Drung Waterfall – A COMPLETE Travel Guide and Itinerary

Drung Waterfall, also known as Drang Waterfall or Durung Waterfall, is a destination that must find a place in your itinerary if you are planning a winter trip to Kashmir. It may not be that large in size but the sight that it presents in the winter season is truly majestic and is sure to charm you off your feet.

As the temperature in the valley drops, the water of this fall starts to freeze. By early January, the entire face of the mountain that it falls from is covered by a thick layer of ice. The water still continues to flow down but is surrounded by huge icicles and snow.

The waterfall is located about 42 kilometers from Srinagar and 16 kilometers from Gulmarg. It remains accessible for all 12 months and can easily be included in your trip to Gulmarg. You can visit Drung at any time of the year but it is in the winter season when the waterfall is truly at its best.

In the post below, I will provide complete information on how you can plan a trip to Drung Waterfall. The details below include the best time to visit, how to reach, where to stay, what else to see, and several other useful tips.

For a complete travel guide on visiting Kashmir, you can take a look at How to Plan a Trip to Kashmir Valley. To get the best hotel rates, and taxi charges, and to organize your trip to Kashmir, you can speak with Kunal @ 9910 402 252. Give him my reference and you will surely get discounted rates.

Below is a video of Drung Waterfall that I shot during one of my winter trips to Kashmir.

About Drung Waterfall

Drung is actually the name of a small village, located about 3 kilometers from Tangmarg. The waterfall is named after this village and is located on its outskirts. The name of the village is Drung but the waterfall also gets spelled as Drang or Durung.

It must have been a natural waterfall some years ago but what you see now is mostly a controlled flow of water from a hydroelectric power plant, at the top of a small hill.

This power plant is located outside the Drung Village. At the top of the hill is a small dam. The water from the dam is released through a pipe and falls down the mountain, creating what is known as the Drung Waterfall. Take a look at the picture below.

Largely unknown until a few years ago, it has recently come up as a major winter destination in Kashmir. As you can see in the picture above, once the dripping water forms the icicles, it all looks quite beautiful. Snowfalls in the months of January and February only add to the beauty of the place, turning it into a white wonderland.

Also Read: How to Plan a Trip to Gulmarg

How to Reach Drung Waterfall

Let us now take a look at how you can reach the Drung waterfall after you have arrived in Srinagar. The road to the waterfall remains open for all 12 months and you can travel either by your own vehicle, a private taxi, or public transport.

Srinagar is well connected to the rest of the country by Air, Train, and Bus service. No matter which part of the country you live in, you can easily reach the city by either flying or boarding a train. For more details, please take a look at How to Plan a Trip to Srinagar.

How you will reach Drung also depends on the time of your travel. It will change between the summer and the winter season and I will mention both.

How to reach Drung Waterfall from Srinagar

If you are traveling by your own car or bike, then you can follow the route below to reach the waterfall.

Srinagar – Magam – Tangmarg – Drung Waterfall = 42 Kilometers

From Srinagar, you will first reach Tangmarg via Magam. This entire stretch is mostly a flat road and there is hardly any uphill driving involved. You will not even feel like driving in a hill station actually.

After you reach Tangmarg, look for a road that bifurcates to your left. It is just before the main taxi stand. There is a marker next to the road that can help you identify the turn.

If you were unsure, just ask any of the locals about Drung Waterfall and they can point you in the right direction. Turn left and after about another 3 kilometers, you would have arrived at Drung Waterfall.

You will reach a Hydroelectric power plant, then cross a small bridge and turn right to reach the viewpoint. There are several small dhabas next to the viewpoint where you can also get something to eat.

In Winter

If you were traveling in the winter season though, you may not be allowed to bring your car or bike all the way to the waterfall. You may be asked to leave your car parked at Tangmarg and rent a local taxi for the waterfall.

The small stretch of 3 kilometers between Tangmarg and Drung is a narrow road that gets covered in snow in January and February. At this time, it can get a little risky to drive if you do not have proper experience and snow chains.

Other than this, there is also the monopoly of local taxi drivers in this area. They do not allow outside vehicles to ply on routes to Gulmarg and Drung. This even applies to the Srinagar-registered cars.

In this case,  you will need to leave your car in Tangmarg and rent a local taxi to take you to the waterfall. It can either be a car or even an ATV, both are available at the taxi stand.

