The Kashmir Great Lakes Trek is known as India's most beautiful trek through the mountains at a higher elevation, a 72 kilometer trek that makes these mountains milder and looks more like an expansive, high-definition fairyland. The trek starts at Shitkadi in Sonmarg (golden meadows) and ends at the ancient ruins of Naranag (8th-century). The trek has the same rhythm every day; every 24 hours, you cross a significant pass of a major mountain, like the Gadsar pass (4,206 m), and at the end of that day, you would have discovered a new lake in a different valley. You would encounter many of the best alpine lakes in the world within the scope of the exact trek for example, the twin trout filled Vishansar and Kishansar lakes as well as Gadsar lake (with icebergs at the surface), and Gangabal (a glacier-fed lake) at the base of Mount Harmukh. The views and sounds of the turquoise waters and the wildflowers in the margs (meadows) were visually stunning, with lots of Himalayan marmots whistling back and forth about the same frequency as you were looking at them. The ideal time to trek this area is from July to September, when the entire area is lush and accessible. While other areas are blocked by the rains, KGL is lush and accessible, which is typically the best time of year to visit. Therefore, if you are going on a trek that has a moderate level of difficulty and offers world class beauty, you will want to put KGL on your bucket list.

Why is the Kashmir Great Lakes Trek so special?

The Kashmir Great Lakes (KGL) Trek is thought by many to be the most scenic trek in India because it allows trekkers to experience the Himalayas at their highest quality within a distinct geographical area, rather than culminating in a single destination (like most trails). The KGL provides a complete reset of the scenic beauty every twenty-four hours.

1. Kashmir Great Lakes Trek: The One Lake Per Day Phenomenon: One of KGL’s most distinguishing features is its distinctive rhythm of daily patterns, where each day the landscape resets itself and unveils a new area of glacial reservoir. KGL is different from other treks in the Himalayas, which all have one end goal; KGL consists of a necklace of enormous lakes that have their own personalities – Vishansar, Kishansar, Gadsar, Satsar, Gangabal, and Nundkol. KGL has a much greater number of sizable alpine water bodies because of the numerous lakes you see from the Twin Lakes fish filled lakes to the iceberg dotted depths of Gadsar (which cannot be matched anywhere else in India).

2. Three High-Altitude Pass Transitions: High Altitude Trekking Transitioning through the Mountains is divided into three significant trekking highs. Each mountain saddle acts as a dramatic curtain that prepares you for seeing an entirely new valley in each of the three different valleys during the trek. The first mountain saddle is Nichnai Pass (4,150 m), moving from the lush tree forests of Sonmarg to high elevation rocky meadows. The second mountain saddle is the highest point of the trek, Gadsar Pass (4,206 m), known for incredible and famous views of the Twin Lakes. Finally, the last mountain saddle is Zaj Pass (4,000 m), which provides the first substantial views of the enormous Harmukh Glacier.

3. The Velvet Margs and Wildflower Carpets: One unique feature of the Kashmiri valley's natural beauty is its meadows, or margs, which are large expanses of soft grass (in the summertime) that appear like a vast, silky, manicured, neon green carpet. During the peak monsoon months of July and August these meadows will experience a massive explosion of plant life, as they become transformed into a high alpine western version of a Valley of Flowers. As trekkers trek through these close knit clusters of blue poppies, primulas, yellow daisies, and wild irises, they find themselves on soft giving surfaces which make for very comfortable long distance treks.

4. The Monsoon Sanctuary Advantage: KGL is considered to be one of the top trekking options during the monsoon season in India due to the Pir Panjal Range producing a rain-shadow effect. As the Pir Panjal provides a barrier between the monsoon moisture producing clouds prevalent to the south (i.e. Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh), the KGL pathway remains green and alive while escaping the excessive amounts of rain experienced by those other areas. The results of this particular one to three month weather window represent a gold standard for trekking enthusiasts looking for high-altitude beauty throughout the Indian summer months.

5. The Majesty of Mount Harmukh: The last stage of the trek to Mount Harmukh reveals the completely vertical granite clad walls and massive hanging glaciers that comprise this magnificent mountain. This immense mountain dominates the two lakes of Gangabal and Nundkol below. The spectacle of giant chunks of ice calving from the glaciers and plunging into the rich blue of Lake Gangabal creates an emotional connection to the magnitude of the natural landscape, marking the conclusion of this awe inspiring wilderness adventure.

6. The Ancient Gateway of Naranag: The trek ends at Naranag, one of the most important historical and archaeological sites in the region. The stunning temple ruins from the 8th century created by King Lalitaditya Muktapida feature enormous stone slabs created using Karkota architectural design and no use of mortar, giving way to two of the most famous historical structures in the region. To conclude a full week of rugged wilderness with a visit to a 1,200 year old spiritual and religious site is an extremely rare opportunity in high elevation trekking.