Zoji La — the high pass on the road from Kashmir to Ladakh
Zoji La, the pass on the Srinagar–Leh road beyond Sonamarg: the link to Ladakh, its winter closures, the 1948 battle and the 14 km tunnel that replaces it.
Jammu and Kashmir⛰ 2,730 m1 itineraries
Sonamarg
Sonamarg, the meadow of gold at about 2,730 m: the Thajiwas Glacier, the Sind river, the road to Zoji La and the high lakes, with road times and the season.
Itineraries you can copy
All 1 →Going together
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Sonamarg, the Kashmiri for meadow of gold, stands in the Ganderbal district at about 2,730 m, about 80 km north-east of Srinagar and 100 minutes away on our routing. Nobody lives there all year, and Wikipedia says heavy snow and avalanches cut it off in winter. In summer it is a base for glaciers, trout rivers and treks.
The main outing is the Thajiwas Glacier, reached from the Thajiwas valley, with ponies for hire in summer; Wikipedia records two collapses of ice there in May and June 2024, so take local advice. Further up the highway is Zoji La, the pass on the road to Ladakh, about 41 minutes away on our routing. Treks lead from the area to the Vishansar, Krishansar, Gadsar and Gangabal lakes, which Wikipedia says are stocked with trout; we have no timed trails or permit details for them.
The Sind river runs beside the meadow, and the Amarnath yatra begins at Baltal, about 15 km east. Check the current road and local conditions and your own government's travel advice before you travel. Read when to visit, how to reach Sonamarg and things to do in Sonamarg, and copy the one-day plan.
Photos: Mike Prince from Bangalore, India (CC BY 2.0) · Tony Gladvin George (CC BY 2.0) · Madhrakangri (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Places worth the drive
On the map
Open the Sonamarg map →The places a Sonamarg day reaches, with the road time from town. Each opens on the map with its plans and pages beside it.
Before you go
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Things to do in Sonamarg — the glacier, the river, the lakes and the pass
Things to do in Sonamarg: the Thajiwas Glacier, trout fishing on the Sind, river rafting, treks to Vishansar and Gangabal lakes, and the road to Zoji La.
How to reach Sonamarg — the Srinagar highway and its winter closure
How to reach Sonamarg from Srinagar by road, with measured distances and times, the airport, the winter closure and the tunnels meant to change it.
Best time to visit Sonamarg — the short summer season
When to visit Sonamarg: summer for blooming meadows, trout rivers and the glacier, a winter cut off by snow and avalanches, and the weather figures given.
Nearby destinations
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Questions people ask
How far is Sonamarg from Srinagar?
About 80 km and 100 minutes by road on our routing, which matches Wikipedia's figure of 80 km. From Srinagar airport it is about 98 km and 112 minutes. In winter heavy snowfall and avalanches can block the highway, and local traffic is allowed only as far as Gagangir, so check the road before you set out.
What is there to do in Sonamarg?
Visit the Thajiwas Glacier, with ponies for hire in summer, walk the meadow beside the Sind river, and drive up towards Zoji La, the pass to Ladakh. Treks lead to the Vishansar, Krishansar, Gadsar and Gangabal lakes. We have no timed trails or rates; take local advice, as ice at Thajiwas has collapsed in the past.
When can you visit Sonamarg?
In summer. Wikipedia says nobody lives at Sonamarg all year and that heavy snow and avalanches cut it off in winter, with local traffic stopping at Gagangir. The meadows bloom in summer and ponies run to the glacier then. We have no monthly figures, so ask locally about the road before you plan.
Photographs by Wikimedia Commons contributors (CC0, CC BY, CC BY-SA), resized; each picture is credited on its own page.