2022
Hello, Local Guides
Never say Never, was a note to self when I visited one of my most feared but always top on my wish list places Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir (India). I truly believe that for me this is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places in the world and today I am sharing some exciting moments from my trip to Gulmarg 🙂
I don't think this one post is enough to really explain my entire experience but I will try my best to keep it short and as informative as I can.
About Gulmarg:
Gulmarg hill station is a popular skiing destination. The town is situated in the Pir Panjal Range in the western Himalayas. In the 17th Century when Mughal Emperor Jehangir visited Kashmir he said that “Gar firdaus bar-rue zamin ast, hami asto, hamin asto,hamin ast.” Meaning (“If there is a heaven on earth, it's here, it's here, it's here.”) and till date, this quote holds true for all the tourist who visit and get mesmerized by the beauty of this place.
Mystic Snowclad Mountains, scenic beauty, mesmerizing views is how I had seen Gulmarg in Bollywood movies and it was exactly what I saw even in reality. I always wanted to go there, experience and perform famous Romantic Shahrukh Khan style Bollywood songs in the snow, which eventually I did 😄
My fears:
- First of all, I couldn't imagine myself in -14 degree temperature, I wasn't even sure I will be able to breathe in that kind of temperature
- Then I wasn't sure with all that snow around will we get any decent food to eat?
- With so much negative news on unrest in this area, I wasn’t sure what the actual condition was and will we be safe there?
- Then I couldn't think of a good reason that why are we shifting our business meeting to Gulmarg? To experience adventure sports?
To make our business meeting fun and adventurous, we planned this trip and can you believe it, learning a sport was part of our KRA. 😄
How to reach Gulmarg?
I have travelled before to Indian and International Locations but this place, so close to the border was a first time thrilling experience for me. This place does have very high security. I was really excited about the journey ahead.
To reach Gulmarg you can catch a flight from Delhi airport which is the sole departure point for flights to Srinagar. It takes about 1 hr 45 mins to reach Srinagar from Delhi and if you have a window seat, you will love the view of the Himalayas. It’s always better to pre-plan and book your packages in offseason to get the best rates. The journey from Srinagar airport till the hill station Gulmarg Kashmir is 60 kilometers by fully paved road. This is a (2 to 3 hours’ drive).
My stay at Nedou’s Hotel: “Home away from Home”
Nedou's Hotel Gulmarg Kashmir PC: Ambreen Shaikh Level 8 Local GuideAfter crossing all the pine and fir forest and villages and after all that curiosity, excitement, and fear we finally reached our destination Nedou’s Hotel in Gulmarg 😄
This hotel is a historic location and was launched in 1800’s by its founder Micheal Adam Nedou. The hotel has hosted numerous dignitaries, royalties, future world leaders from across the globe. They had renowned visitors, from Mahatama Gandhi, Prime Minister Nehru, Mountbatten etc… to name a few.
When we visited the entire hotel was covered in this amazing white snow. The view from every corner of this hotel was just so magical. I had a big wide smile on my face when we reached the hotel. The temperature was freezing. We all were super excited, our inner child had suddenly woken up, we didn’t even bother about our luggage and just got out of the car, running in random direction speeding towards the snow, we instantly started playing, rolling and jumping in the snow.
The hotel staff was extremely sweet and helpful. We received such a great welcome and we were first taken in a warm main dining room space which was also the lobby area, we were given some warm water. The staff was too kind to take our jackets and place it near the Bukhari for us to dry up and get normal. 
Food, Ambiance, Services, Staff, Rooms, Amenities & Facilities, Entertainment, Activities etc... the Hotel was 5*/5 experience in all the checklist. Prices are high here but since we booked in offseason we got good rate packages.
Things to do in Gulmarg:Gulmarg is the heartland of winter sports in India and rated as Asia's seventh best ski destination. Over the years Gulmarg attracts a large number of tourist. It also has Asia’s largest and world’s second largest cable car project called Gulmarg Gondola where it connects Gulmarg with Apharwat Mountain, from where one can ski down on a long snow-trail. Gulmarg is also known for its longest Golf Course in India.
There are many places in Gulmarg for sightseeing and so many activities you can possibly do here like: Skiing (Visit Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering), winter sports like skiing, tobogganing, snowboarding, and heli-skiing take place on the slopes of Mount Apharwat reachable by a Gondola lift. Trekking (April - November) There are so many limitless adventures in Gulmarg which begin from the three trekking trails- Alpather Lake, Khilanmarg and Apharwat. Gulmarg (60km from Srinagar), from which treks can be made to Apharwat and Alpather, the upland lakes of Vishansar and Gangabal and the Thajiwas Glacier. Gulmarg Gondola Cable Car Ride, Gulmarg Golf Course, Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary, Gulmarg View Point (Halt here - Srinagar to Gulmarg route), Srinagar Dal Lake (before you start your trip to Gulmarg). 
We had so much fun playing in the snow and personally for me I even learned snowboarding, I did fell alot 😄 but there were instructors to teach me those little tips and techniques. Took me a few hours to actually even stand on that snowboard without any support. You can rent gears from local shops and get started.
The weather is minimum – 8 degree Celsius approx from December till March. If you love adventure sports and wish to experience complete snowclad mountains then mid Jan to mid Feb is a recommended time to visit. Summer Season (April-June), Monsoon offSeason (July-September), Winter Season (October-March): Perfect for Skiing and adventure sports.
Food in Gulmarg:
Food in Gulmarg PC: Ambreen Shaikh Level 8 Local GuideThe local Kashmiri food is very delicious. They have the best bakeries. Kashmiri’s just love feeding you and they are so loving and caring. We tried the local Nadru Chips, Goshtaba, Kashmiri Dum Aloo, Wazwan, the famous Kashmiri Qahwah, Kashmiri pickle was also delicious, the sheermal roti was yum, we also had so many items for Morning breakfast, aloo tikki, mushrooms, waffle, eggs, variety of breads, local apple jam etc… their street Maggie is a hit, I loved eating Maggie here and had lots of soup in that crazy climate. We usually ate at Nedou's hotel and there were many street food stalls around the hotel where you can try the local food. Nadru chips you can try in Srinagar. You also get continental and international cuisine.
Is it safe to travel to Gulmarg?
Yes, it’s very safe to travel here if you have a local contact or know a local good family. Usually, there is no threat to the tourist, but you can get caught up in an unpleasant situation. It’s best to know a local tour guide or a friend, there is a lot of security in the area. But it’s very important to be aware of your surroundings. (Learn more)
Hope you enjoyed this post and found it helpful.
Overall I can only Thank God for making me experience this amazing place.
The best part was that I did overcome my fears. You can read more details about this beautiful place, about the local people, how to survive in freezing temperature? what are the things you must carry? etc... on my blog.
#Gulmarg #letsguide #googlelocalguides #connectwritingchallenge
Lot's of Love
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