Have you ever wanted to go on the best trek of India? If so, then embark on Kashmir Great Lakes Trek – a trek unmatched across India. This trek has remained now the most popular and sought-after trek during the summer months. It has quite a great variety and offers a scenic landscape. There are around a dozen alpine lakes present in the stunning meadows. It indeed has the most alpine lakes that any trek can offer. This trek is also called the 7 Lakes of Kashmir Trek. Owing to the many alpine lakes one sees on this trek. The trek starts from Shitkadi Sonamarg – the famous tourist place in Kashmir. And goes up through jungles, meadows, gullies, and the huge expanse of grasslands. It goes over 3 high altitude passes, different valleys, and landscapes. The trek ends at Naranag – a simple yet beautiful village in Kashmir. The most followed duration of the trek is 7 days including one day for an acclimatization. However, based on your personal preference you can reduce or increase the days. The difficulty of the trek is moderate to difficult. It is best suited for experienced trekkers. This trek is not for beginners. Before the hike, prepare yourself physically if you’re hoping to get on this trial. Summer is the best time to do this trek and the months from June to September are the ideal months. It remains closed during the winter season. This trek in September is least crowded. Discover Travels offers the complete package for Great Lakes Trek. From budget to premium fixed departures, from private customized options to the college/corporate groups, we have flexibility in the services and itinerary. What are the Highlights of the Trek? Meadows & Valleys: This trek has a long valley full of lakes and grassland. The valleys are lush and flowery. As you walk, you enjoy the pristine beauty. The valley like Gangabal valley, Satsar valley, and Gadsar valley are the most famous ones. High-Altitude Passes: This trek has beautiful high-altitude passes. These passes give you a panoramic view of the surrounding valleys and landscape. The highest of these passes is the Gadsar pass. From here you get the breathtaking view of Vishansar valley and its twin lakes. From Zajbal Pass you get to see Mt. Harmukh with its two famous lakes – Gangabal and Nundkol. Alpine Lakes: Kashmir Great Lakes trek has the most alpine lakes than any trek in India. There are around a dozen lakes in and around this trek that you can access and see. All of these lakes are glacier-fed and most of them have the famous fish trout present in abundance. Extra Services: If you wish to avail of our transportation service, then the extra cost will be 1800 per person. The transportation cost is to and fro. The pickup and drop place will be Srinagar. Offloading charges: In case you want us to carry your backpack, the cost per bag is Rs 2800/ per bag. The maximum weight allowed is 10kg. Please note that only a proper trekking backpack will be allowed to offload. No trolly or suitcase will be allowed to offload. We strictly follow to adequately place the load on our ponies. The maximum weight on each pony will be 40kg as recommended by the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department. Kashmir Great Lakes Trek Cost & Package Trek Cost 14500/ per person Transportation (Sr. to Sr.) 1800 per person Offloading/Porter Service 2800 per bag Insurance 650 per person. The Great Lakes Trek of Kashmir Package covers the total cost involved for the trek. The total cost includes all the camping equipment, transportation, meals, all qualified staff, medical facility on the trek, and other associated essentials. At Cliffhangers, you will get the most affordable package with the best of the services. Our high star rating is a testament to the blend of the best cost and services. The Kashmir Great Lakes Trek Package starts from 14500 per person. The cost is inclusive of all the trekking essentials including all meals during the trek. Why Choose Discover Gulmarg For KGL Trek? Experienced Trek Leaders: We provide the best and experienced trek guides to ensure safety during the trek. Their knowledge can improve your trekking adventure and guarantee enjoyment and safety all along the way. All of our trek leaders are Medical First Responders. Safety: Discovr Gulmarg is known for its emphasis on safety. We provide high safety standards, necessary equipment, medical support and well-trained persons to ensure emergencies are catered during the trek. Well-organised Itinerary: We create the trek itinerary very well, taking into account the difficulty levels, acclimatisation, trekking routes and the breathtaking beauty. We make sure that everyone has a well-rounded and entertaining experience. Good Quality Hiking Equipment: We provide good quality hiking equipment like waterproof tents, hiking poles, -15 sleeping bags and other trekking