A Trek that takes your Breath Away - The Kashmir Great Lakes Trek: A Conversation with Preeti and Rajasekharan - Part II

 

In part II of this post, we continue our conversation with Preeti and Rajasekharan (Raja) about their experiences on the Kashmir Great Lakes trek.  When someone walks with you by your side on a trek and that certain someone is a spouse, the crunch of their footsteps and the sound of their laboured breathing in accompaniment to yours, gives you the strength to keep going. And so, it is with Preeti and Raja. Read on.

On Day 3, you cross over the Gadsar Pass. Were you both prepared for it?

Preeti: We got up in the morning and our campsite looked magical. The contrast between the sky and the waters of the Vishansar Lake as we walked past it was amazing. It was going to be a long day. We were going to walk to Gadsar Pass which was at an altitude of 4200 meters or close to 13800 feet. The Vishansar Lake has a reflective surface like a mirror and we could see the mountains reflected in them. As we climbed up higher, we got a bird’s eye view of the Lake and we could see the clouds reflected in it. As we walked up, we could see a tiny little rivulet flowing past and our guide told us that it from the Kishansar lake, the next lake on our trek. Kishansar is about an hours walk away from Vishansar.

Raja: We then had to continue our climb upwards to get to the Gadsar Pass. From our camp we had 2000 feet climb, it was quite a feat. As we climbed higher and higher, we had to take several breaks.  But the views were spectacular. Now we could see the surrounding mountains being reflected in Kishansar Lake. And finally, we reached the Gadsar Pass at around noon. It is amazing to see two lakes behind and three lakes ahead. Many of our team were super fit trekkers and marathoners and it was amazing to see their high levels of energy. We relaxed for a bit and clicked many pictures and finally decided to move on. The descent was gentle but it kept going on forever. As we walked down, we spotted Yamsar lake. The meadows were pristine and there were beautiful alpine flowers everywhere, which were breathtaking. It was a very hot day and that made us more tired. The sheep with their heavy wool coats were standing next to any water holes that they could find.

Preeti: At 2pm we stopped to have our lunch and it was lovely to see the goats and the shepherds and horses around. And suddenly we were at the Gadsar Lake which was so stunning. It was, as the other lakes, fed by a glacier and there were patches of ice on it. The lake was surrounded by several beautiful flowers. But the tents were still quite a distance away. We reached camp at about 5 pm. We were tired but the surroundings were very soothing and beautiful.

Day 4 is a relatively easy trek day, isn’t it?

Raja: Day 4 again starts with hill climbing. We first had to cross a frozen stream and ascend on a narrow trail. Then the train flattens out and we walk through a meadow. We see the frozen stream we crossed, down below. That was  our starting point. As we walk along the steep green slopes, towards the right is the Gurez Valley, which is close to the Line of Control. part of which is administered by Pakistan. We eventually arrive at the Satsar lakes (7 lakes) consisting of several small lakes, flatish bodies, close to each other, with one stream feeding all.  Post lake and lunch, the trail was partially rocky. We gained a bit of altitude in getting to our camp. Overall, this was the easy day. It was 12 kms but not challenging.

Preeti: There were stretches where you had wild strawberries and the sheep used to hang around the path congregating around pools of water. The campsite was beautiful and we were in a valley ringed by mountains. We also had a few other trekkers at our camp side who came over to have a chat. It was good fun hanging around with them.

Day 5 was a very tough day, wasn’t it? The boulders must have been difficult to cross.

Preeti: Day 5 was particularly challenging. We were going from Satsar lake to Nandkol via the Zaj Pass. We started with a very rocky section of boulders. These boulders are huge and we had to clamber over them. It was a difficult section, but the guides were very helpful and were there to provide support if required. We saw a dead horse which had fallen off the boulders. It took us about 1.5 hours of climbing to get done with the boulders. After that we stopped for a well-deserved break and some trail snacks. We then progressed towards Zaj Pass which took another 60 minutes or so from the rocky patch. You can see an icy wall where steps have been cut, it’s like a glacier.  It perhaps divides the difficult sections of the trek from the now mostly downhill path.

