The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in Srinagar opens for only about a month each spring, so the dates matter more than anything else when you plan. In 2026 it opened on 16 March and ran until mid April, with about 18 lakh tulips of more than 70 varieties planted that year, according to Akashvani News. Tickets for Indian adults were reported at ₹100, and you can now buy them online through the Floriculture Department’s booking site. The 2027 dates have not been announced yet.
Know before you go
- Where: foothills of the Zabarwan range, overlooking Dal Lake, Srinagar.
- Season: about a month in spring. 2026 ran from 16 March to 16 April.
- 2027 dates: not announced as of November 2026. Watch the Floriculture Department.
- Tickets (2026, as reported): ₹100 adults, ₹50 children under 12, ₹400 foreign visitors.
- Timings (2026, as reported): 9 am to 7 pm daily during the show.
- Booking: online through the Floriculture Department portal, or at the gate.
- Last checked: 3 November 2026.
In this Article
When the tulip garden opens
The garden is run by the Department of Floriculture, Gardens and Parks of Jammu and Kashmir. It opens for the Tulip Show when the first beds come into flower, and it closes once the bloom fades. That makes the opening date a little different every year.
| Season | Opened | Closed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 16 March 2026 | 16 April 2026 | Akashvani News (opening), local press (closing) |
| 2027 | Not announced | Not announced | Check floriculture.jk.gov.in |
For 2027, expect the announcement in early March. In 2026 the opening was announced only shortly before 16 March, because the date depends on how the bulbs are doing. If you are booking flights early, pick dates in the last week of March or the first week of April. Those weeks have fallen inside the season in recent years, and the early and late varieties overlap then.
Tulip garden in September or October
Searches for the garden in September and October are common, but there are no tulips at that time of year. The bulbs flower only in spring, and the garden is not part of the autumn sightseeing circuit. If you are in Srinagar in autumn, the Mughal gardens on the same side of Dal Lake are open, and late October and November bring the chinar trees into their red and gold colour. Our best time to visit Kashmir guide covers what each season is good for.
What you will see
Akashvani News reported that around 18 lakh tulips of over 70 varieties were planted for the 2026 show. Close to one lakh other bulb flowers were added too, among them daffodils, hyacinths and narcissus. The garden sits on terraced ground below the Zabarwan hills, and the beds run in long bands of single colours down the slope. From the lower terraces you look out towards Dal Lake.
It is a popular place. The same report put the 2025 footfall at 855,125 visitors, a record for the garden. Weekends and the middle of the season get very crowded, especially between late morning and late afternoon.
Tickets and timings
The Floriculture Department revised entry fees for its gardens in 2026, but the fee order on its website is a scanned document. The prices below are as reported in the press for the 2026 Tulip Show. Check the booking site before you go, since fees can change for 2027.
| Visitor | Entry fee (2026, as reported) |
|---|---|
| Indian adult | ₹100 |
| Child under 12 | ₹50 |
| Foreign visitor | ₹400 |
| Detail | 2026 Tulip Show |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | 9 am to 7 pm, as reported |
| Days open | Daily during the show |
| Season length | About one month |
Plan to spend one to two hours inside. Morning light is softer for photos, and the paths are quieter in the first hour after opening.
How to book tickets online
In March 2026 the Chief Minister launched online ticketing for gardens across Jammu and Kashmir. Akashvani News described it as a joint project between the Floriculture Department and J&K Bank, built so that visitors would not have to queue at ticket counters. Here is how to use it.
- Open the Floriculture Department website, floriculture.jk.gov.in, and follow the online ticket link. It leads to the booking page at eticket.webfront.in/jkfc.
- Choose the Tulip Garden and your date of visit.
- Enter the number of adults, children and foreign visitors.
- Pay online. Press reports said UPI, cards and net banking were accepted.
- Keep the e-ticket on your phone or print it, and show it at the gate.
You can still buy a ticket at the counter, but the queue at the gate can be long on weekends. Booking online also gives you a record if you need to show it later.
Tips for a good visit
Timing your trip for full bloom
Early varieties flower first, so the first week of the season can look patchy. The middle of the season is usually the fullest. Near the end, warm days make petals drop quickly. Srinagar’s average April high is around 20°C on the IMD record, and rising heat is what ends the show.
Weather and what to wear
Spring in Srinagar can be cool, with average March lows near 4°C on the IMD record and frequent rain. Carry a warm layer and a light rain jacket. The paths are paved, but grass edges get muddy after rain, so wear shoes with grip.
Rules inside the garden
Stay on the paths and do not step into the beds or pick flowers, however good the photo angle looks. Check the rules posted at the gate on the day, since they can change from season to season.
Making a day of it
The tulip garden is on the east side of the city, close to the Mughal gardens along the Dal Lake shore. Many visitors pair it with a shikara ride on the lake in the afternoon and one or two of the Mughal gardens. Our Srinagar guide has more on the lake and the old city, and our Kashmir itinerary for 5 days shows how a spring visit fits around Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg.
How to reach the tulip garden
The garden is in Srinagar, below the Zabarwan range and above the Boulevard Road side of Dal Lake. Srinagar airport and the city’s main hotel areas are a drive away, and taxis and autos know the garden by name. During the show, traffic near the gate can back up, so leave extra time at weekends. If you are staying in a houseboat, you can take a shikara to the Boulevard and continue by road.
Spring is also a good time to see snow higher up. Gulmarg often still has snow in March, and our Gulmarg gondola ticket guide explains how to book a ride.
FAQ
When will the tulip garden in Srinagar open in 2027?
The 2027 date has not been announced. In 2026 the garden opened on 16 March. The Floriculture Department usually confirms the date in early March, depending on how the flowers develop.
What are the tulip garden Srinagar timings?
During the 2026 show, the garden was reported to be open from 9 am to 7 pm daily. Check the timings again for 2027.
How much is the tulip garden ticket?
For 2026, press reports gave ₹100 for Indian adults, ₹50 for children under 12 and ₹400 for foreign visitors. The fee order on the department’s website could not be read, so treat these as a guide.
Can I visit the tulip garden in September or October?
You can visit Srinagar, but there are no tulips in autumn. The tulip garden is a spring attraction that opens for roughly one month from about mid March.
Is online booking compulsory?
No official rule says so. Online booking was introduced in 2026 to cut queues, and tickets were also sold at the gate.
Official resources: Department of Floriculture, Gardens and Parks, J&K; Online garden tickets; Akashvani News: Tulip Garden opens 2026
Photo credits
Featured image: JyotiPN / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Tulip garden in September or October: Harvinder Chandigarh / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0; What you will see: Harvinder Chandigarh / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0; Tickets and timings: Abdars / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0; How to book tickets online: Abdars / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0; Rules inside the garden: Billjones94 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Making a day of it: Jasbeer Singh / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; How to reach the tulip garden: Abid Sidiq Ahanger / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0; Is online booking compulsory?: KennyOMG / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
