Asia’s largest tulip garden in Srinagar to open for visitors on March 16
Features around 1.5 million spring-blooming bulbs with over 70 varieties of tulips
Asia’s largest tulip garden in Srinagar will open to visitors on March 16, marking the beginning of the spring tourism season in the Kashmir Valley. Officials said the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden will be formally opened by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Director Floriculture, Kashmir, Mathoora Masoom, said on Tuesday that preparations for the opening have been completed and the department has made efforts to further enhance the garden’s appeal. “We will have more than 70 varieties of tulips this year,” she said, adding that several other spring flowers have also been planted.
“We have tried to improve the experience by adding selfie points and decorative planters so that visitors get a pleasant atmosphere,” she said.
Located at the foothills of the Zabarwan Range and overlooking the famous Dal Lake, the garden is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kashmir during the spring season.
The garden features around 1.5 million spring-blooming bulbs with over 70 varieties of tulips, along with other flowers such as daffodil, hyacinth and muscari, creating a vibrant floral display. The tulips typically remain in bloom for about 15 to 20 days, depending on weather conditions.
Last year, the tourism sector in Kashmir suffered a setback following a militant attack on tourists in Pahalgam in April in which 26 people were killed.
The tulip garden attracts thousands of visitors every year. In 2024, it recorded more than four lakh visitors, including tourists and locals, while in 2023 the garden saw over 3.5 lakh visitors.
With the opening of the garden this month, stakeholders in the tourism industry are hopeful of a strong tourist season. “We are hoping Kashmir will witness a good tourism season this year,” said a hotelier in Srinagar.
