Dal Lake

One of the most beautiful hill stations in India, Srinagar can be truly termed a tourist’s paradise – abounding in scenic beauty and spectacular locales. The Dal Lake is the most important tourist attraction in Srinagar – so much that the city is often referred as the ‘City of Dal Lake’.

Located on the eastern end of Srinagar city, Dal Lake is 6.4km long and 4km wide, and has, within its periphery, four enormous expanses of water – Lokut Dal, Bod Dal, Gagribal and Nagin. The rest of its surface is broken up alternately by man-made strips of land – populated by colonies of people and vegetation. Hence, Dal Lake is not a flat, continuous mass of water, but an intricate maze of waterways, making for a spectacular sight and an even more enchanting locale to explore.

Tourists can enjoy fascinating rides on traditional Kashmiri Houseboats or ‘Shikaras’ along the Dal Lake - thereby experiencing one of the most soothing and relaxing aspects of holidaying in Srinagar. The boat ride can be an hour-long sightseeing session of the Dal; a shopping-by-shikara expedition to handicraft shops within the lake area; or a whole-day trip featuring visits to major landmarks in Srinagar.

Dal Lake is revered not only for its spectacular beauty, but also for its vibrancy, because within its periphery, the lake sustains a unique life, unmatched elsewhere. The Houseboat and ‘Shikhara’ communities have lived for ages on the Dal, and have created such a complete infrastructure that they do not need to step on land for their day-to-day sustenance.

Apart from the houseboat rides, the Dal Lake authority allows a number of other water-sport options on the lake like kayaking, canoeing, water surfing and licensed angling. From the lake one can enjoy panoramic views of the mountains surrounding Srinagar. The edges of Dal Lake are flanked by groves of chinar, poplar and willow, and beautiful gardens are lined along the banks.

We, at indianholiday invite you to embark on a delightful houseboat holiday at Dal Lake, which will certainly remain etched on your memory forever.

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Wular Lake

One of the loveliest places in India where nature is at her bountiful best, Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir is a tourist’s paradise blessed with beautiful rivers and lakes, blossoming gardens, and verdant woods. The Wular Lake – acclaimed to be the largest freshwater lake in India and perhaps in Asia too – ranks prominent as one of the major tourist attractions in Srinagar.

Lying about 32 km to the northwest of Srinagar City, Wular Lake is set amidst scenic locales, and the lake reflects the beauty of nature at her pristine best. Wular is encircled by high mountains on the north and north-east of the valley, which further add to the scenic charm of the locales.

Wular Lake is about 16 km long and 10 km wide, spreading over an area of about 125 sq. km. Wular acts as a natural flood reservoir, drawing off excess water from the Jhelum River, which leaves the lake at Sopore. The lake changes character with every few miles of its course.

Being devoid of any artificial feature, Wular Lake is home to an enchanting variety of avian life. The extensive marshes surrounding the lake support dense coniferous forests, alpine pastures and orchards, adding to the natural splendor and biodiversity of the wetland area. The lake serves as a wintering site for several migratory waterfowl species like Little Egzet, Cattle Egzet, Shoveler, Common Pochard, and Mallard, to name a few.

Other attractions at Wular Lake include 15-century ruins lying in the center of the lake. These are remains of an ancient island called Zaina Lanka, which was built by King Zain-ul-abidin. There is a general belief that the lake is a remnant of the Satisar Lake of pre-historic times.

On your tour to Wular Lake, you can also visit the neighboring town of Bandipore – a famous shopping destination for locally-made woolen carpets. Another popular destination in the vicinity is the Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary – a bird watcher's paradise.
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