gears. Trekkers will have a more pleasant and comfortable journey through this. Affordable Prices: We are transparent about pricing, describing the expenses and the contents of the package, this helps trekkers to travel according to the budget they have. Customer Reviews: An important consideration when selecting Cliffhangers India can be the positive evaluations and testimonies of prior hikers. Many people base their assessment of the calibre of services received on the experiences of others. Educational Appeal: We frequently include educational elements in hikes, giving details about the local flora, wildlife, and geography. This gives the walk a more instructive and rewarding element. Best Time for Kashmir Great Lakes Trek? Since this trek is the summer trek, July to September is the best time to do this trek. This is the best summer trek in entire India. During winters, owing to the snow the trek closes and remains inaccessible. After October, the temperatures drop and there are chances of snowfall which make it impossible for porters and ponies to cross the passes. However, if you want to finish this trek with some snow still on the passes and mountain tops, then do it in June. Cliffhangers is the only company that starts this trek in early June and ends it in mid-October. How Difficult is Kashmir Great Lakes Trek? This is what most of the trekkers ask. It should be noted that this is a moderate to difficult trek. It is not a beginner’s trek. This is recommended to only seasoned trekkers or fit beginners. During the rain, it becomes slightly more challenging. If you are living a sedentary/nonactive life, you need to hit the gym and prepare yourself for this trek. The trek has long days of walking. It passes over three mountain passes; the trail is a mix of ascends and descends all along. It has boulder and rugged sections as well where you will be hopping from one boulder to another, and you will have to cross the river streams – sometimes walking on the log bridge or fording the stream through it. The most difficult ascend is the climb to Gadsar Pass. The ascend is sharp and is the test of stamina and endurance. Immediately after reaching this pass, it has a steep and long descent and then a long walk in the meadow to the campsite. The most difficult descent is on your last day. There is a sharp descent of around 1000m which will cause stress on your knees, ankles, and toes. This gives a challenge to most of the trekkers as they are about to finish the trek. Kashmir Great Lakes trek gets more difficult during rain. The trail gets blurry and at times vanishes at all. The ascend and descend then gets tricky and you will have to be extra careful while putting your next step. However, you will be all safe as Cliffhangers India’s trek leader will guide you through how to walk and will help you cross the passes. You need to strictly follow his instructions. There are boulder sections. You just have to be careful here as well, as the fall in the boulder section can give you an injury. Especially it gets difficult during rainy days. The Campsites Of KGL One of the best attractions of this trek is its campsite. Here is the brief about the campsites of KGL. Nichnai Campsite: This campsite is your first campsite after your first day of walk. The campsite is in the middle of a beautiful mountain landscape with snow-capped mountains surrounding you all the time. The grass is greener and lush. However, the campsite is small and gets crowded with the flow of trekkers. Vishansar Campsite: You will be camping beside the river stream and just below some meters of Vishansar Lake. The campsite again is beautiful. One way of this campsite leads to Gurez Valley. In the river stream, you will see a lot of trout fish dancing. Gadsar Campsite: This campsite again is just near the river streams, in a small valley surrounded by mountain ranges. The campsite has some shepherd houses and in its vicinity is an army check post. Satsar Campsite: This campsite is just down the Zajbal Pass and is enclosed by mountains. Gangabal Campsite: This is the prettiest and the expansive campsite of the Great Lakes of Kashmir. You will be camping by Nundkol Lake. From your tent, you will have a beautiful view of Nundkol Lake and towering Mount Harmukh. The campsite is quite expansive with a long meadow surrounding you. How To Reach The Base Camp By Air: Srinagar has an airport that has an airway service from all the states of India. The most convenient and short way to reach Srinagar is from New Delhi. By Train: Kashmir doesn’t have a railway facility that connects to the other parts of the country. The nearest railway station is in Jammu. Jammu station is very well connected to the other major railway stations of the country. From Jammu, take a shared cab or bus to Srinagar. By Bus: Srinagar has an NH1 highway that