The rent for this short drive of 6 kilometers (round trip) can be as much as Rs. 1500. Yes it does sound like daylight robbery but that is how it is. You may pay a little less for the ATV but it will be between Rs. 1000 to 1500.

If you do not want to waste money like this, then you can just walk 3 kilometers to the waterfall. Just be a little careful while walking in the snow to ensure that you do not slip and hurt yourself.

Also Read: How to Plan a Trip to Gulmarg in the Winter Season

By Private Taxi

A private taxi will be the most convenient way of planning a trip if you are not traveling by your own vehicle. From Srinagar, it will cost you between Rs. 2500 to 3000 for a round trip to Drung Waterfall in the summer season.

If you booked a taxi for Gulmarg and also want to include Drung, make sure you clarify this with the driver. Explain to him the route, and places you want to cover, and then agree on the total fare including Drung. Otherwise, he may claim later that Drung was not part of the original plan and ask you to pay him more if you want to go that way.

In the winter season, you will first pay around Rs. 2300 for a cab from Srinagar to Tangmarg. You will then board another cab or ATV from Tangmarg for Drung as I mentioned above. So the total fare will be between Rs. 3500 to Rs. 4000.

The Srinagar-registered taxi will not be allowed to go to Drung. It can only bring you to Tangmarg and the driver will have to wait for you there while you go visit the waterfall.

For more details on the rates, please take a look at the Latest Taxi Rates in Srinagar.

By Shared Taxi

For budget travelers, a shared taxi is the best option. The problem however is that you will not find a direct cab to either Tangmarg or Drung Waterfall and will have to break your journey into different parts.

You will first have to reach Dal Gate in Srinagar and look for a shared cab to Parimpora or Batmaloo. If you found one that was going directly to Tangmarg, you can board that. Otherwise, find one for Parimpora or Batmaloo.

From Parimpora / Batmaloo, you will again have to change cabs and look for a cab going to Tangmarg. Once you arrive at Tangmarg, you can either rent a private taxi or just walk to the waterfall. The total fare for a shared cab from Srinagar to Tangmarg will be around Rs. 150 per person.

Another option is to look for a cab to first go to Magam from Srinagar. From Magam, you will easily find a shared cab for Tangmarg. Another thing to keep in mind is that shared cabs in Kashmir are referred to as ‘service gaadi’.

By Bus

Like shared cabs, your journey will have to be broken into three parts by bus as well. First, you will have to board a bus for either Parimpora or Batmaloo from Srinagar.

Then you will have to board a bus for Tangmarg, and then finally walk to Drung Waterfall. The total fare will be about Rs. 150 per person.

There is no bus or shared cab available between Tangmarg and Drung Waterfall. It may start in the future but for now, a private taxi or walking is your only option.

For more details on traveling in Kashmir by Bus and shared cabs, you can also take a look at How to Plan a Trip to Kashmir by Public Transport.

How to reach Drung Waterfall from Gulmarg

There is no direct route available between Gulmarg and Drung Waterfall. From Gulmarg, you will first have to drive down to Tangmarg and then go to Drung from there, as I explained above.

How to Plan a Trip to Drung Waterfall

The best way to plan a trip to Drung Waterfall is to include it in your Gulmarg trip itinerary.  For example, start early from Srinagar, possibly by 8 am. You will reach Tangmarg by 9.30 am at most.

From there, go to the waterfall, spend some time there, and drive back to Tangmarg. This will take an hour to 90 minutes at most.

So with this calculation, you will be back in Tangmarg by 11 am. After that, you can continue traveling to Gulmarg which is about 30 minutes from Tangmarg.

You can also do it the other way around. From Srinagar, you can first drive straight to Gulmarg and then cover Drung Waterfall on your way back.

Can both of these places be covered in a single day? The answer is Yes and I have done so as well. Just keep in mind to start your day early, latest by 8 am.

This will ensure that you get enough time to spend both in Gulmarg and at Drung Waterfall. If you are also planning to go for a Gondola ride in Gulmarg, then you should start your day by 7 am if possible.

Also Read: When is the Best Time to Visit Gulmarg

Where to Stay

There are no hotels in Drung Village or near the waterfall yet. There could be one in the future, considering the way the tourists are flocking to this small village.

But for now, the nearest hotels are located either in Tangmarg or Gulmarg. Ideally, you should plan your stay in Gulmarg only and visit Drung on the way.

If you however wish to stay closer to the waterfall for some reason, then you will have to look for a hotel in Tangmarg.

