Gulmarg

Gulmarg, India

Snow-covered alpine trees in Gulmarg at sunrise with mountains in the background.

Go for alpine meadows and the gondola ride above the Kashmir Valley, but come prepared for cold, crowds and a slow road.

The place

Gulmarg sits in the Pir Panjal range of the Western Himalayas, inside the boundaries of the Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary, in the Indian-administered part of Kashmir. Gulmarg is run by a notified area committee, a local administrative body, and sits in Baramulla district within the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is also close to the Line of Control, which divides land held by India from land held by Pakistan. At roughly 2,690 metres, it is high enough that summer evenings stay cool and winter brings deep snow that lingers for months.

The town is compact. Hotels, guesthouses and small eateries cluster around the gondola station and the bus stand, and the open meadow spreads out from there. Most visitors come for the views across the valley and the chance to climb toward the high ridges by cable car. In summer the meadow fills with wildflowers and the conifers reach down to the edges of the town. In winter the same ground becomes a ski slope, and the streets feel quieter.

Practical points matter here. The road from Srinagar is long and winding, and the last stretch from Tangmarg is narrow. Weekends bring more people up the hill, so weekday visits usually feel calmer. Bring warm layers even in summer, because the temperature drops quickly after the sun leaves the meadow and the weather can change within an hour. Cash is useful for small purchases, since many stalls and guides do not take cards.

Its story

Local people knew the place as Gaurimarg, the path of the goddess Gauri, until Yousuf Shah Chak, who ruled Kashmir in the late sixteenth century, gave it the name it carries now. Under the Mughals, the emperor Jahangir came to the meadow and gathered wild flowering plants to take back to his gardens, which gives the town a link to the great garden tradition of the subcontinent.

The British Raj made Gulmarg a summer and recreational retreat. Civil servants hunted game in the surrounding forest and played golf, and three golf courses were laid out on the meadow. In 1927 the British founded a ski club and held two skiing events a year, at Christmas and at Easter. The archaeologist Marc Aurel Stein also explored the area in the late nineteenth century.

After British rule ended, Gulmarg belonged to the princely state of Kashmir and Jammu, ruled by the Dogra king Hari Singh. He acceded to India in October 1947. Within weeks the area was swept into the India–Pakistan war of 1947–1948. Pakistan-backed tribal fighters came through the Haji Pir pass and took Gulmarg briefly, before Indian Army counterattacks, led by the 1st Sikh Regiment near Srinagar, retook the town. In 1948 the army set up the High Altitude Warfare School here.

The Indian government promoted the town as a tourist and winter sports destination in the 1960s. Insurgency in the 1990s hurt visitor numbers badly, and tourism recovered only in the twenty-first century. The gondola, built in several phases from the late 1990s, has become the town's main attraction.

What to see

Culture

Kashmir's population is largely Muslim, and Gulmarg's religious life reflects the valley's mix of Sufi shrines, Hindu temples and a Christian church. Religious sites are where visitors are most likely to notice local customs. The Baba Reshi shrine is a working place of prayer, and the Maharani Temple is an active Shiva temple. Both ask for quiet and covered shoulders, and many worshippers remove their shoes before stepping onto carpeted areas.

Kashmiri hospitality is famously warm, and tea is often offered freely in homes and guesthouses. Accept it gracefully, and do not expect to pay for every cup offered in a family home. Ask before photographing people, especially women and children, and avoid pointing a camera at religious ceremonies. Security is visible on the roads in this region. Keep your identity documents with you when travelling by road, and be patient at informal checkpoints, which are part of the journey here.

Remove your shoes before entering any shrine or temple, and cover your head at the Baba Reshi shrine.

What to wear

Traditional dress in Kashmir is built for cold. The pheran is a long, loose woollen tunic worn over other clothes, and people often carry a kangri, a small firepot of clay and charcoal, tucked beneath it for warmth. Men and women both wore the pheran through winter, and it is still common in the valley towns. The textile tradition to look for is embroidery. Kashida, a fine thread embroidery, decorates shawls and caps, and woven wool and pashmina shawls are sold in shops across the region.

What people wear now is mixed. Many residents dress in jackets, jeans and trainers, adding a pheran or a woollen cap when the weather turns. Women often wear a headscarf, which is common though not universal. Young people and visiting skiers wear technical outerwear, so the full range from traditional to ski gear can appear on the same street.

For a visit, dress in layers. Pack a warm fleece or down jacket, a waterproof shell, a hat, gloves and thermal base layers, even in summer, because evenings are cold. Wear sturdy waterproof boots with good grip for muddy and snowy paths. For religious sites, choose long trousers or a long skirt with sleeves that cover the shoulders, and carry a scarf so you can cover your head.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. June to September for open meadows, wildflowers and the gondola in fair weather; December to March for skiing, though the road is slippery and temperatures fall below zero.

How long. 2–3

Getting there. Reach Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, then drive or take a bus for about 1.5 hours. Local buses run as far as Tangmarg, and from there mini coaches or taxis climb to Gulmarg.

Budget. mid

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources