About The Experience of Houseboat in Kashmir – A Floating Paradise
Consider a romantic evening spent standing by the intricately carved cedar-wood railing of a fancy-looking boat moored on the outskirts of Dal Lake. Consider having kashmir trip with someone special by your side and the Great Himalayas in front of you. Houseboat in Kashmir – Can a kashmir tour, or more specifically, a trip to Srinagar, ever be complete without experiencing them? In fact, Kashmir tourism thrives on the one-of-a-kind houseboat experience that tourists come for.
Apart from having the appearance of a fancy-looking medieval artwork, the houseboats in Kashmir are also surrounded by tranquilizing nature on all sides. Warm hosts and delectable Kashmiri cuisine make staying on one of these houseboats a fetish for many! However, unlike the houseboats in Kerala’s backwaters, which are mostly on the move, the Kashmiri houseboats are beautifully decorated and mostly docked on the lake’s periphery.
What exactly are Kashmiri Houseboats?
Houseboats, also known as floating houses, are a unique way to stay in Kashmir. Houseboat tours in Srinagar are ideal for people of all ages and types of travelers, as they are anchored on the banks of two beautiful kashmir lakes in the city, Dal and Nageen. As a result, they are regarded as ideal for family vacations, honeymoon couples, and solo travelers who can take advantage of Kashmir houseboat tour packages to enjoy this exclusive experience. The houseboat vacation experience in Srinagar also includes a shikara ride in the lake or to the nearest shore. Which is the best part of the kashmir honeymoon packages. Tourists can also enjoy shopping on houseboats, where vendors sail around selling everything from Kashmiri handicrafts to barbequed dishes.
Shikara
Before embarking on your journey on the houseboat, kashmir holiday packages begin with a Shikara ride from the shores of the stunning dal lake or adjacent Kashmiri Lake. They are a cultural symbol of Kashmir, much like the Venetian gondolas. Shikara is a light flat-bottomed wooden boat that can be found on dal lake and other water bodies in Srinagar, Jammu, and Kashmir, India. Shikaras come in a variety of sizes and are used for a variety of purposes, including transportation. Some shikaras are still used for fishing, harvesting aquatic vegetation (usually for fodder), and transportation, while the majority are used by tourists and are covered with tarpaulins. Some are often used as floating residences.
A ride through Kashmiri Gondolas!
Although staying on the best houseboat in kashmir is a one-of-a-kind experience in and of itself, the Shikara ride has its own set of benefits. Shikara rides are considered to be one of the romantic things to do on the lake as it has been immortalized in many Hindi films. Consider these small boats to be the Tuk-Tuks of the Kashmir Great Lakes; they will provide you with an unforgettable ride…correction! A once-in-a-lifetime Sail.
Some of the activities you can enjoy on srinagar boathouse are:
Romantic Sail: Begin with a leisurely Shikara ride to catch a glimpse of Kashmir’s On the Lake lifestyle, followed by a mesmerizing sunset with your partner. Doesn’t that sound romantic? It does.
Shopping: The boat house srinagar is a perfect selection for local marketing and souvenir shopping on the floating shops. And feel the thrill of posing like the BOLLYWOOD vintage classics ‘Kashmir Ki Kali’. Photographed by one of the sailing vendors with the camera. From paper mache to silver jewelry, you’ll get all on this market on water.
Floating Vegetable Garden: About dal lake, viewing charming mountains and lake is a popular tourist cliché. But, it’s just few who know that capturing these floating vegetable vendors is one of the most sought photographs on the lake. Which is why the kashmir tour package is quite popular among the traveler and photography community. The shot relied on some of the ideal perspectives that every travel photographer seeks.
Srinagar’s Houseboat History
Although it is claimed that the concept of these boats was English-borne when they first arrived in Kashmir. While the old folks who have been living here for generations say that the ancient Kashmiri literature that dates back to the 13th century, mentions the presence of these houseboats in Kashmir valley lakes. And it was more for personal use than for tourism to Kashmir’s great lakes.
It was a mere daily heritage of the people living in the lake. Later, when Britishers arrived, they weren’t allowed to buy land in Kashmir. As an alternate option, they built boats on the dal lake kashmir and other water bodies in the valley. By the time they started living across the shores of kashmiri lake, these boats since then became a part of local sightseeing. And now it has become one of the major tourist attractions.
What is a Houseboat all about?
To experience how it feels living in a city over a pristine lake. A divine feeling to sail on the chilling waters of Dal Lake and Nagin Lake and a lifetime experience to witness the beauty of Kashmir with your family and most romantic with your partner. Moreover, the kashmir tour packages gives you the glimpse of sunrise and sunset which is quite a popular show among the honeymoon couples who are on their kashmir honeymoon packages.
Surely the lake looks like a water village with your boathouse on it. They usually have a few rooms with ensuite bathrooms, a dining area, and a common space where everyone can congregate and talk. Every room has some sort of arrangement to keep it warm and cozy, and the window overlooks the chilly waters of the lake. The boat’s most appealing feature is a small verandah with a sit-out. Imagine waking up in the best Houseboat in Kashmir, resting on the waters of Dal Lake. A real #sunkissed morning to sip over a hot cup of morning tea with such a view of the valley!
A generation-old sailing art.
More than that, these Houseboats hold the cultural heritage of kashmiri locals. As mentioned earlier, these boats were part of the Kashmir culture, and the art of making them passed onto generations. It still is. Making it quite popular among art enthusiasts and others. These carved Wooden Boats display exquisite art of wood carvings representing the life and culture of Kashmir and the fine workmanship of Kashmiri artisans. Mostly featuring Chinar trees that are so integral to the Kashmiri life.
Apart from that, during the times of flood, it is only the houseboat owners who aren’t impacted. The boats would simply float on the water, regardless of how high or low the water level is.
We understand water can not be everyone’s cup of Kawah. But we assure your safety. As with Moustache’s srinagar tour packages, the only thing you need to worry about is the scintillating View of Kashmir. Lastly, quoting the lyrics from a 2000 Bollywood song, Socho Ke Jheelon Ka Shehar Ho from the movie, Mission Kashmir- “Socho ke jhilo ka shahar ho, lehron pe apna ek ghar ho.” Which is translated as to imagine having a home above the waters of this pretty lake in a city built on waves. Feel the romance on the water with these great lakes of Kashmir. An experience of a lifetime, to have it with your partner and loved ones.
Alongside, the kashmir tour package for family and the kashmir tour package for couple, Moustache’s srinagar tour packages explore Kashmir at its fullest. The kashmir great lakes trek is just the start of our kashmir packages. Home of various trekking in kashmir, Moustache explores the valley with a varied list of treks in kashmir, you can give it a try.
So this was the complete blog of Moustache Escapes’s Houseboat in Kashmir. Read our other posts on Jammu & Kashmir. Take a look at some of the local cuisines in Kashmir.
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TAGS: BOATHOUSE, DAL LAKE, FLOATING, HOUSEBOAT, HOUSEBOATS, SHIKARA, SRINAGAR
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