The Most Beautiful Trek in India
Trek: Kashmir Great Lakes Trek
Region: Kashmir
Duration: 8 days
Difficulty Grade: Moderate-Difficult
Base Camp: Gagangir, Sonmarg
Maximum Altitude: 4180 M
Approx. Trekking Km: 75 Kms.
Maximum Group size: 12 trekkers.
Best Time to Visit:
This trek is only accessible during July-August and August is the Best time to do this trek.
Eligibility:
Previous high altitude trekking experience is must.
The climber must be fit and have sufficient stamina to cover 5 km of distance in 30 minutes without a stress.
The climber should be able to carry personal backpack.
Heart problem, high blood pressure, asthma, and epilepsy cannot be reconciled on this mission. The climber must not have the conditions mentioned above.
Highlights
- The magnificent mountain scenery on the trek
- Most treks in the Himalayas are very scenic. However Kashmir Great Lakes trek is on a scale of its own. In fact, the mountains of Kashmir are like that. They have a larger-than-life presence around you. I would not be exaggerating too much if I say that a trek in Kashmir is like watching on an IMAX screen while everywhere else is on a normal TV screen. Kashmir — you feel it everywhere
- The unforgettable walks; especially in the meadows
- Besides, you cannot talk about Kashmir Great Lakes Trek without mentioning the lakes. Especially, Starting from clear at dawn to sea green to light blue to inky blue by evening. Additionally the twin lakes Vishnusar and Kishansar, the sea-green Gadsar with ice floes, the sight of gigantic Gangabal along with its twin Nandkol are some of the best lake scenery you will see in the world.
- During this trek, you will cross 3 mountain passes in total.
Fixed Departure Dates:
August
| 10th-17th Aug |
| 17th-24th Aug |
September
7th-14th Sept
Cost – INR 17,999 15,999/person* +GST (5%)
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Kashmir Great Lakes Trek Overview
The Most Beautiful Trek In India
Kashmir Great Lakes Trek is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful treks in India. It undoubtedly validates Kashmir’s mythical status as heaven on earth.
This is because the trek is set on a canvas that’s larger than life. It is situated 75 km northeast of Srinagar. During the trek every day is a 360° panorama of wild, rugged mountains, rolling meadows, and turquoise alpine lakes of Vishansar, Krishansar, Gadsar, Satsar, Nundkol and Gangbal. Additionally you get more than six of these lakes and five very different valleys to explore!
Difficulty Level
The range of landscape makes it a comparatively moderate-difficult trek spanning over six days. Furthermore it has long trekking days with steep ascents and descents with no easy exit points. Therefore it’s not meant for a beginner who hasn’t been exposed to high-altitude treks.
Starting from the popular hill station Sonamarg, the trail follows ancient routes taken by the Gujjars, the nomadic shepherds of Kashmir. Thus trekkers are treated to breathtaking views of rugged snowcapped mountains, colourful grasslands, and trout-filled crystal clear lakes every day. There are also high passes to be crossed, the highest being at 4191m and rocky terrains to be navigated frequently and among them few are having a bit of tricky section. It is a physically and mentally challenging trek and would require the trekkers to be comparatively fit and to have a penchant for the Himalayan remoteness to enjoy this trek.
Short Itinerary
- DAY 1: Firstly arrive at Gagangir from Srinagar, spend the rest of the time at Gagangir, Sonmarg. Generally a Acclimatization Day.
- DAY 2: Trek from Shitkadi to Nichnai, Trek distance: 11.6 km | Trek Duration: 6.5 hours | Altitude gain: 7,800 ft to 11,607 ft.
- DAY 3: Trek from Nichnai to Vishnusar via Nichnai Pass, Trek distance: 13.5 km | Trek Duration: 7 hours | Altitude gain: 11,607 ft to 12,011 ft via 13,229 ft.
- DAY 4: Trek from Vishnusar to Gadsar via Gadsar Pass, Trek distance: 16 km | Trek Duration: 7.5 hours | Altitude gain and loss: 12,011 ft to 10,706 ft via 13,715 ft.
- DAY 5: Trek from Gadsar to Satsar, Trek distance: 11.5 km | Trek Duration: 4.5 hours | Altitude gain: 10,706 ft to 11,985 ft.
