Travel Advice

Most nationalities require a visa to enter India, make sure you allow enough time to have this processed before departing your home country. Visas are valid from the date of issue so take this into consideration if you plan to spend a long time in the country. It’s much safer to obtain a ‘multiple entry visa’ in case you have to leave and want to be allowed to return.

The best time to visit Gulmarg is from early January to mid March when the snow is driest. This is peak season and it’s advisable to book hotel accommodation in advance.

The easiest way to reach Gulmarg is by flight from Delhi (DEL) to Srinigar (SRX). Indira Gandhi Airport in Delhi has both an international and domestic terminal. Flights from Delhi to Srinigar take around one hour and can be booked through a number of low cost carriers such as:

Spice Jet www.spicejet.com
Kingfisher www.flykingfisher.com
Jet Airways www.jetairways.com
Indian Airways www.indian-airlines.nic.in
Air Deccan www.airdeccan.net

Delhi International Airport has a left luggage office where you can leave souvenirs or anything you may not need in the mountains. Be aware of excess luggage costs when flying to Srinigar.

You will find airport security measures extremely tight when travelling to and from Kashmir, make sure you listen carefully to instructions. If you do not identify your bag on the tarmac prior to boarding the plane it will stay there. An official will ask which bag is yours before marking the destination tag, only then will your bag be loaded.

A 4WD taxi (Tata Sumo is the industry standard) from Srinigar airport to Gulmarg should take around one and a half hours to cover the 50km and cost approx. 

It is possible to catch the local bus from Srinigar to Tangmarg with a connection to Gulmarg but don’t expect this to be easy! The bus will be crammed full, slow and you may be asked to sit on the roof. It could take hours so if you are attempting this adventure make sure you have time before nightfall.

It is possible to travel to Srinigar by bus or taxi from Jammu. Jammu sits at the base of the mountains and is accessible by rail and road to Delhi and large parts of the country. The Jammu – Srinigar highway is the only road access between the mountains and the valley and is extremely busy and dangerous. Rock slides, avalanches and road accidents claim many lives every year. Traffic jams consisting of trucks full of supplies can stretch for huge distances meaning the seemingly small distance can take hours or days. February 2008 saw hundreds of people (including some Gulmarg venturers) stranded for days on the highway due to heavy snowfall. Tensions between Hindus and Muslims led to a blockade of the highway in mid 2008 essentially starving the Kashmir Valley of supplies, it is far more reliable to fly into Srinigar.

If arriving late to Srinigar it is possible to stay in the town or to arrange accommodation on one of the hundreds of beautiful houseboats on Dal Lake. For anyone staying on a houseboat it is recommended to avoid booking in Delhi or other cities outside Kashmir. A severe lack of tourists means that prices can be negotiated directly with houseboat owners and massive savings achieved. Houseboat touts in Delhi are notorious for charging obscene prices and not delivering on promises.

Please see the ‘Hotels’ section to learn more about accommodation in Gulmarg.

The ATM (cash point) in Gulmarg is notoriously unreliable so it is advisable to bring plenty of cash. The Internet is similar so don’t expect fast reliable connections.

International phone calls can be made at some ISD booths, check your bill before you pay.

Alcohol is available in a select number of establishments in Gulmarg at inflated prices. Consider stopping for some alcohol supplies in the taxi from Srinigar to Gulmarg but bear in mind that this is a Muslim community you are visiting and drinking alcohol excessively may be viewed as disrespectful. There is no liquor store in Gulmarg.

Most hotels in Gulmarg have an attached restaurant serving mostly Indian and Kashmiri style dishes. There are small restaurants at the lower stage of the gondola and at Kongdori mid station. A take away facility serving pizzas and burgers can be found attached to Hotel Hilltop, a nice option as you’re skiing home after a day in the deep stuff. Closer to Gulmarg village there are a number of small local run tea houses, restaurants and grocery stores with basic supplies (drinks, snacks, water etc). Many foreigners find they are able to digest the water from the tap in Gulmarg unlike the rest of India where this should be avoided.

Tangmarg village has a larger variety of stores and facilities (banks, telecommunications etc). If you wish to spend some time exploring the town you can take the bus, taxi or alternatively ski down and take transport back. The restaurants here serve traditional food with prices much cheaper than those in the hotels in Gulmarg. From here it is possible to take a bus or taxi to Srinigar.

What to Bring

As far as riding equipment goes you should pack for powder, there are limited groomed runs worth riding. Skins and split boards are hugely beneficial for accessing some areas. Individuals interested in ski touring should pack accordingly for multiple days trekking through virgin snow. The upper area is susceptible to avalanches and EVERYONE should carry safety equipment including avalanche beacon, shovel, probe and anything else to help you survive.

The weather can fluctuate between extremely cold during a front to surprisingly warm so pack accordingly. Some of the tree runs are tight so a helmet and a slightly shorter board/ skis can be nice. There are no real facilities for major maintenance or repair so consider bringing spare parts if you’re there for a long time.

Most hotels have central heating or wood fires and plenty of bedding. Power points are two-pin variety similar to Europe. Power shortages and reduced voltage are a frequent occurrence in Gulmarg so bring a torch.

Basic snacks and food can be bought from stores around Gulmarg village; if you have something specific you need it’s best to bring it from Srinigar or Delhi. Fresh fruit is in short supply in Gulmarg.

A laptop with a good variety of movies and some speakers is bound to make you the centre of attention in your hotel, especially if you’re in for the long haul.

No need to bring your golf clubs.