The ideal trekking months stretch from April to November. No special permits are required, but registration with the nearest office is necessary. The state affords some spectacular contrasts in nature with its alpine pastures, barren wastelands and rugged mountains. Srinagar is a good take off point for trekking in the Kashmir valley. In the Ladakh region, Leh is a good starting point.

Mountaineering

There are several mountain ranges in the state of Jammu & Kashmir. Among them are Pir Panjal, Himalayas, Zanskar, Ladakh and Karakoram. Climbing in these Himalayas can be very invigorating. An expedition can take a month, Srinagar to Srinagar. Rich in flora and fauna, the summits of most peaks are a spine-tingling experience with views of the neighboring countries of Pakistan and Tibet.

One can climb the peaks of Kolahoi(5,425 m) and Harmukh (5,148 m), quickly making an alpine ascent. Similarly peaks in the Kishtwar region are not too high but offer technically complicated climbing with many challenging faces and ridges. The popular peaks are Sickle Moon 6,575 m ,Riger 6,001m, Brammah-I 6,416m,Crooked Finger 5,630m, Arjuna 6,230m, Katori 6,138m and Flat Top 6,100m.

Winter Sports

The first fall of snow blankets the highlands and transforms the winter wonderland into the country's premier arena for action-packed skiing. Gulmarg has world-class ski slopes varying between 8,700 and 10,500 feet, the highest in India. The Gulmarg ski and chair lifts provide basic utilitarian facilities with a simple link-up for beginners. The high altitude skiers have to make their own way up to invigorating heights. Gulmarg's ski-shop has professional equipment imported from Australia and France, which can also be hired for temporary use. Facilities for skiing at Pahalgam are being developed and work on an institute of mountaineering and winter sports is already underway. Heli-skiing is also being introduced.

Fishing 

Kashmir has rightly been called an angler's paradise, with a network of rivers and streams as well as high altitude lakes all abounding in trout, both brown and rainbow. Trout fishing in Kashmir is far cheaper than it is in any other part of the world. And most importantly, the Department of Fisheries, which controls angling in the valley, works hard to ensure that there is no depletion of stock by indiscriminate fishing, which means that you can revel in angling in ideal conditions.

Kashmir's fabled natural beauty needs no introduction. Crisscrossing the state are the well-known Sind and Lidder rivers and their tributaries, with a silvery network of smaller rivers and streams.
 

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