The Tarsar Marsar Trek: favourite route of the locals

Tarsar Marsar trek is named after the twin alpine lakes of Tarsar and Marsar located in the highlands of south-east kashmir. They are found in the vicinity of each other tucked between the Dachigam National Park in the west and the Overa-Aru Wildlife Sanctuary and Kolahoi mountain in the East. The trek starts from Aru, a village situated at a distance of about 105 Km from Srinagar and 12 km ahead of Pahalgam town.

The base camp of the Tarsar Marsar Lakes trek is Aru, a tiny village located in a bowl-shaped valley of the same name, just 12 km ahead of Pahalgam town. Aru village can be reached by private cabs or public sharing transport from Srinagar via Pahalgam. On this trek, we will arrange a comfortable car pick up for all trekkers from a designated point in Srinagar. The car will directly transfer you to the EKA base camp at Aru. At the end of the trek, we will again arrange transport to drop you back to Srinagar. These Base Camp transfers are included in our Trip Costs and trekkers do not need to pay separately.

Srinagar city is well connected to all the major cities in India and can be reached by air, train or road. The most convenient way to reach Srinagar is via flight. Sheikh Ul-Alam International Airport in Srinagar (Code: SXR) is around 15 Kms away from the city centre. Srinagar Airport has regular flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Leh, Chandigarh and other cities.

The nearest railway station is Jammu Tawi Railway Station which is at a distance of 250 kilometers. One can hire a taxi and take a road trip to Srinagar from Jammu Tawi Railway Station. Jammu railway station is well connected to the Indian railways network to all major cities in India by rail. Direct train services are available from Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Trivandrum. By train one has to reach Jammu and then drive to Srinagar by road, which takes around 7-8 hours depending on road conditions and traffic. The upcoming new train stations and the extension of the railway network into Kashmir including the building of one of the highest rail bridges in the world, will enable direct connectivity via trains without any need of road travel.

The best time to hike on this route is from the beginning of July to the middle of September. The reason being in all the other months, some sections plus the high passes on the route are engulfed in snow which makes them difficult to cross. Depending on the snow conditions, we may also open this as early as the later half of June. The earlier part of the season generally ensures much less crowd and more pristine conditions compared to the later months.

The temperatures on the trek range from 15-20 degrees Celsius during daytime and may drop to 4-8 degrees Celsius in the night. If it rains, it may feel colder and so one needs to be prepared in terms of clothing and gear. The months of July to September is when the summers in Kashmir transition to Autumn and Kashmir is at its most vibrant during this period, exhibiting a diverse range of landscapes and the best shades of green with colourful wildflowers all over. Although rains are generally unpredictable in the mountains, it is definitely expected on this trail during this season and afternoon showers are more common, offering a good window to trek during the morning.

The standard itinerary of Tarsar Marsar Lakes Trek is around 47 km in length. Most of the trail walks beside the famous Aru-Lidder river of Kashmir. With gradual acclimatization and proper selection of campsites, this distance is covered over the course of 6 days from Aru to Aru.

The Tarsar Marsar Trek is considered an easy to moderate trek. Compared to other multi-day long treks in Kashmir, this trail is relatively easy in terms of the distance, terrain and altitudes The trail passes through meadows, forests, high passes, boulder sections and involves river crossings on some occasions. It requires trekkers to walk for 4-5 hours on average every day. The trek includes ascending and descending terrains and a few steep challenging sections too. Although it is recommended for beginners, it requires a moderate level of fitness and prior trekking and camping experience is helpful but not mandatory.

Both the treks offer a chance to explore Kashmir’s incredible scenic beauty in pristine conditions. Both the adventures take you beyond the common touristy circuits and show you an unseen side of Kashmir with spectacular meadows and lakes. Each trek has its own charm but In terms of difficulty, the Tarsar Marsar Trek is easier compared to the Kashmir Great Lakes trek. With less number of Pass crossings, lower distance and more gradual climb, the Tarsar Marsar is a good choice for those without any prior trekking experience. It is more suitable for beginners who want to get a taste of Himalayan trekking in Kashmir. On the other hand, for experienced and avid hikers, who are up for a slightly more challenging and longer trail, the Kashmir Great Lakes Trek could be the one to go for. Whichever trek you choose, both offer a fantastic experience amidst the breathtaking landscapes of Kashmir.

