Srinagar, Sonamarg, Gulmarg and Pahalgam
Kashmir circuit with a spare day
The four classic stops in a sensible order, plus one day in Pahalgam with nothing booked. Use it for Aru, a long river walk or a lie-in.
Pahalgam and the Aru valley
The Lidder river, pine forest and Aru, the trailhead village above town.
2,200 m April to November
AltitudeAbout 2,200 m, Aru about 2,400 m
From SrinagarAbout 95 km, 2.5 to 3 hours
Best monthsApril to November
Our trips here5 trips
Why go to Pahalgam and Aru
Pahalgam sits where the East and West Lidder rivers meet, at about 2,200 m. The town is busy in season, but the valleys around it are the real reason to come. Betaab is a broad green meadow 7 km away, Chandanwari, 16 km upstream, holds snow into summer, and Aru lies 12 km up the West Lidder.
Aru is where we like people to stay. It is a small village of shepherds and guesthouses at the edge of big meadows, and the starting point for the Tarsar Marsar trek and the walk to Lidderwat and Kolahoi glacier. In October the birches and poplars around it turn gold.
What to see
- A night or two in Aru rather than Pahalgam town
- The day walk from Aru to Lidderwat
- Betaab Valley in the late afternoon
- Rafting on the Lidder in summer
- Trout fishing with a licence
Local tip
Beyond Pahalgam town your cab stops and the local union taxis take over for Aru, Betaab and Chandanwari, at fixed rates, and we send you the current rate card before you go.
Our trips that include Pahalgam and Aru
Each one has a full day-by-day plan, and every one can be changed.
Aru, Lidderwat, Tarsar and Sundarsar
Tarsar Marsar trek from Aru
A shorter high-lake trek that starts 12 km above Pahalgam. Camp on the shore of Tarsar, cross into Sundarsar and look down on Marsar, all in about 48 km.
Srinagar, Sonamarg, Pampore and Pahalgam
Autumn colour and saffron
Timed for chinar season and the saffron bloom. Early light in Srinagar, purple fields at Pampore and the golden birch and poplar around Aru.
What to do around Pahalgam and Aru
Season, timing and where each one happens. We arrange guides, permits and tickets.
Treks and hikesTarsar Marsar trek
A week from Aru to the Tarsar and Sundarsar lakes, with a view down to Marsar from the ridge. Shorter days, and a good first high-altitude trek.
- Where
- Aru, near Pahalgam
- When
- July to September
- Time
- 7 days
Treks and hikesAru to Lidderwat
Follow the river from Aru through pine forest to the meadow at Lidderwat, about 10 km each way. Long, but never steep, and a good test before a bigger trek.
- Where
- Aru, Pahalgam
- When
- May to October
- Time
- Full day
Rivers and lakesTrout fishing
Brown trout in the Lidder, the Sindh and the streams of Gurez. You need a licence from the Fisheries Department, which we arrange along with a local guide.
- Where
- Pahalgam, Sonamarg and Gurez
- When
- April to September
- Time
- Half day
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