4N / 5D4 stops
Kashmir in Tulip Season
Spring in the valley: the Tulip Garden in bloom, almond blossom, the Mughal gardens waking up, and snow still lying at Gulmarg and Sonamarg.
SrinagarGulmargSonamargSrinagar
Price
On request
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Kashmir guide · Seasons
The best time to visit Kashmir, month by month.
Kashmir is open all year, but each season is a different trip. Here is what every month looks like on the ground, with Srinagar temperatures and what is open.
Most popular
April to June
Our pick
Late September to October
For snow
December to February
Tulips
Late March to April
The short answer
April to June and September to October suit most people.
April to June is green, mild and busy, with tulips in early April. September and October are clearer, quieter and our favourite: chinar trees turning red, saffron in flower. Come between December and February if you want snow, and accept that flights and roads sometimes pause after heavy snowfall. July and August are warm and good for Gurez, but the Amarnath Yatra makes Pahalgam and Sonamarg crowded.
Written by Shahid Parvez Khan, founder of Falcon Trails and a Kashmir guide since 2010 · last checked
Kashmir weather and temperature, month by month
Temperatures below are approximate long-term averages for Srinagar (1,585 m). Gulmarg (about 2,650 m) and Sonamarg (about 2,750 m) are usually 6 to 10 °C colder, and nights everywhere are much colder than days.
| Month | Day / night (°C) | What it is like | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6 / −2 | Chillai Kalan, the coldest spell. Snow in Gulmarg, often in Srinagar. Skiing season. | Snow trips |
| February | 9 / 0 | Still winter. Gulmarg snow at its deepest; the valley floor starts to thaw late in the month. | Snow trips |
| March | 14 / 3 | Thaw and almond blossom. Cold nights, muddy meadows, snow left at altitude. | Mixed |
| April | 20 / 7 | Tulip Garden for a few weeks, fruit blossom everywhere, fresh and cool. | Very good |
| May | 25 / 11 | Every meadow open and green. Peak season begins: book early. | Very good |
| June | 29 / 15 | Warm days, busiest month. Snow still at Thajiwas (Sonamarg) and the high passes. | Good, crowded |
| July | 31 / 18 | Hottest month in Srinagar, pleasant at altitude. Amarnath Yatra traffic. | Mixed |
| August | 30 / 18 | Warm, occasional heavy rain. Gurez and the north at their best. | Mixed |
| September | 28 / 13 | Clear skies, thinner crowds, saffron starts to flower late in the month. | Very good |
| October | 22 / 6 | Chinars turn red and gold. Crisp mornings, very clear views. | Our pick |
| November | 15 / 0 | Quiet and cold, the last autumn colour. Gurez and Zojila can close with the first heavy snow. | Mixed |
| December | 9 / −2 | First snow at altitude, ski season begins, Christmas and New Year rush. | Snow trips |
Kashmir in May
May is the month most families choose, and for good reason: Srinagar is in the mid-twenties by day, Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg are fully open, and there is still snow to touch at Sonamarg and the top of the Gulmarg Gondola.
The catch is demand. School holidays across India land in May, so the better hotels and houseboats fill weeks ahead and prices are at their highest. Book at least six to eight weeks out for May, and expect queues at the Gondola and the Mughal gardens.
Kashmir in June
June is warm in Srinagar (high twenties, sometimes thirties) and the high meadows are at their greenest. It is the busiest month of the year. If you can, travel in the first half of the month: the Amarnath Yatra usually begins around early July and the roads to Pahalgam and Sonamarg get heavier as it approaches.
Kashmir in December and winter
Snow usually reaches Gulmarg in December, and some years Srinagar sees its first fall before Christmas. Chillai Kalan, the coldest forty days, runs from around 21 December to the end of January. Expect night temperatures below zero, frozen edges on Dal Lake and short days.
Winter trips need slack in the plan. Heavy snowfall can delay flights at Srinagar and close the road to Gulmarg or the Jammu–Srinagar highway for a day. We keep the last day of a winter trip light so a delay does not cost you a flight. Sonamarg is reachable in winter but much of it is under snow, and Gurez is cut off.
When to see snow, tulips and autumn colour
- Snow in Gulmarg: reliably December to March, with snow at the top of the Gondola into April most years.
- Snow to touch in summer: Thajiwas glacier near Sonamarg and the Gondola’s upper stage until about June.
- Tulips: the Tulip Garden in Srinagar opens for about three to four weeks, usually from late March into April. Exact dates are announced each year.
- Almond blossom: March, at Badamwari in Srinagar.
- Autumn colour: chinar trees turn from mid-October into early November.
- Saffron: the fields at Pampore flower for a few weeks from late October.
When we would steer you away
There is no month to avoid outright, only months that suit some trips badly. Late May and June are expensive and crowded; skip them if you hate queues. July and August clash with the Amarnath Yatra on the Pahalgam and Sonamarg roads. January and February are wrong for anyone who wants green meadows or a relaxed drive. And Gurez is closed from roughly November to April, whatever the weather looks like in Srinagar.
Looking for today’s weather? A live forecast changes by the hour, so we do not publish one here. Message us on WhatsApp and we will tell you what it is actually like outside our window in Srinagar.
Itineraries that fit
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Each is reshaped around your dates, flights and group, and quoted in writing before you pay.
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4N / 5D3 stops
Kashmir in Winter
Snow, kangris and kahwa: two nights in Gulmarg for the gondola, snow play or a first ski lesson, and Srinagar under snow on either side.
SrinagarGulmargSrinagar
Price
On request
quote on WhatsApp
6N / 7D6 stops
Kashmir Grand Tour
All four of the Valley’s great names without rushing: Srinagar, a night in Gulmarg, two in Pahalgam, Sonamarg and the meadows of Doodhpathri.
SrinagarSonamargGulmargPahalgamDoodhpathriSrinagar
Price
On request
quote on WhatsApp
Questions
What people ask us.
Which is the best month to visit Kashmir?
October, if you can choose freely: clear skies, autumn colour and fewer crowds. April to June suits families on school holidays, and December to February is for snow.
Is there snow in Kashmir in May?
Not in Srinagar, but yes at altitude: at Thajiwas near Sonamarg and the upper stage of the Gulmarg Gondola, usually until June.
What is the temperature in Kashmir in December?
Srinagar averages about 9 °C by day and −2 °C at night. Gulmarg is several degrees colder and usually under snow.
Is Kashmir good in the monsoon?
Kashmir gets far less monsoon rain than the plains. July and August are warm with some heavy showers. The bigger issue is Amarnath Yatra traffic on the Pahalgam and Sonamarg roads.
When does the Tulip Garden open?
Usually from late March into April, for three to four weeks. The government announces exact dates each year, and we plan tulip trips around them.
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