Sonamarg – the Meadow of Gold !
Sonamarg, at an altitude of 3,000 metres above sea level, 87 km north-east of Srinagar. The drive to Sonamargh is though yet another spectacular facet of country side in Kashmir, this time in Sindh Valley. The Sindh Valley is the largest tributary of the valley of Kashmir. It is upwards of sixty miles long, and valley and deep rock-girt gorge to open grassy meadow land and village-dotted slopes.
Sonamarg, which means ‘ meadow of gold’ has, as its backdrop, snowy mountains against a cerulean sky. the Sindth meanders along here and abounds with trout and mahseer, snow trout can be caught in the main river. Ponies can be hired for the trip up to Thajiwas glacier a major attraction during the summer months.
The climate of Sonamarg is very bracing; but the rainfall is frequent though not heavy, except for two or three days at a time in July and August with fine spell in between.
From Sonamarg, trekking routes lead to the Himalayan lakes of Vishansar (4084 msl), Krishnasar (3810 msl) and Gangabal (3658 msl). Other lakes in the region are Gadsar, stocked with snowtrout and Satsar, glacier-fed and surrounded by banks of alpine flowers.
A close by excursion is to Baltal, 15 km north of Sonamarg. This little valley lies at the foot of the Zojila, only a day’s journey away from the sacred cave of Amarnath. Trekkers can also reach the starkly splendid roof-top of the world – Leh, by crossing over the Zijila Pass
Beautiful resort famous for trekking trails, all year skiing and a gateway to Leh, Ladakh. Know more about hotels, travel, Sindh Valley, trout, mahaseer, Thajiwas Glacier, Zojila pass, Srinagar-Leh Road, Gujars, Nilagrad & Bisansar Krishnasar Lake, etc. in this pictureque meadow of gold
Want to beat that summer heat skiing? If yes, then Sonmarg in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir is the ideal getaway destination. Located 84 kilometers from state capital Srinagar, Sonmarg lies in the valley carved by River Sindh and is surrounded by towering snow-capped mountains. Also known as the “Gateway to Ladakh” the surrounding areas of this small town are covered in snow till the end of July.
Sonmarg makes an excellent base for trekking in Jammu & Kashmir. In the summer months this hill-station area is visited for the day by many down country tourists from the various parts of Northern India. Sonmarg has a small, tourist bazaar and some seasonal restaurants, and the tourist center here is a well of activity with people booking horseback rides or rest houses for the night. The major importance of Sonmarg is that it is the last stoppage point of Kashmir, when one is heading from Srinagar to Leh. During daytime one can take the 3-mile horseback ride west, then south, to the Thajiwas glacier. The tourist officer in Sonmarg is at the center during the day and can be of excellent assistance if you have questions or trekking equipment requirement for several days while you are trekking.