Welcome
to a spectacular vacation in the meadow of Gold - Sonamarg. 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. The other possible reason
for the name Sonamarg could be its location on the route to Central
Asia. Sonamarg is in fact wrapped in sycamore, alpine flowers, silver
birch, fir and pine.
Sight Seeing
The spectacular Sonamarg has several sights, sounds and smells to
offer to its tourists. Amongst the many spots worth visiting is
the Nilagrad. Nilagrad is a colony of the Baltics where a small
stream meets the River Sindh. The Baltics believe that the reddish
color of water is due to its curative properties and bathe in the
river every Sunday.
At the Sind River that flows through Sonamarg
you may indulge in trout and mahseer fishing. The adventure seekers
may opt for trekking trails from Sonamarg to lakes of Vishansar,
Krishansar and Gangabal. Nichnai Pass is the vintage point to view
the breathtakingly beautiful lakes of Vishansar, Krishansar and
Gangabal. Adding to the beauty of Sonamarg is the Bisansar Lake
& Krishnasar Lake. You may check out the Krishnasar Lake for
trout fishing.
Excursion
Baltal is an excellent excursion option from Sonamarg. In close
vicinity is a camping base.
At a distance of 20 kms from Sonamarg is the Zoji-la
pass at an altitude of 3540 m which heads towards the Ladakh plateau
Further ahead of Sonamarg you may travel to the
holy cave of Amarnath. During the auspicious Sawan Purnima, pilgrims
flock to the holy cave via Sonamarg.
Yushmarg is another picnic spot in close proximity
to Sonamarg. Yushmarg is renowned for its green pastures, pines
and firs.
The glaciers at Thajiwas are not to be missed
on your trip to Sonamarg. The miniature plateaus, snowfields, pines
and islets add to the charm of Thajiwas. Thajiwas is a short and
interesting walk from Sonamarg.
Location
Sonamarg is situated at an altitude of 2740 m above sea level. The
hill resort of Sonamarg lies 80 km northeast of Srinagar in the
Srinagar District of Jammu and Kashmir.
Getting there
Sonamarg lies on the Srinagar Leh Highway, which is easily accessible
through buses and taxis. The railway station at Jammu is the nearest
to the hill resort of Sonamarg and caters to the rail transportation.
Further the National Highway Number 1A links the Kashmir valley.
The airport closest to Sonamarg is in the Badgam District
Accommodation
While at Sonamarg you may reside in any of the hutments run by the
Jammu and Kashmir tourism development Corporation. You may even
opt for the Tourist Bungalows, hotels and lodges in Sonamarg. Many
of the accommodation options available in Sonamarg are restricted
to the summer months only
|