A quiet conifer valley at 2,438 metres on the Bringhi river, used as a trout fishing base and the approach road to Sinthan Top.
2,438 mHalf dayBest: May–Oct
ValleyOffbeatTrekking
Kashmir Valley · Anantnag
Sinthan Top
Snow at 3,800 metres in the middle of summer
- Snow
- Offbeat
- Valley
- Altitude
- 3,800 m
- Ideal stay
- Day trip
- From Srinagar
- 110 km
- From Jammu
- 236 km
- Best months
- May–Sep
Overview
About Sinthan Top
Sinthan Top sits at roughly 3,800 metres on the road linking south Kashmir to Kishtwar in Jammu. It is one of the highest points in the region reachable by ordinary car, and for most of the short season there is still snow lying at the roadside — a significant part of its appeal for visitors from the plains.
The pass is bare, windswept and genuinely spectacular. Look one way and the Kashmir valley drops away through forest towards Daksum; look the other and the land falls into the Chenab basin. There is nothing there but a few seasonal tea stalls, which is rather the point.
The road is open only from around May to October. Outside that, it is closed by snow.
Also known as: Sinthan Pass
Why people come here
Summer snow at road level
Snow banks commonly survive at the pass into July, with no walking required.
Two-basin panorama
Views across the Kashmir valley on one side and towards the Chenab on the other.
The approach drive
Twenty-five kilometres of climbing road from Daksum through forest to bare alpine.
Near-total emptiness
A handful of seasonal stalls and nothing else at 3,800 m.
Things to do in Sinthan Top
Drive up from Daksum
The climb itself is the experience — allow an hour each way and stop often.
Go in June for snow
The best combination of open road and remaining snow banks.
Walk the ridge a little
Short walks either side of the pass give far better views than the road itself.
Start early
Cloud builds over the pass by early afternoon on most summer days.
Photographs
Sinthan Top 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
May to September. June and early July still have substantial snow banks at the top.
Autumn and winter
Snowbound from roughly November to April.
Season by season
What Sinthan Top 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
Closed / inaccessibleUsually still closed
The pass typically clears in May; before that the road is blocked by snow.
-6°C to 5°C
Summer · Jun–Aug
OpenOpen road, roadside snow
May to September. June and early July still have substantial snow banks at the top.
2°C to 16°C
- Snow play
- Photography
- High-altitude drive
- Short ridge walks
Autumn · Sep–Nov
OpenClear views, closing window
September and early October are superb, but the pass can shut after the first snowfall.
-3°C to 12°C
- Photography
- Drive
Winter · Dec–Feb
Closed / inaccessibleClosed
Snowbound from roughly November to April.
-18°C to -4°C
Getting there
How to reach Sinthan Top
By air
Srinagar Airport (SXR) is 117 km away; allow 3.5 hours.
By rail
Anantnag station is 65 km; Jammu Tawi (236 km) for long-distance trains.
By road
110 km from Srinagar via Anantnag, Kokernag and Daksum. The final 25 km is a steep mountain road.
Nearby
Combine Sinthan Top with
Places close enough to fold into the same itinerary without adding long drives.
Kashmir's largest freshwater spring, fanning out through a terraced botanical garden and rose garden in the foothills south of Anantnag.
2,000 m1–2 hoursBest: Apr–Oct
GardenOffbeat
A 17th-century Mughal garden laid out by Nur Jahan around a powerful spring, with cascades, chinar avenues and terraced beds.
1,677 m1 hourBest: Apr–Oct
GardenHeritage
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
Questions
Sinthan Top FAQs
Something not covered? Ask us directly — we answer every message personally.
Is there snow at Sinthan Top in June?
Usually yes. Snow banks at the roadside commonly last into early July, which is why June is the most popular month to go.
When is Sinthan Top open?
Roughly May to October, depending on snow clearance. It is closed through the winter.
How far is Sinthan Top from Srinagar?
About 110 km, or three to three and a half hours each way — a long but feasible day trip.
Start planning
Planning a trip to Sinthan Top?
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will put Sinthan Top 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