The walk
This is the hardest trek in the current ValleyRides list, and it should feel like a choice rather than an upgrade. You cross high passes, camp beside alpine lakes, and finish by walking out toward Naranag.
The days are long and the weather in July can change in an hour. The payoff is a sequence of lakes that do not look like the same photograph repeated.
We ask for previous trekking days before we confirm a seat. A gym habit is not the same as a week of camps.
You will remember
- Vishansar and Kishansar
- Gadsar Pass and the Gadsar valley
- Satsar’s string of lakes
- Gangabal beneath Harmukh
- A true traverse, with a different walk-out
On this trail
Day by day
01 Day 1 · Srinagar to Sonamarg
Drive to Sonamarg and stay there. We brief the week properly, including the turnaround rules on the passes.
02 Day 2 · Sonamarg to Nichnai
The walk begins up the valley toward Nichnai. It is a steady gain and the first night in camp.
03 Day 3 · Nichnai to Vishansar
Over Nichnai Pass and down to the twin lakes. This is the day the trek starts to feel high.
04 Day 4 · Vishansar to Gadsar
Gadsar Pass is the hardest crossing. We start early, watch the cloud, and camp in the valley beyond.
05 Day 5 · Gadsar to Satsar
A gentler lake day after the pass. The camps are beside the water and the walking is still a full day.
06 Day 6 · Satsar to Gangabal
Over another ridge to Gangabal, with Harmukh above the lake. One of the great camp sites of the trek.
07 Day 7 · Gangabal to Naranag and Srinagar
A long walk out to Naranag and the drive back to Srinagar. Book onward travel for the next morning, not the same night.
Included
- Stay on the nights listed in the itinerary, in guesthouses, homestays or camps
- Meals from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on the last day
- Trek leader and a local guide
- Permits and forest entry fees for the route
- Transfers that are written into the day-by-day plan
- Group first-aid kit, and an oxygen cylinder on high camps
- Cloakroom support for the main bag on walking days where the trail allows it
Not included
- Travel to and from the meeting point
- Personal clothing, shoes and insurance
- Meals during the drive to the trailhead, unless the day says otherwise
- Tips for the guide and kitchen team
- Emergency evacuation or hospital costs
- GST, if it applies, until we confirm the invoice
- Anything not written in the inclusions
Before you go
Previous multi-day trek required. You should be comfortable with 7 to 9 hour days and a pack on some sections.
Meet at Srinagar. Ages 12 to 58.
Summer.
What to carry
- Worn-in waterproof trekking shoes with grip
- A warm layer and a jacket for camp
- Rain shell and trekking pants
- Sun cap, woollen cap, sunglasses and sunscreen
- Gloves and spare socks
- Headlamp with spare batteries
- Two water bottles, about two litres
- Personal medicines and a small toiletry kit
- Government photo ID
- Daypack, 20 to 30 litres
How to reach
Meet in Srinagar and drive to Sonamarg on day 1. Flights into Srinagar should land the previous day. We share a hotel suggestion for that night when you book.
If plans change
If we cancel the departure, you can move to another date or receive a refund of what you have paid.
If you cancel 30 days or more before the start, the trek amount is refunded minus a processing fee we state in your confirmation. Between 15 and 29 days, half is retained. Inside 14 days the departure is non-refundable, because the stay, food and guide team are already committed.
The full note also lives on the Cancellations page.
Before you come
Carry a government photo ID. Mention a special diet when you book so the kitchen can buy for it.
Questions on this trek
Do I need an earlier trek?
Yes. Please tell us what you have walked. We will say no if this week is too much, and suggest Hampta or Har Ki Dun instead.
How are the camps?
Tents, a kitchen, and a toilet tent. This is not a guesthouse trek. The inclusions list what that means for meals and support.
What about permits?
Permissions for the route are part of the inclusions. You still carry a photo ID.