April – June
Peak ratesSpring into early summer
Tulip gardens open in April, blossom everywhere, days in the low twenties. The busiest and most photographed stretch of the year — book six to eight weeks ahead.
Dal Lake · Srinagar
Houseboat booking on Dal Lake
Young Snow View has been moored on the same ghat since 1952. Six chambers, breakfast and shikara included, from ₹5,500 a night — and nothing to pay until you arrive.
What you're booking
Not a hotel. A house on the water.
Srinagar's houseboats are permanently moored wooden houses, built from deodar and walnut, most of them between sixty and a hundred years old. They don't sail. You reach them by shikara, which takes about five minutes from the road.
Ours holds six chambers and a shared drawing room. The interiors are the point: khatamband ceilings fitted without nails, papier-mâché panels painted in the old city, hand-knotted carpets. It is family-run — there is no front desk, and the person who brings your kahwa is likely to be the person who owns the boat.
Because we're small, we don't take online payment or run an availability calendar. You tell us dates, we tell you what's free, and we hold it. That's the whole system.
How it works
Four steps, no deposit
01
Send your dates
WhatsApp, phone or the form below. Tell us how many of you there are and roughly what you want to see.
02
We confirm availability
Usually within the hour during the day. We'll come back with the room, a firm rate and anything worth knowing about those dates.
03
We hold the date
No deposit, no card details. If plans change, tell us — free up to seven days before arrival.
04
Send your flight number
A car meets you at Srinagar airport and a shikara meets you at the ghat. You settle the bill on departure.
When to come
Dal Lake through the year
July – August
Standard ratesLotus season
The lotus beds flower and come right up to the windows. Warm, occasionally wet, and noticeably quieter than spring. Our own favourite time on the lake.
September – October
Peak ratesAutumn
Clear air, sharp mountain views and the chinars turning. Cool evenings, bukhari lit some nights. The best light of the year for photographs.
November – March
Off-season ratesWinter
Cold — often below freezing — with snow on the boat and the mountains at their most dramatic. Every room has a wood stove and extra quilts. Rates drop roughly 30%.
Reserve
Check dates, we reply in minutes
No prepayment required to hold a date. Send us your dates and we'll come back with availability, a firm rate and airport pickup options.
- Free cancellation up to 7 days before arrival
- Breakfast, Wi-Fi and heating always included
- Airport pickup arranged on request
Before you book
Questions we get often
Is it safe to stay on a houseboat in Srinagar?
Yes. The boats are permanently moored, not sailing vessels, and are steady enough that most guests forget they're on water within an hour. Ours is family-run with staff on board at all times, and the ghat is lit and gated overnight.
What is the best time of year to visit Kashmir?
April to June for tulips, blossom and mild days; July and August for the lotus blooms on the lake; September and October for clear air and autumn chinars. November to March is cold and quiet — the mountains are at their most dramatic and rates are lowest, and every room has a bukhari stove.
How do we get to the houseboat from the airport?
Srinagar Airport (SXR) is about 14 km away, roughly 30 minutes by road. Send us your flight number and we'll have a car at arrivals and a shikara waiting at the ghat — the last stretch is always by water.
Do you take online payment?
Not at the moment. We hold your dates on an enquiry with no prepayment, and you settle on arrival. If you'd prefer to pay in advance we can arrange a bank transfer.
Is food included?
Breakfast is included with every room. Lunch and dinner are available on the boat — including a Kashmiri wazwan with a day's notice — and are charged separately.
Is there heating and hot water in winter?
Yes. Every chamber has a bukhari wood stove which we light for you, plus extra quilts, and hot water runs around the clock.
Can you arrange day trips to Gulmarg or Pahalgam?
Yes — with a car and a driver we've used for years rather than whoever the taxi stand sends. Tell us the night before and we'll pack breakfast.