Kashmir
Sonmarg
Sonmarg lies at about 2,730 metres on the Sindh river, the last Kashmir valley before the Zoji La pass to Ladakh. Thajiwas glacier is the main excursion, reached on foot or by pony. It is usually a day trip from Srinagar or a stop on the drive to Leh.
- Altitude
- About 2,730 m
- From Srinagar
- About 2.5 to 3 hours
- Main excursion
- Thajiwas glacier
- Season
- Roughly May to October
- Onward
- Zoji La to Kargil and Leh
Thajiwas glacier
About 3 km from the road-head, walkable in an hour or reachable by pony. Snow persists here well into summer, which is why it is often the first snow a Kashmir itinerary actually delivers. Pony rates are negotiated and should be agreed before setting off.
The road to Ladakh
Zoji La climbs out of Sonmarg towards Drass and Kargil and is the Kashmir-side gateway to Ladakh. It closes in winter. Overland Srinagar-to-Leh itineraries usually spend the first night at Kargil rather than pushing through.
Questions people ask
Is Sonmarg worth a day trip from Srinagar?
Yes if you want snow in summer or you like a valley walk — Thajiwas is the draw. It is a long day of driving for a short stop, so people continuing to Ladakh get better value from it than those returning to Srinagar the same evening.
When does Zoji La open?
Generally from around May to October, depending on snow clearance. Dates shift each year and the pass can close temporarily at short notice.
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Tours that go there
Every one of these is run by our own team, with the drivers and the permits arranged.
Read next
- Srinagar travel guideSrinagar sits at about 1,585 metres on Dal Lake and is the arrival point for almost every Kashmir itinerary. A houseboat night, a shikara ride and the Mughal gardens fill two days, after which most trips move on to Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonmarg.
- Leh travel guideLeh sits at about 3,500 metres and is the base for all of Ladakh. Two full days of rest on arrival are not optional if you fly in, because everything else in the region is higher. Most itineraries run seven to nine days from Leh, taking in Nubra, Pangong and the Indus valley monasteries.
- Gulmarg travel guideGulmarg is a meadow at about 2,650 metres, two hours from Srinagar, best known for the gondola that climbs towards Apharwat at roughly 3,980 metres. It is India’s main ski destination in winter and a green alpine meadow in summer. One night is usually enough.
- How to reach SrinagarSrinagar has an airport with direct flights from Delhi and other major cities, which is how most visitors arrive. By road it is about 260 km from Jammu on NH44, seven to eight hours, and the railhead at Banihal connects onward to the valley.
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