Nafran Valley Trek

A gentle climb from Aru village brings you to a dense forest. Continue walking and after some time the trail forks into two. The left trail leads to a clearing with a vantage point. The right path, leads us to our campsite. Follow the trail on the right which will lead you to a muddy patch. Once you reach the muddy patch, it’s a steep uphill climb of about 500 meters at the end of which you will reach a shepherd settlement called Geerwad. From here on, you will walk on grasslands and forest cover all the way to a small riverside clearing. This is Gagad Pathri, your campsite for the night. Overnight in tents.

The Nafran valley is a favourite of Gujjars (a semi-nomadic tribe that migrate from the lower hills to the mountains along with their herd of buffaloes). We pass a couple of their mud huts that serve as summer homes for them. This clearing is called Kansal Pathri. While the trails start out a little steep but become gradual eventually and the climb to Nafran Valley is a mix of steep and gradual ascends through huge boulders and rocks. Proceed with caution here as some sections can be a little slippery. This section makes the trek a little difficult. But after the climb is over, you arrive at a small meadow with a beautiful stream running through it. This is where Nafran Valley starts. Walking past the meadows of the valley we will climb further ahead and after climbing for a few spurs, the trail opens into a gorgeous meadow with beautiful rock formations and a gurgling stream running through it. This is where we will camp for the night. The campsite is surrounded by big mountains on three sides making it a wonderful location to camp. Overnight in tents.

We start early to give ourselves the best chance to cross the pass without inclement weather. Initially level, the trail from the base of pass is rocky and rises steeply. However, this section is not long and can be easily tackled in about 45 minutes. The views of Harnag lake from the top are stunning. Snow field from the high mountains feeding the lake. In the high summer months of July and August the meadows on the banks of the river are rich with a variety of flowers. After spending some time taking in this lovely alpine scenery we return to Nafran before hiking further back down to Aram Pathri. 

During the Yatra (pilgrimage) season, due to strict restrictions on movement of vehicles, it is best to plan a stay in Aru/ Pahalgam itself. Overnight in a hotel/ guesthouse.