Sonamarg , A Complete Travel Guide

Sonamarg or Sonmarg, located at a hefty altitude of 2,740 m above sea level, literally means 'Meadow of Gold'. The picturesque natural beauty of the region brought this name to Sonamarg. Sonamarg, a town surrounded by breathtaking glaciers and serene lakes, is a snow covered beautiful flower-laden meadow in the majestic Himalayan mountain region. Sonamarg in the Kashmir valley is the gateway to Ladakh and situated just before the Zojii La pass.
Sonamarg
Located at 87 km from Srinagar, the
place is renowned for trekking and hiking trails. The snow clad peaks in the Himalaya and the undulated hilly mountainous regions are perfectly suitable for all types oftrekking expeditions.Sonamarg is the base camp for many trekking expeditions. The major treks passing through various mountain lakes such as Gangabal, Vishansar, Gadsar, Satsar and Kishansar has its base at Sonamarg. The trekking routes offer all types of challenges, from mild to most hard. The pleasant climate with mild summer and cold winter make this place an ideal location for trekkers to explore the natural beauty and challenging treks.

Major Tourist Attraction in Sonamarg

Thajiwas Glacier: Sonamarg, which means 'meadow of gold' has, as its backdrop, snowy mountains against a cerulean sky. the Sindh meanders along here and abounds with trout and mahseer, snow trout can be caught in the main river. In late April when Sonamarg is open for road transport, the visitors can have access
to snow which is furnished all over like a white carpet. Ponies can be hired for the trip up to Thajiwas glacier a major attraction during the summer months.

Baltalon the shores of the Sindh River, is located around 15 km away from the north of Sonamarg. This small valley serves as a camping ground for the Amarnath pilgrims. It rests at the foot of Zoji-La Pass on the banks of the river Sindh. Moreover, for the convenience of the pilgrims, base camps are set up in is this ground and this little valley is only a day's journey away from and provides a shorter high-altitude alternate route to the sacred cave of Amarnath.

The Gangabal Lake: The Gangabal Lake, also known by the name of Haramukh Ganga is a lake situated at the foothills of Haramukh Mountain in Ganderbal district of Kashmir valley. This alpine high altitude lake lies at an elevation of 3570 meters, is home to many types of fishes including rainbow and brown
trout. The lake can be reach via Ganderbal and Naranag and then, need to cover 15 km trek route via Vishansar and Krishnasar Lake. The Gangabal Lake can also be accessed through a trek from Bandipore via Arin. The best season to visit the lake is from the month of July to September.

The Vishansar Lake: The Vishansar Lake is an alpine high altitude oligotrophic lake situated in the vicinity of Sonamarg at an elevation of 3710 meters. It has a maximum length of 1 kilometer and maximum width of 0.6 kilometers.

Gadsar Lake: Gadsar Lake is located 5,000 m above sea level, in the Himalayan Ranges. It is considered as one of the highest altitude lakes in the Kashmir region. This lake is famous as trekking base, which can be reached through the alpine trek. Brown-trout fishing is a popular activity among the tourists visiting this lake.

Naranag: Naranag (or Nara Nag) is a tourist village of Ganderbal district, Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is located around 8 km from Kangan, 6 km upstream from the Nallah Sindh. Noted for its scenic meadows, lakes and mountains, it is a base camp for trekking to the Mount Haramukh 16,870 ft (5,142 metres) and Gangabal Lake.

Kana Sar: Kana Sar is a mountain in Kashmir (Jammu and Kashmir), India with the region font code of Asia/Pacific. It is located at an elevation of 4,346 meters above sea level.

The best time to visit Sonamarg is during the summers,Summers (April-June) are mild
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