The Botanical Garden in Srinagar is a 1969 memorial garden to Jawaharlal Nehru, laid out at the foot of the Zabarwan hills with about 300 plant species and a small boating lake. It is the quietest of the gardens on this side of Dal Lake and the only one where you can take a paddle boat out. Entry is ticketed and an hour covers it comfortably.
Duke Kashmir Travels is a Srinagar travel agency, registered with the J&K Department of Tourism as JKTA00003978 since 2011. We slot this garden in beside Chashme Shahi when guests want an unhurried morning; Kashmir packages start near ₹6,350 per person, two sharing.
By Duke Kashmir Travels Team · Reviewed by Rayies Ahmad Zargar, Founder · Published · Updated
Key takeaways
- Opened in 1969 in memory of India's first prime minister, below the Zabarwan hills.
- Around 300 species and a collection of roughly 15,000 plants, heavy on cedar, willow and oak.
- Four sections: plant introduction centre, research centre, recreational garden and the botanical collection proper.
- A small lake inside the garden takes paddle boats.
- Looks out over Dal Lake, with Chashme Shahi on one side.
- About 22 km from Srinagar airport, roughly 40 minutes.
What is planted in the Botanical Garden?
Roughly 15,000 plants across some 300 species, with mature cedar, willow and oak giving the garden its shape.
The layout is working as well as ornamental: one quarter introduces plants new to the valley, another is a research section, a third is laid out for visitors and the fourth is the botanical collection. Labels make it a useful stop if you want to know what grows in Kashmir rather than simply look at flowers.
Can you go boating there?
Yes. The garden has its own lake and hires paddle boats, which is unusual among the Srinagar gardens.
It is a short, calm circuit rather than a proper outing, and it suits families with children who have had enough of walking. Shikara rides on the main lake are a different thing altogether and are booked at the ghats on Boulevard Road.
When is it worth visiting?
April through October. Spring for the beds, autumn for the tree colour, and any morning if you want the paths to yourself.
Because it is landscaped rather than historic, it stays presentable right through the season. Winter empties it out and the boats stop, but the conifer collection still reads well under snow.
How do you reach the Botanical Garden?
It sits on the ridge road behind Boulevard, about 22 km and 40 minutes from Srinagar airport. From Jammu the drive is around 267 km and seven and a half hours.
Our vehicles cover it with Chashme Shahi and Pari Mahal on the same run, since all three are within a couple of kilometres of each other.
What is next door?
Chashme Shahi shares the same gate road and Pari Mahal stands on the ridge above.
Tulip Garden is a short drive north and comes alive for a few weeks each April. See the Srinagar list for everything else, or Kashmir tour ideas for how a full valley trip is built.
Booking this with us
Duke Kashmir Travels works out of Nowhatta Chowk in Srinagar, registered as JKTA00003978 since 2011, IATO allied member since 2016 and a TAAK member. See About Us for the rest.
Share your travel dates and group size and we will price the trip around this stop. Phone +91 9018 44 0000, write to info@dukekashmirtravels.com, or open the contact page.
About the founder
Founder Rayies Ahmad Zargar opened Duke Kashmir Travels in Srinagar in 2011, sits in TAAK, co-founded the JK Tourism Council, and signs off the guides on this site. Find him on LinkedIn.