara ride provides blanket during the ride.
Written January 31, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sunshine
4 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023
Heaven on earth? Nothing like that, just a simple looking lake except the water is cold and few mountains around, nothing really to miss if you don't visit, and if you do then be ready to be charged very high and they take you on small trip of one hour. During which they will stop at meena bazar shops which give them commission. Poorly maintained shikaras, Tourists are just a thing to rob for them in entire kashmir
Written May 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Dal Lake - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2025)

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