Places to Visit & Things to Do

Drung is just a small village and the waterfall is its biggest attraction. There are several other places nearby but most of them are located either in Gulmarg or on the way. For a complete list, please take a look at Places to Visit in Gulmarg & Things to Do.

The waterfall itself is considered one of the tourist attractions that you can cover while traveling to Gulmarg from Srinagar. There is nothing else on this side of the road though. Come to the waterfall, spend an hour getting something to eat and you can be on your way to Gulmarg after that.

Most of your sightseeing will be in Gulmarg only. Drung Waterfall will just be another attraction that you will cover on the way.

Drung Waterfall ATV Ride

ATV rides are one of the activities that a lot of tourists enjoy indulging in. These are available near the Taxi stand and will cost anywhere between Rs. 1500 to Rs. 3500 for a round trip to Drung.

The final rate will depend on your time of travel and your negotiation skills. During peak tourist season, it can go as high as Rs. 3500 per person. If there weren’t a lot of tourists around, you may be able to negotiate it down to Rs. 1500 per person.

Sledding is another activity that you can enjoy in winter. You will sit on a wooden sled and get dragged in the snow by a local, mostly on a slope. I am personally not a big fan of this but have seen a lot of tourists enjoy riding the sled.

Mobile Network & Data Connectivity

Drung has good cellphone reception and you will remain connected irrespective of which mobile network you are on. I had good reception on both Airtel and Jio with 4G data speed. My friend was carrying a BSNL phone and that one remained connected as well.

I do not have a Vodafone or Idea personally but I know that both these networks also work well at Drung Waterfall.

The most important thing to remember here is that you need to get a postpaid phone. Prepaid phones do not work in Jammu & Kashmir due to security reasons.

So if yours was a prepaid phone, it would only be good enough to click pictures, nothing else. But if you were carrying a postpaid connection, your phone will work well at Drung Waterfall.

For more details on this topic, please take a look at Mobile Network in Kashmir Valley & Data Connectivity.

Clothes to Pack

If you were visiting Kashmir between April to September, your regular cotton clothes will do. But if your trip was planned for the winter season, you must bring all heavy woolen clothes.

Thermals, a warm and windproof jacket, caps, gloves, and heavy woolen clothes are what you should be packing. For further details, you can take a look at Clothes for Kashmir Trip – What to Pack.

When it comes to shoes, you should look for a pair that is water-resistant and of ankle length. This will help in keeping your feet dry while you are walking around in the snow.

If you do not have such shoes then just bring your regular sports shoes. If you find a lot of snow around Gulmarg and Drung Waterfall, then you can rent a pair of knee-length boots from Tangmarg.

It will cost you about Rs. 250 per pair for a few hours but will allow you the freedom to walk around in the snow without risking your shoes getting wet.

Road Condition

The entire stretch of road from Srinagar to Drung Waterfall is a smooth drive. It is a double-lane road but traffic flows smoothly.

The road from Srinagar to Tangmarg is a mix of average. The short stretch between Tangmarg and Drung is a narrow road but has tarmac on it. It should not be a problem driving on it in the summer season but in winter, you should be a little careful.

Drung Waterfall Sightseeing Itinerary

The best way to plan a trip to Drung Waterfall is to include it in your itinerary with Gulmarg. For this, a minimum of 2 days is what I will recommend for sightseeing and enjoying other activities. Below is an example of an itinerary that you can follow.

Drung Waterfall 3 Days Itinerary

If you were planning to stay in Gulmarg for 2 nights, your itinerary can be arranged in the following manner.

• On Day 1, start early from Srinagar and arrive at Gulmarg at about 9 to 10 AM. On the way, you can also take a detour to cover Drung Waterfall.
• Check into a hotel and spend some time visiting local places like Maharani temple, St. Mary’s church, Golf Course, Maharaja Palace, etc.
• On Day 2, take a Gondola ride to the top of Apharwat Peak. Trek to Alpather Lake there and arrive back at Gulmarg. This will take an entire day.
• If you do not want to go trekking, you can skip Alpather Lake and go on a drive to Bota Pathri and Strawberry Valley instead.
• On Day 3, you can travel back to Srinagar. If you did not visit Drung on Day 1, you can now do it on Day 3.

Two-Day Trip to Drung Waterfall from Srinagar

If you were planning to spend just one night, below can be your itinerary for the Srinagar to Gulmarg one-day trip.

