After a decade of trekking in Jammu and Kashmir, none of us at Indiahikes can deny that the union territory offers some of the most beautiful and unique trekkable landscapes. Two significant mountain ranges dominate the region:

• First is The Greater Himalayas (Starts from the Nanga Parbat region in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) 
• The second one is The Pir Panjal Range (Lies below the Greater Himalayan Range and runs all the way to Himachal) 

It is important to understand why these two ranges are significant. The Greater Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range have always been trekkers’ paradises, but there’s more. These ranges sharply influence the region's geography, climate, and trekking routes. The Pir Panjal Range belongs to the Jammu division of the union territory. It covers Poonch, Rajouri, and parts of the Chenab Valley (Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban), which are culturally and geographically part of the Jammu region. However, the Pir Panjal Range doesn’t entirely belong to the Jammu division. It also extends into parts of Kashmir, such as Gulmarg and Shopian.

On the other hand, the Greater Himalayan Belt covers Kashmir and Ladakh. It is famous for its gigantic grasslands and meadows. 

Did you know? In Kashmiri, meadows are called “Marg”. 

Kashmir is known for its meadows. Everyone knows about Gulmarg and Sonamarg as they are famous tourist destinations for world-class skiing and snowboarding. Each spot pulls a cosmic number of tourists and adventurers during the season. However, only a handful of people know of the numerous other meadows, such as Yusmarg and Toasha Maidan, which deserve more attention than they currently receive. Kashmir is dominated by vast grasslands (which can also be witnessed on famous treks like Kashmir Great Lakes and Nafran Valley). 

On the other hand, Jammu has dense forests. While trekking opportunities in Jammu have not been extensively explored, the Pir Panjal Lakes Trek remains a notable exception. This trek takes you through dense forests, alpine meadows, and past pristine high-altitude lakes such as Neelsar, Chandansar, and Nandansar.

Since Jammu and Kashmir is a global tourist destination, both the divisions of the union territory are well connected through major highways and roads. The most prominent Jammu-Srinagar Highway is the major route accessed for travel and transportation. The alternative one is the Anantnag route. There’s one more route, called the Poonch-Rajouri route, that connects the Jammu division to Poonch via Surankot and passes through Pir Ki Gali. The route is also called the Mughal Road. While the Anantnag and Poonch-Rajouri routes provide excellent connectivity, both of them remain closed during harsh winters because of snowfall and challenging terrain. The upcoming Zojila tunnel is expected to reduce the travel time significantly between Kashmir Valley and the Ladakh region. 

As you climb towards the Kashmir division, the landscapes enhance in cosmic folds. A lot of our trekkers who visit Kashmir define Kashmir exactly the way Amir Khusrau (Amir Khusrau was a famous poet, musician, and scholar during the Delhi Sultanate era) did, “Gar firdaus, bar ruhe zamin ast, hamin asto, hamin asto, hamin ast.”  It means, “If there is paradise on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here”.

Kashmir geographically lies between the Pir Panjal and the Greater Himalayan Range. Locally known as "Kashmir Ghati", the area has more habitable land compared to the surrounding mountains and serves as the main connectivity point for the region.

Climb towards the Gurez, and you will have an opportunity to step on one of the most famous treks of our country: THE Gurez Valley Trek. As you shift from Kashmir to the Gurez Valley, you will find that Gurez is geographically isolated from the rest of Kashmir. It is located beyond the Greater Himalayas and due to this isolation, it has retained a distinct cultural identity. Historically, the people of Gurez had stronger connections with Gilgit-Baltistan. 

Both the Jammu and Kashmir divisions are culturally unique as well. Jammu has a mix of Dogra and Punjabi influences. Predominantly spoken in the Jammu region, Dogri is an Indo-Aryan language of the Western Pahari group. It is recognised as one of the official languages of Jammu and Kashmir. Additionally, in the districts of Poonch and Rajouri, the primary language spoken is Pahari, which shares linguistic features with Punjabi. In Kashmir, the traditional Kashmiri culture is prominent. Interestingly, if we climb further towards Ladakh, we see that the area has a unique Buddhist culture.

This page breaks down a list of the best treks in Jammu and Kashmir. All the treks mentioned in the tabular format throughout the page will be clickable links. On clicking, you will be redirected to the trek information page, which gives you detailed information about the particular trek. 

Indiahikes is the largest trekking organisation in the country. And over the past decade, we have expanded into several states across India. Our treks in Jammu and Kashmir have been particularly a hit among trekkers. 

The upcoming treks with Indiahikes are spread in both divisions: Jammu and Kashmir. Most trekking routes in this region fall within the Greater Himalayan Belt. This belt includes the Zanskar and Ladakh Ranges. The Zanskar Range is prominent in Ladakh, and the Greater Himalayan Belt itself serves as a division between Ladakh and Zanskar. This area is known for steep ascents, numerous boulders, and a large number of alpine lakes. The peaks in this range are not the highest, but they offer formidable challenges for trekkers.

The Greater Himalayan belt is jewelled with treks that fall in our upcoming list. One is the Nafran Valley Trek, which specifically falls within the Zanskar Range. The other one is the Warwan Valley Trek. This trek is also part of the Greater Himalayan Range and is situated in the Trans-Himalayan region. What makes this trek unique is the opportunity it allows to experience both the stark landscapes of Ladakh and the lush greenery of Kashmir. Talking about trekking in the Greater Himalayan Range, one has to mention the Kashmir Great Lakes trek. Trekkers at Indiahikes cannot resist but fall in love with KGL, which falls in the valleys of the Nichnai, Gangbal, and Gadsar. 

