Magical valley of Kashmir
Overview
Skiing is a major sport among adventure junkies and has become one of the most popular recreational activities in this century. Skiing is gaining tremendous recognition in the state of Jammu and Kashmir because of the presence of the mighty Himalayas, which serves as a perfect location for this sport.
The skiers use these skies to balance their body and maintain velocity. December to April is the best season timeline if you are planning to go skiing in Kashmir. The important skiing destinations are Gulmarg, Patnitop Pahalgam and others.
Skiing in Kashmir
It is one of the most exciting winter sports activities which you can opt for while touring Kashmir. Adventure enthusiasts would receive the kind of adrenaline rush they seek for.
There are lot of options as in places to perform this activity. Foremost among them is Gulmarg. It is the best skiing base in the Himalayas, first founded by the British in 1927. It has one of the highest lift-served as well as cheapest ski resorts in the world. In 1927, The Ski Club of India was established.
Located 50 km away from Srinagar, at an altitude of 2730 metres, Gulmarg draws ski-lovers from all over the world. You will definitely get a very thrilling atmosphere here. The Gulmarg Gondola, which is also Asia’s highest and the world’s second highest cable car circuit. It will take you to a petrifying height of almost 4,000 metres from where you can dash downhill for about 5 kilometres.
Other available activities
There are other activities like the Shark Fin, which is believed to be the best bowl for powder skiing. It is located on the backside of Mount Apharwat, it is a preferred slope for expert skiers. Previous year, Europe was out of bounds for winter sports enthusiasts from India because of travel restrictions .
But Courchevel and Gstaad’s loss has been Gulmarg’s gain and skiers and snowboarders from all over the country descended upon the glistening slopes of the staggering Pir Panjal range in Kashmir instead.
Gulmarg
The Gulmarg is the world’s third highest ski resort at 3950 metre altitude and known around the world for the powdery snow runs that it offers. However, despite all these facilities Gulmarg can be chaotic.
It needs more infrastructure to be able to do justice to those exceptional mountains. Still, the ski town’s endless slopes and fantastic snow conditions are reason enough to head there for a few days of skiing or snowboarding.
Patnitop
Other than Gulmarg, mountain slopes in Patnitop is an ideal skiing destination for beginners. Madha Top, almost 5 to 6 kilometres from Patnitop on the Sanasar Road, is an ideal place. January to late February is the best time to visit if you wish to go for skiing in Patnitop.
Kashmir hosts Asia’s only heliskiing resort. Gulmarg too, offers heliskiing for winter sports lovers. Being dropped by a helicopter on the summit of a high, snow-covered peak and then skiing down the slopes is truly one of the best experiences. Heliskiing is a dangerous sport. Apherwat Peak, Gulmarg is the main heli-skiing base in Kashmir.
Holiday Tour in Kashmir
Thus if you are planning a Holiday in Kashmir then make sure you visit Gulmarg and go skiing. It would be a memorable experience. If you have any apprehensions on the guide to reach Kashmir then the simplest itinerary would be to reach Jammu either by air or by railways.
Hire a car according to the number of people travelling and then set sail to Patnitop which is not much away from Jammu. It is a beautiful place with lush greenery and natural beauty. However if you are planning to skip Patnitop then you can directly go to Srinagar by air. From here you would reach Gulmarg easily in a car. It is merely 50 kilometres away. If you want to go for skiing then definitely target the winter months which would provide ample ice everywhere.
Conclusion
Kashmir has been a disturbed area ever since independence and a lot of people fear visiting there due to several concers. However it is one of the most beautiful places India has and is a huge tourism attraction. It is considered as heaven. And truly is because of the charms it has to offer. Also not to forget the beauty of this place.
