INTRODUCTION:
Among some other stunning trekking trails, Kashmir is the home of the iconic Tarsar Marsar trek. This trek will lead you to three incredible mountaintop lakes, namely Tarsar, Marsar, and Sundarsar. Among all the trekking destinations in India, you can all become partial towards Kashmir, it is a place where trekking is an experience on another level altogether. The trail passes through the iconic grasslands of Kashmir, the beautiful high-altitude forests, and grazelands. The campsites on this trek are beside the beautiful lakes, and a sparkly sky studded with million stars over you. And if you’re lucky enough, you may get a glimpse of the Milky Way. The beautiful terrains, mountain valleys, and villages of Kashmir will leave you awestruck.
Best Time To Tarsar Marsar Trek
The best time to do the Tarsar Marsar trek is from July to August because in this season the floral colors and greenery are fully blooming. The snow melts in May/June, which leaves behind a rich carpet of colors. This time of year has the most lovely weather.
Temperature at Tarsar Marsar trek
The temperature may vary from 17 to 20 degrees Celsius in the daytime and 3 to 8 degrees Celsius at night.
BRIEF ITINERARY
Day 1: From Srinagar to Aru
Aru is about 12 km away from Pahalgam, and if you take a cab from Srinagar, it lands you there, as it is quite a known place. Two different routes will lead you up to Aru- one is through Anantnag, and the other will be through Bijbehara.
Day 2: From Aru to Lidderwat
The trek starts with a mild but long climb from Aru to Lidderwat, which is about 10 km away. The trail is along the Ladder river. After a few minutes, you can already see the beautiful view of Aru behind you. Soon you’ll enter the beautiful forests of fir, and then you will be out to the Dalla clearing. Now the trek is gentler and evener. About 2 – 3 hours later, the trail will move into dense fir forests, and to the breathtaking grasslands of Lidderwat.
Day 3 : From Lidderwat to Shekwas
Continue the trail alongside the Lidder river, and it will take you down into the forests full of pines. Move past the trees and watch that incredible view that unfolds before your eyes. The grasslands of Lidderwat blending in with those snowy mountains, along with those misty valleys is a sight to see. The trail then enters a valley that has a snaking blue river and it will lead you to the lovely campsite of Shekwa.
Day 4: From Shekwas to Tarsar Lake
Once you pass Shekwas, the trail will lead you up to Tarsar, via an overlooking stream. The narrow ridges just enhance the stunning view of the valley. And about two hours later, you can have a slight sneak peek into the beautiful Tarsar lake.
Day 5 : Form Tarsar to Sundarsar
The Tarsar Pass has many beautiful views, and the valley spreads out beautifully. Trekking through the pass will save you a few hours. The trail then descends to the bottom of the valley and opens up to a valley. Another stretch of grasslands and streams brings you to the magical campsite of Sundarsar Lake, where you camp overnight.
Day 6: Marsar Lake and Homwas
The trail from Sundarsar stretched across the lake. If you can go over boulders then it will be a quicker trail, although it is a bit tricky. And this is where you’ll thank yourself for trekking to the pole. Soon the path has some grassy patches and beautiful brooks. The climb then leads you to a stunning Marsar. The lake looks quite similar to Tarsar lake and is surrounded by beautiful mountains on the side. From Marsar, you go back to Sundesar Campsite.
Day 7: From Homwas to Aru
Take the same route that you took at the beginning of the trek that is via Liddervat. The trek is full descent, and the path has several gurgling streams, along with some shepherd huts. This will take you 2 hours to go from Homwas to Liddervat, and it will be a 10km walk from Liddervat to Aru.
HOW TO REACH?
Arrange a cab from the pickup point in Srinagar. Or you can also share the cost of the cab among the trekkers. The drop at Srinagar after the trek will be similar.
The cab cost can be approximately 5000/-.
By Air
As Aru will be the base camp for this trek thus Srinagar Airport will be the perfect airport. There are many flights from Delhi, Jammu, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chandigarh, and Kolkata. From there just take a cab to Aru.
By Road
Srinagar is accessible via National Highway 1D. The Srinagar Bus Stand is connected to Delhi, Chandigarh, and Jammu.
By Rail
The Jammu Tawi Railway station is the perfect stop, and from here many buses and cabs are available for Srinagar.
