Festival · Srinagar, Kashmir
Tulip Festival, Srinagar
Each spring the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, about 30 ha at the foot of the Zabarwan range above Dal Lake, blooms with over a million tulips in dozens of varieties. The garden's annual Tulip Festival is Kashmir's biggest spring event and the start of the tourist season.
Photo: Aman Sachan · CC BY-SA 4.0 · CommonsThe garden was opened in 2007 on the slopes once known as Siraj Bagh, between the Zabarwan hills and Dal Lake, and is often described as the largest tulip garden in Asia. Terraced beds are planted in long colour bands with tulips, plus hyacinths, daffodils and ranunculus. The first bulbs came from the Netherlands, and the garden now holds around 70 tulip varieties.
The festival runs while the flowers last, usually three to four weeks from late March or early April, with cultural programmes, Kashmiri food stalls and handicraft displays organised by the tourism and floriculture departments. Bloom timing depends on the weather, and a warm spell can bring it forward by a week or more.
Expect large crowds, especially on weekends and holidays, when hundreds of thousands of visitors pass through in a season. Pair the visit with the nearby Mughal gardens of Chashme Shahi, Nishat and Shalimar, which are also at their spring best, and with almond blossom at Badamwari if you come in March.
Tips for the day
- Go at opening time on a weekday; by late morning the paths are packed.
- Check the official opening date each year before booking flights; bloom varies with the weather.
- Combine with Chashme Shahi next door and Nishat Bagh in the same morning.
Where it happens
Srinagar
Srinagar is Kashmir's summer capital, spread around Dal Lake at 1,585 m. Spend two to three nights: one on a houseboat, a dawn shikara to the floating vegetable market, the Mughal gardens on the Zabarwan foothills, and a walk through the wooden mosques and craft lanes of the old city on the Jhelum.
Stay nearby
Photo: McKay Savage · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Budget
Zostel Srinagar
A backpacker hostel in the Nishat area, a short walk from the eastern shore of Dal Lake, with dorm beds, private r…
Photo: GharWapsi · CC0 · Commons
Mid
Ahdoos Hotel
A long-established city hotel on Residency Road in central Srinagar, best known for its restaurant, one of the val…
Questions
About Tulip Festival, Srinagar
When is the Srinagar tulip festival in 2026?
The tulip garden usually opens in the last week of March or the first days of April, and the festival runs for three to four weeks while the flowers last. Exact dates are announced each year by the Floriculture Department. Check current status before you travel.
What is the entry fee for the tulip garden?
In recent seasons adults have paid about ₹75–100 and children less, with tickets at the gate or online. Fees can change each year. Carry ID and cash or UPI, and check current status before you travel.
How much time do I need at the tulip garden?
One and a half to two hours is enough to walk the terraces and take photographs. Add an hour for Chashme Shahi next door. Arrive at opening to avoid the midday crowds.
Is the tulip garden suitable for seniors and wheelchairs?
The garden is terraced with paths and some slopes and steps. Seniors can manage the lower terraces comfortably. Wheelchair access is partial; ask at the gate about accessible routes, and avoid peak hours.