Best time to visit Gulmarg — snow, flowers and the winter festival
When to visit Gulmarg: heavy snow and skiing in winter, flowering meadows in spring and summer, a March winter festival, and what weather means for the gondola.
ArticleVerified 2026-10-14
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.
Gulmarg is a mountain meadow with one big attraction and several quiet ones.
Up the mountain
The Gulmarg Gondola carries visitors in two stages towards Apharwat. In winter its slopes serve skiers, tobogganers, snowboarders and heli-skiers. Wikipedia says the ski club here dates from 1927.
On the meadow
In spring and summer the meadows flower, among pine and fir forest. St Mary's Church, built in 1902, and the Maharani Temple, built in 1915, are an easy walk apart. A golf course lies at the edge of the meadow, from the British period.
The sanctuary
The resort lies inside the Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary, where Wikipedia records bears, leopards, musk deer and 95 species of birds. Keep to paths and away from animals.
Festivals
A three-day winter festival is held in March, and Gulmarg has hosted the National Winter Games and the Khelo India Winter Games.
Next reads
Copy the one-day plan or the meadows half-day, and read when to visit Gulmarg and how to reach Gulmarg.
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
More stories to read
All stories →
How to reach Gulmarg — the road from Srinagar via Tangmarg
How to reach Gulmarg from Srinagar by road via Tangmarg, with measured distances and times from the airport and railway, Baramulla and the winter road.
Manali solo — the honest guide to going alone, on a budget or not
Going to Manali alone: the villages where solo travellers stay, the walks that need no guide, getting around without hiring a whole taxi, and what a week costs.
Manali in October — the month we would send a first visit
Manali in October: the year's clearest skies, days around 22 °C, the pass open until mid-November, the poplars turning, the treks' last clear weeks, no crowd.
Dehnasar Lake trek from Barot — what is published, and what is not
Dehnasar Lake sits at 4,280 m above Barot; the trek is 14 km each way from Polling and takes at least two days. June and September are the ideal months.
What to pack for Manali, by season
Manali packing by season: layers for cold nights at 2,050 m even in June, rain gear for July and August, real winter kit for Sissu and Solang. What to hire.
Nearby destinations
All destinations →
Today on HimLocal
Been here?Help the next traveller — our team checks every contribution.
Questions people ask
What are the best things to do in Gulmarg?
Ride the Gulmarg Gondola up Apharwat, ski, toboggan or snowboard in winter, walk the flowering meadow in spring and summer, and visit St Mary's Church and the Maharani Temple. The wildlife sanctuary surrounds the resort. Wikipedia calls Gulmarg the heartland of winter sports in India.
Can you ski at Gulmarg?
Yes, on the slopes of Apharwat, which you reach by the gondola. Wikipedia lists skiing, tobogganing, snowboarding and heli-skiing there, and says a ski club was set up in 1927 and that the Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering opened in 1968. We have no verified rates or rental details.
Is there anything to do in Gulmarg in summer?
Yes: the meadows flower, the gondola still runs when the weather allows, and the church and temple are an easy walk. Wikipedia notes a golf course among the British-era amenities. The Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary around the resort holds forest and alpine meadow, but keep to paths and away from wildlife.