Places to Visit in Gulmarg: 24 Tourist Places and Sightseeing Spots (2026)

Gulmarg is a meadow town at about 2,650 m in Baramulla district, ringed by pine and fir forest and the Pir Panjal range. In summer the meadows fill with wildflowers. From December the whole bowl turns white and the ski season starts. This guide covers 24 Gulmarg tourist places, grouped by where they actually sit: up the Gondola, inside town, in the forest and stream country around it, and on the Tangmarg road below. Every place has its distance from the market, the time it needs and the season it works in. Fares change by season, so we link you to the page that tracks them instead of printing a number that will be wrong by spring.

Distances are road or trail distances from Gulmarg market, rounded. Gondola fares are kept on our fees page so they are never out of date here.

Key takeaways

• Book the Gondola online on the official J&K Cable Car Corporation site before you leave Srinagar. Counters at the base station are not a reliable fallback.

• Give Gulmarg sightseeing two days if you can. One day fits the Gondola plus the church, temple and golf course walk.

• Visit Alpather Lake and Seven Springs only between June and September. Snow blocks both the rest of the year.

• Treat Tangmarg, Drung and Baba Reshi as stops on the way. They sit between about 13 and 16 km below Gulmarg by road, not in it.

• Carry an original photo ID everywhere. Army and police checks are routine near Bota Pathri.

Gulmarg places at a glance

The table lists all 24 places with the road or trail distance from Gulmarg market (near the bus stand). Altitudes are rounded. Free means no entry ticket. Your cost is the pony, taxi or Gondola ride to get there.

Best season and entry cost for each of the 24 places:

Places to visit up the Gulmarg Gondola: Kongdori to Apharwat

The two-stage Gulmarg Gondola is the reason most people come, and it decides how your day runs. Phase 1 climbs from the base station near the market to Kongdori in about 10 minutes. Phase 2 continues to the 3,980 m station on Apharwat's shoulder in about 12 more, which makes it one of the highest cable cars in the world. Fares, the Tatkal quota and the monthly maintenance days are on our Gulmarg Gondola ticket prices page, and the full ride experience is in our Gulmarg Gondola ride guide.

1. Gulmarg Gondola

Tickets are sold online on the official J&K Cable Car Corporation site. Touts at the base station sell "confirmed" slots that do not exist, so ignore them. Boarding starts around 8 am, the upward gate closes at about 3:30 pm and the last ride down leaves around 5 pm. Maintenance closures have been reported on the second and fourth Monday of each month, and Phase 2 closes first whenever wind picks up on the ridge. The Gondola has also shut for weeks at a time at short notice, so check the corporation's updates the evening before.

2. Kongdori

Kongdori is the bowl-shaped meadow at the top of Phase 1, at about 3,050 m. In winter this is where families spend most of the day. Sledge pullers wait at the exit, snowmobiles and ATVs run short loops, and beginners learn to ski on the gentle slope, which got a new 726 m drag lift in December 2025. In summer the snow pulls back to the gullies and the bowl turns green, with grazing ponies and a clear line of sight to the Pir Panjal. If you want to skip the queue, there is a steep forest trail up from Gulmarg that takes 1.5 to 2 hours on foot in summer and early autumn.

3. Apharwat Peak

Phase 2 drops you at 3,980 m on the shoulder of Apharwat Peak, whose summit rises above 4,200 m. Snow lies here for most of the year, so even a June visit gets you snow play. On a clear morning you can pick out Nanga Parbat to the north. The Line of Control runs only a few kilometres beyond the ridge, which is why you will see Army posts and why you must stay on marked areas. The chairlift is a separate lift that runs from Kongdori up to Mary's Shoulder, not above this station, and children under 11 are not allowed on it. Phase 2 is the most weather-sensitive leg. Online it is sold only together with Phase 1, and high wind often shuts it, so check its status at Kongdori before you queue.

4. Khilanmarg

Khilanmarg is the meadow above Gulmarg town, roughly 4 to 6 km by trail depending on where you start. Most people ride a pony or walk up through pine forest in 1 to 1.5 hours. From late April to June the slope is covered with wildflowers, and on a clear day the view runs across the Kashmir Valley to Nanga Parbat. In winter it becomes a ski and snowboarding slope, and the walk up is only for people with proper boots. Pack water. There is no café at the top in most months.

