Dal Lake Shikara Price: Official Rates & 2026 Charges

In this guide5 sections

Official shikara rates
What operators charge in 2026
Booking through Uber Shikara
Before you board
Shikara questions

At a glance

First hour: ₹700 official, 2023
Each extra hour: ₹400 official
Six-hour day: ₹2,700 official
Two 2026 operator lists: ₹770 first hour, ₹440 after
Rates are: Per shikara, not per person
Complaints: 0194-2502512 or 0194-2502276

Official shikara rates

Notified by the Tourism Department in June 2023.

Ride	Official rate
Dal Lake or Nigeen Lake, first hour (about 3 km)	₹700
Each extra hour	₹400
Full day of six hours, Dal or Nigeen	₹2,700
Ghats 23, 24 and 25 to Hazratbal (Ruplank)	₹1,400
Ghats 23, 24 and 25 to Char Chinar (Sonalank)	₹550
Nehru Park to Char Chinar and back	₹1,300
Western Foreshore Road ghat to Nehru Park	₹550
Western Foreshore Road ghat to Char Chinar	₹1,500
Crossing to the first houseboat row	₹50 per shikara
Ghats 1–12 to Golden Lake, crossing	₹75 per shikara
Ghats 13 and 17 to the back houseboat row, crossing	₹100 per shikara
Ghats 18 and 22 to the Kabutar Khana houseboat row, crossing	₹100 per shikara

Source: the J&K Tourism Department notification as reported by Greater Kashmir on 2 June 2023. Rates are per shikara, not per person; the report does not say how many passengers each rate covers.

An empty shikara among lotus leaves on Dal Lake, mountains behind — An empty shikara among lotus leaves on Dal Lake. Photo: Fulvio Spada from Torino, Italy, CC BY-SA 2.0

What operators charge in 2026

Operator	First hour	After that	Notes
Tripmore	₹770	₹440 an hour	Operator price list
TravelMyKashmir	₹770	₹1,210 for 2 hours	Operator price list
ViaKashmir	₹800	Not listed	“Routes 2026-27”; Nigeen sunset ride ₹950 an hour

Booking through Uber Shikara

In December 2024 Uber began listing shikara rides on Dal Lake in its app, at government-regulated rates with no commission, for up to four passengers, from about 10 am to 5 pm and bookable 12 hours to 15 days ahead, The Logical Indian reported. Check the Uber app to see whether it is offered on your dates.

Before you board

Agree the duration and route first, for example “one hour, to Char Chinar and back”.
Confirm the price is per shikara, not per person.
Ask what is included if a “floating market” or shop stop is suggested.
Keep the Tourism Department’s complaint numbers: 0194-2502512 or 0194-2502276.

More to see around the lake is in places to visit in Srinagar. The Go Kashmir app’s Dal Lake place card shows the lake’s season and a 4-day forecast.

Shikara questions

How much does a shikara ride cost?

Officially ₹700 for the first hour and ₹400 for each extra hour, per shikara (Tourism Department, 2023). Two 2026 price lists show ₹770 and ₹440, the rates notified in December 2021.

How do you book a shikara in Srinagar?

At the numbered ghats along Dal Lake, through an operator, or since December 2024 on the Uber app where it is available.

How many people fit in a shikara?

Uber Shikara rides take up to four passengers. The official rates are per boat.

Do the Dal Lake rates apply on Nigeen Lake?

Yes. The 2023 notification sets the same hourly rates for Dal and Nigeen.

Sources

Greater Kashmir, rates notified for shikara rides in Dal and Nigeen lakes, 2 Jun 2023.
Tripmore, book a shikara on Dal Lake; TravelMyKashmir, shikara booking in Srinagar; ViaKashmir, shikara ride on Dal Lake. All read 22 Oct 2026 and again 23 Oct 2026.
The Logical Indian, Srinagar welcomes Uber Shikara, 3 Dec 2024.
The Kashmir Monitor, a new rate list for tourist services in J&K, 16 Dec 2021.
Kashmir Reader, Tourism Department notifies rates for services and activities, 17 Dec 2021.

We searched for a newer rate notification on 22, 23 and 24 October 2026 and found none. We write from published sources and do not claim personal visits. How we check facts.