Kashmir in Six Nights — the Lidder, the Meadow and the Lake

Into Srinagar and to the lakeside, half an hour from the airport. The included shikara hour in the late afternoon is the whole of the day's programme — out among the floating gardens with the Zabarwan range turning behind, and the moored houseboats along the boulevard. Everything else waits, which on a six-night trip costs nothing and makes the first evening considerably better. · Srinagar · Private vehicle

Chashme Shahi, Nishat and Shalimar in the morning — 1632, 1633 and 1619 respectively, each terraced down toward the water, and Pari Mahal on the ridge above. The afternoon takes Hazratbal on the western shore, the valley's most venerated shrine and the only domed mosque in the city, and then the Shankaracharya temple on Takht-e-Suleiman: two hundred and fifty steps up, no phones at the top, and the entire lake system spread out below. · Srinagar · Private vehicle

Two and a half hours south-east through Pampore, whose karewa terraces grow some of the world's best saffron and are purple for a fortnight in late October, and past Awantipora's ninth-century temple ruins on the Jhelum. Pahalgam at about 2,200 m in the early afternoon, which leaves the rest of the day for the walk upstream along the Lidder — the single best free thing to do in the valley, and the reason to arrive early rather than late. · Srinagar to Pahalgam · overnight Pahalgam · Private vehicle

A full day above the town, worked by local union taxi because no other vehicle is permitted up there. Betaab is fifteen minutes away and the most manicured; Aru is higher, rougher and a working village, and the trailhead for the Kolahoi walks; Chandanwari at about 2,900 m holds a snow bridge over the Lidder into summer and is where the Amarnath yatra begins. The afternoon walks up to Baisaran through pine, an hour on foot or a pony ride, for the meadow the town is known for. · Pahalgam · Union taxi and on foot

The one long transfer of the trip — the full traverse of the valley, around four hours, from the Lidder across to the western hills and up through Tangmarg. Gulmarg is a bowl of meadow at about 2,650 m ringed by fir, entirely wildflower in summer, with a golf course laid across it that is among the highest anywhere and a small stone church of 1902 in the middle. The afternoon is for walking it rather than riding anything. · Pahalgam to Gulmarg · overnight Gulmarg · Private vehicle

The Gondola first thing, when the wind is lowest and phase two is most likely to be running — Kongdoori at about 3,080 m and then Apharwat at close to 3,980 m, where there is snow underfoot in July and the view runs across to the Pir Panjal. Tickets are bought at the corporation counter and are excluded. Then down and back to Srinagar, about two hours, and aboard a houseboat for the final night with dinner served on the lake. · Gulmarg to Srinagar · overnight Houseboat · Private vehicle

The floating vegetable market before dawn for anyone prepared to get up for it — trading from around half past four, dispersed by seven, and entirely unstaged. Breakfast on the boat afterwards. Then the airport with three hours in hand, which Srinagar genuinely requires: the security cordons start on the approach road and there are two separate screenings before the gate. · Srinagar · overnight — · Shikara and private vehicle