- DAY 6: Trek from Satsar to Gangabal via Zaj Pass Trek distance: 10 km | Trek Duration: 6 hours | Altitude loss: 11,985 ft to 11,486 ft via 13,276 ft.
- DAY 7: Generally a Buffer Day
- DAY 8: Finally trek from Gangabal to Naranag. Then drive to Srinagar. Trek distance: 13 km | Trek Duration: 6 hours | Altitude loss: 11,486 ft to 7,800 ftDrive Distance: 2 hours | Drive Duration: 50 km
Inclusions
- Staying would be provided at basic homestays in Gagangir and alpine tents during the trek.
- Fooding will be provided from Day 1 dinner to Day 8 breakfast. Packed lunch during trek.
- All trekking and camping equipment, medical assistance and first aid kit.
- All forest permits, trekking permits and sanctuary permit.
- Healthy Veg/non-veg meals as per your choice.
- Car cost: Pickup from Srinagar to Gagangir, Sonmarg and drop to Srinagar from Naranag.
Exclusions
- Travel insurance.
- Naranag homestay or Srinagar hotel stay/houseboat charges.
- Any other food for your need.
- Personal rucksack carrying cost by porters/mules during trek. ( on advance booking basis)
- Any kind of personal expenses.
- Anything not specially mentioned under ‘inclusions’.
How to Reach at Srinagar?
Day 1: Book your air ticket to Srinagar to reach early in the morning or book your air ticket to Srinagar on Day 0 afternoon/evening.
Day 9: Book a return flight ticket from Srinagar. Do not book plane tickets to your hometown from Srinagar on Day 8.
Note:
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- While getting to Srinagar, we recommend you arrive a day earlier and stay at Srinagar. Staying at Srinagar gives you a well-deserved rest for the night. Plus some bonus sightseeing.
- On your return, your trek ends at Naranag. We again arrange for transport for trekkers to reach Srinagar. You reach Srinagar between 6.00 and 7.00 pm.
Buffer Day: Generally you have to keep a buffer day for emergencies. Your trek is 7 days long including buffer day. You cannot predict bad rain, landslides or a political situation on a trek. If you don’t use the buffer day on the trek, you can always use it for sightseeing in Srinagar.
Always book your return flight/train tickets after including the buffer day in your itinerary.
There are two options to reach Srinagar.
Option 1: Fly directly to Srinagar
We certainly recommend this. It gives you an added rest day at Srinagar or even better if you can head towards Sonamarg. You can travel to Sonamarg if you land at Srinagar before noon.
Option 2: Taking a train/bus to Jammu and reach Srinagar
(This option is not recommended during the pandemic. There are many roadblocks en route from Jammu to Srinagar that take as long as 24 hours to open. If you opt to travel via Jammu, keep at least 2 days in buffer)
If you are taking a bus to Jammu, then you have multiple options to take. There are two gates outside Jammu ISBT. You will get shared cabs from both these gates.
Meanwhile if you are reaching the Railway Station, the share cabs to Srinagar will cost between Rs 700 to Rs 1000.
Tip: Shared cabs are more from the Jammu ISBT compared to the Railway Station. Firstly you have to travel from the Railway station to the bus stand. They call it “Bus Adda”. The cost of the bus will be Rs 10. The auto will charge around Rs 80 to 120.
Pro Tip: Instead go to Banihal and catch a train to Srinagar (Naogaon) (Reaching Banihal will be again via shared cabs, which cost Rs 500 to Rs 700)
Auto from Srinagar Railway station to Dal Gate, around Rs 150 to Rs 200
This is faster than coming by cabs directly to Srinagar.
Payment & Cancellation Policy:
- Book your slot with 30% advance payment and rest of the payment can be done on or before 30 days of the departure date.
- Any trekker tested positive for Covid-19 before joining the trek, his/her trek fee will be carried forward for 1 year to avail any of our treks.
- Due to any reason if we have to cancel our trek plans, you will be notified and you will get the full refund.
- Cancellation done 30 days before the departure date, get 70% refund of the total amount.
- Cancellation done between 30 days to 20 days before the departure date, get 50% refund of the total amount.
- Cancellation done less than 20 days before the departure date, no refund will be provided as Govt only allow limited number of trekkers each year.
Upcoming Treks
Google Reviews

I hope to trek with them again soon!
