Kashmir Great Lakes trek

The KGL journey begins at Sonamarg, which translates to Meadow of Gold. If you have chosen to use Himalayan Outdoor Tour for transportation, please make sure you get inside the car by 12 PM at the latest from Dal Gate No. 1 in Srinagar. If you are going alone, attempt to get to Sonamarg between 3 and 4 PM.
We advise you to arrive early to explore the area, even though you must report to the base camp by 3 P.M.

This area is home to several of the most well-known peaks and glaciers in the Kashmir National Park. From here, views of the Machoi Glacier and the peaks of Sirbal, Kolahoi, Amarnath, and Machoi may be seen.

Even though the travel from Srinagar to Sonamarg is brief, it is a nice one. The traffic is almost nonexistent after you leave the city, and the cityscapes are replaced with picturesque rural views. A little over 30 kilometers into the trip, the horizon is covered in snow-capped mountains, and the areas on either side of the road as far as the eye can see are covered in vast, grassy meadows. A day excursion from Srinagar to Sonamarg is well worth the scenery along the way!

For the day, the stay will be set up in camps. After evening tea, we will have a team introduction before an early dinner.

Today we leave Shitkadi at 9 am to start our adventure. There is a good balance of elevation and descent on the trail. There are lots of water sources throughout the route to replenish water bottles, and the incline is modest. We start by following a vehicle track that branches off of Sonamarg's main street. This trail descends down to the Sind River, which is the starting point for the Kashmir Great Lakes Trek.

From the trailhead, the trekking trail immediately climbs. The trail unexpectedly enters a section of rolling, verdant meadows with views of Sonamarg town after ten minutes of hiking. With here, civilization as we know it comes to an end and the breathtaking Kashmir Great Lakes Trek begins!

This is a great place to pause and enjoy the scenery. It is breathtaking to see the Sindh River's waters shimmer in the early morning light as she passes past this little town that is perfectly surrounded by stunning mountains on all sides.

The higher you climb on the route, the more expansive and vibrant this view becomes. The ascent to the meadow's summit takes thirty minutes. The terrain is dotted with silver birch, maple, and pine trees. From this point on, you will ascend gradually through colorful meadows bisected by crystal-clear brooks and streams, all the way to Nichnai, where you will set up tent for the day.

We are going to break camp early in the morning, beginning at 8 a.m. Despite the mild grade, expect to walk for extended periods of time. Throughout the day, the scenery varies beautifully, from a gentle stroll along the banks of a river to a modest climb up the Nichnai Pass, which is followed by a steep drop from the pass's summit.

We start out by strolling beside the river that passes through the campsite in Nichnai. Look for practical places to cross the river along the route. On the other side of the river, some distance away, is the Nichnai Pass.

After crossing over, keep walking along the riverbank toward the Pass (which is visible from the campsite itself). For the next hour, the trail progressively climbs to the top of the ridgeline, which is visible from the valley below. Still, this ridgeline is not the Pass. There are a few bends on the ridge before the main pass starts.

At 4,150 meters, the Nichnai Pass is a visually stunning route with snow-covered mountains on its left side. It appears as though it is traveling through a tunnel since the ground rises there even though there are no peaks to the right of it.

After cresting the pass, you will descend quickly and steeply to the meadows below over stony terrain. The grass here is dotted with vibrant tiny flowers, as you can see. From the Pass, a new river now enters this area. For as far as the eye can see, numerous, thin pathways stretch into the distance.

Choose one of these paths and carry on moving forward. On your left, snow-capped mountains rise against the skyline; on your right, arid, craggy mountain sides spread outward. This is one of the most charming meadow walks on the Kashmir Great Lakes Trek because of the stark contrast in the landscape, which is further enhanced by the dewy grass and flowers beneath your feet.

Two hours further across another river crossing lies our campground for the day, close to an alpine lake whose strikingly blue waters will hook you from the moment you lay eyes on it. This is the well-known Vishansar Lake, and Kishansar Lake, its twin, is not far behind.

The hike today consists of a strenuous two-hour climb, a similarly strenuous two-hour descent, and a leisurely stroll through the meadows. You can fill up your water bottles frequently along the route.

We start our journey by ascending a razor-thin ridge that runs alongside the mountainside close to Kishansar Lake. The ascent over this ridge takes around 1.5 hours. The Kishansar and Vishansar lakes combined come into striking view as the mountains part about halfway through your climb!

