Ski in Gulmarg, Snow Boarding in Gulmarg Himalayas, Kashmir, India

Ski in Gulmarg - a wonderful combination of incredible Curry powder skiing and the unique Hospitable Kashmiri culture - Which Makes it one of the world’s Most Adventerous & Memorable skiing experience one can ever have.

Gulmarg is located 56-km ( 35 miles ) south west of Srinagar, Gulmarg is a mountain shelf which nestles under the protective 4124 metre height and 5 km spread of Mount Apharwat. Gulmarg is a small isolated hill-village situated in the northern Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir at the western extremity of the Himalayas in a subsidiary range called the Pir Panjals. Gulmarg is also know for the competitive tournament of skiing in festive season like Christmas and Easter.
Due to its geographic location Gulmarg gets some of the heaviest snowfalls in the Himalayasand it has earned the distinction of being the best ski resort in the Himalayas. Skiing was first introduced to Gulmarg by two British Army officers who established the first ski club in 1927 although it wasn’t until 5-6 years ago when Gulmarg’s name really first started to appear on the cognoscenti’s hotlist!
The area is close to the Indo - Pak border and One Can usually view the military presence in the resort and the surrounding area. However the locals are all extremely friendly and welcoming & you would surely feel at home ( Very Safe ) and then you wont have anything to be uneasy about ( Just to enjoy the most fun filled Memorable Skiing Holiday ).
Gulmarg is a very isolated winter village nestled near the Pakistan border. From the top lift station you get spectacular views of K2, Nanga Parbath & Nunkun. Loads of superb powder runs can be accessed, even more if you are prepared to boot pack for a further half an hour or so to the very top of Apharwat peak. From here there is access to massive unmarked and unpatrolled areas offering some great bowls and some fantastic tree skiing. Gulmarg ski resort is in the southwestern Himalayas and it lies at an elevation of 8858 feet in the shadow of Apharwat Mountain. It is served by thre ski lifts and a cable car – boasted as the highest gondola in the world (13,400 feet).
The ski area has been compared to Whistler, Vail and Verbier. But be warned, the facilities are very rustic and nothing will prepare you for the over stimulation that is all part of the India experience. Never before have you experienced sights, sounds and smells like you will in India. The people are friendly and gracious and the food is tasty and traditional.

Information of Gulmarg

The ski school, Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering located here conducts 10 day and 21 day short ski courses for beginners and advanced skiers. Gulmarg is considered to be the cheapest in the world to learn skiing.

Weather:
Weather of Gulmarg is very gentle for lovers of skiing; some of the visitors say it a curry powder, due the geographic location Gulmarg always have a heavy snowfall and tourist love it for the quality of snow it provides.

The skiing season in Gulmarg usually commences before Christmas (around middle of December) and continues till middle of May.

We have regular weather information from several resources include the satellite from Indian government and other weather information providers. In extreme cold the temperature can go down to -18 degree Celsius and standard temperature in the month of October to February is in the range of 3 to -18 degree Celsius.

Gulmarg see a huge snowfall on the season and provide limitless powder skiing, you can ski for months in Gulmarg without the dearth of powder and adventure as you can have an option to get more and more way out and desired slop in the region.

Gulmarg slopes are all natural slopes. Among the multitudes of slopes, a few gentle slopes of ski runs ranging from 200 m to 3kms are specially suited for beginners. Ski lifts and chair lifts take skiers up to the top of the ski slopes from where skiers can choose the beginners, intermediate or more advanced slopes.

The best and longest skiing in Gulmarg is accessed by the Gondola Cable Car Lift, which allows a ski run of 2,213 m. Designed by Poma of France, gondola ascends extends almost to the peak of Apharwat, at an elevation of 3980 metres above sea level, providing lift served access to 1330 vertical metres of vast snow riding terrain. Due to the setting-up of Gondola Cable Car Lift from Gulmarg to Apharwat top, Gulmarg holds a position as one of the highest lift-served ski resorts in the world.

The gondola terrain is divided into two sections, i.e an upper and a lower section. The first section is 2,350 m long and rises 450m vertically from Gulmarg ski resort to slopes at 3300m up the side of Apharwat Mountain.

The second section runs to over 4,000m, just below the peak of Apharwat. From the top station, it will take a 30 minute walk to reach the peak. One can glide from there, in either direction over a couple of kilometers, before descending the mountain's multiple ridges, faces and bowls. The gliding from the northwest direction includes magnificent and consistent advanced slopes to distant parts of the Gulmarg meadow.

The southeast direction provides a total ride of over 1700 vertical metres of serious off-piste terrain. The gliding from gondola's top to mid stations provides a superb array of high alpine slopes for advanced and expert level skiing.

The poma slopes which are a few hundred metres walk from the gondola, provides an excellent variety of wide open beginner and intermediate practice terrain. The area is the venue for Gulmarg's ski school and race clinics

Heli-skiing is also possible at Gulmarg which is an ultimate winter sports thrill for the adventure sports lover. In heli-skiing, helicopters lift the heli-skiers to the high, snow-covered peak of their choice from where they can ski down the slopes.