A shikara is the flat-bottomed wooden boat — propelled by a heart-shaped paddle — that has been Dal Lake's essential transport for centuries. Hiring one for an hour or two is the single best introduction to Srinagar and one of the more distinctive travel experiences in India. The boats glide silently through channels between floating gardens, under willow branches, and out across the open lake with the Zabarwan Hills reflecting in the water on one side and the city on the other.
The Local Shikara Owners Association fixes the hourly rate for tourist shikaras, which is displayed at the main ghats on Boulevard Road. The boats are identical, the rates are fixed, so the choice of boat comes down to the boatman's English and his knowledge of the lake. Most experienced boatmen know the floating vegetable gardens, the lotus beds, the bird-watching channels, and the main landmarks. A two-hour tour in the morning covers the essentials; a four-hour tour that extends to Hazratbal and back is one of the better half-days in Srinagar. For the floating vegetable market, the boat needs to leave by 6am to arrive as the market is active.