The summer capital of Kashmir, built around a lake, a river and an old city of wooden balconies, copper-beaters and saffron-scented kitchens.
1,585 m2–3 daysBest: Mar–Oct
LakeHeritageGarden
Kashmir Valley · Baramulla
Gulmarg
India's finest snow, and a meadow of flowers beneath it
- Hill station
- Snow
- Trekking
- Altitude
- 2,650 m
- Ideal stay
- 1–2 days
- From Srinagar
- 50 km
- From Jammu
- 316 km
- Best months
- Year-round
Overview
About Gulmarg
Gulmarg is the single most famous name in Kashmiri tourism, and for once the reputation is deserved. It sits in a wide saucer of meadow at 2,650 metres, ringed by conifer forest, with the 4,200-metre Apharwat ridge rising directly behind it. The Gulmarg Gondola climbs that ridge in two stages to 3,980 metres — the second-highest operating cable car in the world.
In winter it becomes the most serious ski destination in the country: long, ungroomed, high-alpine terrain that attracts freeride skiers from Europe and Japan, plus gentle nursery slopes at Kongdoori for complete beginners. Snow typically arrives in December and holds through March.
In summer the name makes sense again — Gaurimarg, the meadow of flowers. Wildflowers cover the bowl, the 18-hole golf course (one of the world's highest) opens, and the walks to Khilanmarg, Alpather Lake and the Strawberry Valley are superb. The 1902 St Mary's Church and the Maharani Temple sit quietly in the middle of it all.
Also known as: Meadow of Flowers · Gaurimarg
Why people come here
The Gulmarg Gondola
Two stages to 3,980 m on Apharwat — Phase 1 to Kongdoori, Phase 2 to the ridge, with views to Nanga Parbat on a clear day.
Skiing and snowboarding
India's only genuine high-alpine ski resort, with 1,330 m of vertical and long ungroomed descents.
Gulmarg Golf Course
An 18-hole course at 2,650 m, laid out in 1904 and among the highest in the world.
Alpather Lake
A glacial lake at 3,843 m below Apharwat that stays frozen until late June.
Things to do in Gulmarg
Ride both gondola phases
Phase 1 to Kongdoori takes ten minutes; Phase 2 continues to the Apharwat ridge. Book tickets online in advance during peak weeks.
Take a ski lesson at Kongdoori
Certified instructors and gentle slopes make this a genuinely good place to learn, even for complete beginners.
Walk to Khilanmarg
A 6 km round trip from the gondola base to a meadow with a huge Pir Panjal panorama — easy in summer, snowshoe territory in winter.
Visit St Mary's Church
A small 1902 stone church in the middle of the meadow, particularly striking under snow.
Photographs
Gulmarg across the seasons
Open-licence photography so you can see what the place actually looks like at different times of year — not a retouched brochure.
Spring and summer
June to August is cool, green and comfortable, with the highest golf course in the world open for play.
Autumn and winter
December to March. Deep, dry snow, world-class off-piste and beginner slopes at Kongdoori. Book months ahead for January and February.
Season by season
What Gulmarg is like through the year
Including the months when it is genuinely closed — because knowing that in advance saves a wasted trip.
Spring · Mar–May
OpenSnow on top, flowers below
March and April give you the best of both — skiing still running at Apharwat while the meadow greens up.
2°C to 15°C
- Gondola Phase 1 & 2
- Late-season skiing
- Meadow walks
- Photography
Summer · Jun–Aug
OpenWildflower meadow and golf
June to August is cool, green and comfortable, with the highest golf course in the world open for play.
11°C to 24°C
- Golf
- Khilanmarg trek
- Alpather Lake trek
- Pony rides
- Mountain biking
Autumn · Sep–Nov
OpenClear skies and empty slopes
September to November brings the sharpest mountain views of the year and very few visitors.
1°C to 17°C
- Gondola rides
- Trekking
- Photography
- Forest walks
Winter · Dec–Feb
OpenThe reason people come
December to March. Deep, dry snow, world-class off-piste and beginner slopes at Kongdoori. Book months ahead for January and February.
-8°C to 3°C
- Skiing
- Snowboarding
- Gondola
- Snow tubing
- Snowmobiling
- Heli-skiing
Getting there
How to reach Gulmarg
By air
Srinagar Airport (SXR) is 56 km away — around two hours by road.
By rail
Jammu Tawi (316 km) is the nearest major railhead.
By road
50 km from Srinagar via Tangmarg, 1.5–2 hours. The final climb from Tangmarg may require chains or a shuttle after heavy snow.
Nearby
Combine Gulmarg with
Places close enough to fold into the same itinerary without adding long drives.
Eighteen square kilometres of waterways, floating gardens and carved houseboats that have defined the image of Kashmir for a hundred and fifty years.
1,583 mHalf day to overnightBest: Mar–Nov
LakeHeritage
A vast freshwater lake north of Srinagar, fed by the Jhelum, ringed by fishing villages and critical for the valley's birdlife and flood control.
1,580 mHalf dayBest: Jan, Apr–Jun, Sep–Dec
LakeWildlifeOffbeat
An hour from Srinagar, a wide alpine meadow cut by a stream that froths white over the rocks — hence the name, the valley of milk.
2,730 mDay tripBest: Apr–Oct
ValleyOffbeatSnow
When does it snow in Gulmarg?
Reliable snow cover usually arrives in late December and holds through March. January and February are the deepest months and also the busiest.
Is the Gulmarg Gondola open all year?
Yes, both phases run year-round, subject to weather and maintenance. Phase 2 closes during high winds or heavy snowfall, sometimes at short notice.
Can beginners ski in Gulmarg?
Absolutely. The Kongdoori nursery slopes and certified instructors make it one of the better places in Asia to learn. The famous off-piste terrain is a separate, expert-only proposition.
Should I do Gulmarg as a day trip or stay overnight?
Stay overnight if you can. Day trippers arrive at 11 a.m. and leave by 4 p.m., missing both the quiet morning gondola and the evening light on the meadow.
Start planning
Planning a trip to Gulmarg?
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will put Gulmarg into a full itinerary with the right stops around it, and tell you honestly whether your chosen month works.
A reply within hours
A planner in Srinagar reads your enquiry and responds personally, usually the same working day.
An itinerary, not a brochure
You get a day-by-day plan written for your dates, group and pace — then we refine it together.
One clear quote
Every inclusion listed in writing before you pay anything. No surprise charges on the ground.
Prefer to talk? +91 88991 23434 · Every day, 09:00-21:00