Gulmarg
It really turns into heaven during winter.
Best time to visit for plenty of snow is january to march (winter season is from December to april)
Tips,:
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In February visitors are very less ...so not at all crowded ...50_% you will find foreigner. We saw Indians avoid place due to fear of terrorism , but we found it quite safe in this part of Kashmir.
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Carry your own alcohol ..its allowed in domestic flight. As in gulmarg it's very expensive in hotels and no liquor shop.
You can even carry your alcohol to phase 1 and 2 although it's not allowed to drink openly, but if you are not disturbing others and are into limits than people around generally don't object.
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You don't need guide to roam around and in gondola .....you require only if you want to explore surrounding area on foot for trekkers l.
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Book hotel around gondola and always book with breakfast and dinner option....as in night it gets really cold and we didn't find any good restaurants around open in winters .
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Only post paid sim cards work in Jammu and Kashmir, With Airtel having best 4G network.
6. take good sunglass, rent gum boots@ 75 , rent plastic trousers at 200...to enjoy walking comfortabally in knee deep snow.
Ideal time to be spent , 3 nights in gulmarg
Day 1: you will reach generally by late afternoon .....move around and relax in hotel ( it takes 2 hours from srinagar airport , take food or snacks at raja dhaba for vegetatains road condition is good with 80_% road flat and 20% ghat, book car before ....its approx 2500 for innova )
Day 2: visit phase 1 and 2 ....beautiful place ....sit ...enjoy nature .....have food .
Do sports activity ( like ...sking , sledge ,ATV bikes etc ) they can even arrange camp fire in evening if you demand ...your guide can arrange but you need to hire snow bikes to return as gondola gets closed at 4pm during winter )
Note : you can find all those activities at cheaper rates in golf course at base .
Also if possible avoid going for gondola on Sunday as lot of local people also come , although it took us just 30 minutes of waiting on winter Sunday , which is approx 3 hours during peak season in summer .
Day 3: just explore surrounding on foot like area around golf course , shiv mandir around market , church in middle of golf course , outer circle walk ( it's around 8 to 10 kms)...its best to explore these areas on foot to enjoy natural beauty of snow and click pictures enroute, however you can also get atv bikes at approx 2K per person for 3 to 4 hours ......and check out same day in afternoon or next day depending upon your other plans .
In end ,
I would strongly recommend this place just to enjoy snow , ( no where in india you will find plenty of full white snow this easily meaning just 2 hours of easy car drive from srinagar airport) specially good for senior citizens and people with motion sickness , as roads are good and only 30 mins of gradual ghat section in 2 hours journey
come over any long weekend in January , February, March...book early to get good flight rates atleast 2 months before. book hotel by directly calling hotel people as it's off season here at give good deal.
Hotel : we visited on 17 to 20 February 2018 and booked
Hotel kolahoi green directly calling hotel.
Rate: 5000 per night flat with breakfast and dinner and all taxes. For twin sharing room.
Advantages
- It's 10 min walk from bus stand and market
- It's 3 min walk to gondola
- They have live music night on Saturday .
- Excellant view of golf course from this hotel.
- Staff really wants to make you comfortable and happy.
- Food is good with many options in breakfast.
- It's centrally heated , they stop heating for 3 to 4 hours in day and 2 to 3 hours in night ....but generally quite comfortable to roam inside hotel in shorts .
- They also provide small portable heater if you ask for it.
- And lastly it's a recently built hotel so amenities are new ,fresh and maintained .
They can improve on.
- Wi-Fi
2 hot and cold water mixer in shower is unpredictable.
