Kolahoi Glacier — Beneath Kashmir's Matterhorn

Kashmir's Matterhorn

Kolahoi (17,799 ft) is the shapeliest peak in the Kashmir valley — locals call it Gwashi Brari, the 'goddess of light'. This trek walks to the snout of its glacier, the source of the Lidder river that waters Pahalgam far below.

The Route

Aru → Lidderwat's famous meadow camp → Satlanjan shepherd settlement → the moraine approach to the Kolahoi glacier viewpoint (~12,800 ft), returning by the same green valley. A Tarsar extension combines naturally for stronger parties.

Best Time and Difficulty

June–September. Moderate: comfortable valley walking with one rough moraine day; the glacier itself is not entered. Note the snout has receded notably over the decades — a sobering sight worth witnessing.