Kashmir Tour Package From Chennai 8 Days & 7 Nights

For a first-timer flying up from Chennai, the timing matters more than anything else. March to October gives you the tulips, meadows and open Gondola runs. December to February is when the valley turns to snow, which is why so many Chennai families plan their first Kashmir trip in winter. The package covers Srinagar, Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Sonmarg and Yusmarg, with Katra folded in as the rail-and-road gateway.

Planning your dates? Our full Kashmir travel guide has the month-by-month weather and season breakdown, and the full range of Kashmir tour packages if you want to compare durations.

How To Reach Kashmir From Chennai (Flight vs Train)

There is no non-stop flight from Chennai to Srinagar or Jammu; every option has one stop, through Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru (Air India Express runs a same-flight-number service via Bengaluru). Because this itinerary opens in Katra and ends in Srinagar, book an open-jaw ticket: fly Chennai to Jammu on the way in and Srinagar to Chennai on the way home, so you never backtrack over the Pir Panjal. Each way takes about 6 to 7 hours including the layover. Round-trip airfare from Chennai sits roughly between Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000 per person depending on the season and how early you book, so booking six to eight weeks ahead is the single easiest way to keep the trip affordable (fares move a lot, so confirm live prices when you lock dates). If you prefer the rails, Chennai to Jammu Tawi is a long haul of about 48 to 55 hours, usually routed via Delhi, followed by a 2 to 3 hour road transfer to Katra. Most travellers from Chennai fly, and take the train only when they have time to spare and want the lowest fare.

We can build this as a with-flight package (we handle the Chennai to Srinagar tickets and airport transfers) or as a land-only package if you want to book your own flights. Tell us which when you request a quote.

7 Nights, 8 Days Kashmir Itinerary From Chennai

Day 1: Katra to Arrival at the gateway to the valley

Activities: Local market · Included: Arrival, transfers, stay

Your Kashmir trip from Chennai begins the moment you land at Jammu airport or reach Jammu Tawi railway station, where our representative meets you and drives you to Katra. This small town is the base camp for the Vaishno Devi shrine in the Trikuta Hills. Check in, shake off the long journey from Chennai, and spend the evening on the Katra market for dry fruits, rajma and local woollens. Collect your Yatra registration (RFID card) at Katra for tomorrow's darshan. Overnight in Katra.

Day 2: Katra to Vaishno Devi and the local bazaar

Activities: Vaishno Devi darshan, Katra bazaar · Included: Sightseeing, breakfast, stay

Start early for Ma Vaishno Devi darshan. The trek from Banganga is about 12 to 13 km each way on a paved, lit path, with ponies, palkis and battery cars on parts of the route, or you can take the helicopter from Katra to Sanjichhat to cut most of the climb. After the darshan, return to Katra, rest, and pick up any last shopping before the long drive into the valley tomorrow. Dinner and overnight in Katra.

Day 3: Pahalgam to The drive into the Lidder valley

Activities: Scenic drive, Lidder River walk · Included: Transfer, breakfast, stay

Leave Katra early after breakfast for Pahalgam, the first proper valley stop. This is the longest drive of the trip, so the day is mostly on the road through the Banihal tunnels into the valley, arriving in the late afternoon. Once you check in, walk the pine thickets along the Lidder River. Chandanwari, its snow point and the pony rides are 16 km further up by local union cab and need about half a day, so add a second Pahalgam night if they matter to you. Aru Valley and Betaab Valley are a short cab ride away and make an easy add-on for anyone who wants an extra half day here (ask us to include the cab). Dinner and overnight in Pahalgam. Distance Katra to Pahalgam is about 233 km, roughly 7 hours 40 minutes by road.

Day 4: Gulmarg to The Gondola and Apharwat

Activities: Gondola cable car, meadows · Included: Sightseeing, breakfast, stay

Drive to Gulmarg, the meadow of flowers, for the day. The Gondola cable car is the headline: phase one runs Gulmarg to Kongdori and phase two Kongdori to Apharwat Peak, while a separate chairlift from Kongdori climbs towards Mary Shoulder. In winter this is prime snow and skiing country, and it is where you can try snowboarding or a horse ride across the meadow. Note the Gondola tickets and any chained vehicle from Tangmarg are not part of the package cost. Overnight in Gulmarg. Distance Pahalgam to Gulmarg is about 139 km, roughly 4 hours.

Day 5: Srinagar to Mughal gardens and the Dal Lake

Activities: Mughal gardens, Shikara ride, handicrafts · Included: Sightseeing, breakfast, stay

Move to Srinagar, your base for the next three nights. In the afternoon visit the Mughal gardens Nishat (the Garden of Pleasure) and Shalimar Bagh, then drive the Boulevard along the Dal Lake. Chashme Shahi, the smallest and prettiest of the Mughal gardens, sits just above them and is worth the short stop. The handicrafts emporiums for hand-knotted silk carpets, shawls and pashmina, and the Shankaracharya Temple on the hill, fit best into your Day 6 or Day 8 morning rather than this afternoon. Your complimentary one-hour Shikara ride on the Dal Lake is best saved for sunset. Overnight in Srinagar.

