In the heart of Srinagar in Kashmir glitters Dal Lake like a turquoise jewel. Spread over 16 sq km and 10 ft deep, the Dal lake is fed by hundreds of natural springs, from the melting snow on the surrounding mountains and the excess water is released into the Jhelum that flows through Srinagar. The beauty of the lake knows no boundaries. There are beautiful long Shikaras that look majestic. These houseboats offer good scope of riding in the serene waters to all the tourists.
The population of Srinagar is divided into people who stay on land and on the Dal. The lake supports several small lakes and its different parts are recognized by different names like the Sona Lank, where sunset floods the water with golden light, the Rup Lank around the tiny island where Char Chinars stand, the Lokut Dal and Bod Dal which are little islands with quaint little houses.
In Srinagar there is no sense living on land in the hotels when the unique and affordable option of staying in the boat houses is so easy. Some of the boat houses have 3 bedrooms, a common living and dining area, and exquisite Kashmiri furniture, carpets and curtains.
The lake is very productive with huge fields of water lilies, lotuses, reeds, hyacinths which have private ownership. You’ll also see a whole lot of boats with vegetables like beets, Kashmiri spinach, and turnips, tomatoes which are grown in the Dal islands and sold to vendors in the Srinagar bazaars.
The sparkling rippling of water of the Dal Lake makes the lake one of the most worth visiting lakes of India.. On the lake itself you can witness an entire floating world – doctors, tailors, bakers, vegetable sellers, flower sellers and even the postman.
Best time to Visit: March to November
How to reach:
By Air: Srinagar Airport
By Rail: Nearest Railway station is Jammu
By Road: An extensive network of road covers Srinagar and connects it to important cities in Jammu and Kashmir and North India, namely: Chandigarh (630 km), Delhi (876 km), Jammu (290 km), Leh (434 km), Gulmarg (48 km), Sonamarg (88 km) and Pahalgam (96 km).
