Kashmir Great Lakes Trek Overview

“If there is a heaven on earth, it is here… it is here.”

Kashmir truly lives up to these timeless words. It is for that very reason that the Kashmir Great Lakes trek is one of its kind. As the name suggests, embarking on this KGL trek means that you get to witness the magic of heavenly lakes embracing the Himalayas.

Every waking moment brings you a view so beautiful and mystifying that it fills you with a sense of gratitude to be just alive and be able to witness it. From lofty mountains, green meadows unfurling their spring-colored blooms, and lakes resembling melted turquoise gems, words simply fail when it comes to describing the beauty that this trek to the lakes of Kashmir entails.

KGL Trek Distance

The trek covers 70–80 km of varied terrain, rocky paths, narrow ridges, and visually stunning passes. It’s a scenic trail where each day brings new discoveries, hidden lakes, alpine flowers, and the occasional glimpse of wildlife. From the starting point at Sonmarg to Naranag, the trail is a moving panorama of nature’s finest creations.

Trek Difficulty & Who Should Attempt It

However, the ever-changing landscape and the fact that beauty comes at a price, Kashmir too, unravels its hidden gems to those who are patient and determined. The Kashmir great lakes treks fall in the moderate to difficult trek and hence novice trekkers are often advised to gain the skills and experience the trek demands.

For experienced trekkers, the Kashmir great lakes trek is still comparatively easier but no less challenging. But all the hardships are worth every second because you would be witnessing nature embodying slices of heaven in each and every corner.

Best Time to do the Kashmir Great Lakes Trek

The Kashmir Great Lakes Trek is seasonal due to snow-covered trails, with the best window for trekking between July and mid-September. In early July, snow at higher altitudes begins to melt, revealing lush meadows and blooming alpine flowers along the trail. Light evening showers are possible, so carrying rain gear is advisable.

From mid-July to August, the trek becomes especially enjoyable, with vibrant wildflowers, green meadows, and sunny mornings. Occasional evening drizzles may occur, adding to the trail’s charm.

By late August through mid-September, the skies are mostly clear, the lakes take on a deep blue hue, and the meadows begin showing subtle changes in color. This period is ideal for breathtaking photography and peaceful trekking, as the scenery is at its most striking.

Thanks to the Pir Panjal Range, which acts as a natural barrier, the valleys remain relatively dry even during India’s monsoon season, making the trek more comfortable for travelers.

Landscapes & Natural Beauty Along the KGL Trail

The meadows are adorned by pine and maple trees, trails consisting of serene alpine lakes, and valleys with sheep grazing and wind blowing.

Every step takes you further into the fairytale land that is Kashmir. Each day on these 8 days of the Kashmir great lakes treks, you would be stepping into a new valley because the trail is a getaway to one valley after another, each one more breathtaking than the previous one. Bridging the gaps between these valleys and meadows and connecting them through a core link is many passes.

Day 1: Srinagar to Sonamarg & Shitkadi Base Camp

In this Kashmir Great Lakes trek itinerary, we start our journey from Srinagar and drive to Sonamarg, located at an altitude of 7,800 ft, to reach Shitkadi Village, which is the actual base camp for the Kashmir Great Lakes trek. The drive takes up to 3 hours, of time but the beautiful scenery makes it seem extremely short as you get to witness the beauty of Kashmir throughout your drive.

Day 2: Shitkadi to Nichnai (11,811 ft)

The next day, we head out for Nichnai. 3-hour ascent followed by a 1-hour descent and finally a gentle ascent to Nichnai. The trek commences 3 km out of Sonamarg on the Srinagar road and stretches for a duration of five hours, with the first three hours of the trail being a steep ascent.

Afterward, the rest of the one hour is spent descending before finally continuing with a gentle ascent till we reach Nichnai, which is located at an altitude of 11,811 ft.

Trail Description: Sonamarg to Nichnai

The trail starts with a road track with the Sindh River flowing through it. The trekking trail starts along the same track but soon attains elevation. After a few minutes of walking, you’d reach a lush green meadow, and from here on, there is no looking back as the Sonamarg town stays below with the maple and pine trees at the top of the meadows overlooking it.

The trail descends at the tree line before climbing up again. A coniferous forest of maple trees comes into view, and as you walk on the fallen leaves and fresh grass, you start to realize just how beautiful even the most mundane things in Kashmir seem to be. For the next hour, the trail takes you uphill with a few openings in the green canopies leading your way. You’d get to glimpse the stunning landscape of the Sonamarg valley from here as you stand on an elevated ridge in the meadow.