• On Day 1, start early from Srinagar and arrive at Gulmarg at about 9 to 10 AM. On the way, you can also take a detour to cover Drung Waterfall.
• Check into a hotel and spend some time visiting local places like Maharani temple, St. Mary’s church, Golf Course, Maharaja Palace, etc.
• On Day 2, take a Gondola ride to the top of Apharwat Peak.
• Return by noon, have lunch, check out of the hotel, and reach back to Srinagar by evening. If you did not visit Drung on Day 1, you can now do it on Day 3.

One-Day Trip to Drung Waterfall

If you can only take out one day for this trip, you can plan it in the following manner.

• Start early from Srinagar, possibly by 7 am or latest by 8 am.
• You will arrive at Tangmarg by 9 am.
• Continue driving straight to Gulmarg and reach there by 10 at most.
• Now you can decide what you want to do there. If you want to, you can go for a Gondola ride or just visit the local attractions.
• Plan your day in a way that you are done with sightseeing in Gulmarg by 3 pm at most in the winter season or 4 pm in the summer.
• Drive back to Tangmarg. Take the detour and visit Drung Waterfall. It will take about an hour.
• Reach Srinagar between 6 to 7 pm.

Best Time to Visit Drung Waterfall

The best time to visit Drung Waterfall is the months of January and February. This is when the waterfall is frozen solid, receives plenty of snowfall, and looks like a white wonderland.

But as I mentioned previously, the waterfall remains open for all 12 months for tourists. It is just that it may not look as great during the rest of the year as it does in the winter season.

Drung Waterfall in October – November

Winter arrives in Kashmir in October but the temperature is not low enough to freeze the waterfall. You will still see the colors of autumn in the valley but not the frozen waterfall that you would expect to find in Drung.

Towards the second half of November, the water will start to freeze a little, and from the icicles on the face of the mountain.

Drung Waterfall in December

Kashmir starts to receive snow in November – December. It is however just the start of the season and the snow will not be enough to stick to the ground. It will snow a few inches and melt away in a few hours, or a day at most.

December is when Drung starts to freeze. The icicles formed in November will get bigger and give a majestic look to the waterfall.

There will not be however any snow around. It will only be the waterfall that you will see frozen in a few places unless you got lucky and there was a recent snowfall at the time of your arrival.

Also Read: How to Plan a Trip to Sonamarg

Drung Waterfall in January

The frequency and intensity of the snowfall will increase in January. This is when the snow starts sticking to the ground. The waterfall will freeze solid and there will also be a lot of snow on the ground around it.

If you are lucky, you may even catch a snowfall while you are at Drung. The video that I posted above was shot in the second week of January.

Drung Waterfall in February

February is possibly the best time to visit Drung Waterfall, especially in the first half of the month. All the snowfall from January would ensure that there is a lot of snow on the ground and the waterfall is completely frozen.

The flow of the water will still continue but there will be a lot of ice around it. As a matter of fact, the entire mountain that the water falls down from starts to look white at this time.

Drung Waterfall in March

The waterfall starts to return to its normal state in March. The snow will start to melt away as Kashmir prepares for the arrival of the Spring season.

You will still see a partially frozen waterfall if you go in the first half of March. By the end of the month, the snow is mostly all gone. It still snows in Kashmir in March but both the frequency and the intensity will not be that high.

Drung Waterfall in April, May & June

During the rest of the year, Drung looks like any other waterfall. In fact, it doesn’t even look that great as its height and the volume of water released is comparatively less.

Depending on the weather, you may still find it a little frozen in early April. But by the middle of the month, it is mostly in a melted state and you will just find water falling from a large pipe into the river below.

The months of May and June are a bit on the drier side. The temperature starts to rise and the days can get very hot sometimes.

It would still be great to include the waterfall in your trip either while going to Gulmarg or on your way back but do not expect it to look as grand as it does in the winter season.

Drung Waterfall in July, August & September

Monsoon arrives in Kashmir in the month of July. August and September can still be good times to visit Drung because of all the greenery that follows the rains.

But your expectation should be that you will see a waterfall with plenty of greenery around. There will definitely not be any snow around at this time.

Conclusion

I hope the information above on the traveling from Srinagar to Gulmarg in January or February was of help. If you have any questions, you can contact me on Instagram and I will be happy to answer. You can also consider subscribing to my YouTube channel and asking a question there.