5. Alpather Lake

Alpather Lake sits at about 3,840 m at the foot of the Apharwat peaks, roughly 13 km from Gulmarg. It stays frozen into June, and the trail is open only from June to September. Most visitors ride the Gondola to the Phase 2 station on Apharwat and hike on from there, which takes a few hours return. The full trek or pony ride from Gulmarg via Khilanmarg is a long, strenuous day for fit trekkers. Either way, go with a local guide because the weather on the ridge turns fast, start early and plan to be back before dark. Our Alpather Lake route guide has the trail details, and fit trekkers can compare it with other treks around Gulmarg.

6. Gulmarg Ski Resort and IISM

From December to March, Kongdori and Apharwat turn into one of Asia's best-known ski areas, famous for deep powder and long off-piste runs off the Phase 2 ridge. Beginners book a private instructor at Kongdori. Serious learners join a course at the Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering (IISM), where course fees in 2026 are Rs 10,000 for those up to 25 and Rs 20,000 above 25, covering board, lodging, training and equipment. Snowboarders use the same slopes. Our guide to skiing in Gulmarg covers lifts, gear hire and which runs suit which level.

Places to visit inside Gulmarg town

Most of these sit within about 1.5 km of the market, so you can walk them in an afternoon between the Gondola and dinner. Strawberry Valley is a 2 km stroll, and the Outer Circle Walk is the one that needs a free morning.

7. Gulmarg Golf Course

The Gulmarg Golf Course is an 18-hole green course at about 2,650 m, which puts it among the highest golf courses in the world. The British were playing here before the Gulmarg Golf Club was set up in 1911, and the course has been rebuilt and extended since. Play runs from May to October in daylight hours. Green fees and club hire are paid at the clubhouse, and non-players can walk the edge of the fairways for free. The best views come late in the afternoon, when the light falls across the meadow toward St Mary's. More on tee times in our Gulmarg Golf Course guide.

8. St Mary's Church

St Mary's Church is a grey-stone, green-roofed Victorian church built in 1902 for the British families who spent their summers here. It stands on a slope a short walk from the market. The church was renovated in later years, and its wooden interior and small altar are worth a look when the door is open, though services are irregular. In January the roof disappears under snow, and that is the photo most travellers come for. Pair it with the Maharani Temple across the meadow, about 10 minutes on foot.

9. Maharani Temple

This red-roofed Shiva temple on a hillock in the middle of Gulmarg dates to 1915, and local accounts credit it to Maharani Mohini Bai Sisodia of the Dogra royal family, who ruled Jammu and Kashmir until 1947. You can see it from almost every corner of town, and the climb from the market takes about 10 minutes. It is a small, quiet shrine with temple bells and a couple of stalls selling prasad and barfi. Entry is free. Film fans will know it from the song "Jai Jai Shiv Shankar" in Aap Ki Kasam (1974).

The original wooden temple burned down in 2024. The J&K Dharmarth Trust rebuilt it on the same spot, reopened it in December 2024 and consecrated new Shiva and Parvati idols in August 2025, so what you see today is the rebuilt shrine.

10. Strawberry Valley

This quiet stretch on the edge of town gets its name from the wild strawberries that ripen in May and June. You will see locals selling punnets of fresh berries and cups of kahwa along the path. It is a 2 km walk from the market, flat enough for older travellers, and rarely crowded, which makes it a good break after a busy Gondola morning.

11. Children's Park

The Children's Park near the market is a fenced lawn with swings, slides and space to run, open in the warmer months. It is the easiest stop for families with toddlers who have had enough of queues. Pony handlers wait outside, so expect offers.

12. Gulmarg market

The small market near the bus stand is where you hire snow boots, jackets and gloves in winter, buy shawls and dry fruit, and stop for kahwa between sights. Prices for gear hire are lower in Tangmarg, so many travellers rent on the way up. See what to buy and where in our Gulmarg market and shopping guide.

13. Igloo cafés (winter only)

In January 2021 the Kolahoi Green Heights hotel built India's first snow igloo café in Gulmarg, and since then hotels near the Gondola road have set up snow and glass igloo cafés each winter. They run only while the snow holds, usually January and February, and the tables are booked by the hour in peak weeks. Expect a café bill rather than an entry ticket.

