Anantnag travel guide
Heritage town
Anantnag is a historic town known for ancient temples, Mughal gardens, freshwater springs, and forested valleys. It attracts heritage enthusiasts, pilgrims, and nature lovers with its archaeological sites, scenic meadows, trekking routes, and quiet countryside atmosphere away from mass tourism.
Best time to visit Anantnag
May–Jun and Sep–Oct are best; Apr, Jul–Aug and Nov are also good. Dec–Feb is freezing with snow, and Mar is cold and wet.
| Month | Verdict | Temperature | Rain | Crowds | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | mixed | -2–7 °C | 45 mm | low | Freezing nights and snow; gardens bare; snow can close the highway to Jammu |
| February | mixed | -1–8 °C | 70 mm | low | Still freezing at night, with snow and rain spells; very quiet |
| March | mixed | 3–14 °C | 120 mm | low | Cool and often wet; blossom appears, but the gardens are not yet at their best |
| April | good | 8–20 °C | 90 mm | medium | Spring blossom in the Mughal gardens; mild days but frequent showers |
| May | best | 11–24 °C | 70 mm | medium | Warm, green and fresh; good weather for the springs and Mughal gardens |
| June | best | 15–30 °C | 35 mm | medium | Warm, mostly dry days; good for Verinag, Kokernag and the cooler Daksum forests |
| July | good | 18–30 °C | 60 mm | medium | Warm with some showers; Amarnath Yatra traffic on the road to Pahalgam |
| August | good | 17–30 °C | 80 mm | medium | Warm, with some showers; Amarnath Yatra traffic continues for part of the month |
| September | best | 12–27 °C | 30 mm | low | Dry, sunny and mild; settled weather and few visitors |
| October | best | 6–22 °C | 35 mm | low | Crisp, clear autumn days; chinar trees start to turn later in the month |
| November | good | 0–15 °C | 30 mm | low | Golden chinar leaves early in the month; nights near freezing |
| December | mixed | -1–8 °C | 50 mm | low | Cold, with freezing nights and snow possible later in the month |
How many days to spend in Anantnag
A day covers the Martand Sun Temple and Achabal Garden; two more add Kokernag and Daksum, then Verinag, the spring at the source of the Jhelum.
How to reach Anantnag
- By air: Srinagar (SXR) — 60 km by road
- By train: Anantnag (ANT) — 5 km by road. Kashmir valley line, linked since 2025 to Katra and the national network
- By road: From Srinagar — 58 km
Getting around
Auto-rickshaws are everywhere in town; agree the fare first. Hire a taxi for the Martand Sun Temple, Achabal, Kokernag, Daksum and Verinag.
Things to do in Anantnag
- Dal Lake — Lake (3 h · Free entry)
- Houseboats In Srinagar, Dal Lake, Jammu & Kashmir — Stay (3 h · Paid entry)
- shikara Ride — Boat ride (1.5 h · ₹600-₹1,200 per boat)
- Gulmarg Gondola — Cable car (3 h · ₹700 (phase 1))
- Tulip Garden Srinagar — Tulips (2 h · ₹50)
- Gandola 2nd Phase Afarwat Station — Cable ride (2.5 h · ₹900)
- Mughal Heritage — Gardens
- Gulmarg Ski — Ski area (4 h · ₹2,100 day lift ticket (peak season))
- Betab Valley Chandanwari, Pahalgam J&K. — Valley (1.5 h · ₹100)
- OYO 5546 Hotel Taj Mahal Pahalgam — Glacier
- Shalimar Garden — Garden (1.5 h · ₹10)
- Hazaratbal — Shrine
- Jamia Masjid Srinagar — Mosque (1 h · Free entry)
- Snow Adventure — Snow fun
- Aru Valley — Valley (2.5 h · Free entry)
- Baisaran Road — Meadow
- Zoji La Pass or Zojila Pass (Zero Point) — Pass
- Kargil War Memorial — Memorial (1.5 h · Free entry)
- Nishat Garden — Garden (1.5 h · ₹10)
- Shri Shankaracharya Temple — Temple (2 h · Free entry)
