Sonamarg travel guide

Meadow of gold below the Thajiwas glacier, on the road to Zojila. Most people stay 1–2 nights. Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Dec, Jan, Feb.

Highlights

• Thajiwas glacier pony ride
• Zero Point on the Zojila road
• Sindh river rafting
• Trout streams
• Winter snow (year-round road since the 2025 tunnel)

Things to do in Sonamarg

• Thajiwas glacier walk or pony ride · 3.5 h · about ₹1,200 per person. About 3 km from the taxi stand to the glacier's snout and snowfields; walk it or take a pony at the posted rate.
• Zojila and Zero Point · 4 h · about ₹2,500 per person. Union taxis climb the Zojila road to snowfields at Zero Point when the pass is open (roughly May to November). Carry warm layers; the road is narrow and dusty.
• Rafting on the Sindh · 2 h · about ₹1,200 per person. Fast, cold water in early summer; run with a registered operator.
• Trout streams and the Sindh valley · 2 h · about ₹500 per person. Angling needs a licence from the Fisheries Department; most visitors just walk the river and eat trout at a dhaba.
• Winter snow at Sonamarg · 3 h · about ₹1,000 per person. Since the Z-Morh tunnel opened in January 2025, Sonamarg is reachable in winter, with sledging and snow walks; the road can still close briefly after heavy snowfall.

Where to stay in Sonamarg

• Guesthouses and camps along the main road (budget, ₹1,800–₹4,000 a night): Simple rooms or seasonal tents near the taxi stand.
• Hotels facing the Thajiwas meadow (mid, ₹4,500–₹9,000 a night): Glacier views and an early start for Thajiwas or Zojila.
• Resorts in the Sindh valley (premium, ₹10,000–₹25,000 a night): Quiet riverside cottages with heating and good food.

What to eat

• Trout and Kashmiri thali: Dhabas along the main road
• Maggi, kahwa and omelettes: Tea stalls at Thajiwas and Zero Point

Getting there

• ~2.5h to Srinagar and SXR
• ~4h to Gulmarg
• ~4.5h to Pahalgam

Good to know

• Zojila Pass towards Ladakh closes in winter; Zero Point trips run only when the road is open.
• During the Amarnath Yatra, Baltal near Sonamarg becomes a base camp and the road gets busy.

Kashmir itineraries with Sonamarg

• Winter snow: Srinagar, Sonamarg and Gulmarg · 6 days, Srinagar → Sonamarg → Gulmarg · from ₹35,525 per person, base estimate before flights. Kashmir under snow: the lake in winter, Sonamarg through the new all-weather tunnel and two nights at snowy Gulmarg.
• Kashmir with friends: rivers, glaciers and passes · 7 days, Srinagar → Sonamarg → Pahalgam · from ₹41,150 per person, base estimate before flights. Summer adventure: rafting on the Sindh and the Lidder, Thajiwas glacier, the Zojila road to Zero Point, and Pahalgam's side valleys.
• Kashmir with family: lake, glacier and valleys · 8 days, Srinagar → Sonamarg → Pahalgam · from ₹40,550 per person, base estimate before flights. A gentle week for parents and children: Srinagar's lake and gardens, a meadow day at Doodhpathri, the Thajiwas glacier at Sonamarg and three nights in Pahalgam.
• Grand Jammu and Kashmir: Katra to Pahalgam · 11 days, Katra (Vaishno Devi) → Srinagar → Sonamarg → Gulmarg → Pahalgam · from ₹63,125 per person, base estimate before flights. Everything in one go: the pilgrimage at Katra, the train into the valley, Srinagar with a meadow day, Sonamarg's glacier, Gulmarg's gondola and Pahalgam's valleys.