Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Srinagar
Kashmir in first snow
Snow in two valleys, not one. Two nights in Gulmarg with a beginner ski session, two in Pahalgam by the frozen Lidder, and a warm houseboat to finish.
Autumn colour and saffron
Timed for chinar season and the saffron bloom. Early light in Srinagar, purple fields at Pampore and the golden birch and poplar around Aru.
Seasonal 5 nights, 6 days Srinagar, Sonamarg, Pampore and Pahalgam
Duration5 nights, 6 days
Best timeMid-October to mid-November
Start and finishStarts and ends at Srinagar airport
Price from
₹22,499per person
About this trip
Kashmir changes colour for a short spell every autumn. The chinars of Srinagar turn amber, then rust red. Poplars along the roads go bright yellow, the birches above Aru turn gold, and in the last days of October the saffron crocus comes up across the karewa fields of Pampore.
This trip is built around light and timing. We start early, when the colour is best and the air is still. Pampore is about 20 minutes down the highway from our office in Rambagh, so we can take you on the morning the fields are fullest rather than on a date fixed weeks ahead. Bring a camera, even if it is only your phone.
Highlights
- A sunrise shikara to Char Chinari on Dal
- Chinar walks at Nishat and along the Jhelum
- Sonamarg with the first snow on the peaks
- Saffron picking at dawn in Pampore
- Avantipora ruins and the cricket bat workshops near Sangam
- Aru and Betaab in autumn gold
Day by day
Day 1: Arrive in Srinagar
Airport pickup and on to a houseboat. Watch the chinars along the shore catch the last light.
Houseboat, Dal LakeDay 2: Chinars by the water
A sunrise shikara to Char Chinari, then Nishat and its old chinars. In the afternoon, walk the Jhelum through the old city.
Hotel, SrinagarDay 3: Sonamarg in autumn
Up the Sindh valley with the willows and poplars turning, to the Sonamarg meadow under the season's first snow.
Hotel, SrinagarDay 4: Saffron at dawn, then Pahalgam
Leave early for Pampore to watch the flowers being picked. Continue past Avantipora and the bat makers near Sangam to Pahalgam.
Hotel, PahalgamDay 5: Aru and Betaab in gold
Union taxi up to Aru and Betaab, where the birch and poplar are at their brightest. Afternoon by the Lidder.
Hotel, PahalgamDay 6: Departure
Drive back to Srinagar airport, about three hours.
What the price covers
Included
- 5 nights: 1 on a houseboat, 2 in Srinagar and 2 in Pahalgam
- Breakfast and dinner every day
- Private cab with driver
- Sunrise shikara to Char Chinari
- A guided saffron field visit at Pampore
- Airport pickup and drop
Not included
- Flights
- Union taxis in Sonamarg and Pahalgam
- Saffron purchases and entry fees
- Lunches
- Personal costs and tips
Changes and cancellations follow our cancellation policy.
Good to know
- Pace and fitness
- Easy. Early starts for the light, then slow afternoons.
- When to go
- Mid-October to mid-November. Exact dates shift a little each year with snow and road openings, so we confirm before you book.
- Make it yours
- Dates, stays, nights and stops can all be changed. Ask and we send a revised plan and price.
Questions about this trip
When do the chinars and saffron peak?
Chinars usually turn from mid-October and are reddest in early November. Saffron flowers for two to three weeks from about the last week of October. Dates shift every year, so we watch the trees and fields and adjust.
Can we buy saffron from the growers?
Yes, we can take you to growers in Pampore. Pure Kashmiri saffron costs more than what tourist shops sell, so look for the GI tag and buy small amounts.
How cold will it be?
Days are mild, often in the high teens in Srinagar, but nights drop close to freezing by November and colder in Pahalgam. Bring a proper jacket.
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