Doodhpathri Tosamaidan Trek

To reach Doodhpathri, travel to Budgam, about an hour away from Srinagar, and then continue on to the base town. The drive through Srinagar and the Kashmir valley offers views of cultivations and sprawling meadows.

Today’s trek involves a short walk on the road followed by an ascent into a pine forest and cross the Shaliganga river where you will come across a few clearings. Aft.er the tree line ends, you will reach Diskhal meadow, where you can find water sources and shepherd huts. From the top of a mountain ridge, you will descend into a boulder section and cross a river to reach your campsite near shepherd huts before crossing cold streams.

The trek starts by ascending to a high point and then descending through boulder patches. Aft.er descending, the trail ascends again and leads to flat, expansive meadows. You’ll walk for 2 km on these meadows before climbing to reach the higher altitude. As you turn, you’ll see two ridges on either side and begin trekking through a valley with sheep grazing. You’ll soon reach the Guruwansar campsite.

Today, you will take a long trek to three large bodies of water – Pamsar, Bandhsar and Damamsar. The trek will involve alternating between ascending and descending valleys and ridges, and walking on grassy ledges. Along the way, you will cross streams and boulder patches, and come across a depression with a water point. Aft.er a long day, it will be refreshing to cross streams on the way to your campsite.

Climb on a bouldery patch and a steep ascent for about 1 km until you reach a flat portion of the ridge where you can see the Bandhsar. Aft.er taking in the view, descend from the ridge. From the highest point of the ridge, you can see Gadtarsar Lakes I, II and Gandasar Lake, and Trastar lake These lakes are formed by melting snow from the surrounding mountains. Aft.er this, the trail consistently descends to the Gadtar campsite.

It’s the final day of the trek. It will be a long, enjoyable day that includes river crossings, ascending to a grassy ledge, and alternating between ascents and descents. You’ll walk along a mud trail, come across a water source, and cross a stream. The trek ends at Tosa Maidan, a beautiful landscape. The last leg of the trek includes a short ascend of 200 meters before descending towards the road head. At the end of the trek, you can get a vehicle from a nearby dhaba and there is network coverage.

If the buffer day is used, you have to pay us Rs. 1,500 per day (inclusive of 5% GST) . The money will be collected by the Outdoor Leader only if we use the buffer day. This depends completely on the circumstances on the trek regarding weather conditions, and other factors which could hamper the itinerary of the trek.

Doodhpathri Trek is approximately 41 km long. You will be hiking an average of 5-7 km a day. 

Yes, if you are a beginner with good physical fitness, you can consider the trek after consulting our Outdoor Leader. 

The trek can be categorised as moderate, considering the duration and altitude of Doodhpathri. 

Doodhpathri temperature during the day reaches a maximum of 24°C and drops to a minimum of – 8°C between June and October.

Read more about Doodhpathri temperature here. 

The best time to visit Doodhpathri trek is summer, from July to September. Doodhpathri trek remains accessible throughout the year. The region receives heavy to extreme snowfall, making it difficult to traverse the trail. 

Read more about Doodhpathri’s best time here. 

You will find patches of snow if you trek to Doodhpathri in early spring. 

 The Doodhpathri trek cost is Rs 16,500/-

 The trek cost covers your experience from basecamp to basecamp. 

Doodhpathri trek is at an altitude of 12,950ft. The trek starts from Aru village, located at an altitude of 13,200ft. 

Doodhpathri is a 7-day long trek. This includes travel to and from the basecamp. 

The trek starts from a village called Doodhpathri. The location is a famous tourist destination and attracts a huge number of visitors every year who come here to discover the beauty of the lush green meadows surrounded by mountains and enchanting coniferous trees. 

The trek is located in Budgam district in Kashmir.  

Doodhpathri is a moderate trek with few tricky patches. As it is in Kashmir, it is wise to hire experienced guides to help you navigate the terrain. If you plan to go solo on this trek, hiring a guide is a must to avoid any unforeseen situation. Before choosing a guide in Kashmir, do your research. It is important to choose a government-certified guide as many locations are off-limits to trekkers.

The most important thing to do on a trek to avoid AMS is to drink water, more than your daily intake. Water is an excellent way to avoid AMS. Along with this, you should also have all the nutritious meals we provide on the trek. If you still are sceptical about getting AMS, we would advise you to carry Diamox tablets with you. However, according to the situation your Outdoor leader will advise whether or not you should take it.

We encourage everyone to trek, even if or not they have a medical condition. We have an in-house doctor at OWLS with whom you can discuss your medical condition and accordingly, we can help you better prepare you for the trek.

Please keep the following documents ready before filling out this form

1. ID proof
2. Health form (for all participants of Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh treks) and (for all participants <15 and > 60 years of age)
3. RTPCR for children <15 years/Vaccination certificate for adults (for Nepal treks)

Although we provide filling breakfast, lunch, and dinner along with morning tea and evening snacks, you can carry some light snacks for munching on the trail. You can carry protein bars, dry fruits, and homemade snacks like Shakkarpara to help you give that extra energy on the trek. 

All our Outdoor Leaders are trained and experienced leaders. They have completed basic Mountaineering Course, and are equipped with basic first-aid knowledge. Our leaders are certified Wilderness First Responder course

You don’t need to carry your medical kit. If you have your prescribed medications, you need to carry them on the trek

The accommodation will be on twin sharing basis. One tent will be shared by two trekkers. 

Yes. Communicate your requirement to the trek leaders beforehand, as it will be difficult to arrange to offload at the last minute. The offloading charges will be Rs 350 per bag, and your bag should not weigh more than 9 kg. 

Note: At OWLs, we suggest our participants carry their backpacks and avoid offloading. However, in case of pressing circumstances, you can opt for offloading.

Yes, you can leave the extra luggage at the base camp. However, do not leave valuables like laptops, jewellery, or any other expensive items in the base camp. 

The OWLS team will set up a toilet tent near the campsites. The toilets will be dry toilets and you will have to use toilet paper. There will be a pit dug by the team and you will have to cover your nature’s call with dry soil. Avoid using wet wipes, as they are not biodegradable. At OWLS, we thrive to leave no trace in the mountains. 

At the base camp, you will have regular concrete toilets.

The food offered will be as per the nutritional requirements. As you will be walking every day for 4-6 hours, you will be burning a good amount of calories. The team makes sure that the food you will be offered is healthy and helps you sustain through the day. The regular meal comprises eggs, locally grown vegetables, rice, roti, and pulses. The menu changes from day to day. 

You will have access to most of the mobile networks in Srinagar. You will have a scanty network in Doodhpathri, the base camp.

Note that only postpaid sim cards work in  Jammu and Kashmir. We suggest our participants make important calls while at Srinagar. There will be no signals throughout the trek. 

The last ATM will be in Srinagar. You will find ATMs along the way, however, they are not always functional. 

Carry a sufficient amount of cash with them. Since the base camp is situated away from the cities and lacks basic facilities like ATMs and digital payment options, it is always better to be prepared. 

You can carry the cash for cab fare and food to and from the base camp. We suggest a minimum of 5-6k to ensure you have enough funds for your journey.