Aru Valley

Aru Valley is a quiet, meadow-dotted village a short distance from Pahalgam, historically the starting point for treks toward Kolahoi Glacier and the Tarsar and Marsar alpine lakes deeper in the mountains. Less developed than Pahalgam itself, Aru retains more of the pastoral character of a working Kashmiri mountain village, with grazing sheep and simple wooden houses set against a backdrop of forested peaks.

For visitors not undertaking a multi-day trek, Aru still offers rewarding short walks and pony rides across its open meadows, along with some of the most photogenic, uncluttered mountain scenery accessible on a day trip from Pahalgam. Its role as a trekking gateway means it also attracts a steadier stream of serious hikers heading further into the mountains, giving the village a slightly different visitor mix than the more mainstream stops nearby.

Long used by local shepherds as a summer grazing ground and by trekkers as a base for routes into the high mountains beyond, Aru's tourism development has remained comparatively modest relative to its scenic and trekking significance.

About 12km from Pahalgam, roughly 30 minutes by road.