BEST TIME TO VISIT
JAN - DEC
IDEAL DURATION
7 Days
Sonamarg or Sonmarg, located at an altitude of 2,740 m above sea level, literally means 'Meadow of Gold'. The picturesque natural beauty of the region brought this name to Sonmarg. Sonmarg, a town surrounded by breathtaking glaciers and serene lakes, is a snow covered beautiful flower-laden meadow in the majestic Himalayan mountain region. Sonmarg in the Kashmir valley is the gateway to Ladakh and situated just before the Zojii La pass. Located at 87 km from Srinagar, the place is renowned for trekking and hiking trails. Must do; Trekking: The major treks passing through various mountain lakes such as Gangabal, Vishansar, Gadsar, Satsar and Kishansar has its base at Sonamarg. The trekking routes offer all types of challenges, from mild to most hard. The pleasant climate with mild summer and cold winter make this place an ideal location for trekkers to explore the natural beauty and challenging treks. White Water Rafting: One can do rafting from Baltal and till the end of Shutkari Bridge. You can do this white water river rafting even if you are simply a beginner. This is the place where you can pick up a few stretches that are very easy for rafting. Pony Riding: Local ponies are available for visiting nearby locations in Sonmarg. Fishing/Angling: Visitors can trek upto the various lakes like Kishansar lake and fish for trouts and other fishes. Permits are required for fishing in any of the lakes in the region.
Kashmir is often dubbed the angler's paradise. The glacial and snow-fed streams offer great options for fishing in Kashmir. Water bodies of all sizes and types in the region are well-stocked with Rainbow trout and German brown trout fishes, thus, anglers from around the world throng Kashmir. Around 61 beats are open for fishing & angling in Kashmir during the season. Each beat is about 3 to 4 kms long and is connected with a motorable road, except Vishansar and Gangabal lakes, as one has to trek to reach these destinations.
The topography of Jammu and Kashmir is perfectly suited for mountain biking. Pedalling your way through the mountains of Kashmir Valley dotted with rich pine and deodar trees, is absolutely exhilarating and delivers the ultimate thrill. What also makes mountain biking in Jammu and Kashmir so exciting is the gorgeous landscape of this region, as it is dotted with water streams, paddy fields, meadows, village markets and woods.
Exploring the beautiful and eye-catching countryside on a horseback is a popular activity in Jammu & Kashmir. Horse riding is an ancient way of travelling around the gorgeous valleys and hilly places of Jammu & Kashmir. Today, a large number of tourists including the family vacationers and honeymoon couples utilize this opportunity to relish the unmatched natural beauty of the popular tourist attractions as well as some pretty lesser-known destinations as well. The Kashmir region is blessed with various gorgeous destinations like Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Yusmarg, Sonmarg, Kokernag where tourists can enjoy horse rides. In Jammu region, tourists who are visiting Patnitop, Sanasar and Kishtwar are the best tourist places for horse riding.
Surrounded by the Great Himalaya and Pir Panjal mountain range, the serene valley of Kashmir is a home to the people who are trailing in the mountains like a nomad. Being vested with colourful meadows, crisscrossed by streams and dotted with placid lakes, Kashmir enriches the concept of Indian tourism. Further, with its undulated and rocky terrain on the fringes of the lush green meadows, Kashmir is a feast for the eyes. Trekking in Kashmir is as exciting as it turns out to be challenging. Cutting through edges and passing through the rich verdure, en route the narrow rocky tracks, makes trekking tours in Kashmir tricky and dicey. But the journeys wind up framing some of the best lifetime moments scooping the trekkers' gossip.
This high adrenaline leisure sport has gained much attention of travellers in Kashmir given the valley is blessed with plenty of water bodies. River rafting in Pahalgam: Visitors can enjoy the beauty of the Lidder River with white water rafting on it. While passing through Aru Valley, there are stretches of 2, 5 and 8 km long spots where river rafting is done. Rafting here generally starts in the month of May and is then again shut down during monsoon season. It then again resumes towards end of September or early October and shut down in November. River Rafting in Sonamarg: One can do rafting from Baltal and till the end of Shutkari Bridge. You can do this white water river rafting even if you are simply a beginner. This is the place where you can pick up a few stretches that are very easy for rafting. River Rafting in Gurez: The Kishan Ganga river flows through the Gurez valley and has several rafting spots.
