Hazratbal Dargah Srinagar – Hazratbal in Kashmir

by Vargis.Khan

Hazratbal Dargah is a beautiful shrine located in the city of Srinagar. The white building sitting right next to the dal lake with a large garden on its other side presents a charming sight, especially in the mornings and the evenings.

It is one of the places that I highly recommend including in your Kashmir trip. It is located quite close to Shalimar Garden, and Nishat Garden, hardly a 10 minutes drive. So you can easily cover all these places together.

We visited Hazratbal Dargah on the third day of the trip. We arrived in Srinagar from Jammu via Mughal Road on Day 2 and then spent the next 2 days in the city itself. To read the previous parts of the travelogue, please click on the links below.

There is not really a lot to write about our 2 days of stay in Srinagar City. I will narrate the events of these days in a single post. I have been to Srinagar City a few times before and have visited almost all of the tourist attractions there. So sightseeing was definitely not on the plans.

2 Days in Srinagar

The reason why I decided to stay in the city for 2 days was to ensure that we are able to work. We were not on vacation and had brought our work-from-home schedule with us on the road.

The idea of the trip was to continue working as usual and explore the places on the weekend and whenever we find the time.

So we traveled from Delhi to Srinagar on Saturday and Sunday. For the weekdays, we were to stay in places where we will have strong enough internet connectivity to continue our office work.

That is why we planned our 2 days of stay in Srinagar before moving on to Sonamarg and Kargil from there. I was glad that we did that because these 2 days got used to getting the car fixed as well as relaxing for a while before continuing our journey.

Also Read:  How to Plan a Trip to Leh Ladakh – A Complete Travel Guide

Day 3: Monday

We decided to get up early on this day because we wanted to pay a visit to the Hazratbal shrine. I love to be there early in the morning because of the peaceful and serene atmosphere and yes, also the pigeons.

The shrine is also home to thousands of pigeons. In the morning, before the market opens and the road gets a bit crowded, it is really fun to be there and watch the pigeons fly by.

There are also a few shops in front of the shrine where you can buy some seeds and feed the pigeons. A lot of locals do that in the mornings there and that is what we also wanted to do.

For more details, please take a look at Hazratbal Shrine – How to reach, What to See. You can also watch the video that I posted on Youtube with more information on Hazratbal.

Hazratbal Dargah

We got up early and left our hotel just before sunrise. Our hotel was right next to the Shalimar Bagh Garden. The drive from there to Hazratbal is hardly 10 minutes long.

We stopped at the small parking lot outside the shrine to get some tea first. Then we moved on to the shrine to pay respect and feed the pigeons.

hazratbal dargah hazratbal dargah hazratbal dargah

We spent about an hour there feeding the pigeons and visiting the shrine. After that, we returned to our hotel, had some breakfast, and got ready for the next task of the day – to get the car fixed.

I called Faisal to inquire about a good mechanic in the city. He runs a motorcycle rental agency in Srinagar City by the name of Kashmir Travelogue.

So I assumed that must know a few good mechanics in the city since he must be getting the bikes fixed all the time.

My assumption was right. He asked me to bring the car to his office near Lal Chowk and from there, he could accompany us to a mechanic.

Cafe Liberty

Faisal’s office was located in an Ali Jaan Complex near Lal Chowk. We reached there in about an hour. But before going to the mechanic, we first decided to visit a cafe in that building that I really like – Cafe Liberty.

For more details on this cafe, you can also take a look at Cafe Liberty – One of the Best Restaurants in Srinagar.

Cafe Liberty is one of my favorite places to eat in Srinagar. The overall setting of the place, the atmosphere is really pleasant but most of all, their food is delicious.

They have quite a large menu inclusive of north Indian food, Kashmiri Wazwan, as well as continental. The last time I was there, I loved their Pizza and wanted to try that again this time.

