Short answer
October is the best month to visit Kashmir. Chinar trees turn from mid-month, saffron blooms at Pampore, and days sit at 14–23°C with the clearest mountain views of the year. April has the three-week tulip bloom but costs 30–40% more. January and February are the snow months.
Kashmir is really three different holidays. October gives autumn colour and dry, stable weather with about half the crowds of April. The tulip garden opens for roughly three weeks from late March or early April, and its exact dates are announced only ten days ahead, which makes booking flights around it a gamble at the year's highest fares.
For snow, January and February are the only reliable months. Gulmarg at 2,650 m holds skiable cover from mid-January to early March, while December snowfall before Christmas is unpredictable and frequently disappoints families who booked for it.
May and June are the value window. Sixteen to 30°C, green meadows, the Sonamarg and Zojila roads open, and 25 to 35% cheaper than the tulip fortnight for identical accommodation. The one caveat is that Gulmarg's snow by then is a patch near the upper gondola station rather than a landscape.
| Window | What you get | Package price |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Feb | Reliable Gulmarg snow, skiing, minus 8 to 7°C | $450–$550 |
| Late Mar–Apr | Tulip garden, almond blossom, Mughal gardens in bloom | $820–$1,000 |
| May–Jun | Green meadows, all roads open, best value | $590–$700 |
| Jul–Aug | Light monsoon, greenest hills, brief afternoon showers | $500–$610 |
| Sep–Oct | Chinar colour, saffron at Pampore, clearest views | $660–$770 |
| Nov | Bare valley, cold, cheapest month of the year | $430–$500 |