A half-day on Gulmarg's meadow — the sanctuary, the golf meadow and two landmarks
A gentler plan for days when the cable car is closed or not wanted. It walks the meadow of the Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary, passes the golf course and visits St Mary's Church and the Maharani Temple. For the cable car, see the one-day plan.
Photos: Shibnath Samanta (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Mehakmengi (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Vishyvishal14 (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Who this is for
Families and anyone who prefers walking to lifts, best from spring to early autumn when the meadow is green and the path is open.
Day by day
Day 1A slow morning on the meadow
4 stops · 10 min on the road
A slow morning on the meadow
Four easy stops on the meadow, none more than 7 minutes apart.
- 09:00Gulmarg Wildlife SanctuaryThe meadow and forest edge around the resort, which lie inside the sanctuary; keep to paths and keep your distance from wildlife.
- 11:00Gulmarg Golf CourseThe meadow golf course, laid out in the British period.
- ↓ 3 min by road · 1 km12:30St Mary's ChurchThe 1902 church with its wooden interior.
- ↓ 7 min by road · 3 km13:45Maharani TempleThe temple of 1915 above the meadow, with a view back across it.
Getting there
Gulmarg is about 51 km and 61 minutes from Srinagar by road. See how to reach Gulmarg and when to visit.
Where to stay
Stay in Gulmarg. We have no verified lodging, prices or booking rules.
Know before you go
- Keep to paths in the sanctuary and do not approach wildlife; Wikipedia lists bears and leopards among its mammals.
- Check current local conditions and your government's travel advice; the area is near the Line of Control.
- We have no verified hours for the church or temple; ask locally.
Places on this route
Going together
No one has started a group going on this plan yet. Start one and other travellers can ask to come along.
Other ways to do it
All Gulmarg itineraries →
More places nearby
All of Gulmarg →
Nearby destinations
All destinations →
Questions people ask
What is there to do in Gulmarg without the gondola?
Walk the meadow, which lies inside the Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary, pass the golf course, and visit St Mary's Church and the Maharani Temple. The stops are 4 to 7 minutes apart by road on our routing and easy on foot across the meadow. In spring and summer the meadow flowers with daisies and buttercups.
Is the meadow safe to walk?
The meadow near the resort is the usual walking ground. Wikipedia lists bears and leopards among the sanctuary's mammals, so keep to paths, avoid dusk, and never approach wildlife. The area is near the Line of Control, so follow local instructions and check the day's conditions.
When is the meadow best?
Spring to early autumn, when the snow has gone and the meadow flowers. In winter the meadow lies under snow, and the day becomes one for the gondola or for skiing. Wikipedia describes moderate summers, with relatively cool seasons either side, and gives no weather table, so check the forecast.