7-Day Family-Friendly Kashmir Itinerary for July 2023
Day 1: Srinagar - The Venice of the East
30 minutes (9.7 km) from Srinagar International Airport
Take a Shikara ride on Dal Lake in the morning and visit Mughal Gardens in the afternoon; enjoy a traditional Kashmiri Wazwan meal at Ahdoos restaurant in the evening.
Day 2: Gulmarg - The Meadow of Flowers
2 hours (51 km) from Srinagar
Take a Gondola Cable Car ride in the morning, followed by a picnic lunch at Khilanmarg; go for a pony ride in the afternoon; enjoy a game of golf at the highest golf course in the world in the evening.
Day 3: Pahalgam - The Valley of Shepherds
2 hours 40 minutes (93 km) from Gulmarg
Visit the famous Betaab Valley in the morning and go river rafting in the Lidder River in the afternoon; take a stroll in the quaint streets of Pahalgam in the evening.
Day 4: Sonamarg - The Meadow of Gold
2 hours 20 minutes (88 km) from Pahalgam
Visit the Thajiwas Glacier in the morning and enjoy a pony ride to the nearby meadows in the afternoon; indulge in trout fishing in the evening.
Day 5: Yusmarg - The Meadow of Jesus
1 hour 30 minutes (47 km) from Sonamarg
Enjoy a leisurely hike in the morning and a picnic lunch on the banks of Doodh Ganga river; visit the Charar-e-Sharief shrine in the afternoon and enjoy a traditional Kashmiri tea in the evening.
Day 6: Kokernag - The Garden of Springs
1 hour 30 minutes (57 km) from Yusmarg
Visit the Kokernag Spring in the morning and the Koker Najan in the afternoon; enjoy a delicious trout curry at the nearby restaurants in the evening.
Day 7: Srinagar - The Venice of the East
2 hours (66 km) from Kokernag
Visit the Hazratbal Shrine in the morning and indulge in some souvenir shopping in the afternoon; enjoy a Kashmiri Kahwa at the Chai Jaai café in the evening.
Recommendations
You can consider visiting the Martand Sun Temple and the Achabal Gardens as side trips from Kokernag. To maximize your fun, try paragliding in Yusmarg or go on a trek to the Tarsar Lake. Don't forget to try the local Kashmiri cuisine, especially the Rogan Josh and Kashmiri Kebabs.
Time and Costs Estimates
Dal Lake Shikara Ride (2 hours, INR 500 per person)
Mughal Gardens (2 hours, INR 50 per person)
Ahdoos Restaurant (1.5 hours, INR 1000 for 2 people)
Gondola Cable Car Ride (2 hours, INR 750 per person)
Pony Ride (2 hours, INR 500 per person)
Golf Course (2 hours, INR 2500 per person)
Betaab Valley (2 hours, INR 300 per person)
River Rafting (2 hours, INR 1000 per person)
Thajiwas Glacier (3 hours, INR 150 per person)
Trout Fishing (2 hours, INR 500 per person)
Hiking (3 hours, free)
Charar-e-Sharief Shrine (2 hours, free)
Kokernag Spring (2 hours, INR 20 per person)
Koker Najan (2 hours, INR 40 per person)
Hazratbal Shrine (1 hour, free)
Souvenir Shopping (2 hours, INR 500 per person)
Chai Jaai Café (1.5 hours, INR 500 for 2 people)
Total Estimated Costs: INR 11,710 ($157) for 2 people