HAR HAR MAHADEV…
As usual, the arrangements were good and our experience with the team has become more worth mentioning. Route planning, stays, quality of camping, last minute adjustments for the sake of all and above all, unbiased care for all, make them a quality group. We wish them good luck for the future!
Special thanks to Banzaras mr. Pratya Bose your guidance, management, hospitality made our journey so much better. We will go again with banzaras.👍
and mr. Pratyay Bose you are something I can’t explain uncountable stars for you⭐… I’ll contact next time again with you and Banzaras take my words i promise❤️…. can’t describe my feelings by typing 🤍.
Pratyay Bose ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
সৌনব হাজরা , Be Banazaras এর পক্ষ থেকে আমাদের Dhotrey, Tumling & Aahl এর ৩ দিন এর tour এর আজ শেষ দিন,
প্রথমেই ধন্যবাদ জানাই be banzaras কে এত সুন্দর একটি tour আমাদের সম্পূর্ণ রূপে প্রদর্শন করার জন্য, আমাদের প্রথম শুভঃ যাত্রা ছিল *ধোত্রে* এই গন্তব্য এর ব্যাপার এ সম্পূর্ণ রূপে গাইড করেছে প্রত্যয় দা, প্রত্যয় দা কে আমার ও আমার গ্রুপ এর পক্ষ থেকে অসম্ভব ধন্যবাদ এত সুন্দর একটি গন্তব্য প্রদান করার জন্য, এর পর আসি এই জায়গার homestay ও খাবার দাবার এর কথায় , সেই প্রসঙ্গে বলতে গেলে এক কথায় অসাধারণ, দ্বিতীয়ত যাতায়াত এর কথায় আসি সঠিক সময় সঠিক স্থানে banazars এর অভিজ্ঞ চালকরা আমাদের সর্বোচ্চ ভাবে সাহায্য করেছেন। মানেভঞ্জন এর গাড়ি বুকিং থেকে শেষ অব্দি banzaras এর পরিষেবা এক কথায় অন্যন্য অসাধারণ, এবং tumling ও aahl এ banzaras এর কৃতিত্ব ছিল অপরিসীম।
এর পর আসি প্রত্যয় দার কথায় , দাদা ছিলেন বলেই আজ এত সুন্দর একটি tour আমাদের সফল হল, অসংখ্য ধন্যবাদ দাদা।
আগামী দিনের সকল যাত্রা তোমাদের সাথেই করতে চাই এই কথা রইলো।
অসংখ্য ধন্যবাদ Be Banazaras কে ও প্রত্যয় দা কে❤️
– Mr. Rajdeep was an excellent trek lead, Mr . Madan a wonderful guide. The rest of the staff was very good and cooperative.
– Stay facilities were wonderful, especially homestays at Okharey and Samanden. Very kind and hospitable hosts, delectable food, overall very warm and time spent qith them was highlight of the trip. The trek hut at Phalut too was very nice.
– Equipment was satisfactory for the given trek as its max 12k altitude. We had camping for 3 days.
– Food was mostly good and upon my request they did not serve Maggie
– The owner has a good know how of the route and give good suggestions
– number of staff was good. We had 1 trek lead, one guide one porter all through and 5 cooking staff during camping days
– they provided warm drinking water.
– at Barsey, the cook was unwell so Rajdeep and team cooked for us making sure meals were on time.
I won’t say complaints. But there is definitely area for improvement in following
– the distance from Barsey to Deolingalidhap was was really short. But trek lead wasn’t aware of it very well and we rushed on the route. We reached at 12:30. The cooking team was supposed to arrive before us. But they kept waiting for other members of team who cancelled last minute and got delayed and reached Deolongalidhap not before 3 pm. They quickly got into action but it was 4 pm by the time we got lunch.
– I was promised 3 man tent twin sharing basis. But they for short of 1 tent so got a smaller 2 man tent. This was really very small. We had 3 nights camping so each pair got 1 night in that tent. But had to keep bags in other tents. Solution would have been to buy a new 3 man tent or have two 2 man tents instead of 1. They did apologise for this.
– on couple of occasions lunch was just khichadi and achar but there would be 2 veggies, dal and rice for dinner. It would have been nice to have a veggie for lunch as well or maybe more veggies added to khichdi making it more wholesome.
