GULMARG ("Meadow of Flowers")
At an altitude of 2730 meters above sea level and at a
distance of 56 kms., from Srinagar City. A huge cup shaped meadow,
lush and green, with slopes where the silence is broken only by the
tinkle of cow bells, Gulmarg looks like a fantasy set in a film and
not surprisingly has been the venue of numerous Indian films. All
around are snow capped mountains and on a clear day you can see all
the way to Nanga Parbat in one direction and Srinagar on the other.
From Gulmarg a pony track as well as a modern Gondola Cable Car
leads upwards to Khilanmarg, Kongdori and Apharwat - the peak which
looms up from this point is Alpather Lake a picturesque alpine
lake, frozen till late June. For horse riding aficionados, Alpather
Lake makes an existing day’s excursion starting early morning and
returning late evening.
Horse Riding (Pony Ride)
There is excellent
horse riding place in the open valley with beautiful green meadows.
Pony riding is one of amusements for the tourists. The Horses or
Ponies are available in large on hire.
Golf
Gulmarg has a beautiful golf course that is situated at a height of
2,650 meters above the sea level. Tourists who travel to Gulmarg
visit this beautiful and panoramic golf course, if not to actually
play the game, but to admire the lush green land slopes that
incline gradually and form a sight to behold. Tours to Gulmarg
usually offer you a temporary membership at the golf course
Skiing & Trekking
As far as adventure
sports is concerned Gulmarg is a trekking base for those who trek
to the Pir Panjal Range, Nanga Parbat and Khilalmarg. Tours to
Gulmarg offer you facilities for hiring trekking equipment and
local guides. Most of the resorts in Gulmarg provide all the
facilities along with world-class equipment for those keen on
skiing. Khilalmarg is an important skiing center. The skiing season
commences in December and goes on till the month of April. The
Gulmarg biosphere reserve is located at a distance of 48 kilometers
from Srinagar and offers one of the most attractive wildlife tour
and travel packages.