Things to do in Gulmarg — the gondola, skiing, the meadow and two landmarks
Things to do in Gulmarg: the gondola up Apharwat, skiing in winter, the flowering meadow, St Mary's Church, the Maharani Temple and the wildlife sanctuary.
ArticleVerified 2026-10-23
Gulmarg in winter — the snow months, skiing on Apharwat, the gondola and the road
Gulmarg in winter: January days of 0.7°C and nights of -7.7°C by IMD normals, skiing and snowboarding on Apharwat by gondola, the March festival, and the road.
Gulmarg is the place most Indians think of when they think of skiing, and its winter is long and deep. Here is what the numbers say, and how to plan a snow trip.
Photos: Koshur (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Maheshkumarrathi (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
How cold, and how much snow
By the India Meteorological Department's normals for 1991–2020, given in Wikipedia's weather box:
- December: mean high 4.6°C, mean low -4.8°C, 74.1 mm.
- January: mean high 0.7°C, mean low -7.7°C, 161.3 mm.
- February: mean high 1.8°C, mean low -6.4°C, 207.5 mm.
- March: mean high 5.4°C, mean low -2.7°C, 215.6 mm.
Most of that winter precipitation falls as snow; Wikipedia describes a wet winter with heavy snowfall. The lowest temperature recorded is -31.6°C, in February. On the upper slopes, at the gondola's second stage near Apharwat, it is colder still.
Skiing and the snow sports
Gulmarg became a ski resort by design. In 1960 the alpine skier Rudolph Matt, invited by the government, judged it right for winter sports; the Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering opened in 1968, and heli-skiing came in the mid-1980s. Today Wikipedia lists skiing, tobogganing, snowboarding and heli-skiing on the slopes of Apharwat. The National Winter Games came here three times, the last in 2008, and the first Khelo India Winter Games in March 2020. We have no verified course dates, hire prices or lift passes; ask locally.
The gondola
The Gulmarg Gondola, opened in stages between 1998 and 2011, carries skiers and sightseers up to Kongdoori and on towards Apharwat. Its operation depends heavily on the weather at both stages, so it can close in wind, cloud or storm. Go early and keep a spare morning.
The road in winter
Gulmarg is about 51 km and 61 minutes from Srinagar on our routing, but snow slows the climb from Tangmarg, and the road can close after heavy falls. Leave early, travel with a driver used to snow, and keep a spare day either side.
The winter festival
Each March the resort holds a three-day winter festival of music, film and photography, by Wikipedia's account. The dates change each year.
Plan it
Copy the one-day plan and read how to reach Gulmarg and the best time to go. For Srinagar in the cold months, see the Kashmir five-day plan.
Places around Gulmarg
The Gulmarg guide →
Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary — the forest and meadows around the resort
The Gulmarg Gondola — the two-stage cable car up Apharwat
Maharani Temple, Gulmarg — the Shiva temple of 1915 on the meadow's rise
St Mary's Church, Gulmarg — the 1902 church in the valley of shepherds
Apharwat Peak — the mountain above Gulmarg and its ski slopes
Jama Masjid Srinagar — the great wooden Friday mosque of the old city
Khanqah-e-Moula — the wooden shrine of Shah-e-Hamadan on the Jhelum
Hari Parbat Fort — the hill fort above Srinagar's old city
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Questions people ask
When does Gulmarg get snow?
Through the winter. By the IMD normals for 1991–2020, mean highs stay between 0.7 and 5.4°C from December to March, and January nights fall to -7.7°C. February and March bring the year's heaviest precipitation, 207.5 and 215.6 mm, and Wikipedia describes a wet winter with heavy snowfall.
Can beginners ski in Gulmarg?
Gulmarg has trained skiers since the Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering opened in 1968, and Wikipedia says skiing, tobogganing, snowboarding and heli-skiing all take place on Apharwat's slopes. We have no verified course dates, fees or hire prices; ask the institute or operators in Gulmarg, and start on gentle ground.
Does the Gulmarg Gondola run in winter?
Yes, it is how skiers reach the upper slopes, but Wikipedia says its operation depends heavily on the weather at both stages, so it can stop in wind, cloud or storm. We have no verified fares. Go early in the day and keep a spare morning in case it is closed.