Srinagar to Pahalgam Drive: The Stops, the Views, and the Lidder Valley Descent

Most people treat this drive as transit. A cab books from Srinagar, the bags go in the boot, and the next thing that gets any attention is the hotel check-in at Pahalgam. That is understandable -- Pahalgam is the destination. But the 96km between Srinagar and Pahalgam is one of the more interesting road stretches in the valley: it passes through the saffron country of Pampore, through the ruins of two 9th-century Hindu temples at Awantipora, down into the old market town of Bijbehara on the Jhelum, and then up into the Lidder valley, which is the terrain shift that signals you have left the flat valley floor and entered the mountains.

At a Glance: Srinagar to Pahalgam

The Route: What You Pass Through

The drive leaves Srinagar on the Jammu national highway heading south-southeast. The airport road merges into the main highway within 10 minutes of the city. From there, the route passes through the Kashmir valley floor -- flat, agricultural, the Jhelum river to the right -- through Pampore at roughly 30km, Awantipora at 40km, Bijbehara at 60km, and then the junction at Khanabal (70km) where you leave the national highway and turn onto the Pahalgam road. From Khanabal, the last 26km follows the Lidder river up into the valley through Martand, Mattan, and into Pahalgam town at 2,130m.

Stop 1: Pampore and the Saffron Fields (30km from Srinagar)

Pampore is the saffron town of Kashmir -- the only commercially significant saffron-growing area in the country, with approximately 3,800 hectares of crocus cultivation in the Karewa plateau above the highway. The famous bloom happens in October, when the purple flowers turn the plateau for roughly ten days. In June and July, the fields are bare -- the corms are dormant underground through summer.

What Pampore offers in June is not the flower but the field itself and the context. The Karewa -- the ancient lacustrine plateau left by the receding of the Kashmir lake -- rises visibly above the highway, and the terrace-cultivation of the saffron crocus is clear in the field pattern. The cooperative saffron processing units are active through the year. A 15-minute stop at one of the cooperative-run shops along the highway for certified saffron -- GI-tagged, sold by the gram, priced at Rs 250 to 400 per gram for the Mongra or Lachha grade -- is worth the time. J&K's saffron belt produced 12.5 metric tonnes in 2024 according to the Spices Board of India; the Pampore plateau alone accounts for over 85% of that.

Stop 2: Awantipora Ruins (40km from Srinagar)

The Awantisvamin and Avantisvara temple complexes at Awantipora are 9th-century Hindu temples built during the reign of King Avantivarman of the Utpala dynasty. The main Awantisvamin temple was built around 855-883 CE -- older than most European cathedrals by several centuries. What remains is the stone plinth, the courtyard perimeter walls, and partial columns of a temple complex that was one of the major religious constructions of the Kashmir valley in its time.

The site is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India and is open to visitors (entry Rs 25, open 9am to 5pm). It takes 20 to 25 minutes to walk the complex properly. The quality here is the scale of the stone construction -- the courtyard is large, the dressed stone blocks precisely fitted without mortar, and the proportions of the plinth give a clear sense of the original building's height. From the national highway, the Awantipora ruins are visible with a short turn -- your driver will know the access road.

Stop 3: Bijbehara and the Old Jhelum Bridge (60km from Srinagar)

Bijbehara is a market town on the Jhelum -- one of the older settlements in the valley, with a traditional market quarter that predates the modern highway. The old wooden bridges over the Jhelum here are among the few remaining examples of traditional Kashmiri river bridge construction: stone piers with wooden deck spans, the kind of structure that appears in 19th-century photographs of the valley before the British-era road bridges replaced them.

The stop here is brief -- 15 minutes to walk the riverbank and see the old quarter from the bridge. Bijbehara's market sells dry fruits, local bread, and the kind of everyday Kashmiri commerce that the tourist zones of Srinagar and Pahalgam do not. Nothing specific to buy, but the town itself is worth the stop.

The Khanabal Junction and the Lidder Valley Ascent

At Khanabal (70km), the national highway continues toward Anantnag and Jammu. The Pahalgam road turns left, and within 3km the terrain changes entirely. The flat valley floor is behind you; the Lidder river appears on the left, running green and fast from the snowmelt above, and the ridgelines on both sides begin to close in. The road follows the river for the next 26km.

The pine forest starts around Mattan (84km), where the Martand Sun Temple ruins sit on the plateau above -- a brief detour for the architecture, though the climb from the road is steep. By the time the road reaches the Pahalgam valley floor and the town begins, you are at 2,130m and the air has changed. The Lidder at this point in June is high with snowmelt -- fast, loud, a different colour than the Jhelum below. The road runs close to the water on a ledge above the bank for several stretches.