connects it to the rest of the places in India. There are regular bus and cab services from Delhi or Jammu. You will reach within a day from Jammu to Srinagar. From Srinagar take the Cliffhangers shared taxi service to Sonamarg Campsite. Essential Things For KGL Trek Clothing: Wear warm clothing to protect yourself from the cold at night, such as fleece, thermals, and heavy jackets. First Aid: Must have a first aid pack that contains all the prescription drugs and bandages that you will need for the walk, as well as medications for fever, headache, diarrhoea, cold, flu, and non-alcoholic beverages. Hiking Shoes: For the hike, high ankle hiking shoes are a good choice because they offer the right balance of comfort and durability on a range of terrain and activities. Woollen capes: Gloves and a woollen cap for the night.Sunscreens: Cold cream and lip balms. Backpacking: To carry all your equipment, it is necessary to carry a good quality of backpack with a minimum capacity of 50-60 litres. Electronic Equipment: Carry trekking poles which include torch, mobile phones, sunglasses, power bank, water bottle, Bluetooth, camera and some kind of music system. Toiletry: personal toiletry which includes towels, toothbrushes, toilet papers, tissues, nail slipper, sanitary pads for female travellers, shampoo and your personal essentials that you utilise every day. Sleeping Bags: Pack a sleeping bag that is small, light and appropriate for the temperatures you expect to experience on your hike. Make sure this list fits your needs before starting your trek by adjusting it for the length of your trip and the requirements of your destination. While preparing for your adventure, keep comfort, safety, and the least amount of negative environmental impact in mind. Safety & Exit Points of Trek? We often get this question from our trekkers, wherein they are apprehensive and want to know how safe it is to go for the great lakes of Kashmir trek. Here are some of the points that we have tried to explain to trekkers. At first, do know that this Trek is not easy. Its gradient is moderate to difficult. The trek is long and around 70 km, it has three passes and there are days when you will have to ascend a steep ridge and walk around more than 15km. Every day you trek till afternoon to evening. The Terrain: The landscape no doubt will give you everything that you can ask for in mountains – it has jungle walks, meadows, boulder patches, ascends, descends, mountain passes, river crossings, and lakes. However, to enjoy all this beauty you need to be prepared for tough trek days. There are boulder sections where you will have to hop from one boulder to another. Also, few river crossings, at times over a bridge, the log bridges and at times when the water level is high you will have to ford the streams by making a line. There are steep ascends. The steepest you will encounter while going up to Gadsar Pass, this is the most tiresome day both length-wise and ascend-wise. Immediately after ascending Gadsar Pass, it has a sharp and long descent and then a long walk to the campsite. Another pass that you will be ascending is the ridge of Zajibal Pass. This will take around 3 hours and then it also is followed by a long descent. The sharpest and hardest descend in on your last day. There is a steep descent that is very much heavy on your knees. This day you will feel the stress on your knees, ankles, and even toes while descending to Naranag. Altitude Gain: This trek has an altitude gain of around 2000m. You will expose yourself to altitude sickness in case you make your itinerary short. The ideal duration for this trek is 7 to 8 days. This has been developed to keep many things in consideration including altitude sickness. The Kashmir Great Lakes trek starts at around 2700m, you are first made to spend the night at this altitude, and it is only after three days of the trek you will be gaining the highest altitude of this trek i.e. Gadsar Pass. By this time your body is well acclimatized to the altitude. However, you need to follow the instructions that your trek leader will provide to finish your trek without any hiccups. Take plenty of water, both while trekking and at the campsite. You need to take frequent water breaks even if you are not thirsty and not let yourself dehydrate. Take small steps and have a moderate pace. In case you feel a headache, nausea, or any altitude sickness symptoms, don’t ignore the symptoms and talk to your trek leader. The Weather: Since this is a summer trek, weather is mostly sunny. During the day you need to keep the safety against sunburn and sunstroke. However, it does rain at times mostly during July. In rain, the trail gets slippery and is quite risky. The most difficult is to ascend and descend and at some ascends the trail vanishes completely when it rains a lot. You need to