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KOLAHOI GLACIER TREK
Kolahoi Glacier Trek
Trek Route: Aru - Lidderwat - Dudhsar Lake - Kolahoi Glacier Viewpoint - Satlunjan
Overview
Kolahoi Glacier is a beautiful valley glacier situated in the western Himalayas. The 5km long hanging glacier is located just below the Kolahoi Mountain and above the Lidder Valley. The locals have named the glacier as the “Goddess of Light” as it is the only source of water for the Jhelum and Lidder River.
The treks in Kashmir involves beautiful landscapes, crystal clear lakes encircled by dense forests and snow covered mountains. The Kolahoi Glacier trek is another trek in Kashmir which will give you the best view of nature in 5 days. You will get the chance to explore the alpine lakes in Aru valley which moves ahead to the large meadows and Gujjar settlements in the Lidderwat valley and a steep trail towards the Satlunjan and the trek will end at the pinnacle of the Kolahoi Glacier which itself is a magnificent sight to enjoy.
Best time to Visit
To see the beautiful alpine and luscious green valleys the best time to plan the Kolahoi glacier trek is from March to October.
The Kolahoi glacier trek is a moderate trek which can be covered by any person with a good fitness regime. While walking down the trek from Satlunjan you need to have a good grip as you will experience some rocky patches on your way.
Trek Itinerary
Day 1 : Reach the basecamp - Aru
Aru is a beautiful tourist destination situated in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir. It is located at a distance of 12km from Pahalgam which is well-known place around Srinagar. To reach the basecamp-Aru, you will be accommodated by our tour guides in Srinagar to provide the cab towards Aru. The journey from Srinagar to Aru is 4 hours and you will reach the base camp by 6 pm. During the drive from Srinagar to Aru, the acclimatization will start processing.
Day 2 : Aru - Lidderwat
The gentle yet steep walk towards the Lidderwat valley starts as soon as the sun rises. You will cover a distance of 10km in 6 hours walking amidst the cluster of fir trees and discovering the lifestyle of the Gujjars. The trail towards Lidderwat starts right out of the village following the course of the Lidder River. Walking past the huge land of the agricultural fence you can take a look back at the entire Aru village from that height. As you walk further towards the dense cluster of fir trees, half an hour later you will come across a patch of clearing called Dalla. Once you will cross the clearing the steep climbing will turn into a pleasant walk towards Nandkei where you can witness the Gujjar settlements in every part of the valley. Crossing the Nandkei you will see the trail break into two parts where you will walk down the wooden bridge and witness the Gujjar huts which gives a hint of your arrival at Lidderwat.
As you reach the Lidderwat valley, spare some time to absorb the beauty of the streams flowing across the meadows and find a place to set your camp for an overnight stay.
Day 3 : Lidderwat - Dudhsar Lake
As the sun will rise you will start walking towards Dudhsar Lake which is the next campsite for the night. Dudhsar Lake is located at a distance of 8km from the Lidderwat valley and it will take 6 hours to reach the spot. Unlike the trail towards Lidderwat, you will come across tall coniferous trees and the gushing stream with crystal white water which flows amidst the rocks. From this point you will Satlunjan, a place located at a height of 11,170ft. Situated just half a kilometre away from Surin, the beauty of the cascading mountains streams and lush green valleys in the region will make you feel enchanted. After absorbing the beauty of the place you will walk another 1km to reach the Chainbal waterfall from where you start trekking towards Kolahoi base camp which is a 1km steep ascent journey. As you reach the Kolahoi base camp, a steep trail will go upwards the valley will take you to the HoksarNala from where the trail is gentle and straight towards the Dudhsar Lake.
After crossing the dense jungles and walking across the beautiful meadows you will come across the Dudhsar Lake which rests just in between of the grass covered mountains with patches of snow.
Set your camp on the riverbank and spend the night gazing at the beautiful night sky.
Day 4 : Dudhsar Lake - Kolahoi Glacier Viewpoint - Satlunjan
After spending the night on the banks of Dudhsar Lake, you will walk down the valley to see the Kolahoi glacier which is the main attraction of the trek. As you climb down for 1.5km from the top of the valley you will witness a beautiful sight of the Kolahoi Glacier or the Crevasse which feeds the Jhelum and Lidder River.
Kolahoi Glacier Viewpoint
The viewpoint of the glacier is breath-taking, but don’t take the risk of walking on the glacier as it can be dangerous. With the passage of time the insides of the glacier has become hollow and it can be accidental to walk on the thin layer of ice. From the Kolahoi glacier viewpoint you will take the way down to the route towards Satlunjan to set the camp for overnight stay.
Day 5 : Satlunjan - Aru
The last day will be the real challenge as you will pass through the lush grasslands on the open valleys and streams gushing through the mountain rocks. As you will walk down from the height of 2492ft. take a few breaks along the way while enjoying the picturesque view of the crystal clear water. You are expected to reach Aru by 3pm if you start climbing down early from Satlunjan.
