Transhumance, a centuries-old tradition, is the seasonal migration of herders and their livestock in search of fresh grazing lands. For the Bakarwals of Jammu and Kashmir, this journey is a way of life. Every year, as the harsh winter recedes, these nomadic pastoralists pack their belongings and set out on a challenging trek to the higher altitudes of the Kashmir Valley and Pir Panjal range.

With herds of sheep, goats, and sometimes horses, they travel hundreds of kilometers, navigating steep mountain trails. Their destination? The cool, green meadows of Kashmir, where their animals can graze freely through the summer months. But come winter, the cycle reverses, as they return to the lowlands of Jammu, escaping the freezing conditions of the high-altitude pastures.
Transhumance is not unique to Jammu and Kashmir. Across the world, several pastoralist communities practice similar seasonal migrations.

In the Alps of Switzerland, France, and Italy, herders lead their cattle to high mountain pastures during summer and descend to the valleys for winter.

In Mongolia, nomadic herders traverse vast grasslands, moving seasonally to find fresh grazing land for their livestock, from sheep and goats to camels.


Similarly, the Sámi people in northern Norway and Sweden move their reindeer between coastal areas in winter and inland grazing grounds during summer.
In the Andes of South America, herders guide llamas and alpacas between lowland and highland pastures, adapting to the season's harshness.