Thajiwas glacier
Three kilometres from the road, on foot or by pony. Snow at the base even in July, which is why everyone photographs it.
Sonamarg
The meadow of gold, the last town before Ladakh, and a glacier you can walk to.
- Elevation
- 2,730 m
- From Srinagar
- 80 km
- Drive time
- 2 hr 30
Kashmir · The short version
Sonamarg is the highest of the Kashmir valley stops and the one that feels closest to the mountains proper. It is also the gateway to Ladakh — everything driving over Zoji La passes through here, which gives the town a frontier feel the others don't have.
The season is short. Snow closes the road above Kangan for much of the winter, and Sonamarg effectively shuts. When it is open, between May and October, it is the most dramatic day trip you can make from Srinagar.
What to see
The places worth the drive.
The Sind valley
The drive itself is the attraction — a fast green river the whole way up, with rafting put-ins along it.
Zoji La
The pass to Ladakh, and one of the more serious roads anywhere. Usually open May to November.
The alpine lakes
Vishansar, Krishansar and the Great Lakes trek start here. Multi-day, tented, and the best walking in Kashmir.
When to go
Twelve months, honestly labelled.
May to September, and that's the whole story. Outside those months the road above Kangan is usually snowbound and there is nothing open when you get there.
- Jan
Usually shut
- Feb
Usually shut
- Mar
Usually shut
- Apr
Road opening
- May
Green returns
- Jun
Peak
- Jul
Peak
- Aug
Peak
- Sep
Clearest skies
- Oct
Closing down
- Nov
Usually shut
- Dec
Usually shut
- Peak
- Open
- Patchy
- Usually shut
River rafting
Grade II–III on the Sind, running roughly May to September. Suitable for beginners with a guide.
Glacier walk
The Thajiwas trail is short but steep in places. Take proper shoes; the pony ride is optional and heavily touted.
Camping
The one place in Kashmir where we'd recommend a night under canvas rather than a roof.
Trips that include Sonamarg
Starting points, not fixed menus.
Things people ask us
about Sonamarg.
- Can I visit in winter?
- Usually not. The road beyond Kangan closes with the snow and Sonamarg shuts down for the season. Anyone selling you a January Sonamarg trip is guessing.
- Do I need to stay overnight?
- Only if you're rafting, trekking, or driving to Leh the next morning. Otherwise it is a comfortable long day from Srinagar.
Keep going
Most trips combine two or three.
Zoji La · 3,528 m
The journey of a thousand miles begins here.
Or, more precisely, 434 kilometres of it — Srinagar to Leh, over the pass that decides whether the road is open at all.