The Lidder Valley runs north from Anantnag district up towards Pahalgam and the Kolahoi Glacier. The Lidder River drains the glaciers of the high Himalayas and is a noisy, fast, blue-green ribbon for most of its length. Pine forest covers the lower slopes; alpine meadow takes over higher up.
The valley is the route in and out for trekkers heading for the Amarnath cave shrine and Kolahoi base. Even without a trek, the drive up from Anantnag to Pahalgam is one of the great Kashmir road journeys.