Planning a trip and wondering what are the places to visit in Gulmarg so that you don’t miss out on the best travel experience? This holiday destination is a veritable paradise in Kashmir that offers a blend of natural beauty and fun. So you can make your tour an incredible experience that will stay in your heart forever. Of many sightseeing places in Gulmarg, we have curated the 13 best places to visit in Gulmarg.
Best Places to visit in Gulmarg
- Gulmarg Gondola
- Khilanmarg
- Apharwat Peak
- Gulmarg Golf Course
- Gulmarg Ski Resort
- Alpather Lake
- Children’s Park
- Gulmarg Biosphere Reserve
- Baba Reshi Shrine
- Nagin Valley
- Strawberry Valley
- Ningle Nallah
- Lienmarg
Gulmarg Gondola – Cable Car Ride
- Gulmarg Gondola ride timing: 10 AM to 5 PM.
- Suggested visit duration: 2 – 3 hours
The Gulmarg Gondola ride is probably the one thing that tops the list of any tourist in Gulmarg. A gondola lift is a cable car that is the world’s second-highest cable car ride and also Asia’s most significant. The cable car was designed in collaboration with a French firm called Pomagalski.
The cable car from Gulmarg Ski Resort, located at an altitude of 8,530 feet, to Mary’s Shoulder, situated at the height of 13,780 feet via Kongdoori, takes you on a spellbinding ride offering sweeping views of the Kongdoori meadow, Khilanmarg,, and Apharwat Mountain in the three-phased rides.
The first phase costs INR 700 (US $11), the second phase costs INR 940, and the third and final phase uses a char car lift which costs INR 270. These costs are per person.
Do note that children below 3 years are not allowed for any phase, and people below 12 years of age are not allowed in the third phase of the Gulmarg Gondola ride.
Khilanmarg: Excursions from Gulmarg
A small & charming valley located near Gulmarg, Khilanmarg in the Baramulla is 4 kilometers from the Gulmarg bus stop. From Gulmarg, it’s a 600 meters (2000 feet) ascent to Khilanmarg.
You can easily walk from Gulmarg to Khilanmarg during the summer season, and it is still doable in winter if you are an adventurous soul.
You should visit Khilanmarg from Gulmarg, especially if you are traveling in summer, because of the majestic view of the Nanga Parbat, the 5th highest mountain peak in the world, and the sweeping view of the Nun Kun peaks on a clear, bright day.
Other sightseeing activities in Khilanmarg include the three gushing river bodies, Jhelum, Wular, Dal, and the Shankaracharya Temple.
From May to September is the best time to visit Khilanmarg from Gulmarg. From the months post-November till February, you can enjoy winter sports like skiing and other adventure sports.
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Srinagar with Sonmarg TourApharwat Peak
Location: Near Alpather Lake Khilanmarg, Gulmarg
The Apharwat peak is a popular skiing point in Gulmarg, perched at an altitude of 4,390 meters (14,403 ft). You can reach Apharwat Peak using the second phase of the Gulmarg Gondola. But it is highly dependent on weather conditions.
The view from the peak is just spectacular. You can see LOC from Apharwat Peak, which lies only a few kilometers from here. The mountain remains snow-covered throughout the year.
The cable car lift takes the skiers up to 12,000 feet from where the professional and serious skiing in Gulmarg begins. However, beginners can again ride up to 7,000 feet using the first phase of the cable car ride. After that, snowboarders and skiers often climb up to 13,450 feet (4,100 mts) for thrilling adventure sports activities.
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Gulmarg Golf Course
A public golf course perched at an elevation of 2,650 meters (8,690 feet), Gulmarg golf course is the highest golf course in the world.
Colonel Neville Chamberlain constructed this 6-hole golf course in 1890.
The golf course opens for players from April till November and closes for winters as it gets covered in a thick layer of snow from December till March.
Skiing in Gulmarg
Located at an altitude of 2,600 meters (8,500 feet), Gulmarg is considered India’s top ski resort destination.
You can do skiing in Gulmarg in two phases. It all starts from the base at Apharwat from Mary’s Shoulder, where various ski events are organized.
There are 4 ski lifts in Gulmarg, including the Gulmarg Gondola (3 phases with 3rd phase consisting of 4 passenger chairlifts) and 3 surface lifts (the Poma lift).
The best way to ski in Gulmarg is the cable car ride (3 phases) which will take you up o Mary’s Shoulder in Apharwat Mountain, from where you can ski downward. This is where usually professional or intermediate skiers start.
Also, even near the Gulmarg ski resort, the slopes are usually covered with thick snow from January to March. This is recommended for novices and beginners.
Three kinds of ski runs are available in Gulmarg: easy ski run is 7.5 kilometers, intermediate is 16.5 kilometers, and challenging is 7 kilometers long.
