Kashmir’s beauty has no bounds. This northern Indian state located mostly in the Himalayan mountains has become increasingly popular since it opened for tourism. The very first city we visited in Kashmir was Srinagar (the capital of Kashmir). It was during the month of April that my family and made a trip there. The weather during this time was pleasant and perfect. It ranged from 10-18 degrees Celsius.

We stayed in Vivanta by Taj which overlooked the Dal Lake. The Dal Lake is known as “Srinagar’s Jewel.” The hotel’s breakfast selection is great; we had a hearty breakfast and headed out for our sightseeing adventures. Kashmir’s hospitality is just as great as their state!

Our first stop was at the Dal Lake, which is encircled with house boats where tourists can stay for their time there, but I don’t recommend it because from what I’ve seen, it isn’t really a comfortable and luxurious place to stay in for a vacation. There is no harm trying if you’re an adventurous person.

We sat on the Shikara ride, which is a boat that tours you around the whole of Dal Lake. Shikara ride was entertaining due to our guide who rowed the boat. He was singing at the top of his lungs, telling us his life experiences, and giving us a brief history of the Dal Lake. During our ride, we stopped at a mobile cafe, which is a floating stall to get snacks. After our Shikara ride, we headed to the Chashma Shahi Garden, which is one of the many Mughal Gardens. It was a great sight for pictures. The only downside was that it got a bit boring after a while and there were only a few picture spots.

By the end of our sightseeing tour, we were starving so we headed to the Lalit Hotel and had a fulfilling dinner to end the day. We then headed back to our hotel and got a good night sleep for our next few days of adventures.