Kashmir Honeymoon Package – Gulmarg, Pahalgam & Gurez (6N/7D)
Overview
This is a Kashmir honeymoon package that goes a bit further than the standard Srinagar-Pahalgam-Gulmarg circuit and includes two nights in the Gurez Valley (a remote river valley just north of the LoC which very few people get to). It starts with a night on a hand-carved wooden houseboat on Dal Lake, an afternoon in the Mughal gardens of Nishat Bagh, Shalimar Bagh and Chashme Shahi, and a sunset shikara ride across the lake.
From Srinagar you head to Pahalgam via the saffron fields and the Awantipora ruins and then have the Betaab and Aru valleys along the Lidder River. Day three is a cross to Gulmarg where you do some meadow walking and optionally take the gondola. The road then takes you up over Razdan Pass into Gurez, where you spend two nights in Dawar village (by the Kishanganga River) with Habba Khatoon Peak above you and a drive on to Tulail Valley (if the road is open).
The itinerary is ideal for couples who want some quiet time together as well as the classic views of Kashmir. You'll be staying in 3-star accommodation on a double basis with breakfast each morning. You travel by private vehicle with a personal driver and are picked up and dropped off at Srinagar. As Gurez is reliant on the road via the Razdan Pass, this honeymoon is best timed for late spring and autumn.
Package Features
A carved wooden houseboat stay with a sunset shikara ride.
Nishat Bagh, Shalimar Bagh and the spring at Chashme Shahi.
Betaab and Aru valleys along the Lidder River.
Meadow walks, with optional gondola and pony rides.
Dawar village on the Kishanganga, below Habba Khatoon Peak.
Airport pick-up and drop-off with a personal driver.
Included
- 6 nights' stay in 3-star properties on double occupancy (1 night Dal Lake houseboat, 1 night Pahalgam, 1 night Gulmarg, 2 nights Gurez, 1 night Srinagar)
- Daily breakfast
- Pick-up and drop at Srinagar airport
- All transfers and sightseeing by private vehicle as per the itinerary
- Shikara ride on Dal Lake on day 1
- Sightseeing and activities as listed in the itinerary (items marked optional or at extra cost are not included)
- GST
Excluded
- Flights or train tickets to and from Srinagar
- Lunch and dinner
- Garden and monument entry tickets, unless specifically included
- Optional experiences: Gulmarg Gondola tickets, pony rides, the local taxi to Chandanwari, the Shankaracharya Temple climb and the Floating Market visit
- Personal expenses such as shopping, café bills, laundry, phone calls and tips
- Travel insurance
- Anything not listed under Included
Tour Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival in Srinagar
- Arrive in Srinagar, where your private driver will meet you and take you to your carved wooden houseboat on Dal Lake.
- In the afternoon the Mughal Gardens (Nishat Bagh with its terraced lawns down the Zabarwan and Shalimar Bagh laid out by Emperor Jahangir for Nur Jahan).
- Stop off at Chashme Shahi (the smaller hillside garden built around a freshwater spring).
- If you're up for a climb, then head up to the Shankaracharya Temple for a broad view over Srinagar (optional).
- Shikara ride across Dal Lake at sunset (past the floating gardens and the boat-borne sellers) and an overnight stay in a houseboat in Srinagar.
- Highlights of the Day: Mughal Gardens, Nishat Bagh, Shalimar Bagh, Chashme Shahi, Dal Lake, Shikara Ride, Shankaracharya Temple (optional)
Day 2 Srinagar to Pahalgam
- After breakfast, check out and drive to Pahalgam, the "Valley of Shepherds" (about 95 km, 3 hours).
- On the way, stop at the saffron fields (seasonal) and the ruins of the 9th-century temples at Awantipora.
- Check in to your hotel in Pahalgam, surrounded by pine forests on the Lidder River.
- Later, visit Betaab Valley with its meadows and clear streams, then continue to Aru Valley for rolling alpine meadows.
- Add Chandanwari, the starting point of the Amarnath Yatra, by local taxi at additional cost if you wish. In the evening, browse Pahalgam market for handicrafts and dry fruits. Overnight stay in Pahalgam.
- Highlights of the Day: Saffron Fields, Awantipora Ruins, Betaab Valley, Aru Valley, Lidder River, Chandanwari (by local taxi, at extra cost), Pahalgam Local Market
Day 3 Pahalgam to Gulmarg
- After breakfast, drive to Gulmarg through fir forests, small villages and open grassland.
- Ride the Gulmarg Gondola if you wish (optional, subject to weather and ticket availability) for high views over the Pir Panjal range.
- Walk the Gulmarg meadows – under snow in winter and full of wildflowers in summer – or take a gentle pony ride across the slopes (optional).
- Spend a quiet evening at your hotel. Overnight stay in Gulmarg.
- Highlights of the Day: Gulmarg Gondola (optional), meadow walks, pony rides (optional)
Day 4 Gulmarg to Gurez Valley
- Leave early after breakfast for the long drive to Gurez Valley via Bandipora and over Razdan Pass, where the landscape turns high and still.
- From the pass, the road drops into Gurez, where Dawar village sits beside the clear Kishanganga River among traditional wooden houses.
- Arrive with time to rest, walk by the river and sit together as the evening falls over a valley without crowds. Overnight stay in Gurez.