Day 6: Yusmarg to A quiet meadow day trip

Activities: Meadows, forests, walks · Included: Sightseeing, breakfast, stay

Drive out to Yusmarg in the Budgam district, about two hours from Srinagar. It is a spread of grassy pasture backed by pine forest and snow-capped ridges, and it stays far quieter than Gulmarg, which is the point of coming here. It suits long walks and an unhurried picnic. Doodhpathri, another under-visited Budgam meadow about two hours from Srinagar, is an easy swap for Yusmarg (not a same-day add-on) if you would rather chase somewhere even quieter. Return to Srinagar for the night.

Day 7: Sonmarg to The Thajiwas glacier

Activities: Thajiwas glacier, Sindh River · Included: Sightseeing, breakfast, stay

Head to Sonmarg, the meadow of gold, passing snowy ridges and the Sindh River winding through the valley. You can hire ponies for the trip up to the Thajiwas glacier, the main draw here in summer. Zero Point is a further drive beyond Sonmarg for those who want the high snow line (a separate local cab). Return to Srinagar for your last overnight.

Day 8: Srinagar to Departure

Activities: Departure · Included: Breakfast, departure

After breakfast you are transferred for your onward journey from Srinagar, heading home to Chennai with a trip worth remembering. If you have a late flight, ask us to add a final morning on the Dal Lake or a last round of carpet shopping.

Places You Can Add To This Kashmir Package

The core itinerary already covers Srinagar, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonmarg, Yusmarg and Katra. If you have an extra day or two, these are the additions Chennai travellers ask for most, and we can fold any of them in when you customise:

• Aru Valley: a short cab from Pahalgam, wide meadows and the Lidder’s source, good for a slow half day.

• Betaab Valley: pine-lined river valley near Pahalgam, a classic film-shoot spot and an easy pony ride.

• Chandanwari: the snow point 16 km above Pahalgam on the Amarnath route, worth a second Pahalgam night (local union cab).

• Doodhpathri: an off-the-radar meadow near Yusmarg for travellers who want quiet over crowds.

• Zero Point: the high snow line past Sonmarg, best May to September.

•Houseboat stay: a night on a Dal Lake houseboat, swapped in for one Srinagar hotel night on request.

• Winter activities: snowboarding and horse riding in Gulmarg in winter, skiing on the Apharwat slopes.

Hotels On This Package (3-Star)

You stay in comfortable 3-star hotels, or similar, across the trip. Exact properties can change with availability and season, and you can upgrade to 4-star or a houseboat night when you customise.

What Is Included And What Is Not

Honeymoon, Family And Group Versions From Chennai

This same route works for couples, families and friend groups leaving from Chennai, and the base price already carries honeymoon extras (cake, flower-bed decoration and a candlelight dinner). Couples usually swap one Srinagar hotel night for a Dal Lake houseboat and add Betaab Valley; see our Kashmir honeymoon packages for couple-first itineraries. Families travelling with children or parents (Vaishno Devi darshan makes this popular from South India) can slow the pace and pick easier pony routes; see our Kashmir family packages. Larger groups get per-head savings on shared cabs and hotels. Tell us the group size and we quote accordingly.

Cost And Best Time To Visit From Chennai

The land package starts at Rs 29,456 per person on twin sharing. Add roughly Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 per person for round-trip flights from Chennai, so a realistic all-in budget for two is in the region of Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 1,20,000 for the 8 days, before any upgrades (check live fares when you book). The biggest saving is timing: shoulder months like late March, April and September give you good weather with lower flight and hotel rates than the May to June peak. For snow, plan December to February and expect to add Gondola and chained-vehicle costs in Gulmarg. Prices move with season and demand, so the on-page figure is a starting point, not a fixed quote.

Booking And Payment

You can book this Kashmir package from Chennai with a small advance and pay the balance in installments, as guided by your travel agent. Every part of the trip is customisable: change the hotels, add a houseboat night, extend Srinagar, or shift to a with-flight package.

Why Book This Package With TravelTriangle

TravelTriangle has served 14,111+ travellers to Kashmir and this itinerary holds a 4.2/5 rating from 2,692 verified reviews. Every trip is handled by a vetted local agent network in the valley, every itinerary is customisable down to the day, and you get 24/7 support while you travel. You book with a small advance, pay in installments, and deal with real reviews from people who have taken the trip, not stock listings.

Edited by TravelTriangle