The slope turns down, and silver birch trees come into view. Stretching to a vast expanse of almost 40 ft, the grassland seems like the Garden of Eden with a few nooks overflowing with water. The peaks covered with snow that beckon you closer encompass Shekdur, a beautiful spot with Bhoj trees surrounding it.

Our campsite, Nichnai, is at least 2 more hours away from here, and the meadow stretches for at least half an hour before you get to the end of the silver birch trees and descend gently into the river valley.

The valley signifies the start of Nichnai, with the river stream flowing alongside, overlooked by mountains on either side. The terrain is rocky for at least an hour before you get to see green patches of grass with the valley widening between mountain ranges. A glimpse at the triangular peaks is your sign that you’ve reached your destination and should camp on the flat grounds of Nichnai.

Day 3: Nichnai to Vishansar Lake (12,000 ft)

The next day consists of a small descent with a flat walk into the meadow to reach Vishansar Lake, located at an altitude of 12,000ft. The trekking duration would be at least 6 hours, with the first milestone being the Nichnai pass. As you keep traversing the trail for more than an hour, you will gradually start ascending again, and after that, it’s an uphill climb until you reach the pass.

A small lake at the base of the mountains will come into view, followed by a ridge, and an inward twist of the trail that you have to cross twice before you reach the pass, which seems like a wide tunnel of sorts with snow-covered peaks on one hand and vertical rock walls on the other. At an altitude of 13,500ft, the gradual ascent followed by a rapid descent makes it easier for you to navigate through the trail without facing any difficulties. Soon, the rocky trail gets replaced by blooming flowers, giving way to lush green meadows with mountains overlooking them.

With a river flowing from the pass to the meadow ahead of you, you’d also see a sparkling waterfall cascading down from the cliffs above and forming a commune with the river. Soon, you’ll find yourself traversing flat meadows, with the Himalayan ranges standing proud on one side and barren mountains mimicking the mountains of Ladakh on the other. The striking contrast between these two mountain ranges will surely take your breath away.

Another half an hour will lead you to yet another stream, which you will have to cross and continue walking in the meadow before you reach the end of the valley. The perpendicular stream that you witness originates from Vishansar lake, with the lake itself being half a kilometer away and nestled at an altitude of 100ft higher than where you will be setting your campsite.

It’d hardly take 7-10 minutes for you to reach the lake, which is at the base of four majestic mountains, reflecting the Kishansar peak on its surface. The most fascinating thing about this lake is that the color you see of the lake depends entirely on the time of day you’re looking at it. The reflections are wonderful when the lake is still. The lake gains a certain charm when the sunlight falls on the surface, and it is a must-visit when you are on a Kashmir great lakes trek. The next day, we would stay at the campsite for acclimatization.

Day 4: Vishansar to Gadsar via Kishansar Lake & Gadsar Pass

The next part of the trail is almost 10 kilometers long and falls in the moderate category when it comes to the difficulty level of the Kashmir great lakes trek. Consisting of a steep ascent and lined with ridges, it is important to maintain proper footing as we move towards Gadsar Pass.

The next lake that we would see in the Kashmir great lakes trek is the Kishansar lake, which is located at an elevation of 500ft higher than the Vishansar lake. It takes about 45minutes to reach Kishansar lake from the campsite, and you have to cross the stream before climbing uphill on the right side of the Vishansar lake. With a vast meadow stretching around it, Kishansar Lake is equally beautiful as its predecessor, if not more.  

The trail climbs up to the top of the ridge, and on the top of the ridge is the Gadsar pass, which is located at an altitude of 13,750 ft. After almost an hour of climbing, you will get to see the picturesque view of seeing both lakes together here.

On the other side of the Gadsar pass, you see a long valley with 2-3 small lakes along with a few peaks visible in a far distance. You might find snow at the Gadsar pass, and even as you descend, you will find traces of snow.  The first small lake on the left side that comes into view is Yamsar Lake. Beyond Yamsar is another nameless lake. An hour's descent leads you into lush green meadows again, with a narrow valley with mountain ranges on either side. Flowers line your trail from here, making the view all the more beautiful and charming.

The beginning of blue irises signifies that you are closer to Gadsar Lake, one of the most pristine lakes on this trek. The Yamsar, the nameless lake, and Gadsar are all connected by a stream as water flows from the higher lake to the lower. Gadsar Lake is located at an altitude of 12,500ft, and nearby is the ideal campsite in close proximity to the army base camps. If you are near the Gadsar army camp, it is crucial to report to them as soon as possible. It takes 2-3 hours for them to give you a green signal after all details of the trekkers and staff, including original ID cards, are recorded, collected, and checked.

Day 5: Gadsar to Satsar (12,000 ft)

We head out for a 12 km long trek and start by moving away from the army camp and towards the stream. Crossing the stream, which is at an altitude of 10,600 ft, will lead you up to the mountains. From here on, the Satsar campsite is 10 kilometers away and at an elevation of 12,000ft.

