Gangabal Trek, Sonamarg, Jammu & Kashmir India

The famous Gangabal trek starts from Sonamarg across the Sind river with the steep Nichnai Pass at 4080 m. Rough trek of 15 km from Sonamarg will certainly make you stop at the first visible compsite in the area. Passing via Vihansar Lake at 3680 m and further to Krishansar lake at 3819 m a marvelous campsite urges you to stop overnight.

A 23 km trek to Gadsar lake, 3900 m , passes through steep climbs followed by a rapid descent, whereafter the magical gadsar lake appears, mostly full of broken glacier masses. A trek of 17 km via Satsar lake, 3600 m passes through Gangabal valley, where the view of Harmukh Peak is breathtaking. Few kilometers walk will take you to gangabal Lake 3570 m at the foot of Harmukh. A plain compsite amidst the valey is an unforgettable experience.

From Gangabal , a 17 km tough descend leads to Naranag, where ruins of Buddhist temples, built by Jauka , son of Ashoka and also by King Lalitadatya are still present. 5 km fruther down is Wangat 2050 m, from where a metal road leads back to Sonamarg via Kangan and to Srinagar.

A fine trek west of Sonamarg is to cross the Nichinai pass to Gangabal Lake. As always, you would do well to have a local to accompany you. To reach the trailhead, go 2 miles down valley from Sonamarg toward Srinagar to the bridge below the tightly clustered houses of Shitkari village, where the road crosses the Sind River. Across the river from this small village, begin walking on the true Right Bank to the lakes called Krishan Sar and Vishan Sar, and beyond to Gangabal Lake near Haramukh, the highest peak in the vicinity of the Kashmir valley.