Asia’s largest Tulip Garden to open in Srinagar on March 16: Ticket price, timings, what to expect

Spring has arrived in Kashmir, bringing with it the colourful bloom of the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in Srinagar, widely recognised as Asia’s largest tulip garden. The garden will open to visitors on 16 March, marking the start of the Valley’s spring tourism season.

Located on the foothills of the Zabarwan Range, overlooking the iconic Dal Lake, the garden attracts thousands of visitors every year with its colourful floral display and scenic views.

Director of Floriculture Kashmir Mathoora Masoom confirmed that the garden is ready for the season and will feature a record number of blooms this year.

Director of Floriculture Kashmir Mathoora Masoom said the garden is ready for visitors and will feature a record number of blooms this year.

“The Tulip Garden will be opened to the public from March 16. The Chief Minister will inaugurate it,” Masoom said.

She added that authorities have made several improvements ahead of the new season.

“This time we have planted around 18 lakh tulips across more than 70 varieties. We have also introduced the facility of purchasing tickets online,” she said.

Masoom said efforts have also been made to enhance visitor experience and maintain cleanliness in the garden.

“We are trying to provide all kinds of facilities for visitors. People will be encouraged to come, enjoy the garden and help maintain a clean environment,” she added.

What makes the garden special

Officials say around 1.8 million tulips across more than 70 varieties have been planted this season. The garden, which was inaugurated in 2007 by then Jammu and Kashmir State Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, was originally developed with nearly 1.75 million tulip bulbs imported from the famous Keukenhof gardens in Amsterdam.

Apart from tulips, visitors will also see several other flower species in bloom, including daffodils, hyacinths, roses, ranunculi, muscari and iris, creating a vibrant mix of colours and fragrances.

The garden also hosts cultural programmes, Kashmiri music performances, handicraft stalls and local food, making it one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Valley during spring.

Best Time To Visit

The tulip garden typically remains open for about a month, depending on weather conditions and the bloom cycle. The first and second weeks of April are usually considered the best time to visit when most flowers are in full bloom.

Ticket Price And Timings

For the 2026 season, ticket prices are:

• Adults: ₹100
• Children below 12 years: ₹50
• Foreign tourists: ₹200

Visitors can purchase tickets at the garden entrance or online through the Jammu and Kashmir Floriculture Department website, a facility introduced this year to make travel planning easier.

The garden will remain open daily from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM during the festival period.

How To Reach

• From Srinagar Airport: About 15–17 km (30–40 minutes by taxi)
• From Lal Chowk: Around 8 km from the city centre

Efforts to restore Manasbal Lake

Meanwhile, authorities are also working on restoring Manasbal Lake in Jammu and Kashmir. The Wular-Manasbal Development Authority (WMDA) recently launched a dredging and cleanliness drive aimed at improving the lake’s ecological health, news agency ANI reported.

Chief Executive Officer Ahsan-ul-Haq Chisti said the dredging began around four to five months ago to remove accumulated silt, clear blocked water channels and increase the lake’s carrying capacity.

According to him, around 1.3 square kilometres of the lake area has been dredged so far, while nearly 7,000 cubic metres of weeds have been manually removed.

Residents say the effort is already showing results, with migratory birds returning to the lake after several decades.

"For many years, the lake was getting filled with weeds and silt, which affected fishing and the overall water flow. After the dredging work started, we can see a visible improvement, and we hope the lake will return to its earlier condition," resident Abdul Ahmad said.

Another resident, Sajad Ahmad, added, "We have started seeing more birds visiting the lake again. This is a positive sign that the ecosystem is recovering. We appreciate the efforts taken by the authorities to clean and conserve the lake."

Residents believe the restoration effort will not only improve the lake’s ecosystem but also support local livelihoods dependent on it.