Kashmir: A region that has attracted scholars, saints, aestheticians and travellers from across the world for as long as history has been documented, Kashmir is the crown jewel of Indian Himalaya. A sacred land between Pir Panjal range on the west and the central Himalayan range in the east, Kashmir is like a bowl, covered on all sides by snow-capped peaks. Home to pristine river valleys, lush green meadows and crystal clear lakes, Kashmir is every trekker’s delight. The GHT section of Kashmir starts from the Gurez Valley, very close to the current India - Pakistan border, and traverses a trail strarting on the banks of Kishen Ganga valley. Pretty lakes and lush green meadows are a constant on this trail, which goes over multiple high passes above 4000m and goes down to the banks of major tributaries of Jhelum river on its eastern flank. We finish the section at Kishtwar, the south-eastern border of Kashmir, having covered the Gurez Valley, Sonmarg Valley, Aru and Pahalgam Valley, the very heart of the Great Himalayan range in Kashmir.
 

Ladakh: The original home of Tibetan Buddhism, the trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh is known for its monasteries and high-altitude passes. With the Kashmir valley in the west, Karakoram range in the north and Tibetan-plateau in the east, the cold-desert of Ladakh is an extremely diverse region in terms of geography. The GHT section of Ladakh starts on the banks of Tsarap river in Padum, the main town of Zanskar region. The trail heads towards Phugtal Monastery, having a history of atleast 2000 years and then follows the Tsarap river, going through its narrow but magnificent gorge till we reach Pang, situated at the edge of the vast Moray plains. From Pang we head towards Tso Moriri via two 5000m passes and finish our trek at Korzok, the main centre of Changpa nomads who inhabit the Changtang Plateu, which spans across the Indo-Tibet border. 
 

This combined section is an ideal opportunity for those who would like to walk across the earstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state of India - covering Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh regions.

Itinerary

What to expect