India

Srinagar

We reached Sitkari from Srinagar the previous day. On the first day of the trek, we start the climb from the town of Sitkari and walk 6.8miles to Nichnai. It’s an 8-hour climb through gently ascending paths.

Starting out from Sitkari to Nichnai 

Vishansar

On the second day, we rise early to climb about 7.4 miles from Nichnai to Vishansar Lake, the first of Kashmir’s great lakes. Vishansar Lake gently unfolded in front of our eyes as we summited the top of a nearby hill.Vishansar lies next to the Kishansar Lake, which is its twin, and both lie with the lap of a verdant valley, surrounded by snow-topped mountains.

Climbing up to the beautiful Vishansar Lake

Krishansar Lake

The third day was a rest day to help us get acclimatized to the altitude. On this day, we went closer to the banks of the Vishansar Lake and hiked for two hours to see the Kishansar Lake closer. We returned to our camp near Vishansar for the night.

Hiking down to see the  Kishansar Lake

Gadsar

On day four, we had one of our longer climbs of 8.7 miles to the turquoise-hued Gadsar Lake. This is where the entrance to the Army Camp begins. Before starting the trail, you will need to keep your passport and other official documents for a security check.Gadsar Lake lies in a valley of flowers and depends on the time you visit. You’re sure to see spectacular endemic flora here.

Traveling to the Gadsar Lake and the Valley of Flowers

Satsar Lake

Our next destination was Maengandob, and on this route, we walked past the gorgeous Satsar Lake. The trail here is dry and rocky. Some places can be a tad slippery due to loose rocks, but it’s a gentle incline. The ridge on which we climbed was around 6.2 miles, and it took us about 6 hours to reach the next camp.

A drop at Satsar Lake enroute to Maengandob

Nundkol

Gangabal

From Maengandob, our next destination is comprised of three gorgeous lakes - Nundkol lake and the Gangabal Twin Lakes. It’s such a beautiful vista to stand atop a hill and look down at the three lakes close by. We first visited Nundkol lake and then walked two more hours to reach the Gangabal lakes.Here the waters are a unique combination of emerald green, sky blue, and golden, thanks to the way the light reflects off the mountains and meadows. This is a short 5-mile trek.

Triple delight trek to Nundkol lake and the Gangabal Twin Lakes

Naranag

The final stretch of the Kashmir Great Lakes climb was from Nundkol lake to Naranag, which is around 7 miles and takes about 6 hours to complete. After resting for a while, we visited the temple ruins at Naranag and went down to the jeep waiting for us to take us back to Srinagar.&nbsp;

Descending to base camp at Naranag 

The trek to visit the great lakes of Kashmir is 40.4 miles of a gorgeous trail comprising the most spectacular panoramic vistas in the natural world. We walked on steep ascents and rolling descents, past green pastures, across snowy peaks, and beside lakes with mirror-like sheen.The maximum altitude we reached was 13,870ft. We met amazing locals, tasted delicious vegetarian fares, and took many photos to last us a lifetime.This is a taxing trek, which involves seven full days of climbing. But do keep two days – one before the trek and one after the trek as buffer days for the trek. You will also need to purchase trekking boots, warm clothes, hats, moisturizing lotions, chapsticks, altitude medication, cold medication, trekking poles, and anything else your guide advises.&nbsp;Getting to the start of the trailYou will need to drive from Srinagar to Sitkari the day before the start of the trek. This is about 4 hours drive. You can hire a cab at Srinagar. Many cab companies offer a drop/pickup facility where you can pre-book your pickup from Naranag at the end of your trek.

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Starting out from Sitkari to Nichnai

Climbing up to the beautiful Vishansar Lake

Hiking down to see the Kishansar Lake

Traveling to the Gadsar Lake and the Valley of Flowers

A drop at Satsar Lake enroute to Maengandob

Triple delight trek to Nundkol lake and the Gangabal Twin Lakes

Descending to base camp at Naranag

A Gateway to Heaven Through the Great Lakes of Kashmir, India

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Starting out from Sitkari to Nichnai

Climbing up to the beautiful Vishansar Lake

Hiking down to see the Kishansar Lake

Traveling to the Gadsar Lake and the Valley of Flowers

A drop at Satsar Lake enroute to Maengandob

Triple delight trek to Nundkol lake and the Gangabal Twin Lakes

Descending to base camp at Naranag