A deodar-covered plateau at 2,024 metres above the Chenab valley, known for paragliding, snow in winter and India's longest cable car.
2,024 m1–2 daysBest: Jan, Mar–Jun, Sep–Dec
Hill stationSnow
Jammu · Ramban
Sanasar
A cup-shaped meadow and Jammu's paragliding capital
- Hill station
- Valley
- Altitude
- 2,050 m
- Ideal stay
- 1 day
- From Srinagar
- 207 km
- From Jammu
- 129 km
- Best months
- Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov
Overview
About Sanasar
Sanasar is named after two small lakes, Sana and Sar, and sits in a cup of meadow about seventeen kilometres beyond Patnitop. It is greener, quieter and more scenic than its better-known neighbour, with conifer slopes rising on all sides and a nine-hole golf course laid out across the bowl.
It has become the main adventure base in Jammu — paragliding from the ridge above, rock climbing, abseiling and a set of short treks towards Shank Pal, the highest point in the area at around 2,800 metres with an old stone temple on the summit. There are a handful of resorts and a popular camping scene in summer.
Also known as: Sana-Sar · Mini Gulmarg
Why people come here
Paragliding
Tandem flights from the ridge above the meadow, operating through spring and autumn.
Nine-hole golf course
Laid out across the meadow bowl — one of the more unusual settings in north India.
Shank Pal temple trek
A moderate walk to a 2,800 m summit with an old stone temple and wide Pir Panjal views.
Sanasar lakes
The two small lakes that give the meadow its name, set among conifers.
Things to do in Sanasar
Take a tandem paraglide
Flights run in the morning when thermals are stable; book the day before.
Trek to Shank Pal
Around three hours up through forest to an exposed summit temple.
Camp overnight
Several operators run tented camps through summer in the meadow.
Play the nine-hole course
Clubs can be hired locally; the setting is the main attraction.
Photographs
Sanasar across the seasons
Open-licence photography so you can see what the place actually looks like at different times of year — not a retouched brochure.
Spring and summer
Busy with visitors from the plains; monsoon mist arrives in late July.
Season by season
What Sanasar is like through the year
Including the months when it is genuinely closed — because knowing that in advance saves a wasted trip.
Spring · Mar–May
OpenPrime paragliding weather
March to May gives the most stable thermals and the clearest air.
9°C to 23°C
- Paragliding
- Golf
- Shank Pal trek
- Meadow walks
Summer · Jun–Aug
OpenGreen bowl and camping
Busy with visitors from the plains; monsoon mist arrives in late July.
15°C to 27°C
- Camping
- Trekking
- Golf
- Rock climbing
Autumn · Sep–Nov
OpenClear and quiet
September to November is the best all-round season — stable weather, no crowds.
8°C to 22°C
- Paragliding
- Trekking
- Photography
Winter · Dec–Feb
OpenSnow in the bowl
January and February bring snow; access depends on road clearing from Patnitop.
-2°C to 11°C
- Snow play
- Photography
Getting there
How to reach Sanasar
By air
Jammu Airport (IXJ) is 129 km away, about 3.5 hours.
By rail
Udhampur station is 65 km; Jammu Tawi (129 km) for long-distance trains.
By road
17 km from Patnitop on a narrow mountain road, about 45 minutes.
Nearby
Combine Sanasar with
Places close enough to fold into the same itinerary without adding long drives.
At 2,711 metres, the highest accessible point near Patnitop — a bare ridge with Pir Panjal views and the most reliable snow in the Jammu region.
2,711 mHalf dayBest: Jan–May, Sep–Dec
Hill stationSnow
A cave shrine in the Trikuta hills above Katra, drawing around ten million pilgrims a year to the three natural rock pindis of the Mother Goddess.
1,584 m1–2 daysBest: Mar–May, Sep–Nov
PilgrimageHeritage
A green bowl of a valley in Doda district, surrounded by alpine meadows, lavender fields and high lakes, and almost unknown outside the region.
1,613 m2–3 daysBest: Apr–Oct
ValleyOffbeatTrekking
Is paragliding available in Sanasar?
Yes, tandem flights with certified pilots operate mainly in spring and autumn when thermals are most stable.
How far is Sanasar from Patnitop?
Seventeen kilometres, around forty-five minutes on a narrow mountain road.
Is Sanasar better than Patnitop?
It is quieter, greener and more scenic, but has far less accommodation and no gondola. Most travellers stay at Patnitop and day-trip to Sanasar.
Start planning
Planning a trip to Sanasar?
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will put Sanasar into a full itinerary with the right stops around it, and tell you honestly whether your chosen month works.
A reply within hours
A planner in Srinagar reads your enquiry and responds personally, usually the same working day.
An itinerary, not a brochure
You get a day-by-day plan written for your dates, group and pace — then we refine it together.
One clear quote
Every inclusion listed in writing before you pay anything. No surprise charges on the ground.
Prefer to talk? +91 88991 23434 · Every day, 09:00-21:00