Skiing in Gulmarg: A Guide
Skiing in Gulmarg is a unique experience. From being a summer escape of the British 100 years ago, Gulmarg has emerged as one of the favorite ski destinations for people all around the world. If you are a ski enthusiast, Gulmarg offers the best of the best slope conditions and powder snows all around the year. Gulmarg is also rated as Asia’s 5th best ski destination. It also offers a wide variety of slopes to ski from beginning from the basic slopes to intermediate to expert level slopes.
Why choose Gulmarg for Skiing?
- The Gulmarg Gondola provides some great in-bounds terrain for advanced to expert skiers
- Gulmarg in Kashmir is blessed with a thick blanket of snow during winters
- You can add heli-skiing with Kashmir Heliski to your itinerary
- The culture of Gulmarg is vibrant and welcoming
Duration of the trip for skiing
If you are a beginner or an intermediate-level skier, a minimum of 5 days is advised. However, for an expert skier who is keen on exploring higher peaks, a week-long trip would be more than sufficient. Keeping these in mind, here are some information that will give you a comprehensive understanding of what skiing in Gulmarg is like.
The base and how to reach the top
The base of the Affarwat peak marks the start of the skiing experience. The mountain is split into two phases which are accessible by Gondola. A number of beginner’s slopes are situated in the meadows of Gulmarg that make for perfect practice slopes. Detailed info on Gulmarg Ski slopes is given below
Gulmarg Ski Slopes
Gulmarg Ski Resort’s lifted terrain is divided into 4 separate skiing zones.
Ski zones:
Zone 1: Poma lifts
There are 7 poma lifts around Gulmarg. These are beginner slopes and are often crowded. The snow is groomed regularly.
Zone 2: Phase 1 Gulmarg Gondola
Accessible by Gondola. The Gondola reaches Kongdori at 3,050 meters. It has 400 vertical meters of almost flattish, naturally graded terrain. With 2-3 days of beginner skiing and snowboarding course, you’ll be confident to ride Phase 1.
Zone 3: Phase 2 Gondola (3980m) and Chair lift
For advanced riders and expert skiers, the chair lift (500-900 meters vertical rise) provides off-piste fun and takes you down straight to the gondola via narrow trails that are usually groomed to facilitate the return.
Zone 4: Gulmarg Backcountry
Accessed by Gondola (Phase 2). Bowls stream off the main ridgeline north and south of Mt Apharwat (4,200 meters). It has 900-1500 vertical meters. To the south, the spurs and bowls run east towards Drung Valley. To the north, it gets very close to Pakistan.
Many lines to the extreme north are rarely skied. Ski-touring, and hiking a few kilometers even with access via gondola is common.
