Anchar Lake is a shallow, heavily silted lake in the Soura area north of Srinagar, joined to Dal Lake by the Amir Khan Nallah channel. It is honest to say this is not a sightseeing lake any more. Encroachment and pollution have taken most of what it was, and it now works mainly as an overflow for Dal when the water rises.
Duke Kashmir Travels, registered with the J&K Department of Tourism as JKTA00003978 since 2011, writes these pages for guests planning their own days as much as for our itineraries. 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
- Lies in Soura, north of the city, about an hour from Srinagar airport.
- Joined to Dal Lake by the Amir Khan Nallah, which also passes Gilsar and Khushal Sar.
- Takes Dal's excess water in flood season.
- Silting, encroachment and pollution have shrunk it badly.
- Local families fish it through the monsoon months.
- Worth a short stop for birds and the mountain backdrop; not a half-day.
What is Anchar Lake today?
A shallow wetland rather than an open lake, ringed by settlement, with reed beds where there was once open water.
The channel to Dal still works, and that is now its main function: when Dal rises, water is diverted here. Conservation groups have pressed for dredging and encroachment control for years, and the lake's condition is a live subject in the city.
Is it worth visiting?
Only briefly, and mainly for birds. If you have limited days in Srinagar, spend them on Dal, Nigeen or the gardens.
Migratory birds still use the wetland in winter, and the ring of hills behind it photographs well from the northern bank. Ten or fifteen minutes covers what there is to see.
How do you reach Anchar Lake?
Through Soura, north of the city; about an hour from Srinagar airport and roughly nine hours if you are driving up from Jammu.
There is no boat hire or organised access as there is at Dal, so a stop here means standing on the bank rather than going out on the water. Nigeen Lake is the better choice if you want a quiet stretch of water you can actually get onto. The Srinagar list has the alternatives.
Booking this with us
Duke Kashmir Travels has held Department of Tourism registration JKTA00003978 since March 2011 and has been an IATO allied member since 2016. The full list of registrations sits on our About Us page.
Send your dates and traveller count and we will build the itinerary around it. Call +91 9018 44 0000, email info@dukekashmirtravels.com or use the contact page.
About the founder
Rayies Ahmad Zargar founded Duke Kashmir Travels in Srinagar in 2011 and still runs it. He co-founded the JK Tourism Council and reviews the guides published here, including this one. Profile on LinkedIn.