Tarsar Marsar Trek is not just an ordinary trek, it is an experience, one that you must live through. Whether you are new to trek and the adventures that come along with it or you are a person who has already experienced trekking, you’ll come out from this trek having spent one of the best 7 days of your life. Tarsar Marsar trek located in Kashmir Valleys takes you on a journey through Tarsar Lake and Marsar Lake. Tarsar and Marsar lakes often referred to as twin lakes are known for their almond shape. What even amplifies the beauty of this trek are the wonderful meadows and the forests surrounding them.
The Tarsar Marsar trek is a wonderful trek and the best time for this trek is during summers as during summers trekkers might come across various beautiful birds and animals such as snow leopards. The trek reaches up to its highest peak at 13,000 ft. When it comes to the difficulty this trek is considered as a medium level trek so even if you are new to trekking and this is your first time experience with trekking you won’t be having much difficulty and would be spending the best time of your life.
Tarsar Marsar trek marks a wonderful and adventurous 7 days, 6 nights trek. The trek starts from Srinagar from where you travel to Aru base camp. From there the beautiful 7 days voyage starts which ends at Sumbal village on day 7. Day 1 ends with the visitors arriving at the Aru base camp and spending their night there. This is followed by trekking from Aru to Lidderwat on day 2, then from Lidderwat to Shekiwas on day 3 then to Tarsar on day 4 where the trekkers spend the night camping on the wonderful grasslands along Tarsar. Day 5 takes the journey of the trekkers from Tarsar to Sundaresar with having a view on Marsar and then to Sonmasti on day 6.
The trek is concluded with the final day trek from Sonmasti to Sumbal village and then a drive back to Srinagar. The visitors should also make a note that prepaid sim card won’t be working in that area and it is advisable to have a postpaid sim card. The last point where the visitors will get a mobile connection is Pahalgam, after Pahalgam, there will be no network and the travelers should finish any important phone call before this point. Also, Pahalgam is the last point where you’ll get an ATM so it’ll be advisable to withdraw money from here if needed.
Highlights about the Tarsar Marsar trek
All treks are beautiful, filled with the beauty of nature the lovely mountains and lakes, but there is something different about this trek. Camping on the shores of Tarsar and Sundarsar lake just magnifies the beauty that this trek is. There are a lot of things about this trek that sets it apart completely from all the other treks. One of the things that makes the trek so great is the Aru base camp, it consists of a number of lovely cottages with slanted roofs.
The trees, the grasslands, the stream flowing through the village makes this a beautiful destination and a good starting point for nature lovers and those who are new to trekking. On Day 2 the trekkers travel from Aru to Lidderwat and the campsite at Lidderwat is just a beauty. At Lidderwat near the campsite, there is a tiny settlement of Gujjar. The settlements are set up under pine trees and this provides a very soothing and a beautiful view. You can also climb a grassy ridge near the Shekiwas campsite which provides a magnificent view if you are going there during sunset.
Walking around Tarsar is also a delight and you should definitely do it and enjoy the beauty of nature and the lake. There are a lot of lovely grasslands you’ll be encountering on this trek and it’ll be a delight for you spending time in these grasslands and admiring their beauty, one of such grassland is the Jagmargi grassland which is an absolute treat and you’ll enjoy each second that you spend there.
Facts about this trek
One of the interesting fact about this trek is that it is a moderate level trek, it is not a very tough trek on one hand and also not an easy one on the other hand. Another key fact about this trek is the altitude that the trek covers. The trek starts from Aru base camp at an elevation of around 7980 ft and goes to a maximum altitude of over 13000 ft. The highest point of this trek is the Marsar ridge from where we can view the beautiful Marsar Lake.
The trek is not just simple ascending but consists of ascending and at times descending and passing through grasslands, traveling in forests and crossing streams at times. The distance traveled on most of the days of this trek ranges from around 5 to 6 km and the time taken to complete the same amount of distance is around 6 hours.
This trek is also a treat for those who love wildlife as here they can find some of the rare species such as Golden Eagles, Bar-headed Geese, Choughs, black bulbuls, snow leopards, musk deer, brown beer and much more. Also the beauty of the various forest and grasslands in immense. Also, the temperature is around 15 degree Celsius during daytime and around 5 degree Celsius during nights in the months of June and July.