Kashmir Houseboats

One of the unique charm of Kashmir are the houseboats. The houseboats are the floating little hotels which can be seen on the edge of the Dal Lake or in the secluded areas of the Nagin Lake in Srinagar. There are about 1300 houseboats moored on the waters of the Dal lake and about 1,000 are on the official approved list of the Tourist Department of the State Government. The government has fixed tariff for each houseboat depending on the facilities it offers. Living in a houseboat is an exotic way of spending a holiday in Srinagar in Kashmir.

The houseboats are grand with hand - carved furniture and rich Kashmiri carpets. Some of the names of the houseboats are like White House, Washington, Love-in-the-Mist and Noorjehan. The owner and his family live in an adjoining separate houseboat where the members of the family provide service to the guest. A houseboat boy is always on call and three meals are served daily from a menu of western, Kashmiri or Indian cuisine.

You can travel anywhere from the Shikaras or tiny Kashmiri boat with cushioned seats