Kashmir Houseboat Stay: The Royal Accommodation Option

• If you visit Kashmir, your trip, in all probability, starts at Srinagar where you have the wonderful opportunity of living on a houseboat on the Dal or Nigeen Lake. Make the most of your royal houseboat stay but be careful before selecting one. Better, let a tour operator manage it for you.

• Kashmir has an enchantingly beautiful serenity especially when you choose to stay in houseboats on the Dal or Nigeen Lakes in Srinagar. Apart from Kerala, this is the only place where you can stay in a large sized houseboat. These houseboats are quite large, have several rooms, balconies and separate areas for a lounge and dining so it is like staying in a small hotel. The difference is that the houseboats are tethered but rock gently, giving you a soothing feeling. If you visit Srinagar preparatory to a tour of Kashmir, select a suitable houseboat to stay in and you feel as if you have entered another world. The ornate carvings that deck the wooden houseboats indeed give you a royal feel.

• If you are a tourist, it is more than likely that you do not know about houseboats and which one to select. Houseboats range in size from deluxe down to D grade and rates vary accordingly. If you travel as a family you may like a small cozy houseboat where the owner gives personalized attention and cooks meals for you. If you are lucky you may chance upon a houseboat with a rooftop garden and a large balcony from where you can admire the view across the Lake. With care, you may find the right one and can expect a royal treatment.

• Most houseboats are crowded cheek by jowl on the Dal Lake and this may mar the view. You would be better off selecting a houseboat on the Nigeen Lake in an isolated area if you love to have privacy and wish to spend some time in serene reflection with the moon shining on the waters. Some houseboats are positioned to give you a wonderful view of Srinagar. The other possible locations are on the Jhelum River. It is up to you to select the location to get a superb view and it is worth the effort rather than going in for the first available houseboat on the Dal.

• Since tourists are a regular feature, most houseboat owners may not care much to give you the right treatment in terms of accommodation, power supply, facilities and meals. However, there are a few specialist houseboat owners who will truly give you a royal experience, to the extent of making arrangements for local sightseeing as well as preparing meals of your choice. A small houseboat where you can become friends with the owner and his family would be ideal as you also get to know the culture of people here. Such houseboats may have beautifully carved furniture, carpets, room heating and room service for that royal feeling.

• There is a rush in summer and you may not find a vacant room in a houseboat of your choice. It is better to have a local person book a suitable houseboat for you much before the season starts if you must truly enjoy the pleasures of a houseboat stay. Better still, join a group tour and the tour operator makes the best and most royal houseboat booking for a magical experience.

Palace Heights Houseboat

Royal Houseboat

Market in Houseboats

Nagin Lake Houseboats

Gurkha Houseboats

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