Kashmir Tulip Festival Tour Package 5 Days & 4 Nights

The Tulip Festival is an annual celebration by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir to showcase the garden at the onset of spring in the Kashmir valley. Run by the Floriculture and Tourism departments, it comes with handicraft stalls, cultural evenings and Kashmiri food on the garden lawns. The garden sits on terraces in the Zabarwan foothills, looking down over Dal Lake, and in 2026 about 1.8 million tulips in more than 70 varieties came up there. That is the largest tulip garden in Asia, and nearly 3 lakh people walked through it in the first 25 days of the 2026 show. For the garden's history and the varieties to look for, read our Kashmir Tulip Festival guide.

Apart from the festival, the trip starts in Srinagar with Nishat Bagh, Chashme Shahi and Shalimar Bagh, the Mughal gardens on the shore of Dal Lake. Day 2 follows the Lidder River to Pahalgam, with Betaab and Aru valleys an optional add-on by local union cab. Day 3 takes you up to Gulmarg, where the Gondola climbs to the spring snow still lying at Kongdoori and Apharwat. Looking for other Kashmir routes or durations? Compare all Kashmir tour packages.

Rated 4.2/5 from 1,726 traveller reviews. TravelTriangle has served 14,111+ travellers for Kashmir through 650+ verified agents. Every day of this itinerary is customisable, you compare quotes from up to 3 agents before you pay, and you can pay in easy installments. Price for tulip season travel, March to April 2027: Rs 21,500 per person on twin sharing (was Rs 23,889). Hotel cost may vary with your dates, so submit your details for the best rates.

Kashmir Tulip Festival 2027 at a Glance

Festival facts last checked: October 2026, against J&K Floriculture Department announcements and 2026 season reports. Dates for 2027 are updated here as soon as the department announces them.

Package Highlights

• Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden visit with the entry ticket included, timed for the soft mid-morning light

• A night on a Dal Lake houseboat and a 1-hour shikara ride past the floating gardens

• Nishat Bagh, Chashme Shahi and Shalimar Bagh, the three Mughal gardens on the Dal

• Pahalgam day trip along the Lidder River, with a stop at the Avantipora temple ruins

• An overnight stay in Gulmarg, with the Gondola to the spring snow as an option

• 3-star hotels, breakfast and dinner daily, private Etios or Swift cab, all tolls and parking

• This package is valid only during the Tulip Festival duration (expected late March to mid April 2027)

Itinerary

Day 1: Srinagar Arrival, Nishat Bagh, Chashme Shahi and Shalimar Bagh

Once you land at Srinagar airport, the agent's representative meets you and drives you to your hotel near Dalgate. Freshen up, have lunch on your own, and set out in the afternoon for the Mughal gardens on the shore of Dal Lake. Start at Chashme Shahi, the smallest of the three, built around a spring whose water locals still bottle. Then walk the twelve terraces of Nishat Bagh, the Garden of Joy, where the chinar-lined steps run straight down to the lake. End at Shalimar Bagh, the garden Emperor Jahangir built for his wife, Empress Noor Jahan. In late March the garden fountains are usually running and the almond and cherry trees across Srinagar are in blossom. Spend the evening on the Boulevard Road along the Dal before dinner and a restful night at the hotel.

Day 2: Srinagar to Pahalgam Day Trip via Pampore and Avantipora

Wake up to a hearty breakfast and drive south to Pahalgam. Just outside Srinagar you pass the saffron fields of Pampore. In spring they are bare, since saffron flowers only in late October, but the roadside shops sell this year's crop and kahwa. Stop at Avantipora to walk the stone ruins of the 9th-century Avantiswami temple, then follow the Lidder River, which runs beside the road for the last stretch into Pahalgam, with the Pir Panjal range behind. In Pahalgam, walk along the Lidder, visit the old Mamleshwar Temple, or take a pony ride. Betaab Valley and Aru Valley are an optional add-on in a local union cab, the only vehicles allowed beyond town. Return to your hotel in Srinagar for dinner and a sound sleep. Road details are in our Srinagar to Pahalgam route guide.

Optional: Betaab Valley and Aru Valley by local union cab (charges extra). Baisaran and Chandanwari are closed to visitors as per the Anantnag district list and are not part of this trip.

Distance from Srinagar to Pahalgam: 92 km (approx.). Travel time: 2 hours, 30 minutes (approx.)

