Old Srinagar Walking Tour

Old Srinagar, often called downtown, is the historic city that grew along the Jhelum River long before the lakes and gardens became tourist draws. Its lanes are narrow and crowded, lined with brick-and-timber houses that lean toward each other, balconies with lattice screens, and shops selling everything from copper utensils to spices and dry fruit. A guided walk is the best way to enter this world, because a local guide can unlock the details you would otherwise walk past. You cross or look at the old wooden bridges over the river, including Zaina Kadal, and visit places such as the shrine of Shah Hamdan and the great Jama Masjid, depending on the route. Along the way you meet craftspeople whose work has defined Kashmir for centuries: papier-mache painters who decorate boxes and bowls with fine floral patterns, woodcarvers who work walnut, and weavers of shawls and carpets. Bakers pull flat Kashmiri breads from tandoor-style ovens in the early morning, and tea stalls serve noon chai, the pink salted tea, and kahwa to customers who linger on benches.

A good route links architecture, craft and food. The traditional houses of the old city use khatamband, the geometric interlocking woodwork of ceilings, and pinjrakari, the lattice window work, which you can sometimes see up close when a guide arranges a visit to a workshop or a family home. The walk is gentle in pace but lively in atmosphere, with the sounds of the call to prayer, hawkers' calls and the clatter of copper being beaten.

The two private walking tours linked here differ in what they add, with one including lunch, which suits visitors who want to taste Kashmiri food in the same trip, perhaps a plate of local dishes with rice and a pot of kahwa.

To make the most of the walk, go in the morning when shops are open and the light is good, and wear comfortable shoes with grip since lanes can be uneven and wet. Dress modestly, particularly if you will step into religious sites, covering shoulders and legs and carrying a scarf for women to cover the head where required. Ask your guide before photographing people or workshops, and be prepared that some places have restrictions on photography.

Keep valuables secure in crowds, and carry small change for tea and snacks. Remember that the old city is a living neighbourhood rather than a museum, so give way to carts and deliveries and be considerate. The walk fits well alongside a visit to Hari Parbat, the Jama Masjid and a shikara ride later in the day, giving you the city's three faces: the working old town, the sacred and historic sites and the lake.

Food is a highlight, so arrive hungry. Kashmiri bakeries sell girda, a round bread eaten with butter and tea, lavasa and crisp bakirkhani, and sweet shops offer halwa and phirni. Wazwan, the ceremonial multi-course feast with dishes such as rogan josh, yakhni and goshtaba, is best experienced at a family table or a good restaurant, and your guide can suggest where to eat after the walk.

Shopping is easy and pressure-free if you go with a guide you trust: ask about the difference between machine-made and hand-made goods, and expect fair prices to be negotiated politely.