Dal Lake

Dal Lake is Srinagar's beating heart - a 26 sq km expanse of water fringed by Mughal gardens, willow-lined boulevards, and the snow-capped Pir Panjal on the horizon. Its surface is a moving mosaic: the dawn shikara ride past floating vegetable gardens and the early-morning floating flower market is one of Asia's most photographed scenes. Houseboats - many Victorian-era wooden masterpieces - line the lake's edges, offering an experience found nowhere else on Earth. The lake is split into Gagribal, Lokut Dal and Bod Dal, each with its character. Sunset behind the Hari Parbat fort and the call of kingfishers complete one of travel's most romantic settings.