Dal Lake


Dal Lake is a famous tourist destination in Srinagar. It spans over a large area of about 18 square km. The shore of the lake is 15.5 km long and is lined by Mughal Gardens, parks and hotels. It is the source of fishing and water plant harvesting in the region. Dal Lake freezes during the winters as the temperature falls down to −11 °C. . It is visited by large crowds of tourists during the summer months from June to August. You can have a panoramic view of the entire lake from the Shalimar Bagh and Nishat Bagh. One can enjoy the time here while admiring the beauty of the lake. The main attractions in the lake are houseboats, islands and floating gardens. Houseboats are very close to Dal gate, on the western side of the lake. The visitors enjoy the pleasure of floating in the clear lake water in these boats. Next to the houseboats lie the floating gardens on the northwest edge of lake. These gardens are called ‘Rad’ in Kashmir. Vegetation like Melons, Cucumbers and Tomatoes are cultivated on the floating gardens. The lake also has three islands which seem to be floating. The facilities like hotels, restaurants and swimming are present in the close vicinity of the lake.