SONMARG “The Medow of Gold”
Sonamarg the Meadow of Gold and is located 84 km from Srinagar. Sonamarg can either be reached by road or by trekking from Pahalgam. By road, Sonamarg is the last stop with tea houses, accommodations, and restaurants before you cross the Zoji-La and enter Ladakh. Sonamarg is Kashmir’s most famous meadow, named for the time when, under the afternoon sunlight, the meadow turns to gold. The slopes and meadows are layered with mountain flowers, and the surrounding forests are thick with firs, sycamore, and birch, creating that sumptuous mountain aroma! Today the main bazaar of Sonamarg, like Pahalgam, has become crowded by opportunism. So please venture beyond the main road and let yourself dive into the magical mountain surroundings. If just visiting for the day there are a few activities you can explore. Pony rides and picnics are most popular with the locals. You can also try trout fishing for INR50 per fish. The best thing to do on a day trip is to walk to Thajiwas, 1/1.5 hours walk from the main bazaar, you can also take a taxi halfway and then a horse. Thajiwas is a small and lovely side valley and is located at the foot of the Sonamarg glacier. It is an amazing location, for at least five glaciers come cascading down the mountains to meet at this point! If you would like to stay the night and enjoy the mountain peaks and glaciers, there is a tourist hut and also an awesome camping ground. Another longer, walk, would be to Baltal, which is a base camp for the Amarnath Yatra. It is located 15km north of Sonamarg and is a small lovely valley at the base of Zoji La, you can make the walk but it is also possible to drive. You can camp here next to the bank of the river. If you are lucky, you will spot Gujjars and their herd being dwarfed by the snow-covered peaks, also by groves of fir and poplar trees. The Sonamarg meadow used to be a popular grazing ground for the Gujjar cattle herders, unfortunately, use and development have rendered it unsuitable for grazing their livestock anymore. Note that Sonamarg is another great starting point for exciting mountain treks. You can reach Sonamarg by SRTC Bus leaving at 8:30 am every morning during the tourist season. The ‘deluxe 19-seater is INR351 and the ‘high-tech’ 36-seater is INR271. There are no real budget hotels in Sonamarg during the summer season, everything is priced at INR 4000 and above. If you have a tent a good option is to camp at the Thajiwas glacier camping ground.
Sonamarg to Gangbal Lake
Duration: Min 5 and max 6 days
Grade: Moderate
Best Time: June to October
Highest Point: Kishan Sar Pass (4190m)
Major Highlights: Five major high-altitude lakes, shepherds and shepherd huts, snowcapped mountains, an ancient Hindu temple, and very colorful wildflowers. This 65km trek is considered one of the most beautiful treks in the Himalayas, offering the most spectacular views of mountains, high-altitude lakes, and colorful wildflowers.
Day 01 Sonamarg to Table Top (average walking time of 4 hours) After purchasing the ration from Sonamarg one can look for a horseman in the main bazaar. Usually, they charge INR1000/2000 per day depending upon the pilgrimage season (July/August). Day one includes walking from Sonamarg to Table Top camp side. The trail is very well-defined and takes around 4 hours. It is a beautiful campsite with a commanding view of Sonamarg.
Day 02 Tabletop to Vishen Sar (average walking time of 5 hours) The morning starts with walking through the forest and the trail remains along the Nichnai stream. Walk along the defined trail to the pass. Cross the pass and you descend into a green level meadow; from here walk along the trail which leaves from Nichnai pass and where it merges with a stream coming from the west. There is a beautiful campsite near the Chopan hut (Kashmiri shepherds). Vishen Sar Lake is 15 minutes walk from the campsite. The view of the lake in the morning is breathtakingly beautiful and if you have a permit for fishing then the lake has a good population of trout fish.
Day 03 Vishen Sar to Gad Sar (average walking time of 6 hours) In the morning the walk from the campsite starts towards the west which will take you to a ridge and after crossing the gentle ridge, you walk for a few minutes to reach Kishan Sar Lake. From the shore of the lake, the trail goes up to the pass. From the top of the pass, you get great views. Descend down into the Gad Sar valley and further down to Gad Sar Lake. It is a small beautiful lake with lovely fresh wildflowers around it. You can camp here.
Day 04 Gad Sar to Sath Sar and Gangbal (average walking time of 8 hours) Follow the trail which will take you to the shepherd’s hut from here turn left and reach a beautiful meadow followed by the Sat Sar pass (the Sat Sar pass has seven lakes, hence the name, sat seven, sar-lake). Once you cross the pass you reach a meadow and from here you ascend to Zaji Gali, from the top you have a commanding view of Harmoukh Peak and its lakes inviting to host you. Descend and you reach the wonderful and famous Gangbal lake. Camp and fish at the smaller Nudhkohl Lake.
Day 05 Gangbal Lake to Naranag (average walking time of 6 hours) The trail from the Nudhkohl lake goes down across the open meadow. The trail is very well-defined and after walking for an hour you reach the Gujjar huts. From this point, it takes 5 hours to reach Naranag. At Naranag you can spend one more night on the stream bank or if you prefer, you can camp up in the village. There is a beautiful temple at Naranag which is a must-visit. The temple is a Shiva Temple from the 8th Century.
Day 6: Drive from Naranag to Srinagar (2 hours) Take a shared taxi to Srinagar from Naranag. Relax and enjoy the really wonderful drive back down to civilization.
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