Unfortunately, though, Pizza was not available at that time because of some problem with their oven. So we opted for Kashmiri Wazwan for lunch.

cafe liberty cafe liberty

Mechanic

With our bellies full, Faisal then took us to a mechanic nearby to get our car checked. The problem was a bit bigger than what I thought and the next 3 hours were spent at the Mechanic’s shop. By the time we drove the car out, it was already 5 pm.

mechanic

Not much happened after that. We thanked Faisal and returned to the hotel. It was also time for us to switch on our laptops and get back to office work which we did for the next 6 hours before calling it a day and crawling under the blankets.

Day 2 – Tuesday

The initial plan for the second day was to meet Faisal and have lunch at Kareema, another amazing restaurant in Srinagar and one of the best places to eat Wazwan. For more details, you can take a look at Kareema Restaurant Srinagar Review.

But by the time we got up, it was already 11 am and we just did not feel like stepping out of the hotel at all.

I called Faisal and apologized that the plan for Kareema was not going to materialize. The rest of the day was just spent lazing around in the hotel and then getting back to our office work.

As per the initial itinerary for the trip, we were to continue our journey further to Sonamarg and stay there for the next 2 days, before moving on to Kargil on Friday.

But that plan changed on Tuesday. I got a call from Tanveer, owner of Kashmir Tourist Camp near Sonamarg. He asked me to visit and stay at his campsite for a day.

I could easily do that since the campsite was on the way to Sonamarg. So rather than staying for 2 days in Sonamarg, we could spend one day at his campsite.

My only apprehension was the internet connection that we needed to continue working. Tanveer assured us that we could easily do that with our mobile data as well. The speed in that area was fast enough.

I agreed to spend a day at his campsite but with still a bit of hesitation though.

So the plan was changed and we were all set to move on to Kashmir Tourist Camp in Mamar Village on Wednesday. Please click on the link above to continue reading the next part of this travelogue.

Hazratbal Dargah Srinagar – Conclusion

I hope the travelogue, pictures, and details on Hazratbal Dargah in Srinagar were of help. If you have any questions, you can contact me on Instagram and I will be happy to answer. You can also consider subscribing to my YouTube channel and asking a question there.

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49 comments

Mohit September 5, 2021 - 5:31 am

Hi Vargis,

I came across this website accidentally and I am so glad I found this. I read a few articles and they are so detailed that they make you feel that you are sitting in the middle of the hills.
Coming to my query, I am planning a family trip (with a 2.5 yr old kid) to Lahaul Spiti region in the 2nd week of October. Is travelling to Kaza advisable (both expected weather wise and kid safety wise) or should I just cover Lahaul area? And will there be snow peak views from the Lahaul valley? (Oct 10 – Oct 16)

Mohit

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Mohit September 5, 2021 - 5:45 am

From Manali side

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Aisyah October 22, 2018 - 12:29 pm

HI. I’m at Srinagar right now. I’m planning to go to Leh Ladakh on 23th Oct. Is the road open from Srinagar to Ladakh?

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Aisyah October 22, 2018 - 12:31 pm

I mean Sonamarg to Ladakh

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Vargis.Khan October 22, 2018 - 12:50 pm

It is open but Zojila Pass is a bit risky to cross right now

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AIsyah October 22, 2018 - 4:15 pm

So which one would you suggest for me? By road or by flight (Sxr-Ixl)?

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Vargis.Khan October 23, 2018 - 1:40 am

By flight would be better right now

Vargis.Khan October 22, 2018 - 12:50 pm

It is open but Zojila Pass is a bit risky to cross right now

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Rj October 5, 2018 - 2:51 pm

Vargis bhai..Planning a Spiti trip on the 1st of November. Will we be able to enter through Manali?

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Vargis.Khan October 5, 2018 - 4:42 pm

No RJ Bhai .. That route will be long closed by November.

