Destination guide
Places to visit in Kashmir: where to go, how far, and what’s open
Kashmir’s main destinations in one table: what each is known for, the estimated road time from Srinagar, and whether it’s open or closed in October 2026.
Srinagar, with the airport and the railway, is the natural base, and three hill resorts lie within a few hours of it: Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg. Beyond them are the spring gardens of the south (Mughal-era Achabal and Verinag, and Kokernag), Wular Lake to the north and the remote Gurez valley. Below, each place has what it’s known for, an estimated road time from Srinagar and its status on 23 October 2026. Some places nearby are closed to tourists under orders that run to 31 December 2026, so check before you plan around them.
In this guide8 sections
At a glance
- Base
- Srinagar, with the airport and the railway
- Nearest of the big three
- Gulmarg, 1½–2¼ h Go Kashmir app estimate
- Farthest
- Gurez, 5½–7¾ h
- In this guide
- 12 destinations, each linked to its guide
- Closed nearby
- Baisaran, Dachigam Area, Tousmaidan and others to 31 Dec 2026
- Road times
- Go Kashmir app estimates, 23 Oct 2026
Kashmir’s main destinations at a glance
| Place | Known for | From Srinagar | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Srinagar | Dal and Nigeen lakes, Mughal gardens, the old city | — | Not on the closed list; some sites nearby are |
| Gulmarg | The Gondola, skiing, summer meadows | 1½–2¼ h | Not on the closed list; Babareshi is |
| Wular Lake | A vast freshwater lake, birds, Watlab | 1¼–2 h | Reopening ordered Feb 2026 |
| Achabal | A spring-fed Mughal garden | 1½–2¼ h | Open since Jun 2025 |
| Sonamarg | Thajiwas glacier, the road to Ladakh | 2–3 h | Not on the closed list; Thajiwas reopening ordered Feb 2026 |
| Kokernag | A spring, gardens and a trout farm | 2¼–3¼ h | Open since Jun 2025 |
| Verinag | Jahangir’s octagonal spring tank of 1620 | 2¼–3¼ h | Open since Jun 2025 |
| Pahalgam | The Lidder valley, the Amarnath route | 2½–3½ h | Not on the closed list; Baisaran is |
| Betaab Valley | A meadow and river near Pahalgam | 2¾–3¾ h | Open since Jun 2025 |
| Aru Valley | A village and trek base | 3–4¼ h | Reopened 29 Sep 2025 |
| Gurez | A remote valley over Razdan Pass | 5½–7¾ h | Road reopened one way, Bandipora to Gurez, 15 Oct 2026 |
| Dachigam | The hangul, or Kashmir stag | 40 min–1 h | Closed to tourists |
Road times are estimates from the Go Kashmir app as of 23 October 2026; snow and traffic can add a lot. Status from the official list of closed destinations as on 7 July 2026 and the reports linked in each guide.
Srinagar and around
In Srinagar you’ll find Dal Lake with its houseboats and shikaras, the Mughal gardens of Nishat, Shalimar, Chashme Shahi and Pari Mahal, Nigeen Lake and the old city, according to Incredible India. The Tulip Garden opens each spring; see the Tulip Garden guide. Dachigam National Park, 22 km away, is closed to tourists under orders that run to 31 December 2026.
North: Gulmarg, Wular and Gurez
- Gulmarg is known for the Gulmarg Gondola, skiing in winter and flower meadows in summer, according to Incredible India. It’s the nearest of the three big resorts, and the one where Kashmir’s ski courses run in winter; see Gulmarg weather.
- Wular Lake is described by the Ramsar Convention as “the largest freshwater lake in India”. Watlab and the Wullar Vantage Park are near its shore.
- Gurez sits at about 2,400 m beyond the 85 km road over Razdan Pass. Snow closed the road on 13 October 2026; it reopened the next day, Greater Kashmir reported, and was shut again by snow on 15 October, ANI reported; later that day it reopened for traffic from Bandipora to Gurez only, Kashmir News Service reported. Foreign visitors need advance permission from the Deputy Commissioner of Bandipora.
Central: Sonamarg
Sonamarg, the “meadow of gold”, is 87 km from Srinagar and known for the Thajiwas glacier, according to the Ganderbal district administration; Baltal, 15 km further east, lies at the foot of the Zoji La on the road to Ladakh. Since January 2025 the Sonamarg tunnel has given “all-weather connectivity between Sonamarg and Gagangeer”, News On Air reported, though heavy snow still closed the Sonamarg road in January 2026, IANS reported. Going further? See Srinagar to Leh by road.
