Gulmarg: More Than a Ski Resort

Most people who have heard of Gulmarg associate it with one thing: the gondola and the ski runs beneath Apharwat Peak. That association is not wrong. Gulmarg does have some of the best skiable terrain in South Asia, and the Gulmarg Gondola, which climbs to 3,980 metres at its upper station, is legitimately impressive in both scale and engineering. But a resort built around a single activity leaves a distorted impression of what the place actually is.

Gulmarg is, at its core, a high-altitude meadow. The name means "meadow of flowers" in Kashmiri, and the description holds. Sitting at around 2,650 metres above sea level in the Pir Panjal range, about 50 kilometres west of Srinagar, it is a broad, open bowl of grassland ringed by forested slopes and overlooked by peaks that remain snow-capped for most of the year. The meadow has been a refuge from the valley heat since at least the sixteenth century, and the British colonial administration used it as a summer station. The golf course that sits in the middle of the meadow was laid out in 1911 and is still in use today.

What Gulmarg Looks Like Outside Winter

The transformation from winter to summer at Gulmarg is dramatic. In January, the meadow lies under several feet of snow, the pine forests are weighted with it, and the temperature can drop to minus fifteen overnight. By late May, the snow has largely retreated to the high slopes, the grass is green, wildflowers are coming through, and the air temperature on a clear afternoon sits comfortably around fifteen degrees Celsius.

June and July are the months when the meadow is at its most alive. The flower meadows that give Gulmarg its name reach their peak: buttercups, violets, forget-me-nots and dozens of alpine species cover the ground between the tree line and the upper slopes. The views across the meadow to Nanga Parbat on clear days are extraordinary. Nanga Parbat, the ninth-highest mountain in the world at 8,126 metres, rises above the horizon to the northeast on clear days and has a scale that takes a moment to process.

The summer months also bring a different kind of visitor to Gulmarg. Families from Srinagar and from cities further afield come for the cool air and open space. The pony rides around the meadow perimeter, which look slightly incongruous during ski season, make much more sense in summer when the grass is green and the pace is gentle. The Maharani Temple at the edge of the meadow, a modest but atmospheric shrine set against the forest, is worth visiting in summer when the path to it is clear.

Autumn, from late September through October, brings a third version of Gulmarg. The birch and chinar trees on the lower slopes turn gold and rust. The light at high altitude in autumn has a sharpness that summer softens, and the views are often clearest in October when the monsoon moisture has left the air. The crowds are smaller than in winter or summer peak periods, the hotels offer better rates, and the meadow has a quieter, more contemplative quality.

Trekking from Gulmarg

Gulmarg is one of the best starting points for Himalayan trekking in Kashmir, though this dimension of the place rarely features in the ski resort narrative. Several well-established routes begin from or pass through the area, ranging from half-day walks to multi-day expeditions.

The Alpather Lake trek is the most popular single-day route. It begins at the upper gondola station at Kongdori and continues on foot for roughly five kilometres across the Apharwat plateau to a high-altitude lake that remains partially frozen well into summer. The walk itself is not technically demanding but the altitude requires acclimatisation, and the weather above the tree line can change quickly. The views across the Pir Panjal range from the plateau are among the best accessible without serious mountaineering.

The Ferozepur Nallah route is a longer option, leading through the forests on the southern side of the meadow to a stream valley with excellent bird life and relatively few visitors. This is a good choice for those who find the main meadow area too busy in peak season. A local guide is advisable for this route as the paths are not as clearly marked as the main gondola approaches.

For more ambitious trekkers, Gulmarg sits at the edge of the Toshmaidan range, and multi-day routes connect the area to Yusmarg and beyond. These routes cross high passes and require proper gear and preparation. The trekking season runs roughly from June to early October, with August and September offering the best combination of clear weather and accessible passes.

Those planning trekking in the region often do background reading on equipment and route options before travelling. Websites covering adventure travel in South Asia, including some aggregators like jemputhoki, carry general travel planning information that can supplement specific Kashmir trekking guides. Whatever sources you use, local knowledge from Gulmarg-based guides will always be more current than anything published online.

The Gondola Without Skiing

The Gulmarg Gondola operates year-round, not just in the ski season, and visiting it outside winter offers a completely different experience. In summer, the queue for Phase 1 (up to Kongdori at around 3,050 metres) and Phase 2 (up to Apharwat at 3,980 metres) is manageable outside the August peak, and the journey through the forest gives way to open alpine terrain above the tree line.

At Kongdori, the mid-station, there is a small selection of food stalls and a viewing area with clear sightlines across the Pir Panjal. At Apharwat, the upper station, the terrain above feels genuinely Himalayan: sparse vegetation, exposed rock, persistent snowfields even in August, and a cold wind that requires a warm layer regardless of how warm the valley felt when you set off.

The Phase 2 cable car is the highest in Asia by some measures, and the view from the upper station on a clear day extends to multiple peaks above seven thousand metres. This alone justifies the journey even for visitors with no interest in skiing. The descent on foot through the forest from Kongdori to the meadow takes around forty minutes and is a pleasant alternative to the return gondola if weather and time permit.

Practical Notes for a Gulmarg Visit

Getting to Gulmarg from Srinagar takes roughly ninety minutes by road. The road climbs steeply in its final section and can be closed briefly after heavy snowfall in winter, so checking conditions before travel in December through March is sensible. Shared taxis run from Tangmarg, the last town before the climb begins, up to the meadow.

Accommodation in Gulmarg ranges from large hotels that cater primarily to ski season visitors to smaller guesthouses that operate year-round. Several of the better-positioned properties have views directly onto the meadow. Book ahead in December through February and in July and August, when rooms fill quickly. Outside those peak periods, last-minute bookings are usually possible.

The meadow itself is small enough to walk across in under an hour, but the surrounding area is large. A full day at Gulmarg should include the gondola, a walk around the meadow perimeter or into the forest, and lunch at one of the hotels or dhabas on the edge of the main area. The golf course, while a curiosity, can be played by visitors with clubs available for hire on site.

Altitude sickness is a real consideration for visitors coming directly from low elevations. At 2,650 metres, most healthy adults will notice the thinner air during exertion but will not experience serious symptoms. At the Apharwat upper station at 3,980 metres, the altitude is more significant. Ascending slowly, drinking plenty of water, and avoiding alcohol in the first twenty-four hours are the standard precautions. If you feel light-headed, descend and rest before attempting the upper station again.