After prolonged dwindling, trekking enthusiasts, including youngsters, tourists and foreigners, are once again flocking Kashmir, Kishtwar and Ladakh Valley during the season---June to September. The trend picked up after the government opened new 100 tourist destinations in Jammu and Kashmir last year. The trekking routes, including Tsar Marsar, Famber Valley, Kulgam Alpine lakes, Kousarnag, Chornar lakes Kishtwar, trans Himalayan trek from Kishtwar to Panikher, Ladakh and Great lakes, are recording a good footfall of trekkers, including foreigners.
Baseer Jalib Mailk who runs an adventure company and lives at Madwan Valley in Kishtwar says he is getting queries from both domestic and foreigners for trekking in this remote Valley. “With improvement in situation, many people have started going for trekking again. We are placed in zone where trekking covers three regions, Kishtwar Jammu, Anantnag Kashmir and Ladakh.
Some of our famous and virgin treks are Famber Valley. Trekking to Nun Kun via Mundesar takes four days and to Panikher Zanskar it tales seven days,” he said that on these trekking expeditions they can explore virgin alpine lakes, beautiful meadows and serene environs. “Before militancy, Kashmir was known as trekkers’ paradise, now again tourists and local youths are taking up big and small trekking expeditions.
In 70s trans-Himalayan trails or treks gained popularity in the West among the top-class adventure seekers. The trek would begin in Daksum, South Kashmir, pass through the Wadwan Valley in Kishtwar and end in Lamayuru Ladakh. The whole journey would take around 25 days,” Dr Waqar Bashir, an avid trekker from Srinagar, who has undertaken trans-Himalayan treks in the region for over seven times.
“Unfortunately, this activity stopped during militancy in the region but now we are seeing a revival of the trans-Himalayan treks. Though very few foreigners are coming right now to explore the route but I see a lot of local enthusiasts traversing these trails,” he said adding that soon more and more foreigners will start visiting the areas like past. “Only if there is peace in the region.
Foreigners crave to visit peaceful places for adventure and trekking.” Recently J&K government said that number of foreign tourists visiting Kashmir has seen surge after many years. Ishfaq Tantry, an avid trekker, who had explored the four high altitude Alpine lakes and Wadwan valley said the trekking activity has caught the imagination of the Kashmir youth like never before.
“I see a lot of youth heading to high altitude Alpine lakes across the Kashmir and even exploring as far as Wadwan valley or far that matter ChuharNag lakes in Margan valley, the extreme South end of Kashmir valley which connects the region with enchanting Wadwan valley in Kishtwar.” The famous virgin snow-fed lakes that are part of the journey of Kashmir Great Lakes are Kishansar, Vishansar, Gadsar, Satsar, Nundkul and Gangbal have witnessed a good footfall of tourists and trekkers in past few months. Some of these lakes are home to famous trout species.
Trekkers often take the opportunity to catch the fish in these lakes at altitudes between 3,500 to 3,800 metres. According to officials and tour operators, the trek comprises of small and big valleys, large pastures, virgin meadows and dozens of streams and lakes, the journey takes at least one week to complete. “J&K has number of trekking routes and more and more trekkers especially youth are now taking up trekking.
And when they (trekkers) put their expeditions on the social media and other platforms it motivates others to scale the new heights and reach these meadows,” said Bilal Ahmad who recently trekked Kashmir Great Lakes..
