Two things are worth building an autumn trip around: the chinar trees turning crimson and gold, and the harvest across the valley's orchard towns. Here is what autumn is really like and how to plan it.
Coming for chinar and apple season?
Share your dates. We plan an autumn route through the orchards and chinar gardens, priced.
Quick Answer: Autumn (September-November) is one of the best times to visit Kashmir: clear skies, the apple harvest across Sopore and Shopian, the saffron crocus flowering around Pampore from late October, and the chinar trees at their deepest crimson-gold in November. The Mughal Gardens are free to walk through, and a sunrise shikara ride catches the best light.
September and October are, alongside April, our own team's top recommendation for balancing weather, access, and crowds - and autumn adds two things summer and spring don't have: chinar trees turning a deep crimson-gold, and the harvest across the valley's orchard towns.
What autumn brings
- ✓The Chinar Trail: Shalimar Bagh, Nishat Bagh, and Harwan at their most photogenic - best light is 6-9am and 4-6pm, and entry to see the chinars is free.
- ✓The apple harvest across the orchard towns of Sopore and Shopian.
- ✓The saffron crocus in bloom around Pampore, from late October into November.
- ✓A last Sonamarg visit before the higher road beyond the town closes for winter.
Planning an autumn trip
- ✓September and October bring clear skies and the apple harvest; the chinars turn their deepest crimson in November.
- ✓Mornings and evenings turn cold from October - pack a warm layer even if days are mild.
- ✓Combine the Chinar Trail with a Dal Lake shikara ride at sunrise for the best light of the day.
- ✓Plan any Sonamarg day early in the season, before the higher road beyond the town closes for winter.
Related reading: Winter in Kashmir: Gulmarg Skiing and What the Season Is Really Like
Book for this trip
How to book
See current Kashmir packages, or tell us your dates and we'll build the trip around them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to do in Kashmir in autumn?
The Chinar Trail (Shalimar Bagh, Nishat Bagh, Harwan) at peak crimson-gold colour, the apple harvest across Sopore and Shopian, the saffron bloom around Pampore, and a last Sonamarg visit before winter.
What is the best month for autumn colours in Kashmir?
The colour builds through October and is usually deepest in November. Best light for the chinar trees is 6-9am and 4-6pm.
When does saffron flower in Kashmir?
The saffron crocus around Pampore flowers for a few weeks from late October into November.
Planning more than this? Get a full itemised Kashmir quote