White Magic Adventure Travel

KASHMIR GREAT LAKES TREK

India, Kashmir

10 DAYS
12 MAX GROUP SIZE
4300m
MAX ALTITUDE
4 Moderate Trek

TBA
Trip leader default

28 Jun - 7 Jul 2024
11 Jul - 20 Jul 2024

86900 / 1200

Trip cost

86900 / 1200

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A beautiful trek in the northeast corner of Kashmir that takes you to the banks of pristine high altitude lakes that are situated amidst lush green meadows - a landscape that is quintessentially Kashmir. The trek starts from Sonamarg in Sindh valley and ends at the village of Naranag. This is probably the most sought-after trail in Kashmir, popularly known as 'The Great Lakes of Kashmir Trek'. The trail takes you to four lakes - Vishnu Sar, Ghad Sar, Satsar and Gangbal. We run this trip right at the start of the season before the trail gets crowded, allowing you to experience the incredible beauty of the trail in a tranquil setting.

Itinerary

Show Detailed Itinerary

Day 01: Arrive in Srinagar (1650m), transfer to the hotel

Arrive at Srinagar airport and drive to Hotel.

Day 02: Drive to Sonamarg and trek to Nichinai (3550m) 5 hrs

The trek begins at Shitkadi, located 3km away from Sonamarg. The day's trek involves a 3-hour ascent, followed by a 1-hour descent and a gentle 2-hour ascent to reach Nichnai. The trail passes through a beautiful maple forest, a stunning meadow named Shekdur, and a river valley, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding peaks and valleys. After walking along the right bank of the river, camping is done at a flat ground amidst the green meadow, marking the end of the first day's trek.

Day 03: Trek Nichinai to Vishansar Lake Camp (3700m) 5-6 hrs

The second day of the trek involves a long walk through meadows with changing scenery. The first milestone is the Nichnai Pass, which requires a moderate climb followed by a small descent and a long flat meadow walk to Vishnusar Lake. The pass offers a view of the Sonamarg valley. The descent from the pass leads to a wide green meadow with two main streams flowing through it, ending at Vishnusar Lake, which is a large, picturesque lake reflecting the surrounding mountains.

Day 04: Free day at Vishansar for acclimatization and sidewalks.

Free day to rest, acclimatise and go for short day-hikes around to soak in the incredible landscape that is all around you. Overnight Camp

Day 05: Trek Vishansar to Ghadsar Lake Camp (3600m) 5-6 hrs

It is a long day's trek from Kishansar lake to Gadsar lake is through the Gadsar pass which should take anywhere between 8-9 hours. The climb to the pass takes around 2.5 hours, with a moderate pace. The pass, at an altitude of 13,800 ft, offers a stunning view of the Kishansar and Vishnusar lakes together. The descent from the pass takes you through Yamsar lake and a valley with multi-coloured flowers, eventually leading to Gadsar lake, one of the prettiest and most pristine lakes on the trek at an altitude of 12,500 feet. Overnight Camp

Day 06: Trek Ghadsar to Satsar (3690m) 4-5 hrs

A relatively shorter day today which involves around 4-5 hours of trekking, where we go above the tree-line and walk on lovely lush green meadows with gentle to moderate slopes. We reach Satsar, which literally means Seven (Sat) Lakes (Sar) which are all interconnected and camp on one of the banks. Overnight Camp

Day 07: Trek Satsar to Gangbal Lake (3552m) 6 hrs

The day's trail is a mix of ascents and descents which is the feature of the Great Lakes trek as a whole. After reaching the top of a high ridge, you get view of two lakes, Gangabal and Nandkol, with two smaller, nameless lakes seen at a distance. The Nandkol lake lies at the base of the Harmukh peak, the views of which is a highlight of the trek. Overnight Camp

Day 08: At Gangbal Lake. Hike up to Lul Gul Pass

We stay at Gangbal for another day, hiking up to Lul Gul Pass at roughly 4300m where we enjoy unmatched areal views of the entire region. We hike back down to camp and have a relaxed evening, enjoying our last night in a camp and prepare for a long descent the next day.

Day 09: Trek Gangbal to Naranag 6 hrs & drive 2 hrs to Srinagar

The trek from Gangabal camp site is a challenging one with a gradual descent at the beginning which becomes steeper and steeper as we go along. The trail passes through a large meadow and fringes of pine forest, where traces of civilization is visible. We spend a bit of time through rolling terrain before the true descent begins, which is steep and muddy through thick pines. The trek ends at the stone-paved village track in Naranag. We finish the trek here and drive back to our Hotel in Srinagar.

Day 10: Transfer to the airport, fly back home

Trip Ends!

Trip Cost

86900 / 1200

SRINAGAR TO SRINAGAR , TWIN SHARING

Payment Schedule

₹26000 - Booking Amount

TRIP COST INCLUDES

- Airport arrival and departure transfers
- Twin-sharing accommodation for 2 nights in Srinagar in a 3 star hotel
- Twin-sharing accommodation in tents with foam sleeping mats for 8 nights on the trek
- Full board camping arrangements on the trek with a kitchen tent, mess tent, tables, stools, and toilet tents
- All meals starting from dinner on Day 1 till breakfast on Day 10(except any meals during the drives, if any)
- Mules for porterage of personal and group luggage
- All trekking arrangements with an experienced guide, and support staff
- All permits
- GST (subject to change as per Govt. policy)

TRIP COST EXCLUDES

- Any air fare, airport taxes etc
- Sleeping bag (available at a rental of INR 2000 per bag for the whole trek) and items of personal clothing.
- Expenses of personal nature like laundry, insurance, beverages, and snacks at the hotel or during the drive.
- Any tips for guides, cooks & porters
- Any costs arising out of unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather, landslides, road conditions, and other circumstances beyond our control
Note -
- Single Room in Hotels and Single Tent during camping can be booked at an additional cost.

Cancellation terms

If it becomes necessary to cancel your trip, you must notify the office immediately in writing. The following terms would be applicable.

• More than 45 days prior to departure - we will refund the entire amount received by us minus a processing fee.

• Less than 45 days prior to departure - 25% of the Trip Cost as the cancellation charges and we will refund the balance.

• Less than 30 days prior to departure - 50% of the Trip Cost as cancellation charges and we will refund the balance.

• Less than 21 days - the entire amount would be forfeited.

The tour price is quoted as a package. No partial refunds or credit will be given for services not used. We recommend that you obtain cancellation travel insurance upon booking. If you can replace your spot by getting someone else to take that seat cancellation charges would be waived completely.

Pls note that these cancellation terms may be amended from time to time.