Trekking In Jammu & Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is India’s northernmost state, and the one which
is best-known for trekking. It is an extravagantly beautiful land of
flower-spangled meadows, wild orchards, spectacular coniferous forests,
icy mountain peaks and clear streams and rivers. The capital, Srinagar,
is the base for many treks, notably to the blue Zabarwan Hills and
Shankaracharya Hill. The three other main bases in Jammu & Kashmir
are Pahalgam (100km/62 miles from Srinigar) in the Lidder Valley, the
base for treks to sacred Amarnath, Aru, Lidderwat and the glacial lakes
of Tarsar and Tulian; Gulmarg (51km/32 miles from Srinagar), from which
treks can be made to the crystal tarns of Apharwat and Alpather, the
upland lakes of Vishansar and Gangabal and the Thajiwas Glacier; and
Sonamarg, in the Sindh Valley, the base for treks into the surrounding
mountains.
Srinagar is also the roadhead for trips into the arid
plateau of Ladakh, a country of perpetual drought, the home of wild
asses and yaks and with high ranges that have some of the largest
glaciers in the world outside the polar regions. Leh, the divisional
capital, lies on an ancient Silk Road and is the base for spectacular
treks across this remarkable landscape. Further south, excellent
trekking may be had in the vicinity of Jammu, the railhead to the
Kashmir Valley. The three main centres are Kishtwar, Doda and Poonch
A range of trekking options is available here. Summer is the season
when all trekking routes are open while some are open in winter too.
There are excellent camping sites also enroute.The Sundarani- Jungal
Gali-Jasarkote-Sanasar route in Jangal Gali area lets you choose any of
three exciting treks. For more details check the Jangal Gali trek route
in trekking brochure available from JKTDC(Free). There are Trekking
equipment hire shops of tourism Deptt. at Jammu and Kud. They stock
imported and local gear. These rae available for fixed prices.
Jammu & Kashmir the trekking season extends from July through
September. Trekking in Jammu & Kashmir is of different kind, one may
go for trekking for a week or for a day. People can not feel like they
are away from the human life, even on hills the huts of Gujars can be
seen made up of log of wood, they use to graze their sheeps on the
lonely hills. In Ladakh s some treks have monasteries as their focus and
in Kashmir some treks have mountain lakes as their focus. One trek in
particular covers half a dozen high altitude lakes, encircled by snow
covered mountains. In Jammu, Kishtwar and Bhadarwar regions have
excellent trekking routes.
