Green Sonamarg
Those desirous of taking the speediest route to Sonamarg can fly into the Srinagar airport and drive down to Sonamarg in 3 hours. Sonamarg is close to the base camp for the Amarnath pilgrimage. The pilgrimage starts from Baltal which is close by. Sonamarg is visited by trekkers who move to the remote glacial lakes from here. There are also easy treks for beginners. The trek to Thajiwas glacier is an easy one.
A Sonamarg holiday package will include accommodation in tents or regular hotels and also treks or trips to nearby areas. The Songmarg hotels however would be an ideal choice over tents considering the cold weather. The best locations to visit are Gadsar Lake, Krishansar Lake, Vishansar Lake, Gangabal Lake and Baltal. There is a yearly river rafting competition that brings enthusiasts from all over to Sonamarg. The expedition is conducted on the Sindh Nallah which is a tributary of Jhelum.
Sonamarg gets snow-bound by November. From then till May there are no residents in Sonamarg. The only people who live in Sonamarg in winter are the army personnel who guard these sensitive areas round the year. Summer is pleasantly cool in the mornings and cold at night. But as with mountainous areas, this place also can get cold and dark in a few hours when the weather changes suddenly.
In Sonamarg, tourists will need light to heavy warm clothing in summer. The lakes are in higher reaches that range from 12,000 to 15,000 ft. The weather is always cold there. To reach Thajiwas glacier, ponies are available. These can be hired from the Sonamarg town.
Sonamrg is at a height of 2780 m and it lies along the Sindhu Nallah, a green coloured mountain river. Surrounding Sonamarg are peaks like Kolhoi Peak, Machoi Peak, Amarnath Peak and Sirbal Peak, all covered in eternal snow!
Centuries ago, Sonamarg was part of the silk route that connected these parts with the outside world through the Zoji La. This pass allowed people to move to Leh crossing mountains. The drive from Leh and Srinagar will take you through pristine alpine landscape that is green and verdant in summer. The meadows are carpeted with flowers which thrive in summer.
Anglers who are keen on trout fishing come here in summer. The mountain streams are full of different kind of trout. Tourists and trekkers have a short period available to them when the inhospitable snows melt and life returns to Sonamarg. A holiday in Sonamarg is an invigorating and rejuvenating experience.
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