Kashmir's largest freshwater spring, fanning out through a terraced botanical garden and rose garden in the foothills south of Anantnag.
2,000 m1–2 hoursBest: Apr–Oct
GardenOffbeat
Kashmir Valley · Anantnag
Verinag
Where the Jhelum begins
- Heritage
- Garden
- Altitude
- 1,876 m
- Ideal stay
- 1–2 hours
- From Srinagar
- 78 km
- From Jammu
- 188 km
- Best months
- Apr–Oct
Overview
About Verinag
Verinag is a deep blue spring at the foot of the Pir Panjal, traditionally regarded as the source of the Jhelum. Jahangir enclosed it in an octagonal stone tank in 1620 and Shah Jahan added the arcade and garden afterwards; the structure is still intact and remarkably graceful.
The spring itself is extraordinarily clear and reportedly never freezes or dries. A formal garden of chinars and water channels surrounds it, and the whole site is compact enough to see in an hour — which makes it an ideal stop on the drive between Jammu and Srinagar, or on a south Kashmir loop with Kokernag and Achabal.
Also known as: Source of the Jhelum
Why people come here
The octagonal tank
Jahangir's 1620 stone enclosure around the spring, with Shah Jahan's later arcade.
Source of the Jhelum
Traditionally the headwater of the river that defines the entire Kashmir valley.
Persian inscriptions
Original Mughal inscriptions survive on the stonework around the tank.
Chinar garden
A formal Mughal garden of water channels and mature chinars surrounding the spring.
Things to do in Verinag
Walk the full arcade
The octagonal colonnade around the tank is the best-preserved part of the monument.
Photograph the water
The spring's blue is exceptional — best in flat midday light, oddly enough.
Combine with Kokernag and Achabal
The three springs make a straightforward and rewarding south Kashmir half-day.
Stop en route from Jammu
Verinag is close to NH-44 and breaks the long drive to Srinagar nicely.
Photographs
Verinag across the seasons
Open-licence photography so you can see what the place actually looks like at different times of year — not a retouched brochure.
Spring and summer
The chinar canopy makes this one of the more comfortable places in south Kashmir at midday.
Autumn and winter
The spring famously does not freeze; the garden is bare but the water is at its bluest.
Season by season
What Verinag is like through the year
Including the months when it is genuinely closed — because knowing that in advance saves a wasted trip.
Spring · Mar–May
OpenGardens in flower
April and May bring the beds into bloom around the tank.
6°C to 21°C
- Garden walk
- Photography
Summer · Jun–Aug
OpenCool water, deep shade
The chinar canopy makes this one of the more comfortable places in south Kashmir at midday.
15°C to 29°C
- Spring visit
- Garden walk
- Picnics
Autumn · Sep–Nov
OpenChinars turning over the tank
October is the most photogenic month, with red chinar reflected in the blue spring.
4°C to 20°C
- Photography
- Garden walk
Winter · Dec–Feb
OpenClear and cold
The spring famously does not freeze; the garden is bare but the water is at its bluest.
-2°C to 9°C
- Photography
- Short visit
Getting there
How to reach Verinag
By air
Srinagar Airport (SXR) is 85 km away, around two hours.
By rail
Qazigund station is 26 km; Jammu Tawi (188 km) for long-distance trains.
By road
78 km south of Srinagar on NH-44, about 2 hours, just off the highway near Qazigund.
Nearby
Combine Verinag with
Places close enough to fold into the same itinerary without adding long drives.
A 17th-century Mughal garden laid out by Nur Jahan around a powerful spring, with cascades, chinar avenues and terraced beds.
1,677 m1 hourBest: Apr–Oct
GardenHeritage
A quiet conifer valley at 2,438 metres on the Bringhi river, used as a trout fishing base and the approach road to Sinthan Top.
2,438 mHalf dayBest: May–Oct
ValleyOffbeatTrekking
Kashmir's most relaxed hill town, where the Lidder river runs through pine forest at 2,130 metres, with Aru, Betaab and Chandanwari branching off above it.
2,130 m2 daysBest: Mar–Nov
Hill stationValleyTrekking
Is Verinag the source of the Jhelum?
It is traditionally regarded as such, and the Mughals built the tank to mark it. Hydrologically the river has several contributing springs, but Verinag is the historic and ceremonial source.
How long does Verinag take to visit?
About an hour. It is a compact site best combined with Kokernag and Achabal.
Does the Verinag spring freeze in winter?
No. It is famously consistent in temperature and flow throughout the year.
Start planning
Planning a trip to Verinag?
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will put Verinag into a full itinerary with the right stops around it, and tell you honestly whether your chosen month works.
A reply within hours
A planner in Srinagar reads your enquiry and responds personally, usually the same working day.
An itinerary, not a brochure
You get a day-by-day plan written for your dates, group and pace — then we refine it together.
One clear quote
Every inclusion listed in writing before you pay anything. No surprise charges on the ground.
Prefer to talk? +91 88991 23434 · Every day, 09:00-21:00