You’d soon realize that you are overlooking the treeline with the river valley below you. Once you attain an altitude of 11,500ft, the trail becomes flat with mountains surrounding the lush green meadows. This region is called Maengandob and has a stunning landscape of streams running across the green bed.

We would be setting up camp here, near the Satsar lake, which is actually a collection of 7 lakes. Beyond the ridge lies the Satsar army check post, and it is the third line of defense from the LOC. You are again required to go through the process of ID proof checking, collection, and questioning.

Day 6: Satsar to Gangabal & Nundkol Lakes

We will head out of the camp to reach the biggest Gangabal Lake. This part of the trek falls under the moderate category when it comes to the difficulty level of the Kashmir Great Lakes Trek, as the terrain is made up of boulders, but ends up being extremely rewarding as you reach the biggest Satsar lake by the end of this trail.

After half an hour of walking, the forest line would commence, after which a range of ridges comes into view, elevated at a height of 1000ft, and we take the zig-zag paths to reach our next campsite located at an altitude of 11,800ft. The trail after crossing the ridges astonishes you with its bareness, except for the pine trees that line the huts of the tribes here. The ridge top acts as a vantage point from where you get stunning views and get to see two lakes lying next to one another.

A stream runs water from the higher altitude lake to the lower one. Two more blue lakes are seen, one at a distance. The smaller lakes are nameless, but the biggest amongst the set is the Gangabal lake, accompanied by Nundkol, and our campsite is below. The route descends a bit more and ascends again to the lake.

The ascent is dry and rocky, but on the descent, you cross a stream mid-way from where you can refill your water bottles. An hour and a half of steep descent brings you to lush meadows again, and as you walk for a kilometer again, you see the tree line again.

A swift climb consisting of descending and crossing a stream brings you to the shores of Nundkol lake which lies at the base of the Harmukh Peak. The Harmukh glacier hangs from the cliff of the mountains. We set up camp here.

Day 7: Gangabal / Nundkol to Naranag & Drive to Srinagar

This day in the Kashmir great lakes trek stretches to a distance of 12 kilometers and will strain your lower limb muscles. From the Gangabal campsite, we descend along the stream and head towards the tree line. After walking for an hour, the ridges that you were walking upon disappear, and traces of civilization start to appear.

The Harmukh peak stands majestically, overlooking you and the meadow lined with yellow flowers.  A series of ascents and descents takes place, and you drop to 10,800ft at the tree line but climb again to 11,000ft. For about 6 k,m you maintain an altitude of 10,800ft, traversing through the pine forests before finally entering.

After you’ve completed two-thirds of the trail, the actual descent starts, which is steep, so trekkers should maintain proper footing as the trail is trodden. In a span of 4 kilometers, you drop down to an altitude of 3000ft. Naranag starts to come into view at around 8500ft. The last stretch becomes an endurance test, but soon the stone-paved track comes up, and in no time you enter the main road of Naranag, and from here you drive to Srinagar.

Stay options available in KGL Trek

The trek is camping-based, with tents set up at scenic campsites near lakes and meadows. Facilities include:

• Sleeping Tents: Equipped with comfy mattresses and sleeping bags for a cozy night.
• Dining Tents: Enjoy delicious vegetarian meals and snacks prepared daily by skilled cooks.
• Washrooms: Toilet tents will be available.

Gear Essentials: Trekking boots, warm clothing, waterproof jackets, trekking poles, headlamps, and a sturdy backpack. Optional gear includes sleeping bag liners, hydration packs, and a personal first-aid kit.

Network Connectivity on the KGL Trek

Network coverage is extremely limited, available only near Nichnai Pass and during the initial few hours of the trek. On high-altitude passes and in deep valleys, there is mostly no signal, making it the perfect opportunity to disconnect and fully immerse yourself in nature.

What Makes the Kashmir Great Lakes Trek Truly Special

Unlike many treks that boast a single highlight, the KGL Trek surprises you every day. From lush alpine meadows and crystal-clear lakes to cliffside campsites, every step unveils a new panorama. The trail is also a living classroom of Himalayan biodiversity, where you’ll spot colorful wildflowers, towering pines, and Himalayan fauna along the way.

Nights are spent camping under celestial skies, perched high above the valleys, giving you a majestic bird’s-eye view of the mountains around you. Every morning feels like a fresh adventure, every campsite a front-row seat to nature’s grandeur.

This is a trek for wanderers, adventurers, and dreamers alike, a rare chance to walk through the legendary “Jannat-e-Kashmir” and return home with stories, experiences, and memories that last a lifetime.