Sonmarg

Sonamarg (Urdu pronunciation: [soːnaːmərɡ]) or Sonmarg (Urdu pronunciation: [soːnmərg]), known as Sonamarag (Kashmiri pronunciation: [sɔnɨmarɨɡ]; lit. 'meadow of gold') in Kashmiri, is a hill station located in the Ganderbal District of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is located about 62 Kilometers from Ganderbal Town and 80 kilometres (50 mi) northeast of the capital city, Srinagar. View of Sonamarg Valley History Sonamarg had historical significance as a gateway on the ancient Silk Road, connecting Jammu and Kashmir with Tibet.Today, the hill station is a popular tourist destination amongst fishers and hikers, and following the Kargil War with neighbouring Pakistan in 1999, serves as a strategically important point for the Indian Army. Geography The hill station is situated in the Kashmir Valley, at an altitude of 2,730 metres (8,960 ft) and is close to some of the valley's tallest peaks, alongside the Machoi Glacier, Sirbal Peak, Kolahoi Peak, Amarnath Peak and Machoi Peak. Combined with the alpine meadows that bloom in the summer as well as rivers and lakes stocked with fish, Sonamarg is a notable tourist destination in Jammu and Kashmir.[8] Sonamarg gives rise to the 'Three Sisters'—a group of rivers (the Lidder, Sind and Neelum) that run parallel to each other and serve as tributaries for the major Jhelum River that runs through the Kashmir Valley and into Pakistan