Sinthan Top is a

mountain pass A mountain pass is a navigable route through a mountain range or over a ridge. Since mountain ranges can present formidable barriers to travel, passes have played a key role in trade, war, and both Human migration, human and animal migration t ...

, a popular tourist destination located in

Kishtwar district Kishtwar district is an administrative district of the Jammu division of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir of the disputed Kashmir region.The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the ...

and borders with South Kashmir's

Breng Valley Breng Valley (The Golden Crown of Kashmir) is located in Anantnag district in the Indian territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The valley is named after the rivulet '' Brengi'' which is a tributary of famous Jhelum River. The valley spans over 40&nbs ...

(Sub-District

Kokernag Kokernag ( ; ) is a sub-district, town and a notified area committee in the Breng Valley (also known as the Golden Crown of Kashmir) of Anantnag district in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The place is known for its botanica ...

) of

Anantnag district Anantnag district is an administrative district of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region. The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a m ...

in the Indian union territory of

Jammu and Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir may refer to: * Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), a region administered by India as a union territory since 2019 * Jammu and Kashmir (state), a region administered by India as a state from 1952 to 2019 * Jammu and Kashmir (prin ...

. Majority of the area lies on the Kishtwar side. The top acts as a sort of base camp to several alpine lakes in the region.

Location

The Sinthan pass connects Anantnag with Kishtwar and is the only road that connects the people of Warwan and Marwah (Marye) of

with district headquarters in Kishtwar town. It is above sea level and is snow-capped for most of the year. It is located on the Anantnag–Kokernag–Kishtwar section of NH 244, and is 80 km from

Kishtwar Kishtwar is a town, municipality and administrative headquarter of the Kishtwar district in the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. The district was carved out of the Doda district in 2007. and is located in the Jammu division. The town ...

town, 130 km south of

Srinagar Srinagar (; ) is a city in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region.The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the Kashmir dispute is supported by the tertiary ...

and 73 km from

Anantnag Anantnag ( ; ), also called Islamabad ( ; ), is the administrative headquarters of Anantnag district of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region.The application of the term "admi ...

and 48 km from Kokernag. Sinthan Top has no local population. Shepherds from adjoining places like Kokernag, Daksum, and tourists and those working in the tourism industry may stay overnight in tents.

Tourism

Like other areas of the valley, Sinthan Top is known for its beauty and wonderful tourist attractions. The place is fast growing as one of the top tourist destination in

Chenab valley The Chenab River is a major river in India and Pakistan, and is one of the 5 major rivers of the Punjab region. It is formed by the union of two headwaters, the Chandra and Bhaga, which rise in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul region of Himac ...

. Around 37 kilometers of snaky and uphill drive from Daksum, it offers an adventurous journey. The spot is emerging for mountaineering, trekking and skiing. Sinthan Top is easily accessible from Srinagar, almost 4–5 hours drive by car. Attractions in Kashmir like Kokernag, Dacksum and Achabal fall en route that offer tourists varied choice of resting and makes traveling more pleasant and less tiresome. At the spot called '360 Degree View', one can see areas of both Kashmir and Jammu Divisions. Also the spot itself can be a great resting place for people traveling from Srinagar to Kishtwar or Doda and back. Sinthan Top is the South-East end of Breng Valley (The Golden Crown of Kashmir) and is 48 km from famous Kokernag spring. The nearest hotels are located at Kokernag and Daksum ranging from extremely budget accommodation in private and Government huts to deluxe hotels. One should be able to book a night in a hotel or hut between 1500 and 3500 rupees. One can plan to visit Lihinwan and the famous Margan Top in the Margan Valley and Inshan which are located in the same area. In 2023, Sinthan festival was organised by District Administration Kishtwar and around 12000 tourists attended the event.

Vailoo-Singhpora tunnel

Although the tunnel plans to bypass Sinthan pass were approved in principle years ago, the action is still awaited by the government. Varying lengths of tunnel have been reported by media but maps would suggest a length of about 10 to 14 km.

References

{{Mountain passes of India Tourist attractions in Anantnag district Mountain passes of Jammu and Kashmir