Day 3: Srinagar to Gulmarg, Gondola and Spring Snow

After breakfast, check out and drive to Gulmarg, the Meadow of Flowers, through the apple orchards and pine forest above Tangmarg. On arrival, check in to your hotel and freshen up. The rest of the day is yours. In tulip season the Gulmarg meadow is usually melting into green, while the Gulmarg Gondola still carries you into snow. Phase 1 climbs to Kongdoori at about 3,080 m, and Phase 2 goes on to Apharwat, where the snow usually lasts well into April. Tickets are sold online through the J&K Cable Car Corporation portal, and in tulip season Phase 2 slots can sell out well ahead, so book as soon as your dates are fixed and carry the printout. Sledging is possible on the higher slopes. Return to your Gulmarg hotel for dinner and a quiet night, which is the one evening of the trip spent away from Srinagar. Current Gondola rates are on our Gulmarg Gondola fees page.

Optional: Gondola Phase 1 and Phase 2, sledge ride (charges extra)

Distance from Srinagar to Gulmarg: 54 km (approx.). Travel time: 1 hour, 50 minutes (approx.)

Day 4: Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, Shikara Ride and Houseboat Night

Leave Gulmarg right after an early breakfast and drive back down to Srinagar for the day this package is built around. Head straight to the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, set in the foothills of the Zabarwan range and overlooking Dal Lake. Your entry ticket is included. The garden hosts Asia's largest tulip show each spring, with long terraced beds of red, yellow, purple and striped tulips planted in blocks of single colours. Give it at least two hours, and walk up to the top terrace for the view across the beds to the lake. The Botanical Garden sits right next door, and Pari Mahal, the terraced ruin above Chashme Shahi, is a short drive up the hill if time allows. In the afternoon, check in to your houseboat and take a 1-hour shikara ride on Dal Lake, past the floating gardens and the vegetable plots tended from boats. Dinner is served on board, followed by a peaceful night on the water. Planning more time in the garden? Our Tulip Garden Srinagar guide covers the best spots for photographs.

Day 5: Srinagar Departure

If you are up by 5:30 am, ask your houseboat owner to arrange a shikara to the floating vegetable market on the Dal, where farmers trade from their boats at dawn (optional, paid on the spot). Then kickstart your day with a hearty breakfast and check out from the houseboat. You are transferred to Srinagar airport. Allow two to three hours before your flight, because there is a security check at the outer gate before you reach the terminal. If your flight leaves in the late afternoon, ask your agent to fit in a second short visit to the Tulip Garden on the way. Board your flight home with the colours and fragrance of the Tulip Festival still with you.

Hotels and Houseboat

Note: Our agents will provide you these or similar hotels depending on availability.

Houseboats vary a lot in heating and upkeep, and in late March nights on the lake are cold. Ask your agent for the name of the houseboat before you pay, and check that room heating is included. Our list of the best houseboats in Kashmir helps you compare.

Inclusions and Exclusions

Make This Tulip Package Yours

Every day of this itinerary can be changed before you book. The changes travellers ask for most in tulip season:

• Add a night for Sonamarg. A day trip to Thajiwas Glacier, which is still deep in snow in April. Extra cost.

• Upgrade the hotels. A 4-star hotel in Srinagar, or a premium houseboat on quieter Nigeen Lake.

• A second garden visit. On Day 5 if your flight leaves after 3 pm, so you see the beds in a different light.

• Start from your city. Ask the agents to add flights so the whole trip comes as one price.

Travelling as a couple? See our Kashmir honeymoon packages. With children or parents along, browse Kashmir family packages. Want the same route outside tulip season? The 4 nights 5 days Kashmir tour runs all year.

Know Before You Go in Tulip Season

• Weather. Srinagar afternoons are around 15°C to 20°C in late March and April, nights drop close to 5°C, and spring showers are common. Gulmarg is colder and can freeze at night. Pack layers and a rain shell.

• Crowds. The garden drew 10,000 to 12,000 visitors a day at the 2026 peak. Weekends and the first week of April are the busiest, so be at the gate by 9 am.

• Bloom shifts. A cold snap or a warm spell can move peak bloom by a week. Keep Day 4 flexible and let your agent re-sequence it if needed.

• Local rules. Only union cabs run to Betaab and Aru from Pahalgam. Postpaid SIMs from outside J&K work; prepaid ones from other states do not.

• Season planning. For month-by-month weather across the valley, see the best time to visit Kashmir.

Payment and Cancellation Policy

How It Works

• Personalise this package. Make changes as per your travel plan and submit the request.

• Get multiple quotes. Connect with top 3 agents, compare quotes and customise further.

• Book the best deal. Pay in easy installments and get ready to enjoy your holiday.

Festival dates, ticket rates and site closures on this page are checked by our Kashmir desk against J&K Floriculture Department announcements and the Anantnag district notices, and inclusions against the agent rate card.

Plan Your Tulip Season Trip

Everything about the garden itself, from ticket counters to parking, is on our Tulip Garden Srinagar page. For other spring and festival trips, browse our seasonal packages, and for places, food and weather across the valley, our Kashmir travel guide has the detail.

Edited by TravelTriangle