Beat the heat at the hill resort of Sonamarg. The meadow of Gold, Sonamarg is one of the many famous hill resorts of Jammu and Kashmir. Sonamarg is a major gateway to Ladakh besides being a popular base for adventure sports. The spectacular valley of Sonamarg derives its name from a legend. As per the legend there is a well in the Sonamarg valley whose water can turn anything into gold.
Languages Hindi, Urdu, Kashmiri, Best time to visit : April-June
Places to Visit at sonamarg
Nilagrad : A mountain river meets the Indus at the Baltic colony, Nilagrad, 6-km away from Sonamarg. The water of the river is reddish in colour. The Baltic thinks the water has curative power of many diseases. Inhabitants of the colony visit this place every Sunday to bath in the river.
Sonamarg- places Nearby There are a number of places near Sonamarg that can be visited, when on a tour to Sonamarg. About 20 kilometres from Sonamarg is Zoji-la-Pass that is an ideal spot to enjoy the scenic beauty. The pass is located at altitude of about 3,540 metres. Yushmarg is another beautiful picnic spot that can be visited.
Baltal
This beautiful meadow is right at the foot of the Zoji La pass and thus is the final place in Kashmir. The river from the foot of the Amarnath glacier meets the Indus near Baltal. It stands at a height of 2,743m and during the Amarnath pilgrimage there are tents set up here. It is possible to walk to the Amarnath cave, more usually approached from Pahalgam, in one day. Check about conditions before departing, though. The weather can be treacherous and at other times melting snow and ice make the route very dangerous. There’s now a jeep road most of the way to the cave. The turn off to Baltal is at 94-km on the Leh road, and then it’s 3-km or so downhill.
Yushmarg
If one can take some time out, then take tour of Yushmarg in daytime. Buses on conducted tours run to Yushmarg thrice a week. 47-km southwest of Srinagar amidst pines and firs lies the vale – Yushmarg (2,700m) at the slope of the Pir Panjal ranges. Its is a beautiful pasture as well as a nice picnic spot.
Sonamarg – Adventure
Sonamarg means meadows of gold. It is one of the beautiful places, ideal for adventure sports and other fun activities. Sonamarg offers some scenic treks for the intrepid traveler. Hiking is another exciting activity that one can enjoy in Sonamarg. Trekking enthusiasts can opt for trekking trails from Sonamarg to Vishansar and Krishnasar. Fishing another exciting activity that you can enjoy on the Sind River. You can fish for trout and mahseer.
Getting there
By Air : Sonamarg is in Srinagar District on the Srinagar Leh Highway, 81-km from Srinagar. The nearest airport is in Badgam District, connecting the capital city with all the major cities in India.
By Train : The nearest Railhead is at Jammu and from there National Highway NH1A connects the Kashmir valley with India.
By Bus : Every sort of transport to suit every budget from Buses to Taxis ply on National Highway NH1A. Bus service is available from Srinagar and Anantnag, which leave at fixed time from the Bus stands. Taxis and other sort of transport can be hired from Srinagar at pre-fixed rates.
Accommodation options in Sonamarg. Huts and Tourist Bungalows of Jammu and Kashmir TDC’s are largely booked by the tourists for a pleasurable stay. There are various private hotels to offer you with
accommodation option.
Your sharing experience about sonamarg hill station is very good and informative post. I will also visit at sonamarg hill station with my lovely wife. again thank you very much