Most treks in the Himalayas are very scenic. But Kashmir Great Lakes is on a scale of its own. In fact, the mountains of Kashmir are like that. They have a larger-than-life presence around you. I would not be exaggerating too much if I say that a trek in Kashmir is like watching on an IMAX screen while everywhere else is on a normal TV screen. Kashmir — you feel it everywhere.

The Kashmir Great Lakes trek has 7 trekking days. And coincidentally you are also trekking in 7 different valleys.  What’s more, each of these valleys, spread themselves out each day of the trek. Every valley gives hard competition to the valley before and the valley after.

Among the 7 different valleys you trek, 6 happen to be distinct grasslands or meadows. These high altitude meadows and grasslands are connected to one another via high passes. One would expect the meadows on either side of a pass to be similar. But they aren’t.  Each one of them is a world of its own and has a charm of its own.

The Shekdur meadows also known as table top set amidst Maples and Birch trees is where you start. Nichnai grasslands show you how massive and rugged meadows can be. Just cross the Nichnai pass and you enter a meadow that you don’t want to end.

A wide grassland, descending gently laden with wildflowers, a gentle river flowing in the middle is what the Vishnusar grassland is all about.

The Gadsar meadow is more dramatic. It is narrower with more jagged mountains lining on either side. A big Gadsar occupies the central landscape but leading to it are many smaller lakes. Flowers bloom in the entire valley in wild abandon.

Climb up from Gadsar valley and you get transported to the “windows wall paper” valley of Satsar. Smooth green grass, almost manicured, a few lone maple trees and a few horses enjoying the graze is what Satsar meadows looks like. I have never seen greener grass anywhere else.

The final grassland is the Gangabal expanse. When you see the valley below from Zaj pass, you are almost looking at the world map in green. Gangabal in blue looks like Africa! Nandkol lies by its side. 4 other lakes also dot the green landscape.

Personally for me, it is the meadows on the trek that take the cake and are my top reason to love KGL.

You cannot talk about Kashmir Great Lakes Trek without mentioning the lakes. When I saw one or two pictures of the lakes before my exploration, I thought they were photoshopped pictures from some Scandinavian country. I did not believe such lakes existed in the mountains of our country. These crystal clear high altitude lakes change colours all through the day.

Starting from clear at dawn to sea green to light blue to inky blue by evening. The twin lakes Vishnusar and Kishansar, the sea-green Gadsar with ice floes, the sight of gigantic Gangabal along with its twin Nandkol are some of the best lake scenery you will see in the world.