Tucked away in the Himalayas at an altitude of 5186 m is the famous and one of the holiest Hindu pilgrim sites of Amarnath. Surrounded by treacherous terrains and tough weather conditions, Amarnath is not accessible to tourists for the major part of the year. The best time for visiting Amarnath is between May and September while winters are best avoided as the weather conditions in Amarnath tend to get quite extreme and harsh.

Summer is considered the best season for a pilgrimage to the famous Hindu shrine of Amarnath. It is neither too cold nor hot and is pleasant for undertaking a trip. The cave which is the major attraction of Amarnath remains covered under layers of ice for the greater part of the year and starts melting away during summer. The Shivaling which grows up vertically, made of ice, becomes visible to people during the months of July and August. The Amarnath Yatra commences from June and continues till September.

The Amarnath Yatra begins from July and continues till September, which coincides with the holy Hindu month of Shravana that is considered auspicious. Trekking is tough as mountains around the cave are still covered with snow. Monsoon months witness blizzards during August which can cause harm to tourists. Hence one needs to take necessary precautions and abide by safety rules while visiting Amarnath during these months.

Owing to its altitude, winters are extremely harsh and extreme in Amarnath. Temperatures dip well below -8°C. There is heavy snowfall and all mountains around the cave become covered under layers of snow accompanied by dense fog. Travel to the Amarnath peak is undesirable. Trekking is quite impossible and there are no ways to reach the peak. The cave also remains inaccessible during all these months hence there isn’t much to do around either.