A 6-day Kashmir trip from Delhi in winter costs roughly ₹18,500-26,000 per person on a tight budget and ₹32,000-53,000 per person mid-range, travelling as a couple and sharing rooms and cabs (approx., as of November 2026).
That Kashmir trip cost covers return flights, five nights' stay, a cab for sightseeing, the Gulmarg Gondola, a shikara ride and food. Your biggest swing factors are flight dates and where you sleep.
Here is the line-by-line breakdown, what changes in winter, and when a package works out cheaper than doing it yourself.
Kashmir trip cost at a glance (per person, 6 days)
Expense | Budget | Mid-range | What's included |
|---|---|---|---|
Delhi-Srinagar return flight | ₹7,000-10,000 | ₹10,000-16,000 | Economy, booked 4-6 weeks ahead |
Stay, 5 nights (twin sharing) | ₹2,500-5,000 | ₹7,500-17,500 | Guesthouse vs 3-star hotel or houseboat |
Cab for 4 sightseeing days (shared by 2) | ₹5,000-6,000 | ₹6,000-8,000 | Srinagar, Gulmarg, Sonamarg day trips |
Gulmarg Gondola | ₹800 | ₹1,800 | Phase 1 only vs both phases |
Shikara ride (shared by 2) | ₹250-500 | ₹500-750 | 1 hour on Dal Lake |
Food, 6 days | ₹3,000-4,000 | ₹6,000-9,000 | Local eateries vs restaurants |
Total | ~₹18,500-26,300 | ~₹31,800-53,000 | Excludes winter gear, skiing, shopping |
All figures approx., as of November 2026. Prices rise sharply over Christmas, New Year and the Republic Day long weekend.
How to reach Kashmir: flight or train?
Flight. Delhi-Srinagar is the quickest way in, at roughly ₹3,000-8,000 one way when booked in advance, and far more at the last minute (Cholan Tours; SOTC). Winter fog in Delhi and snow in Srinagar can delay or cancel flights, so avoid tight connections.
Train. Since 30 April 2026 the Vande Bharat Express runs from Jammu Tawi to Srinagar via Katra and Banihal in about five hours, six days a week. When the service began on the Katra-Srinagar stretch in June 2025, chair-car fares were about ₹660-715 and executive chair about ₹1,270 (Onmanorama).
Add a Delhi-Jammu train ticket, roughly ₹500-2,500 depending on class. The train is often the cheaper option, but it costs you most of a day each way.
Stay: hotels and houseboats
- Budget guesthouses: about ₹1,000-3,000 a night per room.
- Mid-range hotels and houseboats: about ₹3,000-7,000 a night.
- Luxury resorts and top houseboats: ₹8,000 to ₹20,000+ a night.
(SOTC; Cholan Tours.) Houseboat rates often include meals, so compare the total, not just the room rate. In winter, confirm heating in writing: ask whether rooms have central heating, a bukhari (wood stove) or only an electric blanket. In Gulmarg itself, mid-range hotels near the gondola run about ₹4,000-10,000 a night, while Tangmarg guesthouses below the resort are about ₹1,000-3,000 (Zoutons, checked August 2026).
Local transport and sightseeing costs
- Private cab: about ₹2,500-4,000 a day (Cholan Tours). Srinagar to Gulmarg one way is about ₹2,500-3,500 for a direct taxi, roughly two hours for 50 km (Zoutons).
- Gulmarg Gondola: about ₹800 for Phase 1 (Gulmarg to Kongdoori) and ₹1,000 for Phase 2 (Kongdoori to Apharwat). Book only on the official J&K Cable Car Corporation site; there is no walk-up counter in season. [CHECK fares on jammukashmircablecar.com]
- Shikara on Dal Lake: about ₹500-1,500 a ride (SOTC; Cholan Tours). Agree the duration and price before you step in.
- Mughal Gardens entry: about ₹20-50 each.
Food costs
Expect about ₹500-1,000 a day per person if you eat at local eateries and dhabas, and ₹1,000-2,000 a meal at mid-range restaurants (SOTC). Try a shared wazwan once; it's the best value way to eat Kashmir's signature meal. Kahwa and Kashmiri bread from local bakeries cost very little.
