Kashmir’s famed Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, considered Asia’s largest tulip garden, is all set to open to visitors on Monday, signalling the start of the valley’s vibrant spring tourism season.
Over the years, the tulip bloom has transformed spring tourism in Kashmir by advancing the tourist calendar by nearly a month, with thousands of visitors arriving early to witness the colourful spectacle overlooking the iconic Dal Lake. The Tulip Garden has earned a place in the World Book of Records, London.
Officials from the Floriculture Department said preparations for the opening have been completed, and several new additions have been made this year to enhance the visitor experience.
Director Floriculture Kashmir, Mathoora Masoom, said the department has focused on making the garden more visually appealing with additional colours and varieties.
“We have tried to make the garden more beautiful this year. Visitors will see more than 70 varieties of tulips,” she said, adding that special selfie points and decorative installations have also been set up across the garden.
Situated at the foothills of the Zabarwan Range, the garden features nearly 1.5 million spring-blooming bulbs, including tulips, along with other flowers such as daffodil, hyacinth and muscari, creating a vibrant floral landscape.
Tulips usually remain in bloom for around 15 to 20 days, depending on weather conditions.
Tulip Garden recorded a footfall of around 8.25 lakh visitors in April 2025. However, the Pahalgam terrorist attack on April 26 that left 26 civilians dead, including 25 tourists, dealt a severe blow to the valley’s tourism sector, causing a sharp decline in tourist arrivals for several months.
With the tulip bloom approaching, tourism stakeholders in Srinagar are optimistic about a strong tourist season this year, hoping the colourful spring attraction will once again draw large numbers of visitors to the Valley
