Arrive in Srinagar by 2:00pm and board a car for a three-hour drive to Shitkari, passing through winding roads that lead to Kashmir’s golden Sonamarg meadows. Shitkari, situated 3 kilometres before Sonamarg, is our base camp for the Kashmir Lakes Trek. Spend the night in tents at Shitkari’s open grassy campsite.

Early in the morning, we set out on our trek to Nichnai, aiming for a 2 to 3-hour mild ascent to the tabletop village of Shekdur, passing through a stretch of pine woodland before stopping at the bank of Nichnai Nallah for lunch. After a steady ascent along the Nallah, we arrive at today’s campsite, with breathtaking views of the Nichnai Pass ahead.

The day’s hike starts with a 2-hour moderate to steep ascent to the summit of Nichnai Pass (4100 m). The Nichnai Lake can be seen on the left side as we climb towards the pass. We descend for an hour after crossing the pass, regroup for lunch, and then walk through the valley meadows to today’s campsite, which is just below the Vishnusar lake. You should spend the rest of the day visiting the area. Touring the twin lakes of Vishnusar and Kishansar

We start the day by steadily climbing across the twin lakes. A slow descent follows, followed by a simple walk along the meadows towards Gadsar lake, after a steep ascent to the top of Gadsar pass at 4200 m, which provides stunning views of the twin lakes. Before continuing on to the campsite further ahead, we re-group at the lake for lunch.

Our journey today takes us via SATSAR, a collection of seven lakes. We walk 1.5 to 2hours uphill from Gadsar campsite before descending to Satsar pass through the Satsar stream. Before continuing on for another hour to our campsite today, we re-group for lunch on the bank of a lake just across the pass. There are 4 or 5 lakes of water depending on the season. Above the cliff, on the right side of the hill, is the Satsar army checkpoint. It’s the third line of defence for the LOC. The same methods for identity verification, data collection, and questioning apply. Complete this task today to ensure a safe day of hiking tomorrow. The army camp is 10 minutes away from the first of the Satsar lakes. The lake is enormous, and it is situated in a lush green setting with mountains in the distance.

We’re on our way to the Nundkol and Gangbal twin lakes today. The Harmukh mountain looms over the Nundkol and Gangbal twin lakes as we begin our ascent to Zach pass at 4100 metres. Before climbing to the Nundkol campsite through a small ridge with views of the lakes, we stop for lunch along a small stream.

We’ll spend today, the trek’s rest day, exploring the area around the twin lakes, including a visit to Gangbal Lake and relaxing on its shores. As Harmukh mountain towers over the entire valley, providing amazing views in all directions, we return to the campsite for our goodbye meal and campfire.

Our time in the wilderness has come to an end, and we’re going back to civilization. We start with a steady climb out of the valley, then descend to the tree line to reach a forested trail that leads to a Tea-shop, where we will stop for lunch. After that, it’s a three-hour steep descent to Naranag, an old temple village with a Srinagar roadhead. Relax and enjoy the ride to Srinagar by transferring your baggage to the waiting transport.

Go for an Early Morning Shikara Ride post which we will have our breakfast and check out of the houseboat. Say your goodbyes, this brings us to the end of an EPIC adventure and beginning of an era of travel stories with Wandering souls. You can book return flight leaving post 12pm.