Kashmir Great Lakes Trek (KGL) has been on my bucket list for many years. It is known as the most beautiful trek in India, definitely one of the most popular. After lots of research and prep work, finally did the trek from July 29 - August 4 this year, along with four of my hiking buddies from the Bay Area. It was a dream come true - spectacular hiking with wonderful friends! The trailhead for the KGL trek is near Sonmarg. We carried only small daypacks during the 7-day trek. All supplies and luggage are carried by mules/horses. We had a support staff of 6 (guides, cook, etc.) for our private group of 5 hikers. Under overcast skies and the fog rolling in, we hiked past these shepherd huts at 9000 ft. These huts are used only in the summer months by the Kashmiri Gujjars (gypsies). A few hours into the hiking on the first day, we had a heavy downpour and the raingear came out. The locals were happy to see the first decent rainfall after a dry spell of 2 months. An auspicious start to our
The world is full of wonders to explore. It is an intricate combination of the natural beauty that surrounds us plus everything we humans have added to it. The mountains, glaciers, rivers, waterfalls, oceans, trees, flowers, animals, birds always amaze me. On top of this, we have the distinct cultures, languages, cuisines, clothes, buildings, architectural gems all around the world. My travel adventures and explorations let me experience, enjoy and appreciate these wonders.