Kashmir Backpacking Trip

Seven days across Gulmarg, Sonamarg and Pahalgam with a small group.

4.8/5 from 1,240 Google reviews

₹18,999
per person
7 days
from Srinagar
14 Nov
next group
One of our travel groups by a mountain river in Kashmir

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6,500+
backpackers taken to Kashmir since 2018
12–18
people per group, so everyone fits around one bonfire
1 captain
from Srinagar travels with you for all seven days
₹0
hidden costs. The price below is the price you pay

Seven days, from Dal Lake to 3,980 metres.

This is the shape of your week. Each stop is a day, plotted by altitude.

  1. Shikara on Dal Lake at sunset

    Day 1 1,585 m

    Srinagar

    Meet the group at the airport. Sunset shikara ride on Dal Lake and your first night on a cedar-wood houseboat.

  2. Meadows of Gulmarg

    Day 2 2,650 m

    Gulmarg

    Drive up through pine forest to the meadow of flowers. Evening walk, then a bonfire and introductions that go on too long.

  3. Snowfields at Apharwat peak

    Day 3 3,980 m

    Apharwat

    Ride the gondola to the snowline. Snowball fights, a view across to the Pir Panjal range, and kahwa at the top.

  4. Thajiwas glacier, Sonamarg

    Day 4 2,800 m

    Sonamarg

    An easy trek up to Thajiwas glacier along the Sindh river. Lunch on the rocks and a night in riverside tents.

  5. Lidder river in Pahalgam

    Day 5 2,740 m

    Pahalgam

    Cross the saffron fields of Pampore on the way. Camp beside the Lidder river and cook dinner together.

  6. Aru valley

    Day 6 2,414 m

    Aru and Betaab Valley

    A day hike from Aru village through shepherd meadows, then Betaab Valley in the golden hour. Last bonfire.

  7. Mughal garden in Srinagar

    Day 7 1,585 m

    Back to Srinagar

    Mughal gardens, old-city bakeries and a walk through Jamia Masjid. Airport drop by 3pm, phone full of new numbers.

  8. Get this plan on WhatsApp

    The full day-by-day itinerary, packing list and next dates, sent to your phone.

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You'll come back with a different camera roll.

A group laughing and throwing snowballs in falling snow
The snow started falling and nobody wanted to go back inside.
Friends lifting one of the group in a snowy valley
By day five, nobody's a stranger.
Four friends in traditional Kashmiri pherans under chinar trees
Pheran day under the chinars.
Two travellers on a quad bike in heavy snowfall
Quad biking through fresh snow.
Two friends in ski boots holding poles on a snowy slope
First time on skis. Not the last.
Nine travellers posing on a carpet of autumn chinar leaves
Nine strangers. One group chat that never went quiet.

One price, and you know exactly what it covers.

Per person, triple sharing

₹18,999

Twin sharing ₹21,499. Pay ₹5,000 to hold your seat, the rest 21 days before departure.

Check my dates

Included

  • 6 nights: 1 houseboat, 3 hotels, 2 riverside camps
  • All transfers from Srinagar airport and back, in a tempo traveller
  • Breakfast and dinner every day
  • Sunset shikara ride on Dal Lake
  • Thajiwas glacier and Aru valley treks with a local guide
  • Bonfire nights and a trip captain for all 7 days
  • First-aid kit and oxygen cylinder on the vehicle

Not included

  • Flights or trains to Srinagar
  • Gulmarg gondola tickets (about ₹2,000 for both phases)
  • Lunches and snacks
  • Pony rides and local taxis in Pahalgam
  • 5% GST

Pick your week.

Groups fill in the order enquiries come in. Seat counts are updated daily.

What the last groups said.

★ 4.8 from 1,240 Google reviews

I was nervous about going to Kashmir alone as a woman. Our captain Imran checked on every room each night and the group became family by day two. Already booked Ladakh with them.

Priya Nair Kochi, travelled Oct 2025

Price was exactly what they quoted. No surprise charges, no hard sell at shawl shops. The Thajiwas trek was the best day of my year.

Rohan Mehta Ahmedabad, travelled May 2025

Came with two college friends, left with fourteen. The houseboat night and the Pahalgam camp alone were worth it.

Aisha Khan Lucknow, travelled Jan 2026

Questions people ask before booking.

Is Kashmir safe to travel right now?

Yes. Every route on this trip is a regular tourist circuit, and we only run departures when local advisories are clear. Your captain is from Srinagar and stays in touch with local authorities through the week. If a departure ever has to be cancelled for safety, you get a full refund or a free date change.

I'm travelling solo. Will I fit in?

Around 60% of each group books solo, and most are 21–32. Solo travellers are paired with same-gender roommates. Solo women get a separate room arrangement on request at no extra cost.

How fit do I need to be?

If you can walk 6–8 km at an easy pace, you're fine. The two treks are gentle, and anyone can skip a walk and wait at the café instead. We carry oxygen on the vehicle for the Apharwat day.

When is the best time to go?

November to February for snow, April for the tulip garden, and May to June for green meadows and open passes. Every departure on this page runs the same route.

What should I pack?

We send a full packing list after you book. The short version: layers, a waterproof jacket, good walking shoes and a power bank. In winter, add thermals and gloves. You can rent snow boots in Gulmarg.

What if I need to cancel?

Cancel 30 or more days before departure for a full refund minus ₹1,000. Between 15 and 29 days you get 50% back, or move your booking to any other date for free.

The mountains don't wait. Neither do the seats.

Tell us your month. We'll send the full day-by-day plan and hold a seat for 48 hours while you decide.

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