“A Ribbon of Sapphire in the Valley”
Quick facts: highest point ≈ 13,700 ft (≈4,180 m);
typical itinerary 7–9 days;
best season July–September (alpine meadows & wildflowers; snow earlier/later). There’s a special hush right after Sonamarg fades from view and you step onto the high meadow trails — the kind of hush that makes you realize you’ve entered another postcard.
The Kashmir Great Lakes trek threads across emerald pastures and a string of glassy lakes whose colors change from turquoise to deep sapphire depending on the light.
Imagine waking before dawn to a chilled breeze and a bowl of steaming chai, then walking past mirrors of sky (Gadsar, Vishansar, Gangabal) framed by jagged, snowy teeth — it’s cinematic, but it’s real.
🧠 memory: one evening our small group pitched tents beside a lake where the moon rose like a coin over Kolahoi’s ridgeline. A shepherd’s distant yodel and the clinking of pack saddles felt like punctuation marks in a story that had nothing to do with city noise. The hike tests your legs on a couple of pass crossings but rewards you with postcard campsites and quiet moments of awe
🤩 WOW factors: crystalline lakes that reflect whole mountain faces; meadows packed with wildflower carpets in July; remote alpine solitude.
💁♂️ Practical tips: pack layered insulation for cold nights, bring a waterproof daypack for possible monsoon showers, and choose a reputable local operator (logistics matter in Kashmir).