Sonamarg or Sonmarg (), known as Sonamarag (; ) in Kashmiri, is a hill station located in the Ganderbal District of Jammu and Kashmir,

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

. It is located about 62 kilometers from Ganderbal Town and northeast of the capital city,

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 ...

History

Sonamarg had historical significance as a gateway on the ancient

Silk Road The Silk Road was a network of Asian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over , it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and religious interactions between the ...

, connecting Kashmir with Tibet. Today, the hill station is a popular tourist destination amongst fishers and hikers, and following the Kargil War with neighbouring

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

in 1999, it serves as a strategically important point for the

Indian Army The Indian Army (IA) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the Land warfare, land-based branch and largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Commander-in-Chief, Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head ...

. On 25 May 2024, a section of a glacier near Thajiwas Glacier collapsed, leading to two tourists falling into a snow cavity created by the break, killing one. On 2 June 2024, a section of Thajiwas Glacier collapsed, trapping three tourists who were rescued, and killing one laborer.

Geography

The hill station is situated in the Kashmir Valley, at an altitude of Combined with the alpine meadows that bloom in the summer as well as rivers and lakes stocked with fish, Sonamarg is a notable tourist destination in Jammu and Kashmir.

Climate

Given its high altitude and mountainous terrain, Sonamarg experiences the regionally-rare

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

: ''Dfb'') with significant rainfall. The average temperature in Sonamarg is , and nearly of precipitation falls annually (not counting the heavy snowfall that falls occasionally in winter).

DataDemographics

Sonamarg has no permanent settlement and is inaccessible during winter due to heavy snowfall and avalanches. Per the 2011 Census of India, Sonamarg had a seasonal population of 392 (51% male, 49% female), excluding tourists and those working in the tourism industry.

Tourism

Sonamarg provides glaciers like Kolahoi Peak & trekking routes leading to

Vishansar Lake The Vishansar Lake also known as Vishan Sar () is an alpine, high-elevation Trophic state index, oligotrophic lake, located near Ganderbal town and Sonamarg in the Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir, Ind ...

, Krishansar Lake, Gangabal Lake , and Gadsar Lake in the Himalayas, which are stocked with snowtrout and brown trout. The Sind River meanders here and abounds with trout and

mahseer Mahseer is the common name used for the genera ''Tor (fish), Tor'', ''Neolissochilus'', ''Naziritor'' and ''Parator zonatus, Parator'' in the family Cyprinidae (carps). The name is, however, more often restricted to members of the genus ''Tor'' ...

. Ponies can be hired for a trip up to Thajiwas glacier, in the summer. The

Yatra ''Yatra'' (, ), in Indian religion, Indian-origin religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, generally means a pilgrimage to holy places such as confluences of River#Sacred rivers, sacred rivers, Sacred mountains#India, sacred mount ...

to the nearby Amarnath Temple begins in Sonamarg. Baltal, 15 km east of Sonamarg, is a valley that lies at the foot of the Zoji La pass. Trekkers can also reach the city of

Leh Leh () is a city in Indian-administered Ladakh in the Kashmir#Kashmir_dispute, 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 WP:TE ...

—known as "the rooftop of the world"—by crossing over the Zoji La. The Jammu and Kashmir tourism department organizes river rafting tournaments at Sonamarg throughout the year, which have recently seen the participation of teams from abroad.

Access

Sonamarg is accessible by bus or car from

, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir, via National Highway 1 (NH 1) and the Zoji La pass. During the winter, heavy snowfall and avalanches block the NH 1, meaning local traffic is only permitted up to Gagangear village, which is the last permanent settlement of this area. But now, due to the construction of Z-Morh Tunnel, the road will remain open throughout the year.

Gallery

File:Sirbal Sonamarg.jpg, Sirbal Sonamarg File:Sonamarg 7.jpg, A view of the Himalayas from Sonmarg valley File:Sonmarg Valley.JPG, A view of the mountains from Sonmarg valley File:Sonamarg Thajiwas glacier.jpg, Sonmarg Thajiwas glacier in May 2013 File:Thajiwas glacier parking.JPG, Parking at stage 1 of Thajiwas Glacier, 3 km from Sonmarg

References

External links

* {{Municipalities of Jammu and Kashmir Cities and towns in Ganderbal district Hill stations in Jammu and Kashmir Tourist attractions in Ganderbal district