Is a Shared Cab Better Than a Private One for This Drive?

Share taxis run between Srinagar's Batmaloo or Lalchowk bus stand and Pahalgam for Rs 300 to 500 per seat and leave when full -- in peak summer, departures every 30 to 45 minutes from 7am. They do not stop at Pampore, Awantipora, or Bijbehara. A private cab from Srinagar to Pahalgam with the three stops costs Rs 2,000 to 3,500 depending on vehicle type. Via Kashmir's cab bookings at viakashmir.in/cabs use local drivers who know the Awantipora access road and the Bijbehara old bridge stop -- those details do not need to be negotiated separately.

Step-by-Step Srinagar to Pahalgam Drive Schedule With Stops

• ✓7:00am -- Depart Srinagar. Airport road to national highway.
• ✓7:45am -- Pampore (30km). Saffron cooperative shop on the highway. 15 minutes.
• ✓8:15am -- Awantipora ruins (40km). Walk the ASI complex. 25 minutes.
• ✓9:00am -- Bijbehara (60km). Old Jhelum bridge and market quarter. 15 minutes.
• ✓9:30am -- Khanabal junction (70km). Leave national highway onto Pahalgam road.
• ✓10:00am -- Mattan area (84km). Optional Martand Sun Temple plateau detour -- 30 minutes, steep access road.
• ✓10:30 to 11:00am -- Arrive Pahalgam. Morning light on the eastern ridge. Meadow crowds not yet at full density.

Frequently Asked Questions: Srinagar to Pahalgam Drive

How long does the Srinagar to Pahalgam drive take?

The 96km drive takes 2.5 to 3 hours direct on the national highway via Khanabal, with no stops. If you stop at Pampore saffron fields, the Awantipora ruins, and Bijbehara market, allow 4 to 4.5 hours. The road is a sealed national highway until Khanabal, where it becomes a mountain road following the Lidder river for the remaining 26km to Pahalgam. Via Kashmir books cabs for this route at viakashmir.in/cabs; local drivers know the Awantipora and Bijbehara stops without instruction.

Is the Srinagar to Pahalgam road safe in June and July?

Yes. The NH 44 section is a properly maintained national highway. The Khanabal to Pahalgam section (26km) is a mountain road in good condition for summer 2026 -- sealed, with guardrails in the steeper stretches above the Lidder river. Heavy rain can temporarily affect the upper Lidder section; a local driver will have current road status. Self-drive is technically possible but the mountain section above Pahalgam involves narrow passages and the Lidder river gorge; a local driver is the simpler option.

What is there to see on the way from Srinagar to Pahalgam?

Three stops are worth building into the drive: the Pampore saffron fields (30km from Srinagar), where GI-certified saffron is sold at cooperative shops along the highway; the Awantipora ruins (40km), 9th-century temple complexes maintained by ASI, open 9am to 5pm, Rs 25 entry; and Bijbehara (60km), an old Jhelum market town with a traditional wooden bridge over the river. Beyond Khanabal, the Martand Sun Temple plateau (84km) is an optional detour with a steep access road.

How much does a cab from Srinagar to Pahalgam cost in 2026?

A private cab from Srinagar to Pahalgam costs Rs 2,000 to 3,500 for the full vehicle, depending on vehicle type (hatchback, sedan, SUV). Share taxis from Srinagar's Batmaloo or Lalchowk stand cost Rs 300 to 500 per seat but leave on a fixed schedule and make no stops. For the drive with stops described above, a private cab through Via Kashmir at viakashmir.in/cabs is the recommended option.

Can you do Pahalgam as a day trip from Srinagar?

Yes -- the 96km drive takes 2.5 to 3 hours each way, which makes a day trip workable. Leaving Srinagar by 7am gets you to Pahalgam by 10:30am with two or three stops along the way, giving you a full afternoon in the valley before the return drive. The Betaab Valley and Aru Valley are within 10 to 15km of Pahalgam town and accessible by local taxi from the Pahalgam taxi stand. Return to Srinagar by 5pm to be back before dark on the mountain road.

Kashmir Pulse is Via Kashmir's editorial channel -- written by locals, not agencies.

Kashmir Pulse Editorial

Travel Writer

Writing about Kashmir from the inside — hotels, culture, seasonal travel, and the stories that don't make it into guidebooks.