- Highlights of the Day: Gurez Valley, Razdan Pass, Dawar Village, Kishanganga River
Day 5 Gurez Exploration
- Wake up to views of the snow-capped Habba Khatoon Peak, named after the 16th-century Kashmiri poetess-queen whose verses are still sung in the valley.
- Visit the Habba Khatoon Spring at the foot of the peak, clear and cool.
- If the road allows, drive on to Tulail Valley, a more secluded part of Gurez that very few visitors reach.
- Back in Dawar, take a village walk past hand-carved wooden homes and smoking chimneys. Overnight stay in Gurez.
- Highlights of the Day: Habba Khatoon Peak, Habba Khatoon Spring, Tulail Valley (if the road is open), Dawar village walk
Day 6 Gurez to Srinagar
- After breakfast, drive back to Srinagar by the same route through Bandipora, with the mountains behind you.
- Keep the evening light – café hopping near Dal Lake, a cup of hot kahwa and fresh bakarkhani bread.
- Check in to your hotel or houseboat. Overnight stay in Srinagar.
- Highlights of the Day: Return via Bandipora, leisure evening by Dal Lake
Day 7 Departure
- Enjoy a last breakfast in Srinagar.
- If time permits, walk through the busy markets of Lal Chowk or visit the Floating Market on Dal Lake (optional).
- Transfer to Srinagar airport as per your flight schedule.
- Highlights of the Day: Breakfast in Srinagar, Lal Chowk shopping or Floating Market (optional), airport drop
Payment Policy
- An advance payment is required to secure your booking; the balance is paid as per the schedule in your booking confirmation.
- Your booking is confirmed only after the itinerary is agreed, the advance is received and Luxe Trail Holidays sends you a written confirmation.
- Full payment may be required at the time of booking for peak season dates, special hotel rates and certain activities.
- If payment is not received by the due date, the booking is subject to the relevant cancellation terms.
- Package price is per person sharing and includes GST.
Refund Policy
- Cancellation charges will vary depending on when we receive your request, the hotel and transport supplier policies and any peak season restrictions. The applicable charges are shared with your quotation.
- Refunds are processed once the relevant suppliers approve them, so timelines can vary.
- Refunds are made to the original payment method or another method agreed with you.
- Non-refundable amounts, supplier fees and bank or payment-processing charges may be deducted.
- If a service cannot be provided because of weather, road closures, government orders or other events beyond our control, a refund or an alternative arrangement is offered as per the supplier's terms.
Policy & Important Terms
- Every traveller must have a valid government photo ID (Aadhaar, passport, voter ID or driving licence) with them at all times and be prepared to produce it for checks on the road to Gurez. Foreign nationals will need a passport with a valid Indian visa and should contact us prior to booking as Gurez is situated right near the LoC and has its own entry rules.
- Gurez is accessed via the Razdan Pass, which is closed by snow for several months in the winter. The Gurez days are only possible when the road is open and Tulail Valley is only visited if the road is passable.
- Prepaid mobile connections from outside Jammu & Kashmir do not work in the region, so carry a postpaid connection. Mobile coverage in Gurez is limited.
- The Gulmarg Gondola, pony rides and Pahalgam's local taxis depend on weather and availability and are paid separately unless your quotation says otherwise.
- The order of sightseeing may change because of traffic, weather, road conditions or local events.
- The vehicle is provided for the routes in the itinerary; extra trips or detours are charged separately.
- Standard hotel and houseboat check-in and check-out times apply; early check-in and late check-out are subject to availability.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When is the best time for a Kashmir honeymoon with Gurez?
Plan it between late spring and autumn (generally from about late May to October). Gurez is accessed via the Razdan Pass, which is shut down by snow for several months in the winter. Early summer sees the green meadows and wildflowers in Gulmarg and Pahalgam, and September and October are clear and cool.
Why add Gurez Valley to a honeymoon in Kashmir?
Gurez is one of the least populated valleys in Kashmir. Two nights in Dawar and you've got a river, a mountain and a village to yourselves essentially. It's the complete antithesis of Gulmarg and Pahalgam, where you're going to be in the thick of it. It's ideal for a couple who want some quiet, some walks, some wooden village houses and some very clear night skies rather than shopping and all the crowds.
What is included in the package price?
Six nights in 3-star properties on double occupancy (including one night in a Dal Lake houseboat), daily breakfast, Srinagar airport transfers, sightseeing by private vehicle and the day 1 shikara ride. Lunch, dinner, entry tickets and optional extras (Gulmarg Gondola, pony rides etc) are all paid for separately.
What documents do we need for Gurez?
Indian travellers must have an original government photo ID as IDs are checked on entry into Gurez. The valley is situated right near the LoC so entry rules can change at any time and we will confirm the current requirements prior to your trip. Foreign nationals should contact us prior to booking this package.
Will our mobile phones work in Kashmir?
Prepaid SIMs issued outside J&K won't work in J&K, so you'll need a postpaid connection. Srinagar, Pahalgam and Gulmarg all have coverage; Gurez has very limited signal so you're likely to be partly offline for two days. Do share your hotel with family prior to departure.
Can we upgrade the stay or add a special touch?
Yes, you can have a higher category houseboat or hotel (where available), an extra night in Srinagar, or a candlelight dinner/room decoration (all at additional cost). Just let us know your dates and preferences, and we'll send you a revised quotation.
