SONMARG

Located at the bank of Sindh river and at an altitude of 9300 feet above sea level. Sonmarg is one of the popular tourist destinations of Kashmir and India. The charming valley with alpine flowers and dense forest, the stunning blue water lakes and grassland, the enchanting beauty of towering snowy mountains has made Sonmarg an extra ordinary destination cocooned in celestial beauty. Literally meaning “Meadow of Gold”. Sonmarg is also the base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra and Gateway to Ladakh. Tourist Attraction of Sonmarg Includes- Amarnath Cave, Thajswas Glacier and Nilagrad.

BEST TIME TO VISIT: Sonamarg experiences cool climatic conditions in summer and snow covered chilly conditions in winter but the best season to visit Sonamarg is from April to July.

Summer: April to July (Average 20º C)

Winter: November to March (Sub Zeroº C)

1. AMARNATH CAVE

Amarnath is one of the most popular religious places and pilgrimage centers of India. Situated at an elevation of around 14000 feet above sea level. This pilgrimage centre is popular for the holy cave of Amaranth. As per the legend, God Shiva the chose this holy cave place for narrating the secretes of immortality and creation of Universe to Goddess Parvathi. This ancient cave is around 5,000 years old. It has ice formations, denoting Shiva Linga Goddess Parvathi and Lord Ganesha. In the month of Sharavan (July – August) devotees visit this incredible holy place to pay obeisance and to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva.

2. THAJIWAS GLACIER

Perched at a height of around 9800 feet above sea level and is located 5 kms from the Sonmarg. Thajiwas Glacier is the major tourist attractions of Sonmarg. Accessible by trek, the trek to the glacier is one of the most amazing treks that you can experience. One can see pretty scenes of nature like horses grazing around the grasslands and small streams gushing through the area. Tourists can enjoy a sledge ride in the area even during the summer season. The area surrounding the glacier is excellent for camping. You can also take a pony ride to the glacier.

3. NILAGRAD

Located at a distance of 6 km from Sonamarg and at the confluence of Mountain Rivers and Indus River lies Nilagrad the popular picnic spot of Sonmarg. The reddish color water of this river has medicinal properties with curative powers. People throng Nilagrad to take a dip in the river. The region is bounded by other lakes and picturesque meadows and thus is an ideal destination for picnic and family holidays.

RESTURANTS: there are lot of restaurants with North Indian food and Kashmiri food located in the Sonmarg Town. However we recommend the followings restaurants.

THINGS TO DO:

• Trek to Thajiwas Glacier and Enroute watch the Kashmiri people and their lifestyle.
• Indulge in Snow related activities like Skiing, Sledging etc. at Thajiwas Glacier.
• Take a dip in the medicinal water at Nilagrad.