Sonmarg in Kashmir is a tourist destination where every traveler dreams of spending some time in the valley. Sonmarg is famous among tourists as ‘Golden Grassland’ i.e. ‘Grasslands that look like gold’. It is a small village in the Kashmir valley which has become famous as a hill station worldwide due to its natural beauty. Tourists coming here can see glaciers, snow-capped mountains, beautiful blue lakes, colorful meadows.
Sonmarg is located in the Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir, about 62 km from the district headquarters and 80 km from the capital Srinagar. Sonmarg was an important city on the ancient Silk Road, the Silk Road started from this city. Near Sonmarg village is Kargil village, which Pakistan tried unsuccessfully to capture in 1999. The Kargil War Memorial is located on the Sonmarg-Dras highway.
This memorial has been built in the memory of the brave soldiers who were martyred in the war with Pakistan. Located at an altitude of about 2,730 meters or 8,960 feet above sea level, it receives 932 mm or 36.7 inches of rainfall per year, apart from intermittent snowfall from October to March. Let’s take a look at the amazing tourist spots of Sonamarg:
Thajiwas Glacier: At an altitude of about 9,186 feet above sea level, Thajiwas Glacier is an attractive tourist spot in Sonmarg. Meadows, frozen lakes, tall conical trees visible to tourists add to the beauty of this glacier. April to October is considered the best time to visit this glacier. One has to go through rocky and unpaved roads to reach the glacier. Tourists who are weak in walking can ride local horses.
Baltal Valley: The valley is located at an altitude of about 2,743 meters above sea level. Tourists in this valley can enjoy the beautiful view of snow-capped mountains, glaciers, waterfalls and the river Sindh flowing through the mountains. A different kind of thrill can be felt by seeing the natural scenery here.
This valley is considered to be the best place for night camping and to enjoy the beautiful view of Zoji La Pass. The base camp of devotees coming on Amarnath Yatra is built in this valley. Tourists can visit this valley only between April to September throughout the year.
Zozi La Paz: This pass connects the Dras Valley and the Suru Valley in Kashmir. The pass is situated at an altitude of 11,575 feet above sea level. The best time to visit this pass is from May to October.
Gadsar Lake: Located at an altitude of about 5,000 meters above sea level, this lake is also known as the lake of flowers. The alpine grass present here adds to the beauty of this lake. Many rare and endangered fishes can be easily seen in this lake. Apart from this, the wild flowers growing around the lake also add to the beauty of the lake.
How to reach Sonmarg:
Route Route: Sonmarg is situated on the Srinagar-Leh highway. Sonmarg is about 90 kilometers from Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir. Tourists can easily cover this distance by taxi or own vehicle in 2 to 3 hours.
Railway Tracks: The nearest railway station to Sonmarg is Jammu Tawi, which is directly connected to the rest of the country by train. The distance from Jammu to Sonmarg is about 360 km, which can be easily covered in 10 to 12 hours. Tourists can easily hire cabs, buses and taxis from outside the railway station.
Air Shaft: The nearest airport to Sonmarg is Srinagar which is about 100 km away. You can easily reach Sonmarg from Srinagar in 3 hours by cab or taxi from outside the airport. There are direct flights to Srinagar from all major cities of the country.
