Starting from Sonamarg, this moderate trek on a seven-day succession (approximately 80 km) will take you through 11 alpine lakes, lush green meadows, movable flocks of sheep, giant mountains, lakes fed by glaciers, and multiple other unbelievable wonders of nature. Every day will be a blessing here – as you will cross different sections, you will get glimpses of Mount Harmukh, Gadsar Peak, Mount Vishu, Maple and Pine forests, various Himalayan animals like Common Leopard, Himalayan Marmot, Black Bear, and myriad varieties of flowers and trees.
Here is a brief itinerary of the Kashmir Great Lakes trek with Plan the Unplanned:
Trip Highlights
- Meet fellow travellers and kick off your journey from Srinagar to Sonamarg
- Acclimatisation in Sonamarg
- 360-degree view of mountains from the Valley of Nichnai via a famous tabletop
- Learn the fine art of Camping
- Soak in the refreshing sunrise and sunset in the company of Pine and Maple forests.
- You will probably spot bears in the Bear Valley; get to see a wide variety of flowers in the Valley of Wildflowers.
- Kishansar and Vishansar Valley.
- Reach the twin lakes in Gangabal Valley by crossing a boulder section
Trek Details
- Trek Altitude: 13750 ft
- Trek Type: High Altitude Trekking
- Trek Grade: Moderate – Difficult ( Difficulty level is subjective )
- Trek Duration: 6 Nights/7 Days
- Trek Distance: 70 – 75 km ( split over 8 days )
- Trek Start Point: Sonmarg
- Trek Pickup and Drop: Srinagar ( Tourist Information Centre )
- Pickup Start Time: 1 – 2 PM
- Drop-off Time: 6 PM (approx) ( Book return flights post 7 PM )
- Cellular Network: Only POSTPAID Airtel/JIO Sim work. Prepaid Sims don’t work
Kashmir Great Lakes Trek - A Overview
Day 1: Srinagar to Sonamarg
Day 2: Sonamarg to Nichnai
Day 3: Nichnai to Kishansar/Vishansar Valley
Day 4: Kishansar/Vishansar Valley to Gadsar
Day 5: Gadsar to Satsar
Day 6: Satsar to Gangabal
Day 7: Gangabal to Naranag to Srinagar
Price Inclusions
- Accommodation in tents/homestays on twin sharing basis
- Meals – All meals from dinner at Sonamarg on Day 1 to lunch at Naranag on Day 7 are included.
- Camping Charges ( All permission and Permits )
- Trekking Equipment – Sleeping bags, Sleeping Mattresses, Toilet Tents & Kitchen Tents.
- Staff – Trek Leaders, Cooks and Helpers
- Safety equipment – First Aid Kit, Oxygen Cylinders etc
Price Exclusions
- Accommodation at Srinagar
- Transportation to and fro from Srinagar – Additional ( Rs 1000 – 1200/person would be charged )
- Offloading Charges – Rs 2000/person in case you wish offload for the entire duration of the trek
- Travel Insurance or any kind of insurance
- Any kind of personal expenses
- Any expenses arising due to unforeseen contingencies landslides, curfew, government order, or natural disasters.
Medical Declaration
- All participants are required to submit a medical certificate approved by a registered medical practitioner prior to the trek.
- Apart from this we highly recommend you having an adventurous spirit and willingness to undergo the joys & hardships of outdoor camping, in addition to good physical and mental fitness, to completely enjoy the trek. If you suffer from severe muscular, chest, heart or bronchial ailments, we advise you against participating since most treks happen in remote areas with limited access to medical services & hospital facilities.
Things to Carry
- Trekking Shoes ( Do not carry sneakers/ sports shoes. Carry shoes that has good grip and ankle support)
- Backpack (40 -60 litres): A backpack with sturdy straps and a supporting frame. Rain cover for a backpack is essential.
- Daypack 20 litres: On the day of the summit, you’ll need a smaller backpack to carry water, snacks and your medical kit. Bring a foldable backpack.
- Layers/Warm Clothes/Thermals
- Trek Pants/T-shirts/Undergarments as per your convenience. Carry the actual number required and stay light
- Sunglasses, Suncap, sunscreen.
- Hand gloves, socks 2 pairs and woollen socks
- Headlamp/LED Torch is mandatory
- Trekking Pole
- Poncho/Raincoat
- Cutlery: Carry a spoon, coffee mug and a lunch box. ( Mandatory )
- Personal Medikit
- Toiletries: moisturiser, light towel, lip balm, toilet paper, toothbrush, toothpaste, hand sanitiser. Do not carry wet wipes.
- One 1 litre water bottle.
- Plastic covers: carry a few extra plastic bags for wet clothes. Make sure you take them back and not litter the mountains.
Advisory
Covid Guideline:
Health Screening
- All passengers arriving into Srinagar are advised to be in possession of negative
RT-PCR report of not earlier than 48 hours from an ICMR approved laboratory.
Passengers not in possession of negative RT-PCR report shall be required to
undergo RAT test upon arrival free of cost.
- The above is not applicable for Defense Personnel arriving into the city of
Srinagar
Safety
- We take a lot of pride in providing the best safety standards to its trekkers while trekking along with supporting sustainable tourism.
- Experienced Trek Leaders will be leading the group with a full-fledged first aid kit along with an oxygen cylinder. The Trek Leaders will also be carrying medication pertaining to high altitudes.
- Our Trek Leaders are experienced mountaineers and we trust their judgments. If during the trek, the Trek Leader advises you against continuing on the trek, we request you to respect his judgment and follow his instructions.
- Please be informed that trekking is an adventure activity and a lot depends on the weather conditions in the mountains. In case of bad weather or health issues of any trekker at any point during the trek, the trek itinerary will be changed by the Trek Leader after evaluating all the available options.
- We make sure that our trekkers are informed at all the times and a common consensus be arrived after discussing with the participants, however, the decision of the Trek Leader will remain final.
- Also, in case of any unforeseen circumstances like landslides or bad weather, we promise to provide services only for 7 days. It will remain the responsibility of the Trek Leader to get the trekkers back to safety irrespective of the number of days, however, the cost will be borne by the trekker themselves.
- Please be clearly informed that we are committed to providing a safe, secure and a magical experience in raw nature and hence, smoking, drinking and littering is completely prohibited during the trek and on the campsites. People found to be indulging in any of the above activities will be abandoned from the group.