Kashmir Great Lakes Trek is without any doubt the best summer trek of India. It remains the most famous and sought-after. The trek has a variety and offers a scenic landscape unparalleled with any of the other treks. The 8 turquoise alpine lakes sit charmingly in the lush meadows of its valley. It indeed has the most alpine lakes that any trek can offer.

Kashmir Great Lakes trek starts from Sonamarg – the famous tourist place in Kashmir. The trek winds up through jungles, meadows, gullies, and the vast spread of grasslands in the high altitude of Kashmir. The total duration of the trek is 7 days and the gradient of the trek is moderate to difficult. It is best done in summers and remains closed during the winter season.

The first day of the trek is acclimatization day. The night is spent camping beside the Sindh river of Sonamarg. The sight is worth enjoying as the campsite gives you the view of the surrounding jungle and landscape. On the second day of the trek, one ascends towards Nichnai via tabletop. The tabletop is a small meadow with three sides covered with and towards one side giving a panoramic view of the entire Sonamarg area and the Thajwas mountain range. Behold the alluring peaks of this range from the table top. The campsite at Nichnai is a valley of flowers with a water stream running beside it.

The next day one goes over Nichnai pass – a high altitude pass that gives you a wide view of the valleys down. Over the Nichnai pass, you will be trekking towards the next campsite at Vishansar valley. This valley is famous for its twin lakes – Vishansar and Kishansar lakes. The lakes are full of trout fish. You will see the fish dancing in the lakes and the river stream that comes out of these lakes.

The third day is the toughest of all days in this trek. You will be ascending the Gadsar pass which is the highest point of this trek. The pass stands at an altitude of around 4200m. At the pass, enjoy the wider view of the twin lakes and two valleys – Gadsar valley and Vishansar valley. The ascent to Gadsar pass is followed by equally sharp descent and then a long walk in the lush meadows of Gadsar valley. The valley is most famous for its wildflowers of varied colors and sizes. Walking amid these flowers is truly a heavenly walk. On the way, one sees, towards the left of the trail, a quaint Gadsar lake. This lake is small and yet breathtakingly beautiful. Away from the litter and noise, this lake is clean and turquoise in color. Immediately after the lake, you will have your campsite beside the river stream.

The next day is the easiest day of the trek. The day is mostly a meadow walk in the Satsar valley. There are seven lakes in this valley and you will be able to see some of the best lakes in this valley. The day is spent in a delightful walk without any sharp ascent or descent.

The sixth day of the trek is when you will have to ascend Zajibal Pass. This is a tiring ascent and equally tiring descent. The trail goes over a boulder and rocky section just before the pass. At the pass, you get the fantastic view of the twin lakes of Gangabal Valley. Enjoy the view here and it is best for your lunch break. The campsite of this day is one of the picturesque in the Gangabal valley. The twin lakes – Nundkol & Gangabal lakes- are in the vicinity. The entire valley is just amazing with wavy meadows and the towering peak of Mount Harmukh. Your campsite is just in the vicinity of Harmukh and Nundkol lake.

The last day of the trek has an easy walk in the wavy meadows of Trunkhol. After the meadow, the trail enters the jungle and gets down with a heavy steepness. This is the toughest steep descent of the trek and is quite heavy on your knees and ankles. This descent in jungle walk should be maneuveredcarefully. The day and the trek finish in Naranag village.