Kulgam Lakes
The Pir Panjal above Aharbal and Halan hides a row of alpine lakes that most maps miss — Kounsarnag, and scattered through the meadows around it the smaller tarns named for the old gods: Brahma, Indra, Vishnu. These are the trails we grew up on, guided from the Kulgam side with permits arranged and camps set on the shepherd margs.
Kounsarnag
The sacred heart of the trek — a high oligotrophic lake near 4,000 m, almost two miles long, with snow floating on it right through summer. It feeds the Vishav and is reached from Aharbal via Kungwattan and Mahinag.
Bramsar
Named for Brahma, its water reads almost black under the shadow of the finger-like Brahmasakli peaks — the most brooding and dramatic of the Kulgam lakes.
Chirsar
A near-circular lake around 3,500 m with milky, snow-white water fed by the Brahmasakli glaciers. Its outlet, the Chiti Nadi, spills over a small fall into the shepherd meadows below.
Indarsar
Named for Indra — an oval, shallower lake whose water runs warmer than its neighbours, so you can wade at the shore. It looks out over the meadow of Astanmarg.
Hoen Heng
Known locally as the Dog’s Horn — a 4,200 m peak of clean alpine ridges, and the site of the 1966 Indian Airlines crash whose wreckage still lies on the slopes. A moderate-to-tough 24 km climb, best June to October.
Suggested route · about 7 days
Day 1 — Kulgam to Aharbal. Drive about 28 km (1 to 1.5 hours) through Noorabad to the Aharbal trailhead. Evening at the waterfall or a short walk to Nilnag. Night at Aharbal.
Day 2 — Aharbal to Kungwattan. Climb through pine forest to a wide shepherd meadow (3 to 4 hours). Night at Kungwattan.
Day 3 — Kungwattan to Kounsarnag. Up through Mahinag to the sacred lake; time at the water before returning to camp. Night at Kungwattan.
Day 4 — Cross to Hakwas. Traverse toward the Chiranbal side via Sangam and camp among the meadows at Hakwas.
Day 5 — Bramsar and Chirsar. Reach the twin lakes below the Brahmasakli peaks. Night near the Chirsar meadow.
Day 6 — Indarsar and Astanmarg. Visit Indarsar and its meadow, then back toward Chiranbal.
Day 7 — Descend and drive back. Down to Halan in Manzgam (or back to Aharbal) and a short drive to our Kulgam base.
Trailhead about 28 km / 1 to 1.5 hours from our Kulgam base · best June to September · moderate to challenging · high-altitude camping · permits arranged from the Kulgam side.