Sonamarg Sonamarag Sonmarg | |
|---|---|
 Northern Sonamarg photographed in 2017 | |
  Sonamarg  Sonamarg | |
| Coordinates:34°18′05″N75°17′33″E / 34.30146°N 75.29252°E /34.30146; 75.29252 | |
| Country |  India |
| Union territory | Jammu and Kashmir |
| District | Ganderbal |
| Elevation | 2,730 m (8,960 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 392 |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Kashmiri,Urdu,Hindi,Dogri,English[1][2] |
| • Spoken | Pahari,Gujari,Shina,Balti, Phustu |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 191202 |
| Telephone code | +91-1942417- |
| Vehicle registration | JK16 |
Sonamarg orSonmarg (Urdu pronunciation:[soːnɑːməɾɡ]), known asSonamarag[3] (Kashmiri pronunciation:[sɔnɨmarɨɡ];lit. 'meadow of gold')[4] inKashmiri, is ahill station located in theGanderbal District ofJammu and Kashmir,India. It is located about 62 kilometers fromGanderbal Town and 80 kilometres (50 mi) northeast of the capital city,Srinagar.
Sonamarg had historical significance as a gateway on the ancientSilk Road, connecting Kashmir with Tibet.[5][6] Today, thehill station is a popular tourist destination amongst fishers and hikers, and following theKargil War with neighbouringPakistan in 1999, serves as a strategically important point for theIndian Army.[citation needed]
On 25 May 2024, a section of a glacier near Thajiwas Glacier collapsed, leading to two tourists to fall into a snow cavity created by the break, killing one. On 2 June 2024, a section of Thajiwas Glacier collapsed, trapping three tourists that were rescued, and killed one laborer.[7]
The hill station is situated in theKashmir Valley, at an altitude of 2,730 metres (8,960 ft)[8] Combined with thealpine meadows that bloom in the summer as well as rivers and lakes stocked with fish, Sonamarg is a notable tourist destination inJammu and Kashmir.[9]
Given its high altitude and mountainous terrain, Sonamarg experiences the regionally-rarehumid continental climate (Köppen:Dfb) with significant rainfall. The average temperature in Sonamarg is 5.1 °C (41.2 °F), and nearly 932 mm (36.7 in) of precipitation falls annually (not counting the heavy snowfall that falls occasionally in winter).
| Climate data for Sonmarg | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 8.4 (47.1) | 11.0 (51.8) | 21.8 (71.2) | 23.6 (74.5) | 28.8 (83.8) | 31.1 (88.0) | 33.1 (91.6) | 32.8 (91.0) | 31.0 (87.8) | 26.3 (79.3) | 18.5 (65.3) | 10.7 (51.3) | 33.1 (91.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −7.4 (18.7) | −3.4 (25.9) | 2.7 (36.9) | 11.3 (52.3) | 19.0 (66.2) | 21.7 (71.1) | 24.3 (75.7) | 23.1 (73.6) | 21.1 (70.0) | 13.0 (55.4) | 4.7 (40.5) | −2.5 (27.5) | 10.6 (51.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −10.4 (13.3) | −7.9 (17.8) | −1.7 (28.9) | 4.6 (40.3) | 10.8 (51.4) | 15.1 (59.2) | 18.6 (65.5) | 18.5 (65.3) | 14.8 (58.6) | 5.8 (42.4) | 0.1 (32.2) | −7.1 (19.2) | 5.1 (41.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −13.4 (7.9) | −12.5 (9.5) | −6.1 (21.0) | −2.0 (28.4) | 2.7 (36.9) | 8.5 (47.3) | 13.0 (55.4) | 13.9 (57.0) | 8.6 (47.5) | −1.3 (29.7) | −4.4 (24.1) | −11.8 (10.8) | −0.4 (31.3) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 95 (3.7) | 98 (3.9) | 137 (5.4) | 139 (5.5) | 115 (4.5) | 50 (2.0) | 54 (2.1) | 68 (2.7) | 68 (2.7) | 42 (1.7) | 26 (1.0) | 40 (1.6) | 932 (36.8) |
| Source: Climate Dat[1] | |||||||||||||
Sonamarg has no permanent settlement and is inaccessible during winter due to heavy snowfall and avalanches. Per the2011 Census of India, Sonamarg had a seasonal population of 392 (51% male, 49% female), excluding tourists and those working in the tourism industry.[11]
Sonamarg provides glaciers likeKolahoi Peak & trekking routes leading toVishansar Lake,Krishansar Lake,Gangabal Lake andGadsar Lake in the Himalayas, which are stocked withsnowtrout andbrown trout.[12] TheSind River meanders here and abounds with trout andmahseer. Ponies can be hired for a trip up to Thajiwas glacier, in the summer. TheYatra to the nearbyAmarnath Temple begins in Sonamarg.
Baltal, 15 km east of Sonamarg, is a valley that lies at the foot of theZoji La pass. Trekkers can also reach the city ofLeh—known as "the rooftop of the world"—by crossing over the Zoji La.
The Jammu and Kashmir tourism department organizes river rafting tournaments at Sonamarg throughout the year, which has recently seen the participation of teams from abroad.[13]
Sonamarg is accessible by bus or car fromSrinagar, the capital ofJammu and Kashmir, viaNational Highway 1 (NH 1) and the Zoji La pass. During the winter, heavy snowfall and avalanches block the NH 1, meaning local traffic is only permitted up to Gagangear village, which is the last permanent settlement of this area. But now due to construction ofZ-Morh Tunnel, the road will remain open throughout the year.[14]
'Meaning the 'meadow of gold', Sonamarg is covered with yellow crocus flowers in spring'
Sonamarg travel guide from Wikivoyage
