|
 Situated
at an altitude of 2,730 meter and placed approximately 45 km
away from the heart of Srinagar, Gulmarg is another place where
a number of travelers love to go. The literal meaning of Gulmarg
is ‘meadows of flowers’. Gulmarg was the resort for the Emperor
Jahangir who visited often. The original name of this place was
"Gaurimarg", named after Lord Shiva's wife. It was a favourite
summer holiday destination for the British stationed in India.
You can reach Gulmarg from Srinagar by private or personal car
and it will take hardly 2 hours.
Gulmarg Gandola Ride
The wonderful attraction in Gulmarg is the Cable Car ride, which
is also known as Gondola Lift/Ride (1 km west of Gulmarg’s bus
stand). Jammu and Kashmir State Cable Car Corporations manage
the Gulmarg Cable Car ride.
The ride is divided into two sections – Gulmarg to Kongdori and
Kongdori to Apherwat. The Gondola passes over the pine forests,
starting from a height of 2690 m above sea level and rise up to
3090 m while reaching Kongdoor.
The majestic view of the lush green hilly terrains and the
panoramic views of the picturesque surroundings offer the
greatest experience for a tourist while enjoying the cable car
ride. The ride also passes by the scenic spot of Khilanmarg - a
meadow with a carpet of colorful flowers.
Skiing
Skiing and snowboarding are two main activities which can be
carried out in Gulmarg and it has become the most popular spot
for skiing in India. Winter comes here with all its majesty and
snow falling makes the landscape covered with thick glossy
smooth snow.
The slopes in Gulmarg are all natural, for the beginners it is
best suited to choose the gentle slopes of ski runs that ranges
from 200 m to 3 km. Indian Institute of Skiing and
Mountaineering located here also offers 10 day & 21 day short
ski courses for newbies as well as advanced skiers.
Gulmarg has many ski resorts with all kinds of facilities for
skiing. Tourist can get the help of skiing guides from the
resorts or government shops. They offer all supports for an
enthralling and exciting skiing vacation in Gulmarg. The best
time for skiing is during January to March. Skiing races are
also organized here during the festivals like Christmas and
Easter.
Golf
Golf is the best attractive sport in Gulmarg. Gulmarg Golf Club,
established in 1911, was a summer resort for the British and
they started playing Golf in the vast expanse of majestic
greenish grounds of the Club. This has been credited as the
highest green golf course all over the country.
This majestic golf club offers an 18 hole and 72 par golf course
facility for its privileged visitors. The attractive feature of
this golf course is that they offer temporary membership, even
for a day, for golf enthusiasts. Tourists can reach there on
foot. The Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation
maintains and manages this superb Golf course.
How to
Reach
Gulmarg By Air
Nearest airport to Gulmarg is Srinagar which is 56 km away from
Gulmarg. Jeeps and Taxi cabs are available from airport to
Gulmarg, which will cost around Rs 1,000 – 1,200. Srinagar is
well connected to Delhi with daily regular flights. Many other
Indian cities are also connected to Srinagar by air.
Gulmarg by Bus
Gulmarg is well linked by bus services from most of the cities
in Jammu and Kashmir. State owned buses and Private tourist
deluxe luxury buses are also available to reach Gulmarg from
various parts of J&K like Srinagar (Rs 150), Sonmarg (Rs 300)
and many other parts of the state. |