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The ticket price for skiing in Gulmarg varies as per the phase. For phase I (Kongdoori to Gulmarg), the skiing ticket price is INR 740 for Indian nationals and INR 1210 for foreign visitors. For phase II (Mount Apharwat to Kongdoori), the cost is INR 1210 for Indian nationals and INR 1900 for foreign nationals.
Also Read: Adventure Sports In Kashmir- Add Them To Your Bucket List!
Alpather Lake: One of the Seven Lakes Trek in Kashmir
13 km from Gulmarg, Alpather Lake is located at 4511 m near Apharwat Peak.
The Alpather Lake is triangular, and the snow-covered mountains are in the background. Apart from a picturesque sight, the lake also provides an adventurous opportunity to visitors, who can take up activities like horse riding and ridge climbing.
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Children’s Park
Yes! Children’s Park is the right place for your children too and promises to make them have a fun-filled journey. While you are busy looking at those beautiful sights, your children can enjoy the park with exciting games and activities. The park is set at a great height and is the highest children’s park in the world.
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Gulmarg Biosphere Reserve
- Location: Gulmarg Biosphere Reserve, Gulmarg, Jammu, And Kashmir
- Timings: 10:00 AM – 04:00 PM
Gulmarg Biosphere Reserve is famous for its vegetation and wildlife. The reserve is spread over an area of 180 sq. km. The reserve houses upland and pheasant birds.
The place is visited all around the year by birdwatchers. Also, the reserve provides shelter to endangered wildlife species such as leopards, red foxes, and musk deer.
The best time for mammal watching is from September to March, and birdwatching is from March to May.
Baba Reshi Shrine
Named after a known Muslim scholar and Saint, Baba Reshi Shrine is 5 km from Gulmarg and is located at 2133 m above sea level.
The saint after this shrine was built was a member of the court of King Zain-ul-Abidin.
Tourists from different parts of the world visit here to look at the shrine’s Mughal and Persian styles of architecture.
Also Read: 7 Historical Places in Jammu & Kashmir
Nagin Valley: Places to visit in Gulmarg
Located and surrounded by natural beauty from every corner, the Nagin Valley is a beautiful meadow that offers enthralling sights to visitors. Located in the foothills of Mount Apharwat, this once-sensitive valley is now officially open for tourism. The place is an excellent attraction for those who look up to camping and trekking.
Also Read: 10 Best Camping Places in India
Strawberry Valley
The valley makes you taste those fresh strawberries during summer. That is not enough! Walk down the valley to get through the unexplored part of Gulmarg. The place is famous for its Bollywood connection as many necessary sequences of movies have been shot here.
Ningle Nallah
Ningle Nallah is a beautiful stream with flowing water right from the melting ice of the Apharwat peak. It is situated at a distance of 10 km from Gulmarg. The place is the best attraction for those wishing to spend quality time with their family and friends in between the grassy fields.
Lienmarg
Lienmarg is 10 kms from Gulmarg. Well-known for its picturesque sights, the place rests at the height of 8700 feet above sea level. This beautiful meadow is enough to attract campers and trekkers from all across the globe. The place also offers different winter sports activities to tourists.
Best time to visit Gulmarg
The best time to visit Gulmarg is from March to July. However, for extreme adventure in the snow, you could also visit Gulmarg in the winter months of October & November. To know more about the best time to visit Gulmarg, Click Here!
Why should you visit Gulmarg?
- This ski resort is the perfect summer holiday destination and is just 46 km from Srinagar.
- Gulmarg provides with the best Himalayan view which you really can’t afford to miss.
- Trek lovers? Gulmarg is a popular trekking base.
- Gulmarg has exactly what a nature lover needs. The Gulmarg Biosphere Reserve is known for bird watching.
- The place has the highest-altitude golf course which is a true treat for golfers.
Gulmarg truly stands by its name, “meadow of flowers.” with complete bloom-shower in the summer season covered in beautiful flowers like daisies and bluebells.
From late November to early December, it gets carpeted in snow, making it one of the famous, most sought-after adventure sports and honeymoon places in India in winter.
So, we hope this guide helps you know the different places you must visit on your tour to Gulmarg. Gulmarg offers all you require for a fun and exciting trip with your friends and family. So, get ready to rush to Gulmarg this holiday season. You can also opt for a Kashmir itinerary 6 days to explore all these famous attractions.
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Nikhil Chandra
Digital marketer by profession and a keen traveler, amateur photographer and avid book reader by passion, Nikhil Chandra’s writing and photographs have been published in various travel magazines and blogs including Travel & Leisure, Seat 61, Mode&Tendances, Oryx Magazine (Qatar air inflight magazine) among others. Holding a masters in Literature and Marketing Management, Nikhil Chandra applies his educational qualifications, professional experience, and wander wisdom to write on a range of topics that includes search engine, PPC, content marketing, photography tips and travel. He summarizes himself succinctly as a writer here and there and on this and that.
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