Gulmarg is famously reckoned as the “Heart of Winter Sports in India”, perched at an altitude of 2730 m above sea level. It is a quaint town situated in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is well known for its snow-capped mountains and is an ideal destination for skiing. This place serves as an excellent family getaway from the hustle-bustle of city life. It is endowed with snow-covered lofty Himalayas, meadows of flowers, deep ravines, and evergreen forested valleys, it also boasts the world’s second-highest Gondola ride.
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It is also well known to be one of the top places that honeymooners like to visit because of its exquisite beauty. The best part of this place is the fact that it isn’t just a lovely place; it also has abundant activities to keep you entertained to provide you with an eclectic experience, which will make it a remarkable journey. There are many incredible places to visit in Gulmarg that will help to explore its history, culture, art, and lifestyle.
10 Places to Visit in Gulmarg
- Gulmarg Gondola
- Alpather Lake
- Gulmarg Golf
- Baba Reshi Shrine
- Gulmarg Biosphere Reserve
- Ningle Nallah
- Gulmarg Ski Area
- Khilanmarg
- Maharani Temple
- Drung Waterfall
Gulmarg Gondola
Gulmarg Gondola is the second-longest cable car in the world, it is perched at an elevation of over 13,500 ft. above sea level. It is one of the tourist attractions of Gulmarg. It stretches over 5 km and offers picturesque views of the valley.
It is divided into two phases, Phase 1 connects Gulmarg Resort to Kongdoori Station and Phase 2 connects Kongdoori Mountain to Apharwat Peak. It serves a magnificent view of Nanda Devi, LOC, and the Pir Panjal range. It is a perfect destination for activities like horse riding and snow skiing. It is indeed one of the famous tourist places in Gulmarg.
Best Time to Visit: October to June
Opening Hours: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Major Attractions: Cable car
Things to Do: Photography, Sports activities.
Alpather Lake
Alphather Lake is situated about 13 km away from the main city, at the foot of Apharwat peak. It is adorned by the snow-capped hills of the Apharwat. The lake has a huge chunk of ice floating in it. The lake stays frozen during winters offering panorama views. It is indeed one of the impeccable tourist places to visit in Gulmarg.
The lake is crystal-clear and descends from the Himalayas directly and offers serenity to the place. The lake is endowed with beautiful flowers and trees. The lake stays frozen during winters with striking scenic views. It is one of the most surreal lakes, it is a paradise for the likes of philosophers, poets, or people looking for solitude.
Best Time to Visit: October to June
Major Attractions: Snow-capped hills
Things to Do: Photography
Gulmarg Golf
course The golf course of Gulmarg is perched at the elevation of 2,600 meters above sea level, reckoned as one of the highest green golf courses in the world. This tourist destination of Gulmarg was used to play golf by Britishers since 1911 and was inaugurated in 2011.
The golf course is beautiful and boasts a meadow with many varieties of beautiful and rare species of flowers. Tourists are allowed to take their cars inside for a ride and enjoy a ride on one of the most amazing golf courses in the world. It is indeed one of the beautiful places to visit in Gulmarg.
Best Time to Visit: October to June
Major Attractions: Meadow
Things to Do: Photography
Baba Reshi Shrine
The Baba Reshi Shrine is a pristine little temple that is endowed with intricately carved out walls. It is popularly known for its tasty langar. This place has a great historical significance because parents offer their prayers here for their children’s health.
The Baba Reshi is 500 years old and holds an important position as a religious tourist destination in Gulmarg. It is dedicated to Baba Payamuddin, a Muslim disciple of Baba Zainuddin Reshi. This shrine has very appealing architecture and resembles Mughal and Persian architecture. The beautifully-crafted wooden artworks inside the shrine are the prime attractions for history lovers, which make it an eminent tourist place to visit in Gulmarg to witness the divine serenity of this shrine.
Best Time to Visit: October to June
Major Attractions: Temple architect
Things to Do: Photography
Gulmarg Biosphere Reserve
The Gulmarg Biosphere Reserve is a protected reserve located 48 km away from the state of Srinagar. It is perched at an altitude of 2400m above sea level. It is home to many exotic and rare species including musk deer, snow leopard, etc.