South: Pahalgam and the spring gardens
- Pahalgam is a valley town on the Lidder river and “the gateway to the sacred Amarnath cave”, in Incredible India’s words. Betaab reopened in June 2025 and Aru reopened on 29 September 2025; Baisaran, Chandanwari and Tulian Lake remain closed.
- Achabal, Kokernag and Verinag are spring gardens in Anantnag district, each within about an hour of the others. Seeing all three from Srinagar is a long day: an estimated 5–7¼ hours of driving in all. Verinag’s octagonal tank dates from 1620.
Closed until 31 December 2026
These places near the main destinations are on the official list of closed tourist destinations as on 7 July 2026; the district notice gives an end date of 31 December 2026:
- ClosedBaisaran, Chandanwari and Tulian Lake, near Pahalgam.
- ClosedDaksum and Sinthan Top, beyond Kokernag.
- ClosedBabareshi, near Gulmarg, listed as “Babareshi Tangmarg”.
- Closedthe Dachigam area, near Srinagar, listed as “Dachigam Area”.
- ClosedTousmaidan in Budgam and Bungus Valley in Kupwara.
Doodhpathri and Yusmarg are not on the list and were ordered reopened in February 2026. Doodhpathri was closed for bad weather in July and reopened on 21 August 2026, the Kashmir Observer reported. In September 2026 Kashmir Life described Yousmarg as “largely inaccessible”, and on 4 September the Kashmir Observer reported that it “has been shut for tourists” during a security operation; we found no report of it reopening by 24 October. Ask locally the day before, and see Doodhpathri and Yusmarg for the dated status.
The full list, district by district, is in what’s closed in Kashmir. We’ll re-check every closure after the orders lapse on 31 December 2026.
How many places can you fit in?
With one day from Srinagar, the road times above suggest one destination: Gulmarg, Sonamarg or Wular, or the three spring gardens as a long day. Pahalgam, 2½–3½ hours each way, and Gurez, up to 7¾, suit an overnight stay. For full trips by length, see how many days you need in Kashmir, and for choosing between the big three, Gulmarg vs Pahalgam vs Sonamarg.
Questions
Which places in Kashmir are closed now?
Baisaran, Chandanwari, Tulian Lake, Daksum, Sinthan Top, the Dachigam Area, Tousmaidan, Bungus Valley and others: 30 places on the official list as on 7 July 2026, under orders that run to 31 December 2026. See the full list.
Which of the big three resorts is closest to Srinagar?
Gulmarg, an estimated 1½–2¼ hours by road.
Where can you see snow in Kashmir?
Gulmarg is where the ski institute runs its courses, from late December to mid-March, and of the three weather stations it’s the coldest and wettest. See Kashmir in winter.
Is Gurez open?
The road over Razdan Pass was closed by snow on 13 October 2026, reopened on 14 October and was shut again by snow on 15 October; later that day it reopened for traffic from Bandipora to Gurez only, Kashmir News Service reported. We found no report of two-way traffic by 24 October. Check before you go.
Sources
- Ministry of Tourism, Incredible India: Srinagar, Gulmarg, Pahalgam. Read 22 Oct 2026.
- Ganderbal district administration, Sonamarg, updated 19 Jan 2023.
- Ramsar Sites Information Service, Wular Lake, site record of 1990.
- The Wire, destinations shut under the July 2026 orders, 15 Jul 2026; Anantnag district administration, closed tourist destinations and its list as on 07-07-2026 (PDF); Kashmir Life, Yousmarg, 2 Sep 2026; Kashmir Observer, Doodhpathri reopens after a temporary closure, 21 Aug 2026, and Budgam forests search; tourist movement restricted, 4 Sep 2026.
- WION, Bandipora–Gurez road closed, 14 Oct 2026; Greater Kashmir, road reopened, 14 Oct 2026; ANI via Asianet Newsable, road closed again, 15 Oct 2026; Kashmir News Service, Bandipora–Gurez road partially restored, 15 Oct 2026.
- News On Air, Sonamarg tunnel, 13 Jan 2025, and Siasat (IANS), fresh snowfall shuts highways, 27 Jan 2026.
- Outlook Traveller, tourist spots reopened after the 2025 attack, 19 Feb 2026.
- Reopening dates and other facts: see the sources in each linked guide.
- Go Kashmir app, estimated road times from Srinagar, 23 Oct 2026.
We write from published sources and do not claim personal visits. How we check facts.
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