Sonamarg or Sonmarg, located at a hefty altitude of 2,740 m above sea level, literally means 'Meadow of Gold'. The picturesque natural beauty of the region brought this name to Sonamarg. Sonamarg, a town surrounded by breathtaking glaciers and serene lakes, is a snow covered beautiful flower-laden meadow in the majestic Himalayan mountain region. Sonamarg in the Kashmir valley is the gateway to Ladakh and situated just before the Zojii La pass. Located at 87 km from Srinagar, the place is renowned for trekking and hiking trails.
Sightseeing of Sonamarg
Thajiwar Glacier
A paradise on earth, the name " Sonamarg" itself signifies signifies its, beauty, the golden meadow, set in a backdrop of snow capped mountains and bright flowers, this place is sure to get
energy.
Baltal,
Baltal, on the shores of the Sindh River, is located around 15 km away from the north of Sonamarg. This small valley serves as a camping ground for the Amarnath pilgrims. It rests at the foot of Zoji-La Pass on the banks of the river Sindh. Moreover, for the convenience of the pilgrims, base camps are set up in is this ground and this little valley is only a day's journey away from and provides a shorter high-altitude alternate route to the sacred cave of Amarnath.
Gangabal Lake,
The twin lakes of Gangabal and Nandakol look stunning when viewed from Zach pass on the hills opposite side. It is definitely worth the effort, try and hike up as high as possible, higher you go, better is the view! If there are shepherds around with their flock, the lake is great for fishing but one needs a permit from Srinagar.On a clear day, the view of Nandakol lake at the base of Harmukh peak towering to a height of over 5000m is fantastic. You can make this a trip on horse/pony from Narnag
Vishansar Lake,
Vishansar in hindi means the lake of Vishnu is home to many types of fishes among of which is the brown trout. It freezes during winter. During the summer season, the lake is surrounded by green lush meadows where local shepherds graze their flocks of sheep and goat. The Lake with its scenic beauty, snow covered mountains and their gorges filled with small glaciers and the meadows around, with alpine flowers is an attraction for the trekkers in the Kashmir Valley.
Krishnasar Lake,
Krishnasar Lake is situated at a height of 3801 m above sea level, Krishnasar Lake is one of the most mesmerizing lakes in the chain of many Himalayan lakes.
Gadsar Lake,
Gadsar Lake is located 5,000 m above sea level, in the Himalayan Ranges. It is considered as one of the highest altitude lakes in the Kashmir region. This lake is famous as trekking base, which can be reached through the alpine trek. Brown-trout fishing is a popular activity among the tourists visiting this lake.
Nund Kol Sar
This is a smaller lake which comes before Gangabal. It is situated at the foothills of Harmukh. A beautiful lake with crystal clear water, the water from Gangabal flows into this lake and the waters of the two lakes together form the crank naaz stream. The Nundkol Lake lies at the foothills of Mount Haramukh (5,142m (16,870 ft)). The Gangabal Lake which is bigger and at higher elevation lies 1.5 km to the north of the lake.
Naranag,
Naranag know for its scenic meadows, lakes and mountains, it is a base camp for trekking to the Mount Haramukh 16,870 ft (5,142 metres) and Gangabal Lake. The village lies at the left bank of the Wangath river, which is a tributary of the Nallah Sindh.
Mount Harmukh
Harmukh (also known as Mount Haramukh or Harmukh mountain) is a mountain with a peak elevation of 5,142 metres (16,870 ft), in Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir. Harmukh is part of the Himalaya Range, and is located between Nallah Sindh in the south and Kishanganga Neelum River in the north, rising above Gangabal Lake in the vicinity of Kashmir valley. It is mostly climbed from the northwestern side of Arin Bandipore.
