Gulmarg Ski Tours

Whilst the Gulmarg ski area has some fabulous terrain, the most amazing powder terrain is beyond its boundaries in the backcountry and there is only one way to experience it safely, and that is with a qualified and experienced guide. There are a growing number of backcountry tour operators appearing in Gulmarg offering such services and one operator we have personal experience with and can highly recommend is Bill's Trips.

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Gulmarg Activities & Sightseeing

The sensory overload experienced in Kashmir and its associated cultural differences mean that one of the more interesting local activities is people watching. Going to the market can absorb an entire day, along with watching the Indians on the beginner slope. A visit to the town of Tangmarg or skiing down to the village of Drang is an interesting way to meet the locals.

Kongdori, the gondola mid-station area, provides some interesting people watching of the Indian tourists. Many of them have never seen snow, so their antics are pretty entertaining. There are also snowmobile rides in this area, but they take people out in big groups and the traffic on the trails looks about as dangerous as driving around Delhi.

Plenty of hawkers will offer you a sled ride at Kongdori or down in the Gulmarg village. The old wooden sleds look a fraction dodgy for downhill action, whilst it feels cruel to let the men in their long phirans drag you up back up the hill!

The local native monkeys are also a never ending source of amusement. You’ll find them all through the forested sections of the village. Sadly they spend a lot of time fossicking for food amongst the numerous rubbish piles in the village.

An ice skating rink exists in the village, although it’s often not often.

Srinagar Houseboats

You may wish to tack a couple of nights in Srinagar onto your trip to Gulmarg, and stay on one of the hundreds of houseboats on Dal Lake. Or alternatively just take a shikara (small boat) for a tour around the lake, and watch the unusual lake life and the many hawkers at work.

Gulmarg Heli Skiing

It goes without saying that heli skiing is an awesome experience. The helicopter flight alone is spectacular, but after you’ve finished taking photos of the amazing vistas, the ride down the mountain is even better. And if you’re exhausted from all the hiking and skinning at the Gulmarg ski resort, heli skiing can be an alternative. Kashmir Heliski offers a range of Gulmarg heli ski packages but the quality of the guiding varies.

Or if heli skiing in the Himalayas sounds appealing and you really want to take it up a notch, you can go heli skiing with Himalayan Heli Adventures in Manali India, a very reputable international heli ski company.