INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN DAY: Kashmir’s trekking trails stay off limits, leaving sector in deep slump

Srinagar, Dec 11: With most of Kashmir’s trekking routes remaining out of bounds for much of the year, adventure operators and outdoor enthusiasts are staring at a deep slump even as the region marked International Mountain Day with fresh assurances of revival.

With events held across the Valley, the Tourism Department emphasised that it would “leave no stone unturned” to promote adventure tourism and sustainable travel. But for trekking operators and outdoor enthusiasts, the day also reflects the stark contrast.

At today’s Mountain Day event, Qamar Sajad, Director Tourism, assured stakeholders that the department will leave no stone unturned to boost tourism. “There are a lot of programmes in the pipeline, and we will ensure that everything will go smoothly and adventure tourism thrives while keeping it sustainable and eco-friendly,” he said.

As per the adventure tourism sector, they continue to grapple with a year overshadowed by closures, uncertainty, and unprecedented losses.

“Last year was the best we had seen in a long time. We hosted international trekkers, domestic groups, and local enthusiasts. But this year, everything came to a standstill,” said Farhan Sangeen, who runs Hooks and Hikes.

Sangeen said their trekking equipment rentals, camping gear, vehicle services, and every part of the business suffered. “When all major trails are closed, you are left with no options,” he said.

Adventure tour operators said most of this year, almost all major trekking destinations, including Doodhpathri, Tosamaidan, Yusmarg, Pahalgam’s upper reaches, the Kashmir Great Lakes circuit, Tarsar-Marsar, and other alpine lake routes, remained out of bounds.

Trekking enthusiasts and stakeholders said the restrictions were put in place following the Pahalgam attack earlier this year in which several tourists were killed, prompting authorities to bar access to dozens of high-altitude trails as a precautionary security measure. They said what was expected to be another flourishing year for adventure tourism instead turned into a prolonged slump.

For tour operators who had invested heavily in equipment, trained guides, and logistics, the closures were crippling.

Another operator, Tahir Ahmad, who runs Sky Terrain Rapids, described the season as “the toughest in recent memory”.

“We faced massive cancellations. There were months when not a single group enquired. Hundreds of Kashmiri trekking enthusiasts and youth who work as guides, trek leaders, or coordinators simply had no work. Adventure tourism was just beginning to gain momentum in Kashmir, and this year pushed everything backwards,” he said.

Musaib Ahmed, a trekker who has covered several high-altitude lakes, said being unable to venture into the mountains left a void. “Everything was closed. For people like us who live for the outdoors, it was disheartening. But today’s Mountain Day events gave some hope,” he said.

While traditional tourist hubs like Gulmarg and Sonamarg witnessed controlled footfall this year, the offbeat and high-altitude trekking routes, considered the backbone of Kashmir’s emerging adventure tourism economy, remained shut for most of the year, affecting thousands linked to the sector.