Houseboat Vacation

Dal Lake is famous for its beauty and its unique cultural life. The lake has Shikara and Houseboat communities living there for centuries. The Dal Lake hosts the world famous Shikaras and Houseboats. Houseboats are the floating accommodations for the tourists with all the facilities available. The experience of a holiday in Kashmir, can be enriched and made memorable with the stay on a houseboat, that are surrounded by great mountain view. Initially house boats used to be the residences of Britishers who moved from place to place.

The house boat are carpeted and embellished hotels. Soothed by the sound of water lapping against the hull, it lends the cozy comfort in the living room. The delicious Kashmiri and all the other meals are also served. The stay in houseboat offers an exposure to various wonders of nature that one hardly gets to see. This includes - ravens and hawks swooping on the lake to catch insects and fish early in the morning, the garden boats late in the afternoon that look like floating garden, and the weed collector, with his boat, laden with the heavy and wet weeds of the lake.

The surrounding view changes with the season although the magnificent mountains of the Pir Panjal(also spelt as Panchal), with glimpses of the great Himalayas, are a constant backdrop. In winter the entire scene is snow laden, besides the clear waters of the lake itself. However in case of extreme cold the lake freezes.

Things to do
Houseboats offer various recreational activities for the tourists like undertaking Shikara ride, Water surfing and Skiing Angling ( for this a license is required). You can also laze atop the decks of Houseboats For shopping there is a shopping mall at the Boulevcard road. You can also simply cycle around the lake and observe the lake in its full grandeur.