You can keep seeing this view all the way to the top of the ridge. The trail opens up into a brilliant valley surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges, and then descends steeply for an hour. Due to the vibrant red, yellow, purple, and blue flowers that are emerging from the verdant grass, these meadows are by far the most colorful ones you will see throughout the hike. It makes you want to take a quick nap after the strenuous ascent up the pass. This meadow leads to the Gadsar Lake.

The Gadsar lake, the least frequented of the seven alpine lakes, has the clearest waters with piercing blue depths. Many people travel during the weekends from Sonamarg to Vishansar and Kishansar; even more people travel from Naranag to Gangabal on the opposite side of the trail. However, Gadsar has remained unspoiled because to its difficult accessibility due to its placement at the summit of the hike.

All of our original ID cards will be gathered, inspected, and documented in an Indian Army camp near our campsite, which is 1.5 hours' drive from the Gadsar Lake.

With the exception of the first 1.5 hours of a strong ascent, the day's gradient is primarily moderate. After that, the next campsite can be reached by a level walk. The river valleys we have been hiking through up to this point are drastically different from the scenery on the trail today. The landscape is untamed, lonely, and alluring in its alone. There are few meadows, distinguished by sporadic white flower patches. The landscape is dominated by rocky outcrops and boulders, occasionally broken up by streams.

Today we will also be passing through an army camp, where before allowing us to pass, our original ID cards will be gathered, examined, and recorded. Beyond the army camp, the environment reverts to rolling meadows. The first Satsar Lake was ten minutes away. In reality, Satsar is a collection of seven connected lakes that are located in a slender alpine valley that runs from north to south. The lakes empty into a tributary of the Sindh called Wangath Nallah.

With its lush vegetation and mountainous backdrop, this location is large and gorgeous, perfect for our overnight camp.

We start by following the trail that leads away from Satsar Campsite. The main reason this portion of the trail is thrilling is that boulders dominate it. We have discovered that most hikers feel at ease landing on all fours when jumping from one boulder to the next. Even though it could look like fun, be cautious because falling rocks could cause you to lose your equilibrium.

The largest and final Satsar Lake is located beyond these boulders. The trail then falls for a good thirty minutes or more until it meets with ridge lines that traverse the mountains. It is time to start ascending once more. The following three and a half hours will be a tough ascent, so brace yourself. As we ascend further from the base, you will observe that the landscape becomes noticeably more stony and desolate.

Maybe in an attempt to counterbalance the desolation of the surroundings, KGL offers you one of the trek's most spectacular vistas on this ridge: a dizzying perspective of the Gangabal and Nandakol lakes snuggled into the valley. You are urged to pause and take in the sight before you as mist and fog playfully fly in and out of the frame, concealing and exposing the twin lakes.

Our campsite will be along the Gangabal Lake's edge. It is a long way down from the top of the ridge to the campsite, as the Pass makes clear. This campsite has a higher concentration of tents and hikers than the others. The best places in the area to go trout fishing are Gangabal and Nandakol. The surroundings of the Nandakol Lake are captivating. The lake at the base of Harmukh Peak is fed by a ragged glacier that clings to the mountain's slopes. It is amazing to watch how the clouds and light interact with the glacier!

Spend some time exploring the Gangabal Lake once you have fixed up camp at Nandakol. The campsite is a short walk and a river crossing away. You will see that the Gangabal Lake is more serene and significantly less crowded than Nandakol. Near the banks, the water is clean, displaying colorful pebbles on the waterbed. Perched atop it is a mountain. This lake is fed by glacier remnants that are stuck to its base. Walking along its shores is enjoyable and long.

Make sure you get back to your campsites before it becomes dark once you have finished your touring.

As you may have predicted, we will be hiking down to the Naranag road head today, when our journey comes to a conclusion. So, be cautious on the trail and watch your toes and knees. The trail steepens towards the end, and the distance is considerable. Stroll down the slope that extends downstream towards the trees from the Gangabal campground. An hour or more is needed to get to the treeline. Proceed to stroll along its periphery. You do not actually lose height for the first seven kilometers or so. There are level hikes across verdant meadows, interspersed with mild ascents.

Along the process, you also start to notice the emergence of civilization. There are a few huts scattered over the terrain, leaving you to imagine what it must be like to live there. After you pass the 7 km marker, the trail descends steeply. The track runs under a canopy of pine trees and is primarily muddy. There is still a long way to go till Naranag comes into view one or two kilometers down the descent.

Anticipate arriving in Naranag by afternoon. There will be our cars headed for Srinagar waiting for us. We are supposed to get in Srinagar by half past six at night. Make careful to schedule your transportation to depart the city after 9 if you intend to leave Srinagar that same day in order to allow for any delays.