Skiing in Srinagar: Where to Ski (Gulmarg, 51 km Away)

Most skiers fly into Srinagar and then decide between two plans. Beginners can stay on a houseboat or in a city hotel and ski Gulmarg on day trips. Intermediate and advanced skiers do better moving up to Gulmarg for a few nights, because the gondola queues and the weather both reward being on the hill at 9 am. Our full guide to skiing in Gulmarg covers the slopes run by run. This page covers what changes when Srinagar is your starting point.

Where to Ski Near Srinagar

Gulmarg is the only full ski resort in Kashmir, with a gondola, chairlifts and marked runs, and it is the resort that hosted the snow events of the Khelo India Winter Games at Kongdori from 23 to 26 February 2026. The village sits at about 2,650 m, roughly 1,000 m higher than Srinagar.

First-timers learn on the nursery slopes beside the village. Intermediates ride Gondola Phase 1 to the Kongdori plateau, a nine-minute ride. Experts take Phase 2 to the top station on Mount Apharwat at 3,980 m. Run-by-run detail is on the Gulmarg skiing guide.

Sonamarg (about 80 km) and Pahalgam (about 95 km) are both further from Srinagar than Gulmarg. Sonamarg has one short ski drag lift on a beginner slope, installed by the J&K Cable Car Corporation in 2024, and Pahalgam has baby slopes used for local ski courses, but neither has a gondola, marked runs or a proper rental scene. For a real ski day from Srinagar, Gulmarg is the answer. If you are still choosing between ski regions, our Manali vs Gulmarg skiing comparison and the list of ski destinations in India set the options side by side.

Getting from Srinagar to the Gulmarg Ski Slopes

The road to Gulmarg leaves Srinagar through Magam and climbs to Tangmarg, the last proper town, about 13 km below the resort. That final stretch is where winter catches people out. After heavy snowfall the road above Tangmarg needs snow chains or a 4x4, and many city taxis stop there so you switch to a local vehicle.

On a day trip, leave Srinagar by 8 am. You reach the gondola base around 10 am, which still gives you four or five hours on the snow before the light flattens and the drive back gets icy. Book gondola tickets online before you set off. Counters do not sell them, Phase 2 sells out on powder days, and a small tatkal quota for the next day is released around 5 pm. Route options from the airport and the city are covered in more detail in how to reach Gulmarg from Srinagar.

A ski day from Srinagar, hour by hour

What a ski day from Srinagar costs

A beginner sharing a car between two people should budget roughly Rs 4,500 to Rs 6,000 each for the day, before food. Full fares and rules are on our Gulmarg gondola ticket price page.

Day trip or stay in Gulmarg?

From our Kashmir desk, travellers who mix both tend to be happiest. They spend two nights on a Dal Lake houseboat, then two or three in Gulmarg.

Ski Season and Snow Near Srinagar

Gulmarg usually has skiable snow from late December. The base builds through Chillai Kalan, the 40 coldest days from 21 December to 31 January, and February brings the deepest, most dependable powder. March is softer and sunnier, which suits beginners and families. Srinagar itself gets snow in a normal winter but nothing you could ski on, and the same storms that bring powder to Gulmarg can shut the road above Tangmarg for a day. Keep one spare day in any Srinagar ski plan. Month-by-month conditions are in our best time to visit Gulmarg guide, the snowfall guide to Jammu and Kashmir covers when the first snow tends to arrive, and Srinagar in December covers how cold the houseboats get.

Lessons and Gear: What to Sort Out in Srinagar

Bring nothing from Srinagar except warm layers, waterproof gloves, goggles and sunscreen. Skis, boots, poles and snowboards are all rented in Gulmarg near the gondola base, and most shops also hire jackets and pants. Fix your instructor the evening before through your hotel or the Gulmarg shops, so you are not hunting for one at 10 am. For a structured start, the Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering in Gulmarg runs 14-day courses, and booking for 2026-27 opens on iismgulmarg.in on 12 November 2026 at 10 am. Course fees and the rest of the beginner detail are in the Gulmarg skiing guide, and packing advice is on Gulmarg ski tips.

Altitude and Safety for Day-Trippers

Srinagar sits at about 1,585 m. Kongdori and the Apharwat top station are far higher, so a day-tripper coming straight up from the city should keep the first day to the nursery slopes or Phase 1 and save Phase 2 for later. Phase 2 is serious mountain terrain where avalanches hit most winters. In February 2024 an avalanche at Khilanmarg killed a Russian skier from a group of seven, even though the group had a local guide with them, and a medium-danger avalanche warning had been issued for Baramulla the day before. Ski Phase 2 and the backcountry only with a certified guide, carry a beacon, shovel and probe, and check the avalanche warning before you go up.

Water Skiing in Srinagar

The only skiing inside Srinagar happens on water. The Water Sports Centre on Nigeen Lake hosts the district water-skiing championships run by the J&K Water Skiing Association under the J&K Sports Council, with wakeboard and zigzag runs on the lake's calm water. IISM runs 14-day water-skiing courses on both Dal Lake and Nigeen Lake for beginners who want proper instruction. The 2026 batches ran from 15 June to 27 July at Rs 10,000 a student, for ages 10 to 40, with online booking opening in early June on iismgulmarg.in. It is a summer activity, so plan it for a different trip from your Gulmarg ski week. Nigeen is also the quieter of the two lakes for a houseboat stay. More ideas for the city sit in our list of things to do in Srinagar.

Plan a Ski Trip from Srinagar

A Srinagar and Gulmarg trip is easy to put together around the ski season. Browse Gulmarg tour packages for winter stays near the gondola, or Srinagar tour packages if you want houseboat nights with Gulmarg day trips built in. For everything else about the city, start at the Srinagar travel guide.

Edited by TravelTriangle