Shitkadi, or the Meadow of Gold, is where the KGL trek begins. To ensure a smooth journey, opt for the transport with Trekkaro, boarding no later than 12:00 PM from the Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) in Srinagar. If you are traveling independently, ideally aim to reach Sonmarg by 3-4 PM. We advise you to arrive at the base camp before 3:00 PM, providing you with an opportunity to get acquainted with the grandeur of Kashmir National Park. You can easily witness four majestic peaks Sirbal Peak, Kolahoi Peak, Amarnath Peak, Machoi Peak, and the Machoi Glacier from this location. The journey from Srinagar to Sonmarg may be short, but it's an enjoyable ride. Once you leave the city limits, there is little-to-no traffic and lovely natural scenery takes over instead. About thirty kilometers into the drive, picturesque snow-capped mountains pop up on the horizon with rolling green meadows on either side of the road. It's worth your while to take a day trip from Srinagar to admire these stunning views! We will base ourselves in camps for the day, with a Team introduction after tea in the evening followed by dinner.

Leaving Shitkadi at 8:00 AM, we will be hiking up and down the trail. The gradient is moderate, and there will be plenty of water sources for refilling water bottles along the way. We follow a vehicle track that descends to the Sind River, where the Kashmir Great Lakes Trek begins. When the trailhead is reached, it quickly rises. About ten minutes into the trek, the trail unexpectedly enters a patch of green meadows overlooking Sonmarg. It is at this point that civilization as we know it ends, and the Kashmir Great Lakes Trek begins! This is a breathtaking view of the Sindh River glistening in the early morning sunshine as she makes her way through this tiny town surrounded on either side by gorgeous mountains. This view only gets fuller and more resplendent as you ascend further up the trail. It takes 30 minutes to reach the top of the meadow. Maple trees, pine trees, and silver birch trees dot the landscape. The climb up to Nichnai, your campsite for the day, takes you through vibrant meadows dotted by clear brooks and streams!

Despite the moderate gradient, be prepared for long hours of walking. We will break camp early for the day and start at 8 a.m. Through the day, the scenery shifts winningly, from a stroll through expansive meadows to a stroll along the banks of a river to a moderate climb up the Nichnai Pass, followed by a sharp descent. As you walk along the river running through the Nichnai Campsite, look for feasible spots where you can cross it. The Nichnai Pass is located on the other side of the river. The Pass (which can be seen from the campsite itself) can be reached once you reach the other side of the river bank. After a couple of bends along the ridge, the trail ascends steadily for about an hour to the top of the ridgeline that was visible from the meadow below. However, this isn't the actual pass. The actual pass begins after a couple of bends along the ridge. On the left, snow-covered mountains line the passageway. On the right, the land rises, giving the impression of walking through a tunnel. You descend quickly and steeply on rocky terrain from the top of the Pass to the meadows below. You will notice that colorful little flowers dot the grass here. A new river flows into this region from the Pass. The horizon is filled with numerous, narrow trails.

On your left, you will see snow-clad mountains, while on your right, there are stretches of barren and rugged mountain faces. Continue walking along one of these trails and continue walking forward. In addition to the sharp contrast in scenery, the dewiness of the grass and flowers at your feet make this one of the most beautiful meadow walks on the Kashmir Great Lakes Trek. Our campsite for the day is located two hours away beyond yet another river crossing and not far from an alpine lake with startlingly blue waters that are bound to have you hooked right from the moment you lay your eyes on it. Vishansar Lake is just a short distance from Kishansar Lake, another famous lake.

Our trek today consists of a steep two-hour ascent followed by a steep two-hour descent and then a gentle walk through the meadows. We will have plenty of water sources along the way for refilling water bottles. The trail begins with the climb of a pencil-thin ridge along the mountainside near Kishansar Lake. It takes about an hour and a half to reach the top of this ridge. The mountains unfold a stunning view of the Kishansar and Vishansar lakes together about halfway up your ascent! Once you reach the top of the ridge, the trail descends steeply for an hour before opening up into a valley surrounded by mountain ranges. Aside from the bright red, yellow, purple, and blue flowers popping out of the green grass, these meadows are by far one of the brightest on the trek. After climbing up the pass, this meadow makes you want to flop down and catch a nap. Gadsar Lake lies beyond this meadow. Because Gadsar Lake is the least visited of the seven alpine lakes, it has the most piercing blue waters. Quite a few make weekend trips from Sonamarg to Vishansar and Kishansar, but most make the trip from Naranag to Gangabal on the other side of the trail. Despite this, Gadsar remains untouched due to its location at the highest point of the trek, making it difficult to reach. An Indian Army camp near our campsite will collect, check, and record all of our original ID cards one and a half hours away from Gadsar Lake.