- Lal Chowk — Market
- Drung Road — Waterfall
- Lidder River — River (2 h · Free entry)
- Shri Martand Sun Temple Mattan — Temple (1.5 h · ₹15-25)
- Skyview Ropeway - PatniTop Gondola ( TOP STATION / UPPER TERMINAL ) — Gondola (1.5 h · Paid entry)
- Suru Valley — Valley (4 h · Free entry)
- Zero Point Sonamarg — Snow (2 h · Free entry)
- Nigeen Lake — Lake (1.5 h · Free entry)
- YHAI BASE CAMP DACHIGAM NATIONAL PARK SRINAGAR — Wildlife
- Floating Market Dal Lake — Market (1.5 h · Free entry)
- Golf course — Golf field (2.5 h)
- Baba Reshi Shrine — Shrine
- Chandanwari — Valley
- Amarnath Yatra Base Camp, Pahalgam — Pilgrim
- Verinag — Spring
- Natha Top — Peak (2 h)
- Nun Kun Glacier — Peaks
- River Rafting — Rafting (1.5 h · Paid entry)
- ACHABAL GARDEN — Garden (1.5 h · Paid entry)
- Amarnath Trek — Basecamp
- Parimahal — Monument (1.5 h · Paid entry)
- Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary — Reserve (3 h)
- Tulian lake — Lake (9 h)
- Horse 🐎 riding in pahalgam — Riding
- Baltal Base Camp — Valley (2 h · Free entry)
- Kokernag — Garden
- Kotli Jhajjar — Falls
- Dras — Town
- Chashme Shahi Garden — Garden (1 h · ₹10)
- Zabarwan Park زبرون پارک — Hills (2 h · Paid entry)
- Khilanmarg Woods — Meadow (3 h · Free entry)
- Mamaleshwar Temple, Pahalgam (J&K) — Temple (30 min · Free entry)
- Pahalgam Market — Market (1.5 h · Free entry)
- Vishansar Lake — Lake (8 h)
- SONMARG CAMPING GROUND — Camping
- Sinthan Top Daksum Kashmir — Pass (1.5 h · Free entry)
- Nehru park — Park (1.5 h)
- Vare-Kanoul Nag /Frozen Lake 2/Alpathar Lake — Lake (6 h)
- Tangmarg — Town
- कोलाहोइ हिमानी — Glacier (10 h)
- Kiani Marg — Trails (3 h)
- Love Pahalgam View point — Views (1 h · Free entry)
- Krishnasar lake — Lake (8 h)
- Daksum — Valley
- SOGAM CHADOORA — Meadow (1.5 h)
- Photography in pahalgam — Photos
- Sunset Peak — Peak
- Woodswalk Treks and Tours — Camps
- Strawberry Valley — Valley (1 h · Free entry)
- Breng Valley — Valley (2.5 h · Free entry)
- Trekking Routes OR Doda Bridge — Trek
- Badam Wari Park — Garden (1 h)
- Maharani Temple — Temple
- St. Mary’s Church, Gulmarg — Church (30 min · Free entry)
- LIDDER VALLEY GOLF COURSE PAHALGAM — Golf (2 h · Paid entry)
- Picnic Spots or Patnitop Picnic Spot - Hill Station — Picnic
- Scenic Lookouts or Doda City landscape view point — Views
Food to try in Anantnag
- Rogan josh — Kashmiri lamb curry coloured red with local chillies; a wazwan staple
- Kahwa — Green tea brewed with saffron, cardamom and almonds
- Noon chai — Pink, salted Kashmiri tea, drunk with breads from local bakers
Frequently asked questions
What is the best time to visit Anantnag?
May–Jun and Sep–Oct are best; Apr, Jul–Aug and Nov are also good. Dec–Feb is freezing with snow, and Mar is cold and wet.
How many days are enough for Anantnag?
1–3 days. A day covers the Martand Sun Temple and Achabal Garden; two more add Kokernag and Daksum, then Verinag, the spring at the source of the Jhelum.
How do I reach Anantnag?
By air: Srinagar (SXR) — 60 km by road. By train: Anantnag (ANT) — 5 km by road. Kashmir valley line, linked since 2025 to Katra and the national network. By road: From Srinagar — 58 km.
What are the top things to do in Anantnag?
Dal Lake, Houseboats In Srinagar, Dal Lake, Jammu & Kashmir, shikara Ride, Gulmarg Gondola, Tulip Garden Srinagar, Gandola 2nd Phase Afarwat Station.
Plan your Anantnag trip
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Guide checked on 2026-10-06.