be prepared for this. It is times like this when the trek becomes difficult. However the leaders at Cliffhangers India are expert and learned trek leaders, they will help you in traversing during the rain quite safely. If the roping is required, they will make sure that it is done. From your side, you need to follow the instructions that the trek leader provides you must have sturdy trekking shoes. Exit Points: In case you are feeling sick and feel you won’t be able to finish the trek, the best expert suggestion would be to exit the trek before going to Gadsar. You need to take a call till you are at the Vishansar campsite. It is a quick and easy evacuation from Vishansar or before that. However, if you cross over to Gadsar Pass, you reach almost the middle of the trek which makes the evacuation hard, although not impossible. Once you reach the base camp Shitkadi, the nearest hospital is just around 4km from there at Sonamarg market. FAQs How Long is the Great Lakes trek? This trek is 65 km long. A beautiful landscape can be found along this trail, which includes three high-altitude passes, around a dozen gorgeous alpine lakes with varying shades of green, blue, and turquoise, and unending views of untamed meadows and jagged mountains. This trek can be finished in seven days, covering a portion of the area each day. Which Lake in Kashmir is Very Famous? Gadsar Lake, one of the highest and most beautiful lakes in Kashmir, is a secret treasure that must be reached by an alpine hike. The Gadsar Lake boasts an exceptionally stunning backdrop. It is situated in the “Valley of Flowers,” 28 kilometers from Sonamarg. Apart from this, Dal Lake, Gangabal Lake, and Vishansar Lake in Kashmir. How Many Lakes One Sees on Kashmir Great Lakes ? A total of 11 lakes are traversed in Kashmir Great Lake treks, including Gangabal Lake, the largest Alpine Lake in Kashmir, Nundkol Lake, Kishansar, Satsar Lake, Gadsar Lake & Vishansar Lake. This hike will be with you forever because of the verdant meadows, and high peaks. Other than this, depending on when you arrive, you might see a few more lakes. Can we Swim in the Great Lakes? You can enjoy swimming in the Great Lakes, only if you are a seasoned swimmer. One should also take good consideration of the fragile environment. These lakes are fresh and glacier-fed. You will have to be extra careful not to spoil the lakes of great lakes. Is August the Best Time to Do Great Lakes Trek? August attracts a lot of crowds. Most of the trekkers come for this trek in the middle part of this month. The day temperature is hot and the night temperature is pleasant. The weather is mostly dry. Can we do this Trek in October? October is the blend of summer and snow peaked mountains. October is the last month in which you can do this trek. After October there comes snowfall in the high passes of this trek. In this month the temperature is cold in the nights and pleasant during the day. The weather is dry and has least chances of rain. However, in the upper reaches it can snow anytime. Can we do the Trek in June? In June the mountain peaks are covered in snow and the meadows are fresh and green everywhere. The lakes are clean with some snow still covering the lakes. Hence, you can do this trek in June and it has a breathtaking blend of summer landscape and snow in the upper reaches. The temperature during this month is sunny during the day and slightly cold during the night. The weather remains mostly dry. Can We Do the Trek in July? The trek in July has the best of summer features. The entire landscape is full of greenery and the rivers are full of dancing water. All the alpine lakes are open and full of trout fish. This is the least crowded month to do this trek. Is Kashmir Great Lakes Trek Crowded? The trek is crowded in August. If you want to see less crowd then do the trek at the end of June or the end of September. During these times you will see the least crowd for this trek. Also, at the end of June, you will see snow in the upper reaches and passes. Do I need a permit to do this trek? Yes, you will need a permit to undertake the trek. The permission is granted by the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department. Is Trekking Insurance a must for KGL? Yes, the trekking insurance is mandatory for Kashmir Great Lakes. The tourism department will not issue any permission for the trek without insurance and a medical fitness certificate. Are there any age or health restrictions for the trek? While there is no strict age limit, participants should be in good physical health and should acclimatize properly to the high altitudes. It’s recommended to consult with a doctor before joining this trek, especially if you have any pre-existing medical conditions. What are the other Himalayan treks in Kashmir? Here are the other Himalayan treks in Kashmir:

