Top 7 Places to Visit in Gulmarg

Gulmarg is a pristine town in the state of Jammu and Kashmir known for its snow-capped mountains and is the country’s favourite skiing destination. It is a tourist hotspot for people who are adventure lovers, looking for serenity and also serves as the perfect family getaway from the hustle bustle of city life. Gulmarg is also known to be one of the top places that honeymooners like to visit because of its sheer beauty. The best part of this hill station is the fact that it isn’t just a pretty place; it also has abundant activities to keep yourself entertained as you enjoy your frosty vacation. Let us look at the top 7 places to visit in Gulmarg

1. Gondola Lift

Sea to Sky Gondola, Photo by GoToVan,  CC BY 2.0

If you are visiting Gulmarg, chances are that you are here to try your hand at skiing. Gondola lift is one of the major attractions of the hill station and is part of the only cable car in the entire of Asia that is at the elevation of over 13,500 ft. above sea-level. The lift gets its name from the Gondola village of Gulmarg. It stretches over 5 kms and offers stunning views of the valley. It is definitely a must-see when you’re visiting Gulmarg!

2. The Gulmarg Ski Area

Ski Chairs, Photo by Ankur P, CC BY-SA 2.0

The Gulmarg Ski Area consists of the Gondola valley and the Poma terrain. It has become one of the most popular areas used for skiing as it takes you from between pine trees out into the valley. Not only skiing, the area has a lot of other sports as well such as snowboarding, snow scooters and snow bobbing. This place is heaven for adventure-lovers!

3. Alphather Lake

The beautiful Alphather Lake is located about 13 km away from Gulmarg and surrounded by the snow-capped hills of the Apharwat range. It is frozen till the middle of June and takes up one full day for a visit. The lake is crystal-clear from having descended from the Himalayas directly and offers tranquillity like no other place.

4. Baba Reshi Shrine

Photo by Ankur P, CC BY-SA 2.0

The Baba Reshi Shrine is often referred to as being a quaint little temple that is surrounded by intricately carved out walls. Known for the tasty langar it offers, make sure to grab a bite when you are there. The shrine is also known to be historically significant because parents offer their prayers here for their children’s health. Make sure to be appropriately dressed and do pay a visit for the divine serenity of this place.

5. Nagin Valley

Nagin Valley has been recently opened up for tourists after 22 years of ban on entry. It offers a paradise for trekkers who can hire camping gear and set up their sites in the valley. Moreover, the road trip to the valley itself is a sight to behold as clouds descend to the roads and offer a heavenly experience. The LOC is a few kilometres away and the valley serves as a getaway from the busy town area.

6. Golf Course

Photo by Muzaffar Bukhari, CC BY-SA 2.0

What can be better than acres and acres of open green grass surrounded by mountains and peaks? Golf course of Gulmarg is at a height of 2,600 meters above sea level making it one of the highest green golf courses of the world. The course is frequently hosts several gold championships and was initially started out by the Britishers. One can get a temporary membership which is eligible for even one day to experience how British Royalty once passed their time!

7. Khilanmarg

Photo by Ankur P, CC BY-SA 2.0

Just 6 km away from the Gulmarg bus top is this beautiful meadow of Khilanmarg which is covered in flowers and offers a view of the entire Himalayan range with the added bonus of getting to see Nanga Parbat. It is a pure delight in the spring season when the whole area is engulfed in flowers. It is also near winter ski runs and sits in the middle of a valley. A must visits for nature-lovers!

Gulmarg is the perfect destination for people who love snow and enjoy treks as well as couples who want to spend some quality time with each other taking in the serenity of this place. Gulmarg has been the location of numerous Bollywood movie shoots and rightly so as the snow-capped mountains provide the perfect vision of heaven.

Some More Tourist Destinations Of Jammu and Kashmir:

About Rohit

An architect by profession, Rohit Agarwal is a curious traveller, seeking out the minutest detail about the places he travels to, and that’s what one will find in his writings. His writings have appeared in various blogs, he’s currently trying to bring forth as many different places a traveller who shares the same level of curiosity like him would like to visit through his writings.

1 thought on “Top 7 Places to Visit in Gulmarg”

  1. Wow!! All these places looks so beautiful in pictures. I am also planning a trip with my friends here hope i will enjoy..:)

    Thank you for sharing this beautiful post with us 🙂

    Reply

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