It has been a major tourist destination in the Gulmarg emulating the grandness of flora and fauna. The reserve abodes many wildlife animals like Himalayan Musk Deer, Red Fox, Brown and Black Bear many migratory birds. An amazing abundance of rich Himalayan wildlife here makes it an enthusiast paradise. It is one of the best places to visit in Gulmarg for exploring indigenous and exotic animals.
Best Time to Visit: October to June
Major Attractions: Himalayan Musk Deer
Things to Do: Photography
Ningle Nallah
Ningle Nallah located 10 km away from the main town, is a stream that has its origin in Allaptri Naag. This place is a mountain stream covered with snow-capped mountains and lush green pastures from all four sides. This tourist spot of Gulmarg is highly recommended for family outings. The majestic mountains valleys and beautiful River Jhelum offer a fabulous serene view. It is indeed one of the beautiful tourist places to visit in Gulmarg.
Best Time to Visit: October to June
Major Attractions: Snow-capped mountains
Things to Do: Photography, Picnic, Camping, and Trekking
Gulmarg Ski Area
The Gulmarg Ski Area includes Gondola valley and the Poma terrain. It is one of the famous places used for skiing as it takes you from between lovely pine trees out into the beautiful valley. It is an ideal destination for other sports activities as well such as snowboarding, snow scooters, and snow bobbing. It is a paradise for adventure and nature enthusiasts.
For beginners, the three baby slopes are available with expert ski instructors and for veteran skiers, the slopes of the Aparwath Peak are perfect, with the smooth and steep gradients making it an excellent place for powder skiing in India. It is indeed one of the top tourist places to visit in Gulmarg.
Best Time to Visit: October to June
Major Attractions: Aparwath Peak
Things to Do: Photography, Sports activities
Khilanmarg
Khilanmarg is the most amazing sightseeing place in Gulmarg. It is located at a distance of 4kms away from Gulmarg and is a quaint little valley. It is a paradise for those who are looking for a rendezvous with Tranquil and serene surroundings.
This place is surrounded by serene glimpses of some of the tallest Himalayan peaks. One can easily explore the views of Nanga Parbat and the twin peaks Nun and Kun. It is a great place to visit in Gulmarg for offbeat travel enthusiasts as the place is not directly reachable on vehicles.
Best Time to Visit: May to September
Major Attractions: Nanga Parbat, Flowers
Things to Do: Photography, Adventure activities
Maharani Temple
Maharani Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, it is perched at the hillock in Gulmarg. It was built by Queen Mohini Bai Sisodia, the wife of the erstwhile ruler of Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh and thus, it is popularly called as Maharani Temple or Rani Temple. This red-rooftop temple along with being a holy place is also an incredible tourist place to visit in Gulmarg. This place has been featured in Bollywood films.
Best Time to Visit: October to June
Major Attractions: Shrine of Lord Shiva
Things to Do: Photography
Drung Waterfall
The Drung Waterfall is an impeccable tourist attraction located in the Tangmarg tehsil of Gulmarg. This place freezes completely during winter due to the extremely low temperature.
The cascading waterfall blend with the water that originates from the magnificent glaciers and makes it a remarkable journey. It is endowed with a beautiful waterfall, lakes, streams, surrounding lush greenery as well caves. It is indeed one of the top tourist places to visit in Gulmarg.
Best Time to Visit: October to June
Major Attractions: Glaciers
Things to Do: Photography
Gulmarg, with the abundant greenery, scenic view, beautiful lakes, majestic hills, temples, wildlife, magnificent peaks, and every other tourist attraction is indeed a great place where you can spend a fantastic vacation. The list of best places to visit in Gulmarg offers a spectacular amalgamation of nature and wildlife, where you can explore the greenery and view the beautiful scenery around you.
FAQ
What are the famous foods of Gulmarg?
The sumptuous foods of Gulmarg include Dum Aloo, Chaman, Rogan Josh, meatballs in gravy, chicken, or fish cooked with vegetables.
What is special in Gulmarg?
Gulmarg is very well known for its skiing views in India. This town is situated on the Pir Panjal Range, which is a part of the western Himalayas.
How many days are enough for Gulmarg?
A week would be perfect to explore Gulmarg.
Which is the best month to visit Gulmarg?
Gulmarg is a pristine little town located in the heart of Kashmir. The pristine meadows of Gulmarg, are usually lush green during April and early May. The best time to visit Gulmarg for Snowfall in January and February.