Winter extras that change your Kashmir trip budget
- Snow gear: jackets and gumboots can be rented in Gulmarg, but quality and prices vary. Bring thermals, gloves and a woollen cap from home. [CHECK typical rental rates]
- Skiing: lessons and equipment are an add-on, roughly ₹2,000-6,000 depending on duration (SOTC).
- Chillai Kalan: the coldest 40-day spell runs from 21 December to about 31 January. Expect sub-zero nights, frozen pipes in cheaper stays and occasional road closures.
- Sonamarg in winter: the Z-Morh (Sonamarg) Tunnel, opened in January 2025, keeps Sonamarg reachable year-round, so it is now a realistic winter day trip.
Sample 6-day winter itinerary from Delhi
- Day 1: Fly to Srinagar, evening shikara ride.
- Day 2: Srinagar sightseeing: Shankaracharya Temple, Nishat Bagh, old city.
- Day 3: Day trip to Gulmarg, Gondola Phase 1 (Phase 2 if the weather allows).
- Day 4: Day trip to Sonamarg.
- Day 5: Buffer day for weather, or Pahalgam if roads and advisories allow.
- Day 6: Fly back to Delhi.
The buffer day matters in winter. A snow day that shuts the gondola or a road can otherwise wipe out the trip's highlight.
DIY vs package: which is cheaper?
Option | Price | Duration | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
DIY, budget | ₹18,500-26,300 pp | 5N/6D | Flights, stay, cab, gondola, shikara, food |
DIY, mid-range | ₹31,800-53,000 pp | 5N/6D | As above, better hotels |
from ₹45,700 | 6N/7D | Stays with all meals, transfers, sightseeing, gondola, shikara; no flights | |
from ₹47,000 | 5N/6D | Deluxe hotels, breakfast and dinner, transfers, gondola, shikara; no flights |
Package prices as listed on travelbudgetly.com on 2 November 2026
DIY wins if you are flexible, comfortable negotiating cabs and fine with basic rooms. A package makes more sense for families, first-timers and anyone who wants heated rooms, gondola tickets and transfers sorted before arrival, which matters more in January than in May.
How to plan a budget trip to Kashmir?
- Fly midweek and avoid 20 December-2 January and the Republic Day weekend.
- Stay in Srinagar and day-trip to Gulmarg and Sonamarg instead of paying Gulmarg's peak rates.
- Share one cab for the whole trip and fix the per-day rate in advance.
- Book the gondola online the moment your dates are fixed; Phase 2 sells out first.
For a similar line-by-line budget elsewhere, see our Meghalaya trip cost guide, or our list of budget hill stations in India under ₹5,000. All our trips are on the TravelBudgetly packages page.
Before you go: several tourist spots closed after the April 2025 Pahalgam attack. Fourteen reopened in February 2026 after a security review (Outlook Traveller; Business Today). Check the current status of individual spots, including Baisaran near Pahalgam, with J&K Tourism before you go.
FAQs
How much does a trip to Kashmir cost?
For 6 days from Delhi, roughly ₹18,000-26,000 per person on a budget and ₹32,000-53,000 mid-range, including flights, stay, local cab, the gondola and food (approx., as of November 2026). Peak holiday weeks cost more.
How many days are required for a Kashmir trip?
Five to six days covers Srinagar, Gulmarg and Sonamarg comfortably. In winter, add one buffer day for snow or road closures. Add two more days for Pahalgam.
How to plan a budget trip to Kashmir?
Travel midweek outside the holiday peaks, base yourself in Srinagar, share a cab for day trips, eat at local eateries and book the Gulmarg Gondola online in advance.
How to plan a Kashmir trip from Delhi?
Fly Delhi-Srinagar (about 1.5 hours) for the fastest route, or take a train to Jammu and the Vande Bharat to Srinagar for a cheaper, scenic route that takes most of a day. Book stays with heating confirmed if you are travelling between December and February.
