Shreen Houseboat
A carved-cedar boat with a wide front verandah facing open water. We have stayed here and know the family that runs it.
- Lake-facing
- Meals on board
- Shikara transfer
Rates on requestConfirmed with the owner before we quote
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- Dal Lake Houseboats
Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir
Houseboats on Dal Lake, Srinagar
The lake sits in the middle of the city, so you can sleep on the water and still walk the gardens and the old town. Six boats we know first-hand — and 657 more we can arrange.
Why stay on Dal
Central Srinagar, but You Wake Up on Open Water
Dal is the lake most people picture when they think of Kashmir: chinar trees along the shore, shikaras crossing at first light, the Mughal gardens on the hill behind. Because it lies inside Srinagar, a houseboat here is not a retreat away from the city — it is a room in the middle of it, reached by boat instead of a corridor.
Mornings begin with the floating market and the vegetable sellers paddling between the boats. By afternoon you can be at Nishat or Shalimar Bagh and back before dinner is served on board.
Inside SrinagarShikara accessFloating marketMughal gardens nearby
Six boats, first-hand
The Houseboats We Know on Dal Lake
We have been on board each of these, met the family that runs it and photographed the rooms as they are. Everything below is first-hand; anything we have not confirmed is marked.
Sukoon Houseboat
Quiet mooring, lake-facing rooms and meals cooked on board by the owner’s family.
- Lake-facing
- Meals on board
- Shikara transfer
Rates on requestConfirmed with the owner before we quote
Mahajong Premium Houseboat
Larger rooms and a full dining room — the one we suggest most often for families travelling together.
- Lake-facing
- Meals on board
- Shikara transfer
Rates on requestConfirmed with the owner before we quote
New Golden Hind Houseboat
One of the older heritage boats on the lake, with walnut fretwork through the lounge.
- Lake-facing
- Meals on board
- Shikara transfer
Rates on requestConfirmed with the owner before we quote
Royal Star Houseboat
Central mooring, short shikara hop from the boulevard — easy if you are only in Srinagar two nights.
- Lake-facing
- Meals on board
- Shikara transfer
Rates on requestConfirmed with the owner before we quote
Amina Houseboat
A simpler, family-run boat at Karapura, Rainawari. Honest rooms, very good home cooking.
- Lake-facing
- Meals on board
- Shikara transfer
Rates on requestConfirmed with the owner before we quote
Where the boats are
Where the Houseboats Are Moored
Boats are grouped along the ghats — numbered landing steps on the boulevard side — and around the Rainawari end. Which ghat you use decides how long the shikara crossing is and how much passing traffic you hear at night.
Ghat No 9
Boulevard side, close to the shops and restaurants along the front.
Ghat No 12
Busy central landing, short crossing, good if you are arriving late.
Ghat No 14
A little further along the boulevard; quieter water behind the first line of boats.
Ghat No 19A
Towards the Nehru Park end, with open lake in front of most moorings.
Nehru Park
Wide water and long views back across the lake to the hills.
Rani Mahal
Set back from the main channel — noticeably quieter in the evening.
Karapura, Rainawari
The old-city end of the lake, near the interior waterways and the floating gardens.
Beyond the boats we know, 657 houseboats are registered on Dal Lake with the Kashmir Houseboat Owners Association — and we can arrange a stay on any of them.
- Send us a boat name from a friend, a guidebook or an old photograph and we will find the owner.
- We describe boats we have not seen honestly, rather than guessing at photographs.
Arriving
Getting to Your Houseboat
Three short legs: airport to the lakeside, the ghat, then the crossing. We arrange all three and send the details before you fly.
01
Srinagar airport to the ghat
By cab through the city. We can have a driver holding your name at arrivals.
02
At the ghat
You are met at the landing steps by the boatman for your houseboat. We send the ghat number, a map pin and his phone number in advance.
03
The shikara crossing
Luggage goes in with you and the paddler takes you across. Crossing time, depending on the mooring.
04
Arrival on board
The owner meets you on the front deck. Check-in and check-out times — late arrivals are usually fine if we know in advance.
On board
What a Stay Is Actually Like
Mornings. Mist first, then the light comes over the hills and the water goes flat. Vendors paddle up to the deck with flowers, saffron and bread — you can wave them on, nobody minds.
Meals. Cooked on board by the family, usually eaten in the dining room at the front. Kashmiri home food if you ask for it.
The crossing. Every trip ashore is a shikara ride. It takes a few minutes and it stops feeling like transport by the second day.
Evenings. The lake goes quiet early. Heating is available on most boats; nights are cold outside summer.
FAQ
Questions About Staying on Dal Lake
Is a houseboat on Dal Lake actually in the city?
Yes. Dal Lake sits inside Srinagar, so the boats are a few minutes from the boulevard, the Mughal gardens and the old city, yet you sleep on open water.
How do we reach the houseboat with luggage?
You are met at the ghat and taken across by shikara, luggage included. Tell us your arrival time and the boatman is waiting; the crossing is short and calm.
What does a stay cost on Dal Lake?
Rates depend on the boat, the room, the season and how many of you there are. We do not publish prices we cannot honour — send your dates and we confirm the rate with the owner and quote you in writing.
Can you arrange a houseboat that is not listed on this page?
Yes. 657 houseboats are registered on Dal Lake with the Kashmir Houseboat Owners Association and we can approach any of them. The six above are simply the ones we know first-hand.
Which ghat will we be using?
It depends on where the boat is moored — commonly Ghat No 9, 12, 14 or 19A, or Nehru Park, Rani Mahal and Karapura in Rainawari. We send the exact ghat, a map pin and the boatman’s number with your confirmation.
Enquire
Tell Us Your Dates for Dal Lake
Send the dates, how many of you there are and a boat name if you have one. We ring the owner and come back with one written quote — usually the same day.
Email bookmyhouseboat0@gmail.com Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India