Gulmarg - (Path of Roses)

Gulmarg - (Path of Roses) is a town, a hill station and a notified area committee in Baramula district in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Gulmarg is located 52 km from Srinagar. It has an average elevation of 2,690 m (8,825 ft).

History

Gulmarg has been a resort for the kings like Yousuf Shah Chak and Jahangir who used to visit frequently. The old name of Gulmarg was "Gaurimarg", the name of Lord Shiva's wife. Yousuf Shah Chak changed its name to Gulmarg, meaning the place of roses.

During the early part of the 20th century the famous Central Asian explorer Sir Marc Aurel Stein (1862–1943), made his home here in a tent between his expeditions. It was a favourite summer holiday destination for the British stationed in India.

The surrounding areas were politically restive during a period of relative peace and quiet. The town is nestled within the imposing Himalayan peaks, and lies within miles of the Line of Control. It receives heavy snowfall during the winter season and is a popular ski resort.[3]

With the abatement of militancy in the area, Gulmarg has quickly become one of the state's most visited destinations.

Geography

The slopes of the Afarwat Hills of the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalaya Chain boast one of the longest and highest ski slopes in Asia.

The total distance covered by ski lifts is five kilometres and the resort peaks at an altitude of 3,950 m (12,959 ft), accessed by an aerial gondola (telecabine). The skiing project was inaugurated by the Chief Minister on 25 December 2004. The entire hill is guarded by the army at all times. The army, which is seen everywhere in the cities of Kashmir, is not in the town or the actual hilltop. Frisking is only done midway on the access road at 3 places: Tangmarg, near an army camp on the road from Tangmarg, and 5 km before entering Gulmarg. Gulmarg does not have any permanent residents. All living in Gulmarg are hotel employees and guests.

Accessibility

Gulmarg is easily accessible from Srinagar or Srinagar Airport (SXR), the capital of Kashmir, in under 2 hours by Tata Sumo or bus. Just 1 hour on the way is the town of Tangmarg, a key tourist attraction and also a main destination for skiers riding down from Gulmarg during the winter months. From Tangmarg, the Gulmarg plateau is just 30 minutes travel.

Taxi from the Airport to Gulmarg or Srinagar to Gulmarg should be 1,200 - 1,500 Rs. Prepaid taxis from the airport cost 1,350 Rs (December 2010) but if the roads are icy, you will proabaly only be able to catch the taxi to Tanmarg (950Rs), at which point you will need to hire a four wheel drive for 500-700 Rs. The journey takes around 2-2.5 hours. 

Getting around Gulmarg is done mostly by foot. There is one road that does a loop around the whole area. Walking around it would take about an hour. You can even see around Gulmarg in sledges driven by localites which cost around Rs. 50 in off season.

For those travelling from Srinagar, shared taxis (Sumos) are available from Buttmal to Tanmarg for Rs. 40 per person (March 2008). From there, you can catch a onward shared sumo to Gulmarg for Rs. 20 (March 2008). The whole journey takes 3 to 4 hrs.

Gulmarg has around 40 hotels ranging from extremely budget accommodation in private huts to hotels that are of a similar standard to a western Bed & Breakfast. When hotels say 5 star expect similar standards to the aforementioned bed and breakfast or motel.

The peak season starts with the snowfall in December and lasts until March (April if it is a good season). The charges for one night stay during peak season in a hotel range typically between Rs1500 to Rs6500+, however there is also accommodation available for Rs500 which is only for the hardcore. The pre-season and post-season rates may have a discount but this is not standard.

However, organising all of this can be pretty trying, so the cheapest and most convenient option is to go through a local tour company such as K-line Himalayan Adventure Sports or Gulmarg Powder Guides, which have connections and networks leading to the best prices and facilities available. They organise everything from transport to accommodation and, for all winter sports enthusiasts, an essential backcountry guide to lead you in navigating the unique butextreme terrain.

