Ski Gulmarg, Kashmir

On arrival in Srinagar, you will be greeted at the airport by our friendly local “Wild Snow” transport partner, our team will help load your gear. With flights arriving at different times, Salman will drop you off at one of our favourite cafes in Srinagar near one of the main markets, you can enjoy a coffee and meal or check out the sights while you wait.

Early afternoon we will get underway to Tangmarg Village, where you are able to pick up some basic supplies, and you will then transfer into a 4x4 with chains for getting up to the snowy Gulmarg village, where you will be based on your epic adventure.

Once at the hotel you will be greeted with a hot Kashmir tea, and a friendly welcome. This is a great opportunity to enjoy a drink in the hotel and get to know your fellow ski enthusiasts, or have a short rest before meeting our guides.

Early evening we will meet Wild Snow Gulmarg Guides Mushi and Mushtaq, (Mir and Showkat), who will go over some of options for the week.

Over our first Kashmiri breakfast, Mushi and Mushtaq will give us the daily update on the ski conditions ‘Ski Run Briefing’*.

Day one is acclimatization day and we will head up Phase 1 of the gondola and do a day of trail and tree skiing and check out the 'herdsmen huts', used by local Shepard's to graze stock during the summer.

We will have lunch at the mid-station area where there are a dozen little food and drink stalls.

After lunch we will split into multiple groups so those wanting to go a little higher can head further up and check out some of the more open terrain.

At the end of the day, there will be a cold beer and warm tea waiting at the hotel.

Our day will start with the usual breakfast, we will have daily update on the ski conditions ‘Ski Run Briefing’*. Briefing’*.

Today, there are options for those of different skill levels to find their ideal challenges. With 33 named ridges and bowls on this mountain our guides will offer personalized recommendations

For those that want to venture to the top of the phase 2 gondola can break out the safety equipment, and experience live receiver/transmitter ‘hide and seek’ on the slopes. This is a great time to sharpen your skills and have some fun at the same time.

Ski patrol in Gulmarg have an area dedicated to ‘avalanche training’ where they have buried transceivers.

Over the next 4 days you will have the chance to further explore the mountain, whether you are skiing phase 1 or 2 gondolas you will be in a small group with a 1/4 ratio of ski guide to client, allowing for personalized pacing and challenge.  It is fair to say you’re in for an epic powder adventure. It's all about exploring as we make our way through these unforgettable gullies and ridges down and back to the bottom of the gondola.

A few examples of daily outings:

• Explore Drang Valley  by way of one of the ridges accessed via tje top phase 2 gondola. We start by skiing the ridgeline where your mind will be blown by the views of the Himalayas. About half of the run is in alpine bowls; with some skiing in the trees and beautiful open spaces on Drang spurs. We will end our ski down the valley visiting Drang Village along the way, skiing through the roadless village where local Kashmiri people live, we then ski across the bridge to be picked up our taxi back to Tangmarg, where we will stop off for a late lunch at Mushi and Mushtaq favourite restaurant
• The Babareshi trees are calling! Ski to the tiny village/shine of Babareshi and have lunch at the local stalls at the outside tables. Most of the slopes are about 35+ degrees with some of the best tree skiing around. Those wanting to do more ‘Babareshi’ laps can take advantage of the ‘Wild Snow’ taxi ski touring service…. We can go all day!
• After skiing we can catch up with local legend Yasin, for a chai. Yasin has been skiing at Gulmarg for 55 years and is apart of the original ski scene of Gulmarg, Kashmir. Yasin has a small ski shop and treasure shop of locally made handcrafts.

After a good day skiing the morning, you will be picked up from the hotel and taken to Lake Dal, Srinagar where you will jump onto a Shikara (a small boat) and be paddled to your floating accommodation, a houseboat on the Lake. On

Sit with a cup of Kashmiri tea as the sun sets, and listening to the evening prayer echoing across the lake, before enjoying your final dinner of local cuisine.

These houseboats were frequented by the British in the early 20th century and became popular in the ’60s, they are intricately carved and are a unique experience not to be missed!

Following breakfast on the houseboat, the morning is yours to relax on the houseboat or you can take a Shikara to check out the floating flower and vegetable market on the lake. The early morning sight of vendors assembling their boats for the day's sale is worth capturing. You can also get authentic saffron here to remind you of your trip when cooking back home.

The “Wild Snow” transport team will take you to Srinagar airport.