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Teju Iyer October 1, 2018 - 11:05 am

Hi Vargis!
My husband and I are planning a quick trip to Leh next week (from 10th to 15th Oct 2018). Your expert opinion on this please?
My husband wants to do a road trip! Is it possible?
Are the roads from Manali-Leh closed now?
What about places in Leh? Can we book a bike there? What should be our itinerary?

Any advise would help! Thanks!

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mohit bhalani September 30, 2018 - 11:46 am

we are 8 friends planned to visit spiti valley, 16th november to 24 november, any chances of live snowfall and can we head back from Manali?

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Vargis.Khan October 1, 2018 - 3:40 pm

Snowfall – Yes
Manali Route – No, it will be closed.

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Rohit Kumar September 30, 2018 - 9:37 am

Hello Vargis, please clear a few doubts.
1. will my Jio Prepaid Mobile Number work in Leh Ladhak?
2. Is it a good idea to book a centrally heated Hotel in Leh? If yes, then please can you suggest a few such hitels?
3. Is Leh to Nubra Valley route still closed?
4. Is Leh to Pangong route ooen?

Thanks and regards.

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Vargis.Khan October 1, 2018 - 3:41 pm

Hi Rohit,

1. Only in Leh City
2. Yes you can but I don’t know one that is centrally heated. Never stayed in one such hotel there.
3. It is open now
4. Yes

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PARTHA SARATHI BISWAS September 28, 2018 - 7:11 pm

Can I visit Manali, Keylong, Killar, Dalhousie and Chajjier in the month of May ?

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Vargis.Khan September 28, 2018 - 9:20 pm

Yes you can

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rohit September 28, 2018 - 8:33 am

Thanx for this much required info vargis bhai.
we are planning spiti circuit from Chd-shimla-kaza-manali-Chd from 6 oct to 12 oct.
Is it ok to travel on these dates, weather is showing clear on internet, but i want your opinion…. TIA

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Vargis.Khan September 28, 2018 - 2:44 pm

Manali route is still closed Rohit, hard to predict right now how things will turn. You may have to return to Shimla from Kaza so please keep a back up plan ready as well.

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Rohit Kumar September 26, 2018 - 5:00 pm

Thank you Vargis. I appreciate your efforts.

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Vargis.Khan September 27, 2018 - 12:24 pm

You are welcome Rohit !!!

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Shaifali September 26, 2018 - 3:50 pm

Hi Vargis
Hope you are doing well.
We are planning to visit Leh on 19th of October by flight and will return back on 26th October.
As we are 3 people we are planning to rent a bike for travelling around leh and othe places like Nubra, Pangong and Tso Moriri.
Please advise as to whether the routes are open for the above mentioned places from 19th – 26th October.
Thnakyou!

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Vargis.Khan September 27, 2018 - 12:25 pm

Hi Shaifali – Yes these routes wiill remain open around your dates of travel.

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Shaifali September 27, 2018 - 1:19 pm

Hi Vargis,
Thank you so much for your response. I’m excited for this trip now.

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Vargis.Khan September 27, 2018 - 6:00 pm

You are welcome Shaifali

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Pritham September 26, 2018 - 3:38 pm

Hello Vargis bhai,

We are planning a trip to Leh through Manali from this Saturday i.e 29th September please give some information on how the weather condition is and should we take the risk of going in these condition.
Please guide.

Thank you.

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Vargis.Khan September 27, 2018 - 12:25 pm

Pritham Bhai you can go but the weather has turned very cold right now so please make sure that you are packing accordingly.

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Rohit Kumar September 26, 2018 - 7:02 am

Hello Vargis Sir, I am planning to visit as per your 3 day iternary from 2nd octoOct to 5th October by flight. Is it advisable if shall I drop the idea. Please reply

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Rohit Kumar September 26, 2018 - 7:03 am

Planning to Visit Leh

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Vargis.Khan September 26, 2018 - 12:17 pm

Hi Rohit – If you are planning to rent a private cab there then yes, it is definitely doable.