Kashmir Great Lakes – A Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Srinagar to Sonamarg

Altitude: 2,730 m
Time taken: 3 hours drive

Drive from Srinagar to the base camp at Shitkadi Sonamarg. While driving you will get the best highlight of the Kashmir landscape. The drive winds through villages, and farmlands and the road is between two mountain ranges. You will be driving beside the shimmering and ever-flowing Sindh River. On the way, you can stop to feel the views of these mountains and pastures. You can book the cab to the base camp via our Kashmir Taxi Service.

By evening you will reach Shitkadi where you will be served with welcome drink and evening snacks, later you will be served dinner.

You will spend the night camping at Shitkadi which is surrounded by luring mountain peaks. The reason to spend the night at Shitkadi is for acclimatization. You will be briefed by your trek leader about an entire trek, and you will be given all the details about the trek.

Day 2: Sonamarg to Nichnai

Altitude: 2,730m to 3,505 m
Time taken: 6.5 hours, 9 km

This is the first day you will be taking your backpack and start ascending towards the next campsite.

It is a gradual ascend. Your first stop will be at Tabletop, a beautiful plateau that is surrounded by jungle but opens wide towards the Thajwas Mountian Range. This gives a fascinating wide look of the entire Sonamarg area and its mountain range. You will be able to see the famous Amarnath Peak from here.

Post this, you will trek towards Nichnai. You will be trekking beside the river canal that goes down, and after a patch of jungle, the trail opens up and gives way to tall mountains. There is a river crossing too, a small stream that cuts this valley. Your trek leader and guides will help you cross the stream.

The view becomes more and more breathtaking as you trek further towards the campsite. The trail has rocky patches as well and is dotted with maple, birch, and pine trees.

Day 3: Nichnai to Vishansar Valley

Altitude: 3,505m to 3,650 m
Time: 5.5 hours, 13 km

The gradient of the day is moderate with long hours of walk. After breakfast, you will be given the packed lunch as we will be lunching on our way to the next campsite.

We will be taking our first rest spot at Nichnai Pass. The pass is after the river stream. Just before the top, crossing the ridgeline you will see the beautiful valley down that you just traversed. There is a steady ascent towards the pass, don’t forget to take regular water breaks, keeping your feet firm and pace steady.

The pass has a steep and rocky descent towards the beautiful valley. The meadow below is dotted with wildflowers. You will be walking in this quiet and serene meadow with joy and delight. In the surroundings, you will see a long stretch of mountains to both the left and right sides of you. Towards the right, the mountain range is rugged, to your right the mountain line in contrast is snow peaked.

After walking for a couple of kilometers you will cross the river and reach our campsite. The campsite is beside the river stream that originates at the breathtaking Vishansar Lake.

In the river, you will see a wide range of trout fish which are very famous here. However, fishing and is forbidden here. You need to have a proper fishing license from the Fisheries Authority of Kashmir. During August month the entire valley is full of flowers.

Relax beside the lake and take your evening snacks that you will receive as you reach the campsite.

Day 4: Vishansar Valley to Gadsar

Altitude: 3,650m to 3,810m via 4,200m Gadsar Pass
Time taken: 8 hours, 16 km

This day is the longest and toughest day of the Kashmir Great Lakes trek. The gradient is difficult. On this day, you will cross over the highest altitude of the trek, which is Gadsar Pass standing tall at 4,200m. This day you will cross the highest altitude of this trekking route.

Your trek leader will guide you and start you early in the morning for the day. The first attraction and the best attraction of the trek will be visible within an hour of your trek. Behold the two gorgeous lakes cozily and calmly adjacent to each other: Vishansar and Kishansar Lakes.

The lakes are famous for their blue water and abundant trout fish. You will see trout fish swimming around. The fish are of different colors. Both of these lakes have a religious significance, and they drain into the Kishanganga River that meanders through Gurez Valley.

After the lakes, start the ardent steep ascend to Gadsar Pass. It has a narrow and sharp trail. Ascend carefully and steadily. It takes around 2 hours to reach the top of the pass.

Most of the breathtaking pictures that you see of the route are shot from this pass. Take some rest here for some time. Click your videos and pictures here to cherish the memories later on.

From the pass is a steep and a bit long descent. Place your steps carefully. The descent then finishes and merges into a long, lush meadow called Meadow. The meadow is wavy breathtakingly placed between the two mountain stretches. It has lush grass and varied colourful flowers and herbs. The meadow is the most colourful of this trek.

Shortly afterward, you will see on your left a soothing, blue-coloured lake – Gadsar Lake. The lake is the least visited and is an essential part of the Great Lakes Trek. Since it is almost in the middle of this trek, this lake is the least visited and explored and is one of the best alpine lakes that you will see on the trek.

Legends say the water and fish from the Gadsar Lake have healing powers. The campsite is just a small walk from the lake.