– the strech from Kalijhar to Phalut is quite long. We also had early start that day for Phoktey Dara summit. Hearty breakfast was provided after summit. But not much pack lunch. For this day it was needed. They gave packlunch on deolingalidhap day when it wasn’t needed.
– we were given xylo on day one for travel. But on last day ordinary jeep. Both drivers were very good but jeep doesn’t have as much leg space.
Overall it was a memorable experience. I would definitely recommend the company and travel with them again in future. We tasted home brewed Rhododendron wine at both the homestays. Tasted yak meat at kalijhar and got to enjoye campfire and barbecue at samanden. The staff was really caring and homestays felt like home away from home.
Hotel staff was very unprofessional. The view was pretty good from the hotel but the staff, amenities, bathroom is not up to the mark on that budget what they charged.
~ Pratik Kumar Dutta.
Peace in Mind ✅
soothing Greenery all around ✅
Cloudy yet beautiful sky✅
Cozy weather✅
Warm hospitality✅
Very Good Network❌
Polution❌
Loud Noise ❌
These things all we wanted for a short weekend trip.
Beautiful Experience with team Banzaraz.
If you want to enjoy the absolute beauty of the Nature ,must visit Langurdang.
Would recommend 100%
Being my first Trek with Banzaras, and not the last, “Barsey Delight Hiking” was really a delightful journey. Location, food, stay, our Trek leader and the group, everything, everyone and every moment was really exceptional.
I would love to become #Banzaras once again and suggest all to pack your baggage and get along with the #banzaras and find peace in the towering majesty of the mountains, where every peak whispers tales of love. You’ll never regret the journey.
Loved #banzaras, their package, arrangements and management. Remarkable effort from the entire team.
Thank you so much for the extraordinary moments, I’ll cherish throughout my life…
Adventure.Thrill.Serenity.Peace.
Be Banzara with the #Banzaras!
Overall it is around 20 km hike, guide is too much friendly & take care of everyone throughout the trek…
Overall view we got in this trek in too much satisfactory… I recommend people to go with Banzaras for Barsey Rhododendron delight Hiking…
Highly recommended for future trips and treks.
Eager to go for more trek with them.
All that Banjara arranged, which was honestly very good and comfortable.
Happy new year, stay tuned
I must say they are very proffesional,alwayas try to make our trip comfortable.From planning to accomodation,food,car driver,homestay enviroment all are awesome.
Due to some unavoidable situation we have to change our trip plan and they did it instantly in the mid of trip with some added location..thanks for that.
When we first enquired about the Phoktrey Dara hike with Banzaras we mentioned that we were foreigners and asked about extra costs for permits. They signed us up for the trek, at a higher foreigner’s rate, and heard no more about the permit requirements, despite having been in regular contact (they were very keen to get us to book into homestays they owned). We asked what documents to bring for permits a few days before the trek, and they assured us all was in hand.
An hour into the first day of our hike we were told we had to go back down to pick up special permits and would then rejoin the group. However, at the checkpoint the police told us we needed a further permit (PAP permit) and would not be able to trek that day. It was extremely embarrassing being thrown into that situation, as the police officers were understandably angry with us at having commenced the hike without the required permits. The guide told us to go back to our previous homestay whilst they tried to expedite a permit.
The guide claimed that the additional permit was a new requirement (two days old) and they were unaware. Two minutes of googling indicated that this was blatantly false – the requirement has been in place for years and even features on the tourism brochure for the region. Other trekking companies make it clear that as a foreigner you need to enter Sikkim a couple of days early to arrange the permit. It was extremely upsetting that they attempted to lie to save face rather than be honest with us. We normally trek independently and research everything ourselves, but naively trusted Banzaras to be aware of this basic yet fundamental knowledge and arrange all permits as per the trek inclusions.
After various excuses about the offices being closed for a holiday, we had to forfeit the trek and were offered what we thought would be a full refund, which seemed only reasonable given the massive error on the company’s side. They offered to arrange a different tour which we found was far less interesting (a walk in a forest with some mountain views) and was going to be quite expensive which we declined. We were advised to stay in the homestay for an additional night, and assumed they would be covering the cost as the only reason we were stuck there was their error.
