Yusmarg
Yusmarg sits south-west of Srinagar in Budgam district, past the shrine town of Chrar-e-Sharief, at the point where the road runs out and the pine forest opens into a meadow. The name means the meadow of Jesus. Roughly two hours from the Dal Lake boulevard, and on most days you will share it with more horses than people.
It is the meadow we send people to when they have already seen Gulmarg and found it busier than they hoped. There is no gondola here, no row of shops, and very little to do beyond walking, which is precisely the point.
What to do in Yusmarg
-
01
The main meadow
A wide grass bowl ringed by pine, with the Pir Panjal behind it. In summer the Gujjar herds are up here and their movement is most of what happens all day. Take a flask and let the afternoon go.
-
02
The Doodh Ganga
The milk river, named for how white it runs over the rocks, threads the meadow and disappears into the trees. Following it upstream on foot is the best hour you will spend here and costs nothing.
-
03
Nilnag lake
A small blue lake at roughly 3,000 m, about 4 km up through the forest from the meadow. Walkable in an hour and a half at a steady pace, or by pony if you would rather. Quiet, cold and worth the climb.
-
04
Sang-e-Safed valley
The white rocks, about 10 km beyond Yusmarg at around 3,200 m, where a small lake stays frozen well into the summer. A proper day out rather than an add-on — set aside the whole day if you want it.
-
05
Chrar-e-Sharief on the way
The shrine of Sheikh Noor-ud-din Noorani sits on the road up, and most people drive straight past it. It is worth the twenty minutes, and it tells you more about the valley than the meadow will.
Best time to visit
Late April to June, and September. June through September is the meadow at its best: fully green, every pony route open, the herds in residence. April and early May are prettier than people expect, with blossom on the drive up and snow still visible on the ridges.
Winter closes it. Heavy snow limits road access from around December, and while the meadow under snow is beautiful, the drive is not dependable and there is nowhere warm to retreat to. We do not send guests here in January.
Good to know
Do it as a day trip
Accommodation is a government bungalow and a few small huts, and that is genuinely all. Almost everyone is better off basing in Srinagar and driving out. If you want to sleep in the meadow, tell us early — there is very little to book.
Bring your own lunch
There is no restaurant worth the name. A couple of tea stalls operate in season and that is the extent of it. We pack a picnic for guests going up, because the alternative is biscuits.
Agree the pony rate first
As everywhere in Kashmir, settle the price and the exact route before you get on. Your driver or trip manager will do it for you, and it removes the one thing that reliably sours a day here.
Pair it with Doodhpathri
The two meadows sit on the same side of the valley and suit similar people. If you have two spare days, do Doodhpathri and Yusmarg rather than repeating Gulmarg.
Questions people ask
Around 47 to 53 km depending on the route, and about two hours by road through Chrar-e-Sharief in Budgam district. It is comfortably a day trip from Srinagar, which is how most of our guests do it.
If you want a meadow without a crowd, yes. Yusmarg gets a fraction of the visitors Gulmarg and Pahalgam do, and the walking is gentler. If you want a gondola, ski slopes and places to eat, it is not the right choice — there is almost nothing here but the meadow, the pines and the river.
Walk the meadow, follow the Doodh Ganga through the pine forest, ride or trek up to Nilnag lake at roughly 3,000 m, and if you have the day for it, go on to the Sang-e-Safed valley about 10 km further at around 3,200 m. Ponies are available at the meadow for the Nilnag route.
Late April to June and September. June to September is when the meadow is fully green, the pony routes are open and the Gujjar herds are up here, which is much of the character of the place. Heavy snow limits road access in winter.
Options are limited to a government tourist bungalow and a handful of small huts and guest houses. Most visitors, including ours, treat Yusmarg as a day trip from Srinagar and sleep in the city. If you specifically want to wake up in the meadow, tell us early — there is very little inventory.