Raja: At Zaj Pass it was cloudy, we couldn’t see Mt Harmukh or the twin lakes of Gangbal and Nandkul very clearly. After a long walk down, we reached a grassy meadow and then finally Gangbal Lake. It’s a huge lake and very beautiful. The waters are very soothing for tired feet. After a break, we walked a bit to its twin, the Nandkul Lake. Our camp was close by. We had two options, either cross the river, where the current was fairly strong and water was flowing at an intense speed or cross a plank bridge which requires tremendous balance. Preeti was able to cross the bridge but I had to cross the river with some help from the guides. There were stones underneath and it wasn’t easy. Some of the other trekkers in our group crossed two times, wanting to try both the plank and the water crossing. We finally reached the camp and got some well-deserved rest and relaxation. Here there is an option to spend an extra day here. This is mostly to compensate for any days lost enroute due to bad weather etc.

Day 6 was the last day. How did you both feel?

Preeti: We were sad that the trek was almost done, but also a sense of relief and pride that we had been able to trek through some of the most difficult sections without any injuries. The Nandkul Lake looked beautiful at Sunrise. But there was no letting up even on this last day. The initial walk of was easy, mainly grassy meadows with a gentle incline. Then we saw pine Forests. Here, the army post checked your identity cards. It was misty and the walk was pleasant. We could occasionally see the Wangath River in the distance.  Wangath River is a tributary of the Sind and meanders its way towards Naranag, our destination, a tourist village known for its ancient temple ruins. After this it was a steep downhill walk on a zig zag path. We descended over 4500 feet that day. We eventually reached Naranag and saw  a ruined 8^th Century temple which was spectacular. We took a vehicle from there back to Srinagar 

Would you recommend this trek for beginners?

Raja: We wouldn’t recommend this for beginners but for experienced trekkers who have done a few treks. There are patches that very tricky and difficult like the boulders section. Also, it requires an immense amount of walking which can be taxing and requires a lot of stamina and endurance.  One must also keep in mind that the entire trip is about 68 kms long. But it should be on every one’s bucket list.

Any tips for trekkers who want to do the Kashmir Great Lakes trek?

Preeti: Please wear long sleeved shirts or tops to keep your skin from burning as it can get very hot in July and August. Also, after a long day of trekking remember to dip your feet in icy cold water. It will instantly remove the pain and wear and tear that your feet have gone through.

Read Part I of my post on the Kashmir Great Lake trek here

A Trek that takes your Breath Away - The Kashmir Great Lakes Trek: A Conversation with Preeti and Rajasekharan - Part I

Preeti and Rajasekharan (Raja) are a couple that love the outdoors and trekking. I first met them when we did a trek to Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal and was motivated by their fitness levels and enthusiasm for the mountains. It was indeed a sight to see Preeti maintaining a steady pace and Raja falling closely behind with his long strides and easy gait. They work together as a team and if there were a quote that would best describe their journey together, it would be “your partner is both home and adventure all at once.”  

 Preeti and Raja recently completed the Kashmir Great Lakes trek (KGLT) and found it both exciting and challenging. Here, they share their experiences about this wondrous trek that takes your breath away (both literally and figuratively)

 

Before we get to your experiences trekking the KGLT, tell us a little bit about you got into trekking?

 

Preeti:  I have always loved the outdoors and travelling was something I was always interested in. When our children were young, they would go on day hikes and short trips, organised by a friend of ours. We would sometimes accompany them as parent volunteers.  We had friends who shared their trekking experiences and then we worked up the courage to go on a trek. Our first trek was to Roopkund with our son. It was a bit of a struggle because we were not prepared. We were not carrying the right clothing and it was difficult keeping up with the other young people on the trek. We also suffered from altitude sickness. We couldn’t complete it but really enjoyed the experience.  Since then, we have done several treks in India and Nepal, including Annapurna Base Camp and Goechala, and have done plenty of day hikes in and around Bangalore. We can easily say that KGLT was one of the most difficult treks we had done. 

 
Did you know about the Kashmir Great lakes trek, before you went on it?

 

Preeti:  We had heard about the trek and the beautiful vistas we would see and it was on our bucket list. Our friends who are avid trekkers had done the Tarsar Marsar trek and were keen on doing the Kashmir Great lakes trek after that. They approached us and asked us to join them for the trek in 2019. We had made our plans, but it was at that time that the Government announced the revocation of Article 370 and the announcement that Jammu and Kashmir would become a Union Territory.  We had to cancel our tickets and then decided to do it again in July of 2021, when the COVID restrictions were eased to some extent. This time it was a larger group of about 12 people.

What kind of preparations did you do for the Kashmir Great lakes Trip?

Raja: It was nothing out of the ordinary. We continued our walking near our residence, and focused on walking on inclined stretches. Besides that, we did our favourite hike, i.e., climbing Nandi Hills several times. (Nandi Hills, is a hill fortress outside Bangalore where Tipu Sultan 18th-century ruler, built his fort. The trekking at Nandi Hills stretches to about 1.5 kms and it is a good trek for beginners.). 

