Best time to visit Kashmir: a month-by-month guide

Ask ten people in Srinagar when to visit and you will get ten answers, all of them right. Kashmir changes so completely through the year that a traveller who comes back in a different season often feels they have found a new place. The useful question is not when is best but what do you want to see — and which weeks to avoid for the trip you have in mind.

The short answer

• Tulips and blossom: late March to mid-April.
• Green meadows and the high valleys: June to September — the only months Gurez, Tulail and the long treks are open.
• Autumn colour and clear skies: mid-October to mid-November, our favourite time of year.
• Snow and skiing: late December to early March, with Gulmarg at its best in January and February.

Month by month

January

The heart of Chillai Kalan, the forty days of hardest winter that run from 21 December to the end of January. Srinagar drops below freezing at night, the edges of Dal Lake can freeze in a hard year, and the city moves at a slower pace — kangris under pherans, harissa at dawn. Gulmarg has its deepest snow and its best skiing. Sonamarg, Gurez and the far valleys are closed. Come for snow, for quiet, and for a side of Kashmir most visitors never see; do not come expecting gardens.

February

Still properly winter, but the days lengthen and the light improves. Skiing in Gulmarg is excellent, often with fewer people than over the New Year. Srinagar is cold but bright on clear days. A good month for a snow trip without the holiday crowds.

March

The thaw. Snow lingers in Gulmarg into the month, while lower down the valley turns from white to brown to the first green. The almond orchards at Badamwari, below Hari Parbat, blossom in the second half of the month, and in some years the tulip garden opens at the very end of it. Early March can be grey and slushy; late March is lovely.

April

Spring proper. The tulip garden below the Zabarwan hills is at its peak for three or four weeks, Srinagar's gardens fill with colour, and the days are mild. Gulmarg's meadow is emerging from snow and Pahalgam is waking up. Expect the occasional day of rain and book early — April has become one of the valley's busiest months. Our Tulip Season journey is built around it.

May

Green everywhere, warm days and cool nights. Sonamarg's road is open, the Lidder runs high with snowmelt, and Gulmarg is carpeted in grass and early flowers. Late May brings the start of the domestic summer-holiday rush, so the first three weeks are the sweet spot.

June

The valley's peak season. Everything is open, including — usually from early June — the Razdan Pass into Gurez. Gulmarg and Pahalgam are at their most crowded, so we plan around the busiest places at the busiest hours. Wonderful, if you are prepared to share it.

July

High summer. Srinagar can reach the low thirties by day; the meadows and side valleys are green and cool. The Amarnath Yatra begins, which brings heavy traffic and security restrictions to Pahalgam and the road beyond Sonamarg for several weeks — check the dates before planning either. This is the start of the trekking season: the Kashmir Great Lakes, Tarsar Marsar and Kolahoi are open from July.

August

Much like July, with the meadows at their fullest and the treks in full swing. Afternoon showers are more common. A good month for Gurez and Tulail, for Aru and Lidderwat, and for anyone who wants the mountains rather than the towns.

September

One of the best months of the year. The summer crowds have gone, the skies clear, the apple harvest begins in the orchards, and the high trails stay open until mid-month or later. Days are warm, nights crisp. If you want both meadows and calm, this is the month.

October

Autumn arrives from the top down. The high valleys turn gold first; by the end of the month the chinars of Srinagar are beginning to turn copper. The air is clear and the light is the best of the year. Gurez closes once the first snow reaches the Razdan Pass, usually by the end of the month, so go early if it is on your list.

November

Chinar season. In the first half of the month the great plane trees of the Mughal gardens and Naseem Bagh are at their reddest, and the saffron fields of Pampore flower in the first week or two. Mornings are cold, evenings colder, and the valley is quiet. Our Autumn in Kashmir journey is timed for it.

December

Winter returns. The first good snow usually reaches Gulmarg in the second half of the month, and Christmas and New Year are the busiest weeks of the ski season — book well ahead. Houseboats and hotels switch to winter heating; the high valleys close until spring.

The weeks we would steer you away from

We would rather tell you now than have you discover it on arrival.

• Early March, for most travellers. Neither winter nor spring: the snow is going, the blossom has not arrived, and the roads are muddy.
• Pahalgam during the Yatra weeks in July and August, unless you are there for the pilgrimage. Movement is restricted and the town is full.
• Mid-January, if you dislike real cold. Chillai Kalan is beautiful, but the nights are severe and power cuts are common.
• The New Year week in Gulmarg, if crowds bother you more than snow excites you.

If you can only come once

Come in late September or the second half of October: clear skies, open roads, few crowds and the valley turning gold. If you can come twice, come back in the snow. And whichever month you choose, read what is open in winter and what to pack before you book.

There is no wrong time to visit the valley — only different valleys.

Tell us when you are free and what you hope to see, and we will tell you honestly whether it is the right time. Plan your journey.