At 7am the next morning the the guide knocked on our room and told us that they would only be refunding the cost of the trek and that we would still have to pay for the transport up and two nights in the homestay (one of which was at their advice). This was extremely insulting and shocking as there had been no mention of this the previous day, but as it was early and we’d hardly slept slept due to severe food poisoning (most likely from from the homestay, as they’d provided all our food and water for the previous day 1.5 days) we were in no state to argue. If we’d known we would be charged for an extra night we would left the previous day.
To summarise: we spent 5800 INR to spend all day in a jeep, do one hour of trekking, get dressed down by the police, then spend a day sat round a homestay (which likely made us really sick). We planned our itinerary around the trek, skipping places we otherwise would have visited, and had to buy expensive train tickets to ensure we arrived in time. While the guide was very apologetic, it really doesn’t make up in any way for the money and time wasted, not to mention the disappointment and humiliation of having to turn back. We are on a long trip so may have other chances to do some trekking, but if you were on a shorter holiday it would have totally ruined it.
I would not recommend this company to any non-Indian traveller who wishes to explore the wonders of Sikkim, and indeed all travellers may want to consider the company’s integrity.
I would like to thank all the team members of Banzara. I enjoyed the exciting activities very much, met new friends… Everything went well-organized…
When I travel on future hikes or treks, this will be my top choice.
The members are very friendly. They provide a perfect balance between discipline and freedom ❤✅
Highly recommended for your next trip 👍💯
I would strongly recommend people to try out a trekking experience with them and make life long cherishable memories.
Thank you Banzaras.
Looking forward to meeting you guys soon.
And when it’s time for choosing offbit North Bengal spots and confused which spot to chose, don’t worry!! BANZARAS is only one call away.
This time we visited Barmaik, few kms away from Kalimpong. Unique experience! I must say. If you are a lover of sunsets and Kanchenjaunga this is one of the few places where you can enjoy the both.
And yes, the Homestay? Beautiful!! The host are loving, friendly and the service is excellent. The view of Teesta river, sunset, Kanchenjaunga and the majestic mountains can be enjoyed from the balcony of the homestay itself.
Barmaik is a must visit spot for every mountain lover.
Thank you Pratyay for your wonderful suggestion. From NJP to NJP everything was just perfect as we expected. Takdah is just mind blowing offbeat to heal yourself from the chaos and noise. The greenery and silence was the best.
Thank you Banzaras for making my first family trip memorable.❤️
We will rock together soon 🤘
There were a few first-timers who were instructed and helped above and beyond their expectations. Tents, sleeping bags, and mats were provided, which many tour firms do not, as we witnessed in Dzokou Valley.
Rajdeep (our tour guide), despite being really young remained calm and answered all difficulties. Because of their hospitality, our muddy monsoon trek turned into a treat.
Banzara’s environmental drive and continuous reminders not to litter everywhere made me very happy.
I’d like to see many more wonderful places with Banzaras.
This is an amazing experience in the lap of mountains….
#bebsnzaras ❤
Special thanks to Subhrojyoti Laha, Prabhakar Kumar and Pratyay Bose for organizing this hike. ❤️
The location of Tonglu is simply breathtaking, and Banzaras made sure that we got the best views of the mountains and the forests. The Homestay stay at Banzaras was perfect – comfortable, clean, and with all the amenities one could need. The rooms were cozy and the decor was charming, giving a very homely vibe.
The food was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. We were treated to delicious local cuisine.
Lastly, the hospitality of the staff was impeccable. They were warm, friendly, and always ready to assist us with anything we needed. Prabhakar guided us on our trek to Tonglu is knowledgeable and made sure that we had a safe and enjoyable experience.
Overall, I had an amazing time traveling with Banzaras to Tonglu. I would highly recommend this company to anyone looking for an eco-friendly and sustainable travel experience, with great accommodation, food, and hospitality. Thank you, Banzaras, for an unforgettable trip.
Home is where Heart Belongs. ❤️
It was such a spectacular week for me as I was travelling alone for the first time. Thank you, Banajaras for arranging this fabulous stay for me. I am going to remember my stay for a long long time 🙂 Cheers!

































































































































