According to CNN, Gulmarg is the "heartland of winter sports in India."[4] Gulmarg was being mooted as a possible host for the 2010 Commonwealth Winter Games. As such, Gulmarg has been rated by CNN International as Asia's seventh best ski destination.[5] 

This resort is famous because of its "Gulmarg Gondola," one of the highest cable car in the world, reaching 3,979 metres.[6] The two-stage ropeway ferries about 600 people per hour to and from the gondola main station in Gulmarg to a shoulder of nearby Mt. Apharwat Summit (4,200 m (13,780 ft)). The ropeway project is a joint venture of the Jammu and Kashmir government and French firm Pomagalski. The first stage transfers from the Gulmarg resort at 2,600 m (8,530 ft) to Kongdoori Station in the bowl-shaped Kongdori valley. The second stage of the ropeway, which has 36 cabins and 18 towers, takes skiers to a height of 3,950 m (12,959 ft) on Kongdoori Mountain, a shoulder of nearby Mt. Afarwat Peak (4,200 m (13,780 ft)). The second stage was completed in a record time of about two years at a cost of Rs11 crore and opened on May 28, 2005. The French company had also built the first phase of the gondola project, connecting Gulmarg to Kongdoori, in 1998. The JKSCCC also proposes to construct chair lifts to connect Kongdoori with Mary’s Shoulder for beginners and intermediate freeriders.

The “heartland of winter sports in India”, as quoted by CNN, is a gathering ground for all things extreme sports and outdoors related. In the winter, the diverse and extreme terrain combines with torrential snowfall to create a snow destination that is among the best in the world. As the destination itself is still undeveloped, skiers and riders never have to suffer the long queues that are so prevalent in other international snow destinations – it is not uncommon to get up to 10 runs in a day from the top of the gondola and to be carving fresh lines in untracked snow for the best part of a day.

The summer is just as busy. With temperatures ranging from 25-30°C, Gulmarg attracts outdoor sports fanatics with its world class trekking, mountain biking, horse riding, water skiing, and fishing.

There are a few places of religious importance near the resort within a 5 to 20 km radius like Baba Reshi, Haji Murad at Kreeri and Tangmarg.

Gulmarg is among the most famous tourist destinations in India, however, there is need for some stricted regulation to save the environment of the area from over tourism.[7]

What to do:

Horse riding/Hiking
Cable car riding to Khilanmarg
Golf playing
Snow Skiing during winter months (End Dec -Middle March)

The main attraction here is the Gondola. Finished in 2004, it runs up to 3995 meters. A sight seeing trip to the top of the gondola will cost you Rs. 300 for Stage one and Rs. 800 for stage two(inclusive of the cost of Stage one) for a return trip; singles (for skiiers for example!) are half the price, with a day pass available for 1200rs. You can decide whether you wish to go to Stage two when you have reached stage one. Stage two is at a much higher elevation, right on the hill top and is clearly visible from the Gulmarg taxi stand. The hills visible from the top are said to be LOC and Pakistan administered Kashmir (specifically Nanga Parbat and (supposedly) the very tip of K2)

The main activity for a tourist in Gulmarg is snow skiing. One can enjoy skiing in the long and high slopes of the snowy mountain ranges and experience a difference.

The skiing season starts on the 25th of December and runs through to March, expect to pay 500Rs a day for ski/snowboard hire. As of January, 2011, ski lift ticket prices for Gulmarg are as follows: 125 Rs. per first stage gondola ticket, 250 Rs. per second stage gondola ticket, 1250 Rs. for an unlimited gondola day pass.

Gulmarg is probably on of the best ski resorts for good and long powder snow descents. With its gondola accessible ski area on Mt. Apharwat, 4'124m it offers many possibilities for descents of up to 1'800 vertical meters. Sound skiing skills and good health are prerequisites to enjoy ski vacations in Gulmarg. Note that only the main bowl to the skier's left of the gondola is avalanche-blasted and patrolled - all other areas are considered out-of-bounds.

The weather is cold and it is necessary for the tourist to wear woollen clothes. Golfing, Sledging, and horse riding are other activities (best enjoyed in the summer). Major Tourist Attractions of Gulmarg are Alpather Lake , Baba Reshi Shrine , Gondola, Cable Car to Kongdor, Gulmarg Gold Golf , Khilanmarg, Maharani Temple, Skiing ,St Marys church,

Take care if considering hiring a guide - they tend to work on a commission basis. Initial price might be attractive but your guide may be reluctant to take you to places which don't pay commission and you'll be paying inflated prices for the duration of your trip.

