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The arrival of tulip season offers the ideal chance to experience the Kashmir Valley's vivid blossoms and breathtaking spring scenery. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah officially inaugurated the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in Srinagar on March 16 – the largest tulip garden in Asia, which spans a large 30-hectare area.
It also marks the beginning of the Kashmir Tulip Festival 2026, adding to the region’s summer tourism season.
Depending on the weather, the event usually begins in late March or early April and lasts for several weeks while the flowers are still in bloom. Thousands of visitors and photographers from all across India and the world visit the garden at this time.
According to ANI News, a record 18 lakh tulips of more than 70 types have been planted this year, making it the festival's most ambitious iteration to date. The greatest quantity of tulip bulbs ever planted in 2026 was about 1.8 million, spread over 70–75 types.
The garden opened nearly 10 days ahead of the original schedule due to one of Kashmir's warmest February months in decades, which spurred the tulips to blossom early.
Omar Abdullah expressed his enthusiasm on social media after visiting the garden on Sunday, before it opened to the public. “Got a sneak preview of Asia’s largest tulip garden in Srinagar earlier today. The garden is still 7-8 days away from its full bloom but it’s already bursting with colour. The garden looks amazing,” Abdullah wrote on X.
More about Asia’s largest tulip festival
Located at the foot of the Zabarwan Range, the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden features a commanding view of Dal Lake in Srinagar and is constructed on undulating terrain with seven terraces. The garden was established in 2007 with the intention of promoting tourism and floriculture in the Kashmir Valley.
It attracts more than 8.5 lakh people per season and was officially certified as Asia's largest tulip garden by the World Book of Records, London, in 2024. The tulip garden is one of Kashmir's popular springtime attractions, drawing thousands of visitors annually.
In addition to tulips, the garden features daffodils, hyacinths, roses, ranunculi, muscaria, and iris flowers, which combine to create an amazing tapestry of colours and fragrances.
Over four lakh tourists and residents visited the tulip festival in 2024, compared to over 3.5 lakh in 2023. However, a horrific terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam in April last year, which killed 26 people, dealt a severe blow to the region's tourism industry.
The Tulip Festival is much more than an exhibition for flowers. Live Kashmiri folk dances like Rouf, traditional music, and artisan stalls selling saffron and pashmina provide visitors with a real flavour of Jammu and Kashmir's colourful history. The experience also includes food vendors offering traditional snacks, Kahwa (Kashmiri tea), and authentic Wazwan meals.
Tickets, timings, and how to get there
The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, formerly known as the Model Floriculture Centre in Srinagar, is open every day from 9 am to 7 pm during the festival, which takes place from March 16 to mid-April 2026.
Early April is predicted to be the peak bloom season. The best times to visit are in the early morning (before 9 am) or late afternoon, when there are fewer people and the light is perfect for taking pictures and soaking in the scenery.
Entry costs are accessible and reasonably priced: Adult Indians: ₹75; children under 12: ₹30; foreigners: ₹200.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has also made it easy for tourists and locals to organise their trip by introducing online ticket booking services for the festival.
The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden is located close to Chashme Shahi, around 12 to 18 kilometres from Srinagar airport and the city centre. The most feasible ways to get there are local buses and private taxis.
It also marks the beginning of the Kashmir Tulip Festival 2026, adding to the region’s summer tourism season.
Depending on the weather, the event usually begins in late March or early April and lasts for several weeks while the flowers are still in bloom. Thousands of visitors and photographers from all across India and the world visit the garden at this time.
According to ANI News, a record 18 lakh tulips of more than 70 types have been planted this year, making it the festival's most ambitious iteration to date. The greatest quantity of tulip bulbs ever planted in 2026 was about 1.8 million, spread over 70–75 types.
The garden opened nearly 10 days ahead of the original schedule due to one of Kashmir's warmest February months in decades, which spurred the tulips to blossom early.
Omar Abdullah expressed his enthusiasm on social media after visiting the garden on Sunday, before it opened to the public. “Got a sneak preview of Asia’s largest tulip garden in Srinagar earlier today. The garden is still 7-8 days away from its full bloom but it’s already bursting with colour. The garden looks amazing,” Abdullah wrote on X.
Got a sneak preview of Asia’s largest tulip garden in Srinagar earlier today. The garden is still 7-8 days away from its full bloom but it’s already bursting
with colour. The garden looks amazing. The team of gardeners have done an amazing job under the supervision of the… pic.twitter.com/Gqk6jInEfh
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) March 15, 2026
More about Asia’s largest tulip festival
Located at the foot of the Zabarwan Range, the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden features a commanding view of Dal Lake in Srinagar and is constructed on undulating terrain with seven terraces. The garden was established in 2007 with the intention of promoting tourism and floriculture in the Kashmir Valley.
It attracts more than 8.5 lakh people per season and was officially certified as Asia's largest tulip garden by the World Book of Records, London, in 2024. The tulip garden is one of Kashmir's popular springtime attractions, drawing thousands of visitors annually.
In addition to tulips, the garden features daffodils, hyacinths, roses, ranunculi, muscaria, and iris flowers, which combine to create an amazing tapestry of colours and fragrances.
Over four lakh tourists and residents visited the tulip festival in 2024, compared to over 3.5 lakh in 2023. However, a horrific terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam in April last year, which killed 26 people, dealt a severe blow to the region's tourism industry.
The Tulip Festival is much more than an exhibition for flowers. Live Kashmiri folk dances like Rouf, traditional music, and artisan stalls selling saffron and pashmina provide visitors with a real flavour of Jammu and Kashmir's colourful history. The experience also includes food vendors offering traditional snacks, Kahwa (Kashmiri tea), and authentic Wazwan meals.
Tickets, timings, and how to get there
The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, formerly known as the Model Floriculture Centre in Srinagar, is open every day from 9 am to 7 pm during the festival, which takes place from March 16 to mid-April 2026.
Early April is predicted to be the peak bloom season. The best times to visit are in the early morning (before 9 am) or late afternoon, when there are fewer people and the light is perfect for taking pictures and soaking in the scenery.
Entry costs are accessible and reasonably priced: Adult Indians: ₹75; children under 12: ₹30; foreigners: ₹200.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has also made it easy for tourists and locals to organise their trip by introducing online ticket booking services for the festival.
The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden is located close to Chashme Shahi, around 12 to 18 kilometres from Srinagar airport and the city centre. The most feasible ways to get there are local buses and private taxis.
