Srinagar, Sonamarg, Pampore and Pahalgam
Autumn colour and saffron
Timed for chinar season and the saffron bloom. Early light in Srinagar, purple fields at Pampore and the golden birch and poplar around Aru.
Kashmir in first snow
Snow in two valleys, not one. Two nights in Gulmarg with a beginner ski session, two in Pahalgam by the frozen Lidder, and a warm houseboat to finish.
Seasonal 5 nights, 6 days Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Srinagar
Duration5 nights, 6 days
Best timeLate December to February
Start and finishStarts and ends at Srinagar airport
Price from
₹24,999per person
About this trip
This is our winter trip for people who want proper snow but are not here to ski all week. You go straight up to Gulmarg on arrival, spend two days in the snowfields, cross to Pahalgam for the quieter, deeper winter of the Lidder valley, and finish on a heated houseboat in Srinagar.
Winter needs planning. We use a 4x4 with chains on the Tangmarg to Gulmarg stretch, book rooms with heating we can rely on, and keep the route flexible around snowfall. A heavy fall can close a road for a day. When it does, we change the order of the trip rather than cancel parts of it.
Highlights
- The Gondola over snow-covered forest to Kongdori
- Two hours on the nursery slopes with an instructor
- A snow walk across the Gulmarg meadow
- Snowbound Pahalgam, and Betaab if the road is clear
- A houseboat night by the bukhari on Dal
Day by day
Day 1: Straight up to Gulmarg
From the airport through Tangmarg, switching to a 4x4 if the road is icy. An afternoon walk on the snow.
Heated hotel, GulmargDay 2: Gondola and ski session
Gondola to Kongdori early, before the queues build. After lunch, two hours on the nursery slopes with an instructor.
Heated hotel, GulmargDay 3: Across to Pahalgam
A long winter drive of about five hours across the valley. Evening by the stove.
Heated hotel, PahalgamDay 4: Snow in the Lidder valley
Snow walks along the frozen banks of the Lidder, and Betaab Valley if the road has been cleared.
Heated hotel, PahalgamDay 5: Back to Srinagar
Return to the city and a houseboat with a bukhari. A short shikara if the weather allows.
Houseboat, Dal LakeDay 6: Departure
Airport drop after breakfast.
What the price covers
Included
- 5 nights in heated rooms: 2 in Gulmarg, 2 in Pahalgam and 1 on a houseboat
- Breakfast and dinner every day
- Private cab, with a 4x4 where the road needs it
- One beginner ski session with instructor and equipment
- Snow boots on rent for the trip
- Airport pickup and drop
Not included
- Flights
- Gondola tickets
- Extra ski days and lift passes
- Sledge and pony rides in the snow
- Lunches and personal costs
Good to know
- Pace and fitness
- Easy. Short spells outdoors and warm evenings in.
- When to go
- Late December to February. Exact dates shift a little each year with snow and road openings, so we confirm before you book.
- Make it yours
- Dates, stays, nights and stops can all be changed. Ask and we send a revised plan and price.
Questions about this trip
When does Gulmarg reliably have snow?
Usually from late December to early March. Early December can be patchy, so if snow is the whole point, come in January or February.
I have never skied. Is one session enough?
It is enough to try it and find out if you like it. If you do, add two or three lesson days and we will extend your Gulmarg stay.
What if heavy snow blocks a road?
It happens a few times each winter. We stay in touch with drivers and local contacts and change the order of the trip or add a night. Any extra hotel cost is charged at actual rates.
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