City on a Lake

November brings heavy, gray clouds to Srinagar that trap in the cold, and when the sky clears you know why there’s such a chill in the air: 15,000 ft. Himalayan peaks hover about you, enclosing the city.

Kashmir’s capital city has many gardens, white-domed mosques, and green shrines and temples, and one imposing, sand-colored castle, set up on a hill and accessible only by footpaths. The city was built by the Mugals, who brought Islam to northern Kashmir in the 17th century.

Located around a number of lakes, Srinagar is divided by the Jhelum River, crossable throughout the city by bridges.

Houseboats (a legacy of the British, both private residences and guesthouses for tourists) cling to the lake’s shores and remain one of Srinagar’s unique tourist attractions.