BEST TIME TO VISIT
JAN - DEC
IDEAL DURATION
7 Days
Gulmarg, the meadow of flowers, is one of Asia's premier skiing destination. It is known for its legendary beauty, prime location and the range of choices for skiing offered to the visitors. Gulmarg is also home to one of the highest golf courses in the world. Gulmarg is equally most sought after place in summers as well as in winters as it offers myriad choices during summers like greenery and flower beds all around, with beautiful lakes, sublime valleys and Gulmarg Gandola. During winters, the place is thronged by the tourists for its snowy slopes where skiing is done. Gulmarg is located 56 km north of Srinagar at an average altitude of 2650 m. The 3,5 long and 1 km wide valley was discovered in the 16th century by Sultan Yusuf Shah Chak, who was inspired by the sight of its grassy slopes emblazoned with wild flowers. The journey to Gulmarg is half the enchantment of reaching there. The roads bordered by rigid avenues of poplar give over to flat expanses of rice fields interspersed with picturesque villages. Depending on the season, nature's colours could be the translucent green of spring, summer’s rich emerald, or autumn’s golden hues, when scarlet chillies festoon windows of village homes. After Tangmarg, the climb to Gulmarg begins through fir-covered hillsides. Gulmarg is a self sufficient place having hotels of all choices and pockets. A market is also there offering all a tourist could imagine. The place is open to tourists throughout the year.
Jammu and Kashmir is gifted with some of the best golf courses in the country. Since this region was ruled by Maharajas who loved golfing, they established some of the best golf courses you will ever come across. Golfing in Jammu and Kashmir can be an incredible experience, not just for the enjoyment and relaxation it provides, but largely because of the lovely temperature, gorgeous landscape and amazing views that surround these golf courses. Whether you play a game of golf at Gulmarg or Pahalgam, you are treated to a newer experience every time.
Kashmir is often dubbed the angler's paradise. The glacial and snow-fed streams offer great options for fishing in Kashmir. Water bodies of all sizes and types in the region are well-stocked with Rainbow trout and German brown trout fishes, thus, anglers from around the world throng Kashmir. Around 61 beats are open for fishing & angling in Kashmir during the season. Each beat is about 3 to 4 kms long and is connected with a motorable road, except Vishansar and Gangabal lakes, as one has to trek to reach these destinations.
The ropeway stretching 2.5 km connects the bowl-shaped Kongdoori valley with Afarwat. It's the world's highest cable car using gondolas and the only one in the world that takes skiers and tourists to a height of 4,390 m. The two-stage ropeway ferries about 600 people per hour between Gulmarg and a shoulder of nearby Apharwat Peak (4,200 metres (13,800 ft)). The first stage transfers from Gulmarg at 2,600 metres (8,500 ft) to Kongdoori at 3,080 metres (10,100 ft). The second stage which has 36 cabins and 18 towers, takes passengers to a height of 3,950 metres (12,960 ft) on the Apharwat Peak 4,200 metres (13,800 ft). A chair lift system connects Kongdoori with Mary's shoulder for taking skiers to higher altitude.
The topography of Jammu and Kashmir is perfectly suited for mountain biking. Pedalling your way through the mountains of Kashmir Valley dotted with rich pine and deodar trees, is absolutely exhilarating and delivers the ultimate thrill. What also makes mountain biking in Jammu and Kashmir so exciting is the gorgeous landscape of this region, as it is dotted with water streams, paddy fields, meadows, village markets and woods.
Exploring the beautiful and eye-catching countryside on a horseback is a popular activity in Jammu & Kashmir. Horse riding is an ancient way of travelling around the gorgeous valleys and hilly places of Jammu & Kashmir. Today, a large number of tourists including the family vacationers and honeymoon couples utilize this opportunity to relish the unmatched natural beauty of the popular tourist attractions as well as some pretty lesser-known destinations as well. The Kashmir region is blessed with various gorgeous destinations like Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Yusmarg, Sonmarg, Kokernag where tourists can enjoy horse rides. In Jammu region, tourists who are visiting Patnitop, Sanasar and Kishtwar are the best tourist places for horse riding.
What can be more soothing to the eyes than watching a bird flapping its wings, bobbing its head or swooping down on its bird of prey? A bird watching holiday in Jammu and Kashmir lets you have these incredible experiences by watching a variety of birds belonging to various shapes, sizes and colours. This region is a haven for bird lovers, as almost 554 species of birds reside here, apart from 262 species from the alpine regions of the Kashmir Valley.
Skiing in Kashmir is one of the most exciting winter sports adventure activities that you can try during your holidays in Kashmir, as it gives you the ultimate adrenaline rush and thrill that adventure enthusiasts are after.
Heli-skiing was introduced in Gulmarg, for the first time in India during the mid 1980s in collaboration with the world renowned French skier, Sylvain Saudan of Himalaya Heli-Ski Club of France. For this highly exciting sport, skiers are taken to the top of mountain ridges by helicopters from where they ski down the immense Himalayan slopes.
Surrounded by the Great Himalaya and Pir Panjal mountain range, the serene valley of Kashmir is a home to the people who are trailing in the mountains like a nomad. Being vested with colourful meadows, crisscrossed by streams and dotted with placid lakes, Kashmir enriches the concept of Indian tourism. Further, with its undulated and rocky terrain on the fringes of the lush green meadows, Kashmir is a feast for the eyes. Trekking in Kashmir is as exciting as it turns out to be challenging. Cutting through edges and passing through the rich verdure, en route the narrow rocky tracks, makes trekking tours in Kashmir tricky and dicey. But the journeys wind up framing some of the best lifetime moments scooping the trekkers' gossip.
Neha Pandyaji
Redbytes Developer
