Situated at an elevation of 4000 meters, Basmai is a cradle shaped hanging valley in one of the remote places to visit in the Kashmir Himalayas. It lies in the Ganderbal and Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, sharing its boundary with Zanskar to the other side and is dominated by the majestic Kohlai peak. The valley surrounded by snow-covered peaks and alpine forest flora is a treat for nature lovers and bird watchers alike. Trekking towards Basmai and Tarsar Marsar Lakes, one can find trees of Pine (Chir), Oak, Deodar, Bhojpatra, along with many varieties of fauna. The Kohlai Glacier is located towards the north of Basmai.
In summer months of Mid June to September, this is a moderate trek and a paradise for trekkers and an opportunity to observe the daily lifestyle of the Bakarwal or shepherds and villagers in some of the remote locations in the state. It is interesting and heart-warming to observe their daily life in farms and modest houses with their ever friendly attitude and smiles. A moderate snow cover in the month of June also adds to the virginal beauty of the valley!
Trek Months – Mid June to September
Trek Itinerary
Day 1: Report to base camp
- On Day 1, assemble at the base camp – Gagangir village.
- For trekkers coming from different parts of the country, cabs can be arranged on request and additional trekker cost-sharing basis to pick you up from Srinagar. Western Mountains trek leaders will receive you at Gagangir.
- Meals: Tea& Snacks, Dinner.
Day 2: Gagangir to Basmai optional Soun Valley.
- Day 2 starts with a short and a steep hike towards Basmai on a well-marked trail with towering pine trees. Don’t miss out on the breath-taking views of the valley below alongside the gushing river.
- Once you are halfway up the trek, you’d see a tree decorated with lots of plastic stuff, it has no history associated with it.
- The climb gets a little more gradual after the halfway mark. And you would reach Basmai camp in another 3 hours. People who have reached and are in good condition to explore more can go on a short hike to the Soun top to witness the beautiful Soun valley.
- Overnight stay in Camp or Gujjar Huts.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Tea& Snacks, Dinner.
Day 3: Basmai to Basmai Lake via Basmai Pass.
- Continuing to the left side of the valley, past the fields and followed by the crossing of streams, the trail leads to the right-hand side of the valley. The ascend starts here, going past moraine. The trail climbs to the gully where the pass is visible.
- The ascent to Basmai is gradual and offers spectacular views of the valley behind. The final (steep) climb of about 200mts opens up to the pristine Basmai Lake visible from the pass.
- A gradual trail down leads us to the lake which may take up to 2 hours, we camp before the lake.
- Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Tea& Snacks, Dinner)
Day 4: Explore Basmai Lake and trek to Lidderwat.
- An easy day as we pass via Basmai Lake and move on the trail next to the lake and descend towards Satlanjan valley.
- There are few other lakes like Rohil, Haptsar on the other side of Satlanjan Valley, but we move towards the right to Lidderwat.
- Satlanjan to lidderwat is a flat trail next to the river and we would reach Lidderwat in 3 hours.
- Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Tea& Snacks, Dinner)
Day 5: Lidderwat to Shekhwass.
- Today we embark on a long day towards Tarsar Lake. We would be camping at Shekhwass which is at Tarsar Lake. You have to hurry a bit in order to spend more time at Tarsar Lake and should trek back to Shekhwass for the night stay, you can enjoy your time in the valley with ample opportunities to exercise your photography and posing skills at the lake!
- Overnight stay in tents.
- Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Tea& Snacks, Dinner.
Day 6: Shekwass to Sonmus via Marsar Lake.
- From Shekwass we move towards Marsar Lake which would take us around 4 to 5 hours.
- After exploring Marsar we would make another stop at Sundarsar Lake before heading to the camp at Sonmus
- It is a beautiful valley and you would find a lot of shepherds with their flock of animals.
- Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Tea& Snacks, Dinner)
Day 7 – Trek to Sumbal and drive to Srinagar.
- Today you are on the last leg of the trek and start towards Sumbal.
- It is a steep descent of 5 to 6 hours to reach Sumbal which is located 30 km from Sonamarg
- For trekkers, cabs can be arranged on request and additional trekker cost-sharing basis to pick you up from Sumbal and drop at Srinagar.
- Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch)
Trek Facts
Grade: Moderate
Altitude: 4,300 mts
Temperature: Towards the summer months, one can expect the temperature to range from 20 degree Celsius during the day and drop down to as low as -2 degree Celsius during the night in the valley. The chilly winds in the early morning and evening can make it feel even colder.
Trek Duration: 7 days.
Trek Season: Late June to September
Base Camp: Gagangir
How to reach Base camp: Gagangir is situated at a distance of 80kms from Srinagar and can be reached in approximately 4 hours.
To reach Srinagar, you can take a train to Jammu and take a taxi/bus ride for the rest of the journey. You can also take the flight to Srinagar from Delhi or Mumbai with or without a stopover at Jammu. By bus, Srinagar is linked by the National Highway 1A to the rest of the country.
Nearest Airport / Rail line/road connectivity: The nearest airport is the Sheikh ul Alam airport, also known as the Srinagar airport. Jammu is the nearest rail connectivity point and is well connected to all major cities by train.
Submit the inquiry for the cost.
Cost Inclusions:
- Accommodation in dome tents (2/3 per tent).
- Meals mentioned in the itinerary on a fixed menu/ buffet basis.
- Internal transportation cost as per itinerary.
- Camping Equipment: Tents, Sleeping bags, mats, gaiters.
- All charges for guides and permits.
Cost Exclusions:
- Transportation cost from Srinagar to Gagangir and Sumbal to Srinagar.
- Backpack offloading: Trekkers are expected to carry their own backpacks. If the trekker cannot carry his/her backpack due to physical inability and chooses to offload on mules, this will be on additional cost.
- Airfares, airport taxes and anything not mentioned in the inclusions and itinerary.
- Meals, tea, coffee, mineral water, tips, transfers not mentioned in the itinerary.
- Doctor, telephone, laundry and other personal expenses.
- Cost of personal emergency exit or expenses due to external factors such as climatic conditions.
Itinerary Changes & Trip delays:
We plan itineraries based on the information available at the time of planning and in rare circumstances, they are subject to change. In the event that the itinerary is changed or delayed due to unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather, transportation delays, government intervention, landslides etc., we will always aim to give you the best experience possible. However, Western Mountains cannot be held responsible for the cost of delay or changes.