Tarsar Marsar Trek: Exploring Kashmir’s Twin Alpine Lakes

The Tarsar Marsar trek is a breathtaking experience that takes you to lush green meadows and alpine lakes. The trek is situated in the Aru Valley near Pahalgam in the Jammu and Kashmir district of India. The trek to reach the Tarsar and Sundarsar lake is approximately 50 KM long and it takes you about 6 to 7 days to reach there. You reach the highest part of the trek at 4,085 meters when you cross the pass between Tarsar lake and Sundarsar lake. The Tarsar Marsar Lake offers some of the best panoramic views of the Himalayan lakes and mountains.

During the early summer months many treks are muddy and blocked by snow, the Tarsar Marsar trek on the other hand has clear trails, with patches of meadows with wildflowers blooming, along with forests of tall pine and birch trees crowded by singing birds and green vegetation. The time is perfect to witness the spring in Kashmir

The Dreamlike Setting of The Twin Glacial Lakes

The blue and turquoise waters of the Tarsar and Marsar lakes are fed by the snow hidden among the towering ridges of the high mountains that surround it.

• Tarsar Lake: The Tarsar Lake excites people because you are allowed to camp beside it. The lake changes its color throughout the day, going from blue to emerald and then golden at dusk. To watch the sunset and sunrise over its crystal clear waters will surely leave you speechless.
• Marsar Lake: The Marsar lake is at least 10 KM from the Tarsar Lake. It is lake hidden behind the ridge and is mostly covered in the mist, this adds to the scene of mystery to the location

Both of these lakes have been for now, untouched by the commercialisation, this has kept them wild and serene.

Meadows and Wildflowers along the way

The trek to Tarsar Marsar Lakes is filled with sceneries that force you to take out your cameras and capture the beauty that lies in front of your eyes. Unlike many high altitude treks that are barren and rocky, the Tarsar Marsar trek is filled with lush green meadows and colorful wildflowers.

The campsites near Lidderwat, Shekwas and Tarsar Lake offer the best location to see the wide meadows and striking wildflowers all tucked between beautiful and tall pine trees.

Solitude and Serenity

The Tarsar and Marsar trek is an offbeat and a lesser known trek, it has seen comparatively lesser commercialisation and has kept its serene nature intact. The trek is least crowded in the months between July and September, a good time to visit for someone looking to get away from the world for a while.

A Glimpse Into The Culture

Another aspect of the Tarsar Marsar trek that makes it unique and desirable is that it gives you an opportunity to cross paths with Bakarwals, a nomadic shepherd community that has called these mountains home for centuries. You will get an opportunity to see the daily routine of these people and get to interact with them as you go about your trek to the twin lakes.

The locals of this region are warm and welcoming, ready to take you in and introduce you to their world that is vastly different from the modern life that we have gotten so used to.

What sets the Tarsar Marsar trek apart from the rest is the easy and gentle rhythm with which it reveals itself to you. The trail is not hard and it allows you to take time as you walk the trail and look around at various gifts of nature. Once you reach this land and see the meadows, the flowers, the trees and the majestic mountains you feel like they have been here, standing silently for ages, waiting for you.