The Pir Panjal Range, in contrast, has fewer trekking routes explored. The range begins in Kashmir and extends down to Himachal Pradesh, with key trekking points such as the Bodpatri Trek and Gulmarg. 

Without any doubt, the trekking trails in Jammu and Kashmir are more than beautiful and adventurous, and when you choose to go on a trek with Indiahikes, the experiences we offer will help you connect to self, nature and the people around you. Additionally, on our Indiahikes treks, we do not just talk about sustainability; we insist on it. Here is the link for Indiahikes No Compromise Green Trails Promise that helps us leave the mountains better than we find them. 

We have documented treks across the states but all of us at Indiahikes are very close to what we have in Jammu and Kashmir. One such trek is The Kolahoi Glacier trek. This valley glacier is revered by the locals as the "Goddess of Light" because it serves as the main source of water for Jhelum and Lidder. 

Out of all our documented treks, there are a few which are a hit among trekkers. Doodhpathri is one of them. There are more that we have documented. I would recommend you read through them.

Why are we documenting some treks and promoting them DIY style instead of actively running them?

Indiahikes is not just an organisation that runs trekking routes in Jammu and Kashmir. We look at ourselves as enablers of trekking.

Trekkers, mountaineers, and climbers have always traversed Jammu and Kashmir for their expeditions. But there are so many treks that are not operationally possible to run by the organisation; hence, we empower the trekkers with information so they can complete it themselves, perhaps with the help of local guides. 

For most of the year, the trails in Jammu and Kashmir are inaccessible for trekkers. But still, all of us frequently receive queries and registrations for the treks.

Trekkers step on the trails of Jammu and Kashmir mainly during three seasons, i.e., pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon. The trails are a show of landscapes that keep shifting across the seasons. Naturally, the journey begins from snowy white to turning beautiful lush green and slowly transitioning to autumn brown.

The below subheadings depict the division of treks based on seasons. Read through. 

Pre-monsoon unfolds the carpet for trekkers to step on the trails. DIY trekkers prefer this season (mostly May and early June) because June and July are not the best months for them, as securing mules can be quite difficult during the Yatra season. 

If you are stepping on the trails of Brammah Valley, Tulian Lake, or Choharnag trek during the season, you will witness snow trailing the summit push. Additionally, three of these treks welcome you with pleasant weather. Because you are traversing through snow, you also require microspikes, gaiters, and other snow gear to overcome the challenge.

Monsoon attracts a lot of trekkers in both divisions. During the monsoon months, the snow starts melting and the beautiful green grass fills up the meadows. Monsoon also brings vibrancy to the trails with beautiful flowers setting the trails with the beauty.

For beginners, Tarsar Marsar, Tulian and Choharnag are a great bunch of trails to explore. For experienced trekkers, we recommend the Pir Panjal Lakes, Kashmir Great Lakes, and Nafran Valley trek during the season. 

As soon as the monsoon starts to set out of the picture, trekkers start their journeys into the beautiful landscape of the union territory. It is the peak season for our Jammu and Kashmir season and the Nafran Valley trek attracts the most amount of trekkers. It is the transitioning landscapes and trekkers can’t resist but fall in love with it.

September sets the carpet for autumn as well and one can witness the golden shade taking over the lush green. The month of September also marks the beginning of the tourist season.

For every consecutive year in the past decade, trekkers have been very excited to step on the most beautiful trails of Jammu and Kashmir. The season spans nearly five months, and our slots are consistently pre-booked in advance. The terrain, the weather, and the glacial lakes are some of the highlights that make trekkers super excited about trekking in the Union territory. 

Below is the month-wise categorising of the treks in Jammu and Kashmir. Read through.

With an added layer of pleasant weather, expect greenery along with a few patches of snow in May. Snow is still melting in the upper reaches of Kashmir during this month. However, the slightly lower and easier treks are accessible, especially if there hasn't been too much snowfall. 

Summer continues in the month of June with crisp air and pleasant weather. Towards the end of the month, expect some nice showers. The end of June also marks the beginning of the monsoon. 

The monsoon month of July is a beautiful carnival of green grass filling up the meadows. Monsoon also brings vibrancy to the trails with beautiful flowers setting the trails on fire with beauty.

August is a wonderful time for trekking in Kashmir. You might encounter a light shower now and then, but the pleasant weather and trekking conditions make it a great season for trekking in the region. As a result, many of our treks are almost full during this time.

The golden landscapes begin to take over the trekking scene in Jammu and Kashmir during the month. The trails witness the most amount of trekkers during the month. One can witness the transitioning landscapes and trekkers can’t resist but fall in love with it. The month of September also marks the beginning of the tourist season.

Over these past years, we have also noticed that it is quite important to specify treks based on difficulty. The parameter is one of the biggest influencers for trekkers in choosing a trek. 

Most of our treks in Jammu and Kashmir are moderate and moderate-difficult and one of the reasons for the same is our Kashmir treks involve long walks mostly every day. The steep ascents, numerous boulders, and a large number of glacial lakes add to the adventure of trekking. Lastly, the pouring rain during the monsoon makes the terrain even more difficult to navigate. 

The duration of a trek largely influences the trekking experience. While choosing your trek at Indiahikes website (irrespective of the state), you will notice a day-wise categorisation of treks.

Most of our treks in Jammu and Kashmir are for seven days. But If you are looking for a comparatively shorter trek then Tulian Lake is a great option. For a comparatively longer trek, we recommend trekkers choose Warwan Valley.

The duration is aptly decided after observing trekkers and terrains for more than a decade. Since all the treks in Jammu and Kashmir are high-altitude treks, it is essential to allow ample time for acclimatization to reduce the risk of altitude sickness.