14. Outer Circle Walk

The Outer Circle Walk is an 11 km ring road around Gulmarg that passes through pine and fir forest, open meadow and shepherd settlements. It is best at sunrise or in the last two hours of daylight, when the snow peaks catch the light. You do not have to do the whole loop. Walk the first 2 or 3 km, stop for tea at one of the stalls, and decide from there. It is closed by snow from December to March.

Nature spots and meadows around Gulmarg

15. Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary (Biosphere Reserve)

The forest around town is the Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary, which many guides call the Gulmarg Biosphere Reserve. It was declared in 1987 and covers about 180 sq km of Baramulla district. It protects the endangered Himalayan musk deer, along with Himalayan black bear, red fox and a long list of birds. Musk deer are most often seen along the Ferozepur Nallah stream. Walk the forest edge with a local guide in the morning between April and October. Camping or pitching tents needs permission from the Gulmarg Development Authority.

16. Ferozepur Nallah

Ferozepur Nallah is a fast, cold mountain stream about 5 km from Gulmarg, reached on foot or by pony along the forest road. The banks are open and grassy, so it works for a picnic, and anglers come for trout in season with a fisheries permit. Do not wade in after rain. The current is stronger than it looks.

17. Ningle Nallah

Ningle Nallah is a glacier-fed stream from the Apharwat range, about 10 km from Gulmarg, that flows down through pine forest and open fields and eventually joins the Jhelum. In spring the banks are full of wild daisies, blue poppies and buttercups. Families come here to sit by the water and dip their feet. Plan half a day and go by pony or local taxi.

18. Seven Springs

Seven Springs is a cluster of cold springs on a hill about 5 km above town. The pony ride up is the attraction, as much as the springs themselves, with long views back over the Gulmarg bowl. It is reachable only from June to September. Carry a water bottle to fill, because locals swear by the taste.

19. Bota Pathri

Bota Pathri is a quiet meadow of pine and grass about 12 to 14 km from Gulmarg, close to the Line of Control. It is open to visitors only in certain months and only with permission from the J&K Police and the Army, and you go with a local guide, not on your own. You will find a few tea stalls selling kulcha and kahwa, and pony rides across the meadow. Baramulla Police have at times restricted tourist movement on the nearby Hajibal and Baba Reshi axis toward Mulbangil, so check access with your driver the day before.

Places near Gulmarg: on the Tangmarg road

These five stops are outside Gulmarg. Visit them on the drive up from Srinagar or on the way back, not as separate trips.

20. Tangmarg-Gulmarg road

The last 13 km from Tangmarg to Gulmarg climb through hairpin bends and tall pine forest, and in winter the trees stand in deep snow on both sides. Small dhabas serve hot samosas, rajma-chawal and kahwa at the bends. After snowfall only 4x4 vehicles or cars fitted with anti-skid chains are allowed past Tangmarg. Chains cost Rs 600 a pair from registered vendors. Our Srinagar to Gulmarg by road guide has the current cab rates and winter traffic rules.

21. Tangmarg

Tangmarg is the market town at about 2,100 m where the Gulmarg road begins its climb, 13 km below Gulmarg. It is the cheapest place to hire snow boots, jackets and gloves, and in heavy snow it is where buses and outside vehicles stop. A short stop here saves money for the day.

22. Drung Waterfall

Drung Waterfall is about 3 km off Tangmarg on the edge of Drung village. From December to February it freezes into sheets of ice, which is when most people come to photograph it. In spring it runs loud and full. Tea stalls line the approach, and local taxis from Tangmarg make the short trip.

23. Baba Reshi Shrine

The Ziarat of Baba Reshi sits on the forested slopes below Gulmarg, about 13 km away by road via the turn-off on the Tangmarg road. It is the tomb of the Sufi saint Baba Payam-ud-Din Reshi, who died here in 1480, and the shrine's carved wooden pillars and latticework are some of the finest old Kashmiri woodwork near Gulmarg. Visitors of every faith come to pray. Dress modestly and cover your head inside.

24. Imambara Goom

Imambara Goom is a Shia shrine at Goom on the Srinagar side of Tangmarg, about 29 km from Gulmarg. Its painted wooden interior is one of the less-visited heritage stops on the Gulmarg route. It suits travellers who want a quieter cultural stop on the drive back to Srinagar.

Best places to visit in Gulmarg by season

Gulmarg changes so much through the year that the right list of places depends on your month. For month-by-month weather and crowd levels, see our guide to the best time to visit Gulmarg.

