Discover The Kashmiri Sojourn — 5 Night Luxury Summer Kashmir Experience

Your private vehicle meets you at Srinagar International Airport and transfers you to your chosen luxury property in Srinagar — the Radisson Collection Hotel & Spa on the Jhelum riverfront, The LaLiT Grand Palace on the shores of Dal Lake, or the Taj Dal View perched on its clifftop above the water, depending on your preference.

The rest of the day is yours. Srinagar has a way of making a first afternoon feel like a gift — the light on the lake in the early evening, the mountains appearing above the rooftops, the smell of chinar wood and saffron drifting through open windows. Let the valley come to you before you go looking for it.

Dinner at your property.

Overnight in Srinagar.

After breakfast, your private vehicle heads west toward Gulmarg — a two-hour drive through apple orchards and chinar-lined villages, the road gradually climbing through the Pir Panjal foothills as the pine forests thicken and the valley below begins to disappear.

At 2,650 metres, Gulmarg arrives quietly — a wide alpine meadow ringed by peaks, the air noticeably cooler, the pace noticeably slower. Check in to The Khyber Himalayan Resort & Spa, India's only boutique luxury ski resort at 8,825 feet, spread across seven fir-laden acres with direct views of the Affarwat peaks. Drop your bags and head straight to the Gondola — one of Asia's highest cable car systems — while the morning light is still on the mountain.

Phase 1 climbs to Kongdoori at 3,050 metres. Phase 2 continues to Apharwat Peak at 3,980 metres. From the top on a clear summer morning the Kashmir Valley spreads out far below, distant ranges visible on the horizon, patches of snow still clinging to the upper slopes even in July. The silence at that altitude is absolute.

Back at meadow level, the afternoon opens into Gulmarg's quieter pleasures. The 8-kilometre alpine plateau is carpeted in wildflowers through June and July — blue iris, yellow buttercups, purple geraniums. Walk as far as the meadow takes you.

Dinner at The Khyber. One night at 8,825 feet.

Overnight at The Khyber Himalayan Resort & Spa, Gulmarg.

The Valley of Shepherds

After breakfast, your private vehicle descends from Gulmarg back through the Pir Panjal foothills, crosses the Kashmir Valley floor, and continues southeast — past the saffron fields of Pampore, through the ruins of Awantipora where a 9th-century Vishnu temple stands quietly beside the highway, and then up alongside the Lidder River through pine-forested slopes into Pahalgam at 2,130 metres. Around three and a half hours in total.

The drive is itself a journey through the Kashmir Valley that most visitors never take the time to appreciate. The landscape changes completely between Gulmarg and Pahalgam — from open alpine meadow to pine-canopied river valley, from one kind of beautiful to an entirely different one.

Check in to Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels, Pine N Peak — the only luxury retreat in Pahalgam, perched on the Rajwas Plateau above the Lidder River, its design drawing from Kashmiri wood carving and intricate tapestry, with views across the Valley of Shepherds and the snow-capped peaks beyond.

The afternoon is for the river. Walk down from the hotel to the Lidder — five minutes on foot — and follow the bank upstream until the sound of the water is the only sound. Pahalgam is best arrived at slowly.

Dinner at the property.

Overnight at Welcomhotel Pine N Peak, Pahalgam.

A full day in Pahalgam's valleys.

The morning belongs to Betaab Valley, 15 kilometres from Pahalgam — a wide green meadow flanked by snow-dusted peaks with the Lidder River running through the middle. Go early, before the day-trippers arrive from Srinagar. The light on the mountains before 10am is at its best.

Please note: Union cabs are mandatory for Betaab Valley, Aru Valley, and Chandanwari. These are government-regulated local vehicles arranged on-site — your driver will assist you.

The afternoon is for Aru Valley, 12 kilometres from Pahalgam. The road follows the Aru stream through meadows and small Kashmiri villages — wooden houses with stacked firewood on their verandas, horses grazing in fields, peaks rising steeply on both sides. Walk the river trail as far as the afternoon allows. This is Kashmir at its most unhurried.

Back at the hotel before dark. Dinner at Welcomhotel Pine N Peak — your last evening in the mountains.

Overnight at Welcomhotel Pine N Peak, Pahalgam.

After breakfast, your private vehicle returns to Srinagar — around two and a half hours. Check in to your private houseboat on Dal Lake — Sukoon or Mughal Sheraton, arranged to your preference.

A shikara ride on Dal Lake in the afternoon. The lake in summer is full and green, the lotus gardens in bloom, the mountains reflected in water that is, at certain hours, completely still. Let the last evening of The Kashmiri Sojourn arrive at its own pace.

Dinner on board your houseboat.

Overnight on Dal Lake, Srinagar.

Breakfast on the deck of your houseboat with the lake in front of you and the mountains behind it. Your private vehicle transfers you to Srinagar International Airport at the appropriate time for your departure.

Breakfast included. Departure.