Day 5: Gadsar to Satsar

Altitude: 3,810m to 3,600 m
Time taken: 5 hours, 12 km

The gradient of this day is easy. Only around one hour is an ascend until the trail opens on the Satsar Meadow. Then the walk turns into an easy walk on lush grass and trail.

The trail has small rocky patches amidst the lush meadow and some water-filled grassland. The landscape of the mountain is mostly rugged and desolate. The valley in total holds seven alpine lakes. The seven lakes are one of the sources of the famous Wangath River that you will be seeing on the way going towards Srinagar after finishing the trek.

Afterward, shortly, we will reach our campsite which is in the vicinity of the river stream.

Day 6: Satsar to Gangabal

Altitude: 3,600m to 3,587 m
Time taken:5 hours, 9 km

This day is moderate to difficult and starts with a patch of boulders and rocky terrain. The boulder section will dominate the day, with the hopping from one boulder to another. The trail goes up and reaches the Zajibal Pass. There is a sharp ascend towards the pass for about 3 hours and then an equally long descent. The trail then has a succession of ascends and descends until it goes into Gangabal Valley. On the way comes the biggest of the Satsar Lakes. The lake is bigger and more gorgeous.

After the ascend, one reaches the highest altitude of the day at the top of the ridge called Zajibal Pass. The pass stands at an altitude of 4000m. However, the best part of this pass and the treat to the eyes is the first look you get of twin lakes: Nundkol and Gangabal Lakes.

After the descent from the pass, you will be walking in the narrow meadow after which there are small ups and downs in the terrain until you reach the twin lakes of the valley.

Both the lakes are glacial lakes and get the water from the melting of glacier that hangs on Mount Harmukh. You will be camping beside the Nundkol Lake which has this gorgeous Mount Harmukh in the background. Gangabal Lake is almost 25 minutes from Nundkol Lake. Both the lakes are abundant in trout fish.

Day 7: Gangabal to Naranag to Srinagar

Altitude: 3,587m to 2,271 m
Time taken: 6.5 hours, 13 km

This is the last day of great lakes kashmir trek. The gradient of this day is difficult. You will be leaving in the early morning after breakfast. The trek towards Naranag i.e. the endpoint of the trek is first a gradual descent and then a sharp descent through the jungle.

The gradual descent is through the meadow of Trunkhol. This is where you will see the government hut and wavy meadows in the middle of the surrounding mountains. The grass is lush and dotted with yellow flowers. And the land stretches far ahead of you. Take a rest at Trunkhol Meadow Hut. You will see a lot of shepherd houses made of mud and brick. You can stop, if time allows, to sip the local tea here in the mud houses.

Post-Trunkhol meadow, the trail immediately goes through the jungle. After walking for half an hour you will reach Butsheri Top, and it is from here a 3-hour steep descent starts. It is heavy on your knees. Make sure you tie your laces ankle-high, if you have kneecaps wear them. The trail isn’t tricky or dangerous but hard on your legs. After descending halfway, you will begin to see the houses below. It further takes a hard descent to reach the end of the trek.

At Naranag take some rest before leaving for your destination further. A cab from Naranag will ferry you to Srinagar.

Trek Cost	14500/ per person
Transportation (Sr. to Sr.)	1800 per person
Offloading/Porter Service	2800 per bag
Insurance	650 per person.

Discover Gulmarg

Kashmir Great Lake Trek

Information

Kashmir Great Lakes Trek Cost & Package

Why Choose Discover Gulmarg For KGL Trek?

Best Time for Kashmir Great Lakes Trek?

How Difficult is Kashmir Great Lakes Trek?

The Campsites Of KGL

How To Reach The Base Camp

Essential Things For KGL Trek

Safety & Exit Points of Trek?

FAQs

Tour Gallery

Package Details

What are the Inclusions & Exclusions

Inclusions:

Exclusions:

Kashmir Great Lakes – A Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Srinagar to Sonamarg

Day 2: Sonamarg to Nichnai

Day 3: Nichnai to Vishansar Valley

Day 4: Vishansar Valley to Gadsar

Day 5: Gadsar to Satsar

Day 6: Satsar to Gangabal

Day 7: Gangabal to Naranag to Srinagar

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