Sonamarg Tourism And Travel Guide

Also known as ‘meadow of gold’, Sonamarg is the perfect destination for nature lovers and trekkers. The hill station provides an apt environment to spend a holiday in tranquility. Located at an altitude of 2800 meters above sea level, Sonamarg is surrounded by pristine lakes and glistening glaciers. If you are planning a trip to the Kashmir Valley, here's a detailed Sonamarg tourism and travel guide to help you plan a memorable holiday.

By Air: The Srinagar International Airport is around 70 kilometers away from Sonamarg. There are frequent flights from Delhi and most major Indian cities like Mumbai, Amritsar, Bengaluru etc. connecting to Srinagar on a daily basis.

By Train: There is no railway station in Sonamarg. The nearest ones are the Srinagar railway station and Jammu Tawi station located around 51 kilometers and 182 kilometers away respectively. There are direct trains from Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai to Srinagar railway station.

By Road: If you are traveling to Sonamarg by road, you have to go via the National Highway 1D or Srinagar-Ladakh Road. From Gulmarg, it takes around 2 hours 30 minutes to cover the 126 km stretch. You can choose to travel by taxi, personal vehicle, or tourist buses.

The best time of the year to visit Sonamarg is between the months of April to October. Most tourists visit Sonamarg during in the months of July and August for the annual Amarnath pilgrimage. This leads to heavy traffic and and chaos. Prices go up everywhere and everybody is just very busy. Hence it is advisable to make hotel bookings in advance if you are visiting in the months of July or August.

Trekking: The imposing Himalayan glaciers of the Kashmir valley mean that Sonamarg is great for trekking and for tourists seeking an adrenaline rush. Sirbal Peak, Kolhoi Peak, Amarnath Peak and Machoi Peak are some of the prominent trek routes around Sonamarg; most of them located at an altitude of 5000 meters above sea level.

White River Rafting: Sonamarg has something to offer to all kinds of tourists. If you a traveler high on adrenaline, you should not miss going for whitewater rafting on the Indus river. You can start your expedition from Baltal and end Shutkari Bridge.

Visiting Zoji La Pass: Located on the Indian National Highway 1D just 25 km away from Sonamarg, Zoji La Pass lies between Kargil and Srinagar at an altitude of 11,000 ft. above sea level. The pass offers a beautiful view of the surrounding landscapes of dense forests and snow clad mountains.

Sonamarg derives its dishes from Kashmiri cuisine. A spicy gravy with potatoes and meat is known as Syoon Olav, Muj Gaad (fish with radish), Modur Pulaav (sweet rice dish), Gogji / Monji (radish or spinach made with lotus stems) and Kaanti (lamb in spicy gravy) are some popular local dishes. Tourist Cafeteria in Mamar and Hotel Tranquil Retreat in Ganderbal are the two most popular eating joints.

There are not much shopping outlets in Sonamarg, but some of the products that you can buy here are saffron, walnut, store jewelry and crewel embroidered cloth. Though Srinagar has bigger markets with more variety and better deals.