The Gangabal Lake is a lake situated at the foothills of Mount Haramukh (the highest mountain peak in the vicinity of Kashmir valley) in Ganderbal district, north of Srinagar. The Gangabal lake is approached from Srinagar 45 kms by road via Ganderbal up to Naranag and then a trek of 15 kms upslopes leads to the lake,
which can be covered by a horse ride or by foot It is an alpine high altitude oligotrophic lake home to many species of fish, including the brown trout. In Hindu tradition Gangbal is also called Harmukut Ganga, and it is believed that this place is as pious as Haridwar where Hindu pilgrims perform prayers and immerse ashes of the dead.
Trekking and fishing.
The Gangabal lake is approached from Srinagar 45 kilometres by road via Ganderbal up to Naranag and then a trek of 15 kilometres upslopes leads to the lake, which can be covered by a horse ride or by foot. The shepherds and gujjars can be seen during the trek with their flocks of sheep and goats. Another trek (25 kilometres long) leads to the lake site from Sonamarg via the Vishansar Lake crossing the Nichnai pass ( 4100 meteres). It can also be accessed through a trek from Bandipore via Arin.
The trek to the lake Gangabal takes place in an alpine environment, (cut crossing) with meadows, (cut from) and huts of Gujjars - Himalayan nomads - with their herds crossing through two passes (cut steeps of) over 4,000 m to get to the lake Gangabal, the sacred Hindu lake and place of pilgrimage.
