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KOUNSARNAG LAKE TREK
Aharbal Falls Kounsarnag Lake trek : An expedition through the waterfalls to a picturesque lake!
Be prepared for one of the most beautiful treks of your lifetime. It is not the fame, but the uniqueness of the Aharbal Falls Kounsarnag Lake trek that will give you joy forever.
Overview
Located in the Kulgam district of Kashmir Valley in India, Kausar Nag or Kausarnagis a high altitude lake. Filled with absolute beauty, the beauty of picturesque alpine lakes and the eternally peace-giving lakes. A special attraction of this trek is the River Vaishau. The trail starts from the Aharbal Lake, a serene beauty which is a major tourist spot. It is famously known as the “Niagra Fall” of Kashmir. You can do a variety of adventurous activities like skiing during winter, horse riding and photography too. Your destination, the Kounsarnag Lake too has a lot of things in stock for you. The trek will be a week-long trek.; Following is a detailed itinerary to make your expedition more organised and easier.
Trek Route
Srinagar - Dal Lake - Mughal Gardens - Aharbal - Nilnag – Kungwattan - Mahinag - Kounsarnag Lake
Highest Peak
The highest peak of the Kounsarnag trek is 12,000 “ft” which is a moderate level trek route
Duration – Best time to visit
8 Days | 7 Nights – May to October
Srinagar to Aharbal Falls
From Srinagar, the falls is at a distance of 3 hours which can be travelled by taxicab.
Trek Itinerary
Day 1 : The expedition starts
On the first day, you will arrive at the Srinagar airport and will be received by our represented who will escort you to your houseboat in the realms of the beautiful Dal lake. Once you reach your Houseboat, after some rest you can go out to explore Srinagar, the summer Capital of Jammu and Kashmir. Srinagar is not called the “Venice of Kashmir” for no reason, it’s beauty will make you flabbergasted easily. You can pay a visit to the Mughal gardens, Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial garden among several other sites. After which, you will retire for the night at your houseboat.
Day 2 : A visit to the Aharbal falls and a trek to Nilnag
The second day involves doing an approximately 3-hour-long journey to Aharbal followed by a short trek to Nilnag. It is a high-altitude lake amidst the dense pine forest. This lake is an ideal spot for relaxing before starting trekking expeditions. The clear blue water will help you relax and fill yourself with good spirits before beginning your trail.
Day 3 : Trekking through Kungwattan (The halfway point of the trek)
On this day, you will begin your adventure by trekking through the pine forests to reach Kungwattan. You will have to pack your load on the horses as this is a highly isolated site and motorable roads are not present. The trek will approximately be of 4-5 hours. Kungwattan serves as the halfway point of your expedition to Kounsarnag lake. You willstay the night Kungwattan.
Day 4 : Trek to Mahinag Lake and overnight stay
You will start early on the fourth day and trek through luscious colourful meadows. You will have to trek for about 5 hours and your destination will be the Mahinag Lake, which is covered by mountains on all sides. You will retire for the night at a camp by the lake.
Day 5 : Reaching Kausarnag Lake
The fifth day is when you start trekking towards your final destination, the KausarnagLake. On the way, you will traverse through some beautiful high-altitude meadows and streams. You will also visit the Vishu River. Famous for the loud sound of its stream, the Vishu river will give you the chills! It will make you forget everything and consume you in its beauty. Finally, you will reach your much-awaited destination, the KausarnagLake. Standing at about 12,000 feet above the ground, this 2-mile-lond lake is beauty at its best. After enjoying the beauty of the Kounsarnag lake, you will make and overnight stay by the lake at a camp.
Day 6 : The return journey starts
On the sixth day, you will start your return journey. You will descend from your destination to reach Kungwattan and retire for the day there. You will have to trek for about 5 hours approximately.
Day 7 : Returning to and exploring Srinagar
On the seventh day, you will descend to Srinagar from Kungwattan via Aharbal. Once you reach Srinagar, you can go out for sightseeing again and visit the places that you missed.
Day 8 : The End of your expedition
This is the final day of your expedition. You will start according to your flight schedule. You will have breakfast at the houseboat and will be escorted by our representative to the airport, officially ending your trekking expedition and leaving with a head full of memories.
