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Kashmir Himalaya · Jammu & Kashmir

Kashmir Great Lakes

Challenging~75 km trail7 trekking daysMax 4,200 mBest: Jul, Aug, Sep

Schematic line through verified waypoints — carry your operator's GPS track on the trail. Map © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap contributors.

2,730 m4,115 m3,710 m3,710 m4,200 m3,600 m3,650 m3,576 m2,128 m4,200 m0 km~52 km straight-line
Schematic profile between waypoints — not a surveyed GPS elevation track.

Day by day

  1. 1

    Day 1 — Sonmarg · 2,730 m

    Roadhead and trek start, verified Wikipedia

  2. 2

    Day 2 — Nichnai Pass · 4,115 m

    approx, first pass above Nichnai camp

  3. 3

    Day 3 — Vishansar Lake · 3,710 m

    Twin lake camp, verified Wikipedia

  4. 4

    Day 3 — Krishansar Lake · 3,710 m

    Lake beside Vishansar, verified Wikipedia

  5. 5

    Day 4 — Gadsar Pass · 4,200 m

    Highest pass, operator GPS plus place search

  6. 6

    Day 4 — Gadsar Lake · 3,600 m

    Valley of Flowers lake, verified Wikipedia

  7. 7

    Day 5 — Satsar Lakes · 3,650 m

    Seven-lake cluster, verified Wikipedia

  8. 8

    Day 6 — Gangabal Lake · 3,576 m

    Harmukh base lake, Nundkol nearby, verified Wikipedia

  9. 9

    Day 7 — Naranag · 2,128 m

    Exit village and temples, verified Wikipedia

Permits & reaching base

Obtain the Jammu & Kashmir tourism and forest check-post registration at Sonmarg, with ID checks at Nichnai and Naranag forest posts.

Base: Sonmarg. Fly to Srinagar (SXR) or take the train to Jammu/Udhampur, then drive Srinagar to Sonmarg in 3 to 4 hours via Ganderbal. Start walking at Shitkadi near Sonmarg and exit at Naranag, from where shared cabs run back to Srinagar via Ganderbal.

Read the student trek guide

Key waypoints are verified against published sources; remote camps are operator-reported positions. The line is schematic, not a surveyed GPS track. Trails shift with weather — carry your operator's current GPS track, a registered guide and all permits.