Tarsar Marsar Trek

One of the most illustrious high-altitude treks found within the Kashmir Himalayas, designed for outdoor adventurers to provide a sophisticated technical/sensory immersion to alpine geography is the Tarsar Marsar Trek. This 48 km route will begin at the base of cedar-lined, ancient trails in the Lidder Valley with an elevation of 7,950 ft. winding through dense coniferous forests, and then ascending above treeline to the vast emerald meadows of Lidderwat. Over the course of seven days, trekkers will ascend methodically and with difficulty to 13,500 ft on Marsar ridge through the heart of the Pir Panjal Range, which is unlike most Himalayan trails that side-step water bodies in structure it allows for lakeside camping at 12,500 ft within the tent of a designer lake, consolidating your tent to pitch right on the grassy shores of the almond-shaped Tarsar Lake. What makes this circuit so technically appealing is that due to its ecological characteristics, there are rapid changes in the environment along the trail, from the velvet rolling hills of Shekwas to the stark boulder-strewn glacial basins of Sundersar to the tough scree covered ascent of the Tarsar Pass. The trek is beautifully crafted to provide a sense of balance between long-lasting physical activity and quiet moments of solitude. Each switchback earned with sweat features a rewarding 360-degree view of the hidden Marsar lake created by sheer cliffs dropping off 1,000 feet into the valley below; arguably providing one of the most stunningly photogenic and untouched examples of alpine beauty found anywhere within the Indian Himalayan region.

Why is the Tarsar Marsar Trek so special?

The Tarsar Marsar trek is considered to be one of the best high-altitude circuits in the Kashmir Himalayan region, providing trekkers an experience that is both practical and compatible, yet different from all other treks in India. Following is a brief overview of the most special features of the Tarsar Marsar trek from the perspective of a trekker.

1. The Rare Shoreline Camping Opportunity

The majority of high-altitude treks require the use of environmental buffers and rock formations to camp well over 100 meters away from any bodies of water. One of the few exceptions to this rule is the Tarsar Marsar trekking route, as the lush alpine meadows (Margs) are situated on the same plane as the water's edge (12,500 ft) of the Tarsar Lake. Consequently, for trekkers, this will afford 24 hours of camping on the lush grass of Tarsar Lake with direct access to the entire ecosystem surrounding the lake, observing how much the lake's appearance changes during the course of the day from a pale milky blue in the early morning to a deep royal indigo at noon, before being transformed to reflect the silver arc of the Milky Way late at night.

2. The Dramatic Shape of Tarsar and Marsar Lakes

At the heart of the trek’s geographic layout are two large, oligotrophic (crystal clear and nutrient-poor) lakes known as Tarsar and Marsar. The lakes are referred to as almond shaped  due to their size, but they are also physically large enough to be able to see each of the lakes almost simultaneously. Even though the two lakes are separated by an outstanding mountain ridge, they are both fed by the same glacier melt waters from the Kolahoi Mountains. Both of these lakes have a deep blue colour due to the fact that they are fed by glacial melt waters from the Kolahoi Glacier; Tarsar is however very exposed and brightly lit by the sun, while Marsar, which is generally viewed as its stealthy twin, is often viewed as more mystical because it is always shrouded in an ethereal mist and is ideally located in a deep dark cauldron, exhibiting two totally different personality types despite resulting from the same geological process.

3. A Masterclass in the Transition to an Alpine Environment

The trail itself runs for approximately 48 km, providing a very condensed life cycle of the Himalayas from its real beginning at 7,950 ft in Aru Valley; trekking through dense coniferous forests of Pine and Fir ’s along the roaring Lidder River is just the beginning but is /will heighten the overall enjoyment of this trek. The first major transition takes place at 11,000 ft when you pass the tree line; once you reach the summit the only thing left to see is the vast rolling velvet meadows of Shekwas that are similar to the Scottish Highlands. The final major transition is made when you reach the area surrounding Sundersar, where the lush green grass of the previous two locations has turned to almost nothing but barren rock, resulting in an intense visual change within a very short time span.

4. The Famous Viewpoint of Marsar Ridge

The apex of this trek is not that of an ordinary mountain top; it’s a 13,500 foot high cross-over point with a narrow knife edge. Standing at this unique viewpoint gives you one of the most terrifying experiences in trekking in India. At this single location, you can look down almost 1,000 feet into Marsar Lake, which is hidden from sight. Viewing a huge alpine lake from the edge of a cliff as opposed to its shore gives you a sense of how immense and rewarding this trek is compared with anything else on any other trail.

5. Nature’s Most Remarkable Kashmir Monsoon

While most of the Indian Himalayas are being pummeled with heavy rains and landslides every July and August by monsoons, the Pir Panjal mountain range creates a huge rain shadow effect for this trek, stopping the heavy monsoon clouds before they reach this area. Because it has this unique climate, the Tarsar Marsar trail only receives light, occasionally foggy drizzle during heavy rains, which means you can trek along the many meadows blossoming with thousands of blue poppies and yellow buttercups on your way to this trek while many higher-altitude areas are soaked and inaccessible in July and August.