10 Things to do at Dal Lake!

Dal Lake is the most popular attraction in Srinagar adjacent to splendid Pir Panjal mountains and Mughal Gardens, this must-see place is ideal for family vacationers, honeymoon couples, and even for solo travellers seeking peace.

It also offers some commercial uses such as fishing and weed harvesting for compost making, these are of secondary significance.

The Shikaras sailing on the lake are one of the major attractions of Dal Lake. The houseboats on the lake are also the top attraction as the best accommodation option in Srinagar for tourists.

Along with being a popular tourist attraction for nature lovers, Dal Lake even invites the fishing enthusiast for fishing . In addition to this, the floating vegetable and flower market is a major place to see.

1. Shikara ride:

A Shikara ride on Dal Lake Kashmir is a thrilling experience and a fun adventure for anyone who seeks mix of nature and adventure in Srinagar.

The prolific beauty of the surrounding mountains combined with the scintillating waters of the lake is an experience beyond words. The beauty of this place is especially mesmerizing during the sunrise and sunset. The wooden boats with pointed ends on both sides with beautiful canopies overhead are a cultural symbol and seen only in Srinagar. The ride starts from 30 mins to 2 hours max.

2. Stay in a Houseboat:

Better known as the floating houses, houseboats in Kashmir provide a unique staying option. Anchored on the banks of the two beautiful lakes in Srinagar, Dal and Nigeen, houseboats tour are perfect for people of age and traveller of all types. Therefore, they are deemed ideal for family, honeymoon couples as well as solo travellers. The houseboat holiday experience in Srinagar also includes a shikara for a leisure ride in the lake or to get to the nearest shore.

3. Floating Markets:

The floating gardens on the Dal are a mix of matted vegetation and earth, and produce some superb veggies like tomatoes and cucumbers. The dawn-time floating vegetable market on the Dal is an excellent photogenic visit with colourful produce being hawked on equally colourful shikaras, and gives you a dekko at a relatively recent tradition. Given tourist interest in this, the market now also has a plethora of shikaras selling flowers, saffron, wood carving, Jewellery etc. Reach by about 6 in the morning and it’s all over by 7-7.30am.

4. Fishing:

Dal Lake is home to 17 species of fish. Fishing is the main source of occupation for a number of inhabitants around the lake. Because fishing is such an important industry, tourists are not allowed to fish in Dal Lake. Many people come for fishing as a hobby too.

5. Sunset at the Dal Lake:

Seeing the Sunset at the Dal lake is one of the most beautiful thing to do. Take a Shikara ride in evening and witness one of the most beautiful evening of your life.

6. Jet ski:

Jet ski ride becomes a recent attraction of Dal Lake. It was introduced to attract more tourists in the valley.

7. Char chinar:

Char Chinar happens to be a beautiful island of the pristine Dal Lake in Srinagar. This mesmerizing island has been named after the magnificent Chinar trees that have been positioned at its 4 corners. Built by the brother of emperor Aurangzeb, Murad Baksh, today, this island is considered among the most scenic places to see in Srinagar.  The tourists generally travel to this island with the help of the colorful Shikaras in Dal Lake.

8. Mughal gardens:

The location of Mughal garden is strategic with a good view of Dal lake on the front and mountains at the backdrop. Mughal gardens on dal lake consist of Nishat garden, Shalimar Garden, Chasma Shahi, and Pari Mahal.

9. Walking on banks of Dal Lake:

Many people come for a pleasant walk in the evening in front of the banks of lake. Locals,as well as tourists enjoy the street foods on banks of lake.

10. Hazratbal Shrine:

The shrine is situated on the northern bank of the Dal lake in Srinagar, and is considered to be Kashmir's holiest Muslim shrine.

It's one of the most beautiful architect of Kashmir.