Kolahoi glacier trek Kashmir - unforgettable experience

by Alina J. Content Writer

If you are looking for an easy trek that has a variety then the Kolahoi glacier trek best suits you. This is the most scenic easy trek in Kashmir and has quite a variety in its landscape. This trek gets etched in your memory with all the beauty it throws at you. The trek is easy and doable by all, even by beginners. The joy of this trek is walking through the lush meadows of its trails. And beside the river stream and around its towering mountain peaks.

Kolahoi glacier trek is famous for the glacier one sees during this trek. The glacier is the Kolahoi glacier which is considered the largest glacier of Kashmir. While on this trek you will be camping just at the base of this glacier. The glacier has a towering mountain peak called Kolahoi peak. This is the highest altitude peak of Kashmir. The glacier is very large with a spanning length and breadth.

The trek starts from Aru valley. This valley is truly a heaven for trekkers as many treks of Kashmir start from Aru. From Srinagar, it is a drive of around 3.5 hours that takes you to Aru valley.

The first day of the trek starts with a 5 km jungle walk. The jungle is of pine trees and is very thick. Afterward, you will be walking in an open meadow until you reach your first campsite. This campsite is at Lidderwat meadow. All along you will have the famous Lidder river towards your left. You will be walking just beside this river.

Most of the trail of this trek goes through lush meadows and has a gentle walk. The meadows have beautiful river streams crossing. You will have to remove your shoes and cross these river streams that have cold and clean water running in them. After Lidderwat, you will walk in the meadows of Satlanjan. This meadow also has many river streams and you will have to cross those streams. It has large grasslands. However, there is a patch of boulder section as well which you will have to cross with care and firmness.

The trek to its extreme takes one to the base of the Kolahoi glacier. You will be camping at the glacier base. Take joy in the view of this big glacier in front of you. The glacier melts into a river stream and forms the Lidder river.

There is a beautiful alpine lake just close to this glacier. The lake is Dodsar lake. This alpine lake is glacier-fed and surrounded by lush meadow and snow-peaked mountains.

The trek from Kolahoi glacier follows the same trail back to Aru. From the Kolahoi glacier, you will have to retrace your steps back to the meadows of Satlanjan and Lidderwat and then to the base camp at Aru. The trek is usually finished in 6 days including one-day acclimatization at Aru.

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Recap

To sum up, the Kolahoi glacier is an easy beautiful trek of Kashmir. It is recommended for both beginners and experienced trekkers. The trek has beautiful meadows, water streams and follows a trail through a thick jungle of pine trees. The best attraction of the trek is the Kolahoi glacier, lidderwat, satlanjan meadow, and dodsar alpine lake.