The gradient for the day is mostly moderate barring the first one and a half hours of steep ascent. Post that, it is a level walk up to the next campsite. The landscape on today’s trail stands in sharp contrast to the river valleys we have been trekking through till now. The terrain is rugged, desolate, and captivating in its isolation. Meadows are scant and are marked by scattered patches of white flowers. Boulders and rocky terrain dominate the landscape with an occasional brook cutting through them. We will be crossing an army camp today as well where our original ID cards will be collected, checked, and recorded before letting us cross. Rolling grasslands once again take over the terrain beyond the army camp. Ten minutes away lay the first of the Satsar Lakes. Satsar is a group of seven inter-connected lakes situated in a narrow alpine valley stretching north to south. The lakes drain out into the Wangath Nallah which is a tributary of the Sindh. Big and picturesque in its greenery and backdrop of the mountains, we will be setting up camp here for the day.

We begin by taking the trail heading out of the Satsar Campsite. This section of the trail is exciting mainly because it is dominated by boulders. Most hikers, we have noticed, are comfortable getting down on all fours when jumping from boulder to boulder. You should also be careful not to lose your balance by jumping on loose rocks. After traversing these boulders, we come upon the largest and last Satsar Lakes. It is then time to gain altitude again, so be prepared for a steep climb over the next three and a half hours. We descend for a good 30 minutes until we are confronted by ridge lines that run across the mountains. As we climb from the base, the terrain becomes increasingly rocky and barren. This is probably why KGL treats you to the most theatrical view of the trek on this ridge- a vertigo-inducing view of Gangabal and Nandakol lakes nestled snugly in a valley to make up for the starkness of the landscape. You are compelled to take a break to watch the spectacle unfolding in front of you as mist and fog playfully flit into and out of the scene concealing and revealing the twin lakes. From the top of the ridge to the campsite, it is a very long descent from Gangabal Lake.

Trekkers and tents are more common here than they are at the other campsites. Nandakol and Gangabal are well known for trout fishing in the region. The lake at Nandakol's base is bewitching in its setting. It is fascinating to observe how light and clouds interact on the glacier. A jagged glacier clings to the slopes of the Harmukh Peak. Take some time to explore Gangabal Lake once you've set up camp at Nandakol. The lake is a short walk away from the campsite and you will notice that it is less crowded and more tranquil than Nandakol. There are colorful pebbles on the waterbed near the banks. The lake is surrounded by a mountain. Remnants of a glacier rest at its base, feeding it. The banks are long and pleasant to walk along. Make sure you return to your campsites before dark once you have explored.

Today we will be descending to the Naranag road head, which is where our trek ends. The distance is long and the trail becomes steep towards the end. The ridgeline runs downstream from Gangabal campsite towards the trees. It takes about an hour to reach the treeline. Continue walking along its fringe. For the first 7 Km, you don't lose altitude. There are gentle ascents followed by flat walks through lush meadows. On the way, you see a few huts dotting the landscape. It makes you wonder what it would be like to live there. Once you reach 7 Km, the trail starts to drop sharply. The trail is mostly muddy and runs under pine trees. Naranag appears to be in sight after one or two kilometers, but there is still a long way to go. We should reach Naranag by the afternoon. Our vehicles to Srinagar will be waiting there. We should arrive in Srinagar around 6 PM. To account for any delays on your way, make sure your transport leaves the city post 9 if you plan to leave Srinagar the same day.

If the buffer day is used, you will need to pay Rs 1,800 per day + 5% GST. The money will be collected by the trek leader only if we use the buffer day.