GULMARG
The Alps of Kashmir
Nestled at an altitude of 2,650 meters in the Pir Panjal range, Gulmarg is one of the most stunning meadow destinations in the world and India’s premier ski resort in winter. Originally called ‘Gaurimarg’ by shepherds in honor of Goddess Parvati, it was renamed Gulmarg (“meadow of flowers”) by Sultan Yusuf Shah of the Chak Dynasty in the 16th century.
Today, this bowl-shaped valley dazzles visitors year-round: blanketed in thick snow from December to March, carpeted with wildflowers in summer, and glowing golden in autumn.
Just 50 km from Srinagar, Gulmarg offers breathtaking 360° views of towering peaks including Nanga Parbat (on clear days) and Apharwat, along with Asia’s highest gondola ride, world-class golfing, and serene pony trails through pine forests.
Experience the magic of staying on the slopes themselves. The charming wooden huts and colonial-style cottages near Kongdoori and the upper Apharwat station let you wake up literally amidst the clouds. The two-stage Gulmarg Gondola — one of the highest cable cars in the world — whisks you from Gulmarg base (2,650 m) to Kongdoori (3,100 m) in Phase 1 and then up to Apharwat Peak (3,980 m) in Phase 2. At the top station, cozy huts and luxury igloo-style cottages offer panoramic vistas of snow-clad peaks and the valley below. Spend your nights under a blanket of stars, enjoy hot kahwa by the fireplace, and step right out for off-piste skiing, snowboarding, or summer hikes — truly an unforgettable alpine escape.
By Syed Adil
Come June–July, the lower slopes of Gulmarg burst into surreal purple as thousands of lavender plants bloom across vast meadows, turning the landscape into a scene straight out of Provence. These fragrant lavender fields, introduced as part of agricultural initiatives, have quickly become one of Gulmarg’s most Instagrammed attractions. Walk along soft trails surrounded by purple haze, with snow-capped Apharwat looming in the background and the sweet scent of lavender filling the air. The best spots lie between the Golf Course and the road to Drung, and many local farmers now offer guided walks and fresh lavender products. Pair your visit with the nearby alpather lake trail or a quiet picnic — it’s pure Kashmiri summer romance.
Nature, in the common sense, refers to essences unchanged by man; space, the air, the river, the leaf. Art is applied to the mixture of his will with the same things, as in a house, a canal, a statue, a picture.
But his operations taken together are so insignificant, a little chipping, baking, patching, and washing, that in an impression so grand as that of the world on the human mind, they do not vary the result.