The moderately challenging route of the Tarsar Marsar trek makes it a good choice for families who love to explore the outdoors and mountains. Although the trail is not very physically demanding, it still requires trekkers to navigate a variety of terrain, from wide meadow trails to short boulder sections. Therefore, all members of the family should be reasonably fit and in good health. They should all be willing to make the effort and be prepared for some challenging sections on the route. Prior trekking experience is not mandatory for this trek but families including children (above 10) and seniors (below 60) must come well-prepared. Travellers also should not have any existing medical conditions such as Cardiac or BP-related issues, serious Asthma etc. For all interested trekkers, and especially senior elderly people, it is advisable to consult a doctor before signing up.

The mobile network and connectivity will be limited as you move beyond Pahalgam town. The base camp village of Aru has a BSNL network which may not be very reliable and consistent. As we start the trek from Aru and move deeper on the trail, no phone network or internet connectivity will be available. The trek takes you through some of the remote and isolated regions of Kashmir, where the signal coverage can be sporadic or mostly non-existent. It’s important to be prepared for the possibility of no phone network or internet connectivity during all sections of the trek. Therefore it’s advisable to inform your family and friends back home about the potential communication limitations during the trek days.

While you may encounter limited or no phone network and internet connectivity during the Tarsar Marsar Lakes Trek, the experience provides you an excellent opportunity to disconnect from technology and immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the surroundings.

When visiting Jammu and Kashmir, it is important to note that prepaid mobile connections issued outside the territory do not work. Only local prepaid sims and Postpaid connections will work. All postpaid connections of major network operators will have good reception and data connectivity in most destinations of the valley. Airtel, Jio, Vodafone and BSNL – all provide good connectivity and internet data networks in the main areas of the valley with BSNL having the widest coverage and Airtel having the strongest connectivity. Recently, Jio has penetrated well and is now offering great connectivity to even some very remote areas of the region.

Srinagar generally has decent phone connectivity with major mobile network operators such as Airtel, Jio, Vodafone Idea, and BSNL providing coverage. Wi-Fi is also available in many hotels, cafes, and restaurants. However, please note connectivity in remote areas or during certain weather conditions may be weaker or intermittent.

On the Trek, you can either choose to carry your own backpack or you can use our backpack offloading service free of charges, without any extra cost. It is important to convey to us your backpack carrying preference at the time of booking.

There is no electricity available on the Tarsar Marsar trail. Access to charging options is possible till Srinagar. It is recommended that you bring battery powerbanks or solar-powered alternatives. Please charge all your cameras, required batteries and phones before the base camp arrival. It is advisable to prioritize essentials on the trail and limit unnecessary device usage.

There are a few important and mandatory documents and forms to fill in and bring in order to process your trekking permissions:

• Original Govt. ID proof along with 3 Photocopies (Aadhaar/Passport/Driver’s License)
• Health Certificate/Medical Form attested by a doctor (We will share the format with you)
• Signed Copy of our Waiver Document (We will share the format with you)
• Trek Insurance document

These documents willl be required to process your mandatory trek permits. Documents submission and processing is a simple process. We will explain all the details to you on our Pre-Trip Call with all participants.

For this Kashmir trek, it is important to pack properly before embarking on this adventure. All camping gear and equipment will be taken care of by us. You just need to pack your clothing and trek gear like Trek Pole, high-ankle trek shoes etc. It is recommended to pack lightweight and quick-drying trek clothing, including trekking pants/shorts, t-shirts, Warm/down/thick jackets and waterproof layers/ponchos. Other important accessories like white-brimmed sunhat, UV-protected sunglasses, handgloves etc. Carry personal essentials like sunscreen, personal medicines, headlamp. We will provide a list of all recommended things to carry and help you pack before the trek.