We climbed Nandi Hills on five consecutive weekends and we climbed up the 1200 steps not once but twice on each visit. This helped us gain the necessary stamina and fitness for the trek.

Preeti: I Our friends who organized the trek are very physically fit and used to regular follow up with us and other members of the trek regarding our fitness regimen and give us advice about the kind of exercises we need to do to enhance our endurance levels. I also read a few blogs to get some basic understanding of the trek and the difficulty level but did not watch YouTube videos and the like. I prefer to be surprised when I am on the trek.

Now, let’s talk about the trek. What was the starting point of the trek?

Raja: We landed before lunch time in Srinagar and made our way to Sonmarg. Kashmir has a beauty that is distinct from that of other Himalayan regions. The campsite was located at the entrance to Sonmarg and not at Shitkadi (the usual campsite). We were very lucky that our trek didn’t get cancelled or postponed because of the rains. We stayed in tents that the trekking guide had put up for us on a green patch located near the river. We had our tea and dinner, interacted with the guides, got a briefing on the schedule and went to sleep hoping that the weather would be in our favour throughout the trek and it did. Luckily for us, we had a window that was absolutely devoid of rain.  The other teams that had left a day or two before us had to abandon the trek.

Tell us about Day 1.  Was it an easy day like it is on most treks?

Preeti: We went from Sonmarg (7800 feet) to Nichnai (11500 feet). The first day itself was fairly tough. We started walking around 8am in the morning. The day was sunny and gradually it got hotter. We walked on a proper path and vistas around were green meadows, a beautiful sight. But there was a continuous incline which made it quite tough. The surroundings were a blanket of green, almost like a golf course. Did you know that the Salman Khan film” Bajrangi Baijaan “was shot here? There were several other groups walking with us.

Raja: As we climbed up, we walked along the River Sind. After a certain distance I looked back and could see Sonmarg below us. We ascended about 2500 feet from our starting point to reach Tabletop, where there was a small shop that sold tea, maggi and eggs. It took us about four hours to reach this point. On the way the rolling green meadows gave way to forests of maple, pine and silver birch.  We could see sheep and shepherd huts in the distance which would become a common sight in the coming days. Our guide told us an interesting story about Tabletop.   Apparently, during the Kargil war, the Kashmiri Shepherds observed a few strangers (Pakistani soldiers) dressed like them. They immediately got suspicious and informed the Indian Army about them.

We did not stay at tabletop but moved further towards Nichnai. Even here at times the path was rocky in places. We stopped at several places to take a rest and have our lunch too. We reached our d campsite at about 3 pm. The weather was very hot and I regretted not having full sleeves We finally reached our campsite and were exhausted. The surroundings though were beautiful and we camped along a river. On Day 1 we had walked over 13 kms. It was a relaxing evening and we had a simple but delicious meal of roti, sabzi, dal and dessert.

Day 2 is a trek from Nichnai (11, 500 feet) to Vishansar lake (12000 feet). You climb up to Nichnai pass (13,500 feet) and then walk on. Was that difficult?

Raja:  Day 2 was quite tough. We saw snow patches here and there. We had to cross a river but managed to cross over as there was an ice bridge. We saw a lot of towering snow-clad mountains. Nichnai pass was at 13500 feet and it took us almost two and a half hours to reach the pass. There was a lot of snow and icy patches in the vicinity of the Nichnai pass.

After the Pass, as we crossed into the next valley, it became a lot greener and we saw a multitude of flowers. Some among us who have been to the Valley of Flowers actually felt that there was more of a variety here. We stopped to have lunch and from there on it was a gentle walk. We finally saw the first lake of our trek, the Vishansar lake.

Preeti:  The Vishansar Lake is at an elevation of 3710 meters. Lake Vishansar means the lake of Vishnu, which is the source of Neelum river and this lake is known for its many fishes especially Trout.  People sometimes come here for fishing.  We could dip our tired feet in the cold water, sit on the shore and gaze at lake Vishansar. We reached our camp and then came back to the lake. The toilet tent at camp was placed very far away from the lake, about 500 feet from the camp site. We were so tired but the scenery was spectacular. We ate our dinner and fell asleep almost immediately. Tomorrow was Day 3 and it was going to be a tough trek to Gadsar Pass.

Photo Credits: Preeti/ Raja  Milind Chalisgaonkar

Read Part II of Preeti and Raja's experience on the Kashmir Great lakes Trek next week