Plan your trip · Sonamarg

What's on in Sonamarg

Sonamarg's calendar is set by the Amarnath Yatra and by snow on the passes. Here is what happens when, and how it affects a visit.

Nothing dated is confirmed for Sonamarg right now, so here is the year instead — the fixtures that come round annually, and what each one means for a visit.

The year in Sonamarg

Sonamarg runs on a short season: the festivals that matter cluster into the months the passes and roads are comfortably open, and a lot of the calendar simply stops in deep winter. Broadly, Jul – Sep and Apr – Jun is when visiting is most comfortable here, and that is when the calendar is busiest — which also means accommodation is most expensive and books furthest ahead.

Most of these follow lunar calendars and move by weeks from year to year, so treat the windows below as the season rather than the date, and confirm the year’s dates before you book around one.

Across Jammu & Kashmir

Amarnath Yatra

🗓️ July–August

The pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave, on foot from Chandanwari (Pahalgam) or Baltal (Sonamarg).

Planning: Registration and a health certificate are compulsory; convoys, security and traffic shape every road in the valley.

Nationwide

Diwali

🗓️ October–November

The biggest holiday of the year — lamps, sweets, fireworks and a week of visiting family. Cities are lit up and markets stay open late.

Holi

🗓️ March

Coloured powder and water, thrown at anyone within reach, mostly through the morning.

Navratri and Dussehra

🗓️ September–October

Nine nights of fasting, music and dance, ending with Dussehra. What it looks like changes completely by region — garba in Gujarat, pandals in Bengal, processions in the south.

Eid al-Fitr

🗓️ shifts ~11 days earlier each year

The end of Ramadan. The old quarters of Delhi, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Bhopal are at their best in the evenings through the preceding month, when food streets run past midnight.

Makar Sankranti and Pongal

🗓️ mid-January

The harvest turn, marked with kites in the west and north and four days of Pongal in Tamil Nadu.

Amarnath Yatra (July to August)

The pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave is the biggest event of the Sonamarg year. The shorter route starts at Baltal, about 15 km beyond Sonamarg, where a large base camp with langar kitchens, medical posts and pony stands appears each summer. The 2026 pilgrimage season ran from 3 July to 28 August.

For visitors, this means heavy security along the highway, pilgrim convoys moving at set times, restricted access around the Baltal camp for anyone not registered, and hotels in Sonamarg booked far ahead. Road travel to Zoji La and Ladakh may be regulated to fit around Yatra traffic.

Zoji La opening (spring)

Each spring, the Border Roads Organisation clears snow from Zoji La and the Srinagar to Leh highway reopens to civilian traffic. The date varies widely: in 2025 it came on 1 April, after the shortest-ever winter closure of 33 days. Until it opens, Sonamarg is the end of the road for most travellers.

Trek season (July to mid-September)

The Kashmir Great Lakes trek, past Vishansar Lake and six other lakes, runs from about July to mid-September. Groups set off from Shitkadi near Sonamarg almost daily in season.

Kheer Bhawani mela

At Tulmulla, a short detour from the Srinagar to Sonamarg road, Kashmiri Pandits gather for the Kheer Bhawani mela on Jyeshtha Ashtami. In 2026 it fell on 22 June.

Eid

The two Eids follow the lunar calendar, so their dates slip by roughly 11 days a year. On Eid, local pony handlers, drivers and staff often take time off, so book transport in advance.

Winter season

Since the Z-Morh tunnel opened in January 2025, winter visits to Sonamarg have become possible, and local snow events are starting to appear. Ask locally what is planned for the season.

Checking dates

Yatra dates are fixed by the shrine board each spring; pass openings depend on snow. Confirm both close to your trip. See the best time to visit for seasons.

Questions

Sonamarg — FAQ

When is the Amarnath Yatra from Baltal?

In July and August each year. In 2026 it ran from 3 July to 28 August.

Can tourists visit Baltal during the Yatra?

Access around the base camp is controlled for security, and it is set up for registered pilgrims. Visiting as a tourist is easier outside the Yatra weeks.

When does the Srinagar to Leh highway open?

When Zoji La is cleared of snow each spring, usually between late March and May. In 2025 it opened on 1 April.