In winter, read our list of things to do in Gulmarg in snowfall. In spring, the places to visit in Gulmarg in May guide goes deeper on flowers and snow lines. Summer visitors can use our Gulmarg in summer guide.

Gulmarg sightseeing itinerary: 1 day from Srinagar and 2 days

One day from Srinagar

1. Leave Srinagar by 7 am. Gulmarg is about 50 km away, a 1.5 to 2 hour drive.

2. Stop in Tangmarg at 8:30 am to hire boots and jackets in winter.

3. Reach the Gondola base by 9:30 am with your online ticket printed or on your phone, and ride Phase 1 to Kongdori.

4. Take Phase 2 to Apharwat if it is running, and be back down by 1:30 pm.

5. Eat lunch in the market, then walk St Mary's Church, the Maharani Temple and the golf course edge.

6. Add Strawberry Valley in May or June, or the Children's Park with kids.

7. Leave Gulmarg by 4:30 pm. During the Amarnath Yatra in July and August, police have barred tourist vehicles on the Gulmarg-Srinagar road after 5 pm, so check whether an order applies on your date.

Two days

Spend day one as above but stay the night in Gulmarg, which lets you catch the first Gondola slot on day two if weather cut day one short. On day two ride or walk to Khilanmarg in the morning, then go to Ferozepur Nallah or Ningle Nallah after lunch. Stop at Baba Reshi, Drung Waterfall and Tangmarg on the drive down. With a third day in summer, add the Alpather Lake trek.

If you would rather have the drives, hotel and Gondola timing handled, a Srinagar, Gulmarg and Pahalgam tour or the longer Srinagar, Sonamarg, Pahalgam and Gulmarg tour builds these stops in. You can compare all Gulmarg tour packages by budget and length.

How to get around Gulmarg's sightseeing points

Gulmarg town is walkable. The church, temple, golf course, market and Gondola base are all within about 1.5 km of each other.

For Khilanmarg, the nallahs, Seven Springs and Strawberry Valley, most visitors hire a pony from the registered handlers. Rates are fixed per route by the Gulmarg Development Authority and should be displayed at the stand. Agree the route, the waiting time and the total price before you mount, and pay at the end.

Local union taxis handle Tangmarg, Drung, Baba Reshi and Ningle Nallah. In peak weeks outside taxis may not be allowed to run local sightseeing inside Gulmarg, so ask your driver before you plan around them.

Keep an original photo ID on you at all times, keep your Gondola booking handy, and stay on approved tourist routes. Baramulla Police advisories ask tourists to avoid areas outside approved tourist activity in the Tangmarg-Gulmarg belt, and Bota Pathri needs police and Army permission.

Best places in Gulmarg for families, couples and adventure travellers

Families get the most out of Kongdori's sledges and snow play, the Children's Park, Strawberry Valley and an easy pony ride to Ferozepur Nallah. Skip the Kongdori chairlift with children under 11. Our Gulmarg family packages are built around shorter drives and hotels close to the Gondola.

Couples tend to remember St Mary's Church in snow, the golf course at sunset, a morning ride up to Khilanmarg and an hour in an igloo café in January. See Gulmarg honeymoon packages for stays with mountain-facing rooms.

Adventure travellers should plan around Apharwat's off-piste ski runs, the Alpather Lake trek and the full Outer Circle Walk. A week-long IISM course is the best-value way to learn to ski properly.

Gulmarg sightseeing tips

• Buy Gondola tickets online only, on the official JKCCC portal. Phase 2 is sold together with Phase 1, and high wind can shut Phase 2 at short notice, so ride it early.

• Rent snow gear in Tangmarg. It is cheaper than in Gulmarg market.

• Carry cash. Pony handlers, tea stalls and some gear shops do not take cards.

• Out-of-state prepaid SIMs do not work in Jammu and Kashmir, but postpaid connections do. Jio and BSNL have the best signal in town, with weak or no signal on Khilanmarg and the treks.

• Even in May evenings drop near freezing. Pack a warm jacket, thermals and walking shoes with grip.

• Start early. Gondola queues, cloud cover and wind all get worse after noon.

Planning the rest of Kashmir as well? Our list of places to visit in Kashmir covers Srinagar, Pahalgam and Sonamarg, and the Gulmarg travel guide has stays, food and how to reach.

Edited by TravelTriangle