THE MEADOW OF GOLD
Tue 19 June: I started towards Sonamarg at 0730 hrs with a Sumo Tata ?jeep. The drive up to Sonamarg was about 3 hrs (80 Km). First around the Dal lake to the Northern end of the lake and then up to a valley.
In Sonamarg we rented 3 horses + 2 horseman to take care of the packages (food +tents + equipment). During the first day there was a-four-hour-climb to the camping site. First up a hill slope and then walking up in a canyon. The Sonamarg village is 2700 m from the sea level, the scenery is good; you can see two glaciers. During these three days I saw only five other trekking parties.
Next morning after the breakfast I started hiking towards a lake with a guide and horseman & horse. One hour steep up (to around 4000 meters), another steep down and one more just slightly going downhill and I was there. A wide green valley with millions of differently colored flowers. A herd of sheep every here and there, a few nomads living in very primitive stone houses. The lake was 3-400 meters wide and saturated with trout. The water was very clear, deep turquoise, that the fish could be seen meters below the surface. The fishing is possible with some arrangements.
In the afternoon after having a chicken soup (we had some living chicken with us) cooked inside a nomad ?house? it was time to start back to the camp. The way back to the camp wasn?t the easiest possible. Of course the distance was the same than in the morning, but the altitude and the hard climb day before made my feet heavy like lead. There was still some hours before the dark and I climbed for a while and then sat on rocks to admire the scenery; small glaciers, sharp peaks reaching 5.000 meters, crystal clear water rushing down in the bottom of the canyon? During the day I did some 9 hours of walking and that was more than enough.
Next morning unpacking the camp and four-hours-hike back to the Sonamarg village, where the jeep was waiting and towards Srinagar.
Remark: Normally this hiking trip takes 5 days! (4 days minimum). I didn?t have so much time, so I had to make it in 3. The second day was a hard one with a climb up to 4000 meters and 9 hours of walking. Take enough time to make your trip a really pleasant one!
The car (Srinagar-Sonamarg-Srinagar) 2800 IRS
Horses 200 IRS/horse/day 1800 IRS
Trekking food (there was a Plenty of it) 1600 IRS
All the prices are specially reduced prices for UNMO?s.
They provided a sleeping bag, tent, waterproof jacket for free cause I kept the room to stay in the houseboat one more day after coming back.
I had a very good time and the area is good for hiking. Also it was silent and not spoilt with too many tourists. The nomads living the summers up in the mountains are asking for aspirin and lip cream, so it might be a good idea to have some extra with you.
(also the trekking was arranged by him)
Khurshid Pakhtoon,
House boats; Lucky Star & New Lucky Star
Dal Lake, Srinagar
Tel: 452891
E-mail: khurshidpakthoon@hotmail.com
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