An
Overview Srinagar:
Located at a height of 1,730 metres in the Kashmir valley, the hill resort
Srinagar is the summer capital of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Its
natural splendour with enchanting lakes filled with traditional houseboats
along with Mughal gardens and a picturesque settings with the mighty
Himalayas make it a popular tourist destination of north India. Its picture
perfect surroundings with a pleasant climate provide a relaxing and
salubrious retreat from the heat and dust of plains.
Climate of Srinagar :
The hill station experiences an temperate weather throughout the year with
heavy snowfall during winters especially between the months of December to
February. The temperature barely exceeds 30 degrees C even during summer
months(April-June). The ideal time to visit Srinagar is between June to
early November and December to February.
Tourist Attractions of Srinagar :
» Lakes - Also known as the city of lakes, Srinagar
has a number of beautiful lakes, which are offering boat ride on the
traditional houseboats. A boat trip on this lake by a houseboat provides a
soothing and relaxing experience. The most prominent among them are the Dal
Lake and Nagin Lake.
¤ Dal Lake - The prime feature of the lake is the
trading of flower and fruits grown on the islands in the lake. The lake also
offers facilities for kayaking, angling and water surfing.
¤ Nagin Lake is believed to have been a part of Dal
Lake. This small and beautiful blue lake is known also known as the “Jewel
in the Ring”.
» Houseboats - The houseboats on the lakes of
Srinagar have well appointed rooms and are equipped with all the basic
facilities one required for luxurious houseboat holiday.
»
Mughal Gardens - There are several well laid out gardens designed in
Mughal Style, which are other important tourist attractions of the city.
These gorgeous green gardens attracts tourists on a large scale for their
numerous flowering plant species and water fountains running down its
centre.
¤ Shalimar Bagh - This garden was setup by Mughal
emperor Jahangir for his beloved wife Nur Jahan, in 1616.
¤ Nishant Bagh - It is another beautiful garden with
twelve terraces representing 12 signs of zodiac signs.
¤ Chasma Shahi - Also known as Royal Spring, this
garden was laid by emperor Shah Jahan in 1632. It is popular for its natural
spring.
» Pari Mahal or Fairy Palace - Located at a
distance of 2km from the Chasma Shahi garden, this palace was established by
emperor Akbar's son Dara Shikoh. This consists of series of arched terraces
which have been converted into very beautiful gardens. The palace offers the
finest views of Dal Lake.
Accommodation in Srinagar :
Srinagar has various hotels of all categories ranging from luxury to budget
class to cater the accommodation needs of its tourists. But the most
pleasurable accommodation is available in Houseboats run by families on the
Dal Lake. These houseboats offer well appointed rooms with luxurious
interiors and all kinds of basic facilities. In order to make your holiday
in this hill station more enjoyable more various hotels, resorts, lodges and
guest houses offer the right kind of accommodation to its tourists.
Following are some of the prominent hotels in Srinagar.
» Hotels : Grand Palace Hotel, Centaur Lake View
Hotel, Hotel Broadway, Welcome Hotel, Shah Abbas Hotel.
Getting to Srinagar :
The hill resort is easily accessible from all parts of India by all the
three modes of transportation.
» By Air - In terms of air transport, the Srinagar
Airport is connected to Delhi, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Jammu and Leh by
regular flights.
» By Rail - Jammu Railway Station is the nearest
railhead and is connected to all the major towns and cities of the country
including Delhi, Calcutta, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Pune, Mumbai and
Kanyakumari.
» By Road - An excellent road network links the
city with other parts of north India by frequent bus services of government
and private operators. Private coaches and taxis are available from Jammu to
reach Srinagar.