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Rohit Kumar September 26, 2018 - 1:53 pm

Yes, I will rent a cab, no issues, but I am asking from the point of view of the current weather conditions.

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Vargis.Khan September 26, 2018 - 3:17 pm

It has already snowed at Khardung and Chang La but there is no snow in the lower areas yet. It is still however going to be very cold so pack accordingly.

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amit kumar gupta September 25, 2018 - 12:45 pm

We are planning to visit leh ladakh from 30 sept to 7 oct by flight , is it safe to visit or we should cancel our plan ??

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Vargis.Khan September 25, 2018 - 1:31 pm

Ok to go by flight but will be very cold so pack accordingly.

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sandeep September 25, 2018 - 4:18 am

bro , need any contact details in kunzum check post? Need to check on status of a friend, unable to contact him.

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Varsha Jain September 24, 2018 - 1:55 pm

Hello, we started for Spiti valley on the 21st from delhi. Soon after Shimla we encountered rain. Not heavy but a constant drizzle. Could not go to Sarahan as a bridge had been washed away a few days earlier. Reached Narkanda which was totally covered in clouds so no view. Went to Sangla the next day. The road between Karcham and Sangla was blocked soon thereafter. Once it was cleared we decided to abort our trip and are heading back. All along the way,, there were landslides which thankfully were cleared by JCBs quite fast. There was constant danger of stones falling on the car all through. We saw small and medium sized ones rolling off the hills at many places. A large branch even fell on our car. All this is Kinnaur valley. It seems landslides are an issue always in these parts but currently it is not safe at all to any part of Himachal.
V jain

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Vargis.Khan September 24, 2018 - 5:12 pm

Thank you so much for providing this information Mrs. Jain. Where are you currently?

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Bharathi K N September 25, 2018 - 4:52 am

OMG.. its very scary then..

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Bharathi K N September 24, 2018 - 10:39 am

wow,,, i have planned to go there in October 3rd week. hope to witness snow fall during this time. But i do not want to miss Rutang pass..

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Vargis.Khan September 24, 2018 - 10:50 am

If you were planning to go Manali to Leh by road then chances are you won’t be able to. It will probably be all closed by then.

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Bharathi K N September 24, 2018 - 11:25 am

No Vargis, i will be going to manali from narkanda [Chandigar – Shimla – Narkanda-manali-dharmashala-dalhousie] is what i have planned.

Oct 12th we will be in shimla,
Oct 13th – Narkanda
Oct 14th – 16th Manali
Oct 17- Kasol
Then Dharmashala and dalhousie..

Based on your experience, do you think there will be heavy rainfall and my plan will not work out?

please suggest

thanks
bharathi

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Vargis.Khan September 24, 2018 - 5:13 pm

Hi Bharathi – Your plan definitely looks doable. All these places remain accessible and open in October

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Bharathi K N September 25, 2018 - 4:53 am

you really made my day Vargis. i just cannot disappoint my kid as he is planning for the same since many months.

Harsh September 24, 2018 - 8:55 am

Please plan a trip for your followers also bhai 🙂 i will love to tag along and learn from your experience 🙂

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Vargis.Khan September 24, 2018 - 9:26 am

Bhai I had a plan this year to visit Spiti in Feb, winter trip but then had to cancel it because it didn’t snow at all. So I will plan again in coming Feb. You are most welcome to join.

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Harsh September 24, 2018 - 9:31 am

That will be a dream come true bhai 🙂 …… please share whenever you plan…. will definitely join 🙂

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Vargis.Khan September 24, 2018 - 9:53 am

I will definitely let you know Bhai

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Harsh September 24, 2018 - 8:46 am

Winters coming early :-)…….hope fully winter treks will be a treat. Thanks bhai for the updates.

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Vargis.Khan September 24, 2018 - 8:48 am

Fingers crossed Harsh Bhai !!! 🙂

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