Be alert from local traffic barriers, because locals have made unions and they don't allow outside taxies in Gulmarg and will take toll from you. And actually, Poni rides are not necessary in Gulmarg, just stay in a hotel nearby Gondola station.

Because there are two poni trips- one from your hotel to Gondola and second from Gulmarg to Khilanmarg which can be reached by first stage of Gondola. So it is better you explore Gulmarg on your foot.

Leh Ladakh

The beauty of Leh ladakh will make you spellbound. When you will travel across those majestic passes, it is altogether a different world. You feel as if nature is dancing to the tunes of eternity.
Leh ladakh is an exotic place for tourist with its majestic mountains and monasteries.

Leh, was the capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh, now the Leh District in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Leh, with an area of 45,110 km², is the second largest district in the country (after Kutch, Gujarat) in terms of area.

The town is still dominated by the now ruined Leh Palace, former mansion of the royal family of Ladakh, built in the same style and about the same time as the Potala Palace. Leh is at an altitude of 3524 metres (11,562 ft). National Highway 1D connects it to Srinagar in the northwest.
Leh is towards the eastern parts of Jammu and Kashmir. The region is watered by the Zanskar River, which flows into the Indus River just below. Spilling out of a side valley that tapers north towards eroded snow-capped peaks, the Ladakhi capital sprawls from the foot of a ruined Tibetan style palace - a maze of mud-brick and concrete flanked on one side by cream-coloured desert, and on the other by a swathe of lush irrigated farmland. As one approaches Leh India for the first time, via the sloping seep of dust and pebbles that divide if from the floor of the Indus Valley, one will have little difficulty imagining how the old trans -Himalayan traders must have felt as they plodded in on the caravan routes from Yarkhand and Tibet: a mixture of relief at having crossed the mountains in one piece, and anticipation of a relaxing spell in one of central Asia's most scenic and atmospheric towns. Leh in India is a beautiful destination with so many attractions and is the center of Tibeto-Buddhist Culture for ages. Its colorful gompas have attracted the devout Buddhists from all over the globe. Besides, it is also a favorite hiking locale and is known for some of the best hikes in the country. Travel to leh this vacation to enjoy its mystic beauty, nut before that acquaint yourself a little bit about the past and present of Leh India.

The trans-Himalayan district of Ladakh is simply a storehouse of adventure. Travellers from all across the globe keep flocking to Ladakh almost all the year round. When it’s about adventure in India, Ladakh happens to be second to none. Adventure in Ladakh has its own taste and meaning. You have a good number of adventure sports in Ladakh to choose from. Most famous adventure sports in Ladakh include mountaineering, jeep safari, trekking, cycling and river rafting. Ladakh adventure holidays have everything to offer an adrenaline junkie might be looking for. There are high mountain ranges, scenic trails, expansive lakes, deep valleys and high passes that add to the joy of your adventure in Ladakh.

Before you actually arrive in the adventurous land of Ladakh, we would like you to enrich your knowledge about various adventure options available in Leh-Ladakh. Give below is a list of some of the most famous adventure sports in Ladakh. Start planning your adventure holidays in Ladakh right away!

History

The region of Ladakh once formed part of the erstwhile Kingdom of Ladakh and for nearly 900 years from the middle of the 10 th century existed as an independent kingdom. After 1531, it was periodically attacked by the Muslims from Kashmir, until it was finally annexed to Kashmir in the mid 19th century. The early colonizers of Ladakh included:- the Indo-Aryan Mons from across the Himalayan range, the Darads from the extreme western Himalayas, and the itinerant nomads from the Tibetan highlands. While Mons are believed to have carried north-Indian Buddhism to these highland valleys, the Darads and Baltis of the lower Indus Valley are credited with the introduction of farming and the Tibetans with the tradition of herding. Its valleys, by virtue of their contiguity with Kashmir, Kishtwar and Kulu, served as the initial receptacles of successive ethnic and cultural waves emanating from across the Great Himalayan range.

Ladakh became recognized as the best trade route between the Pubjab and Central Asia. The merchants and pilgrims who made up the majority of travellers during this period of time, travelled on foot or horseback , taking about 16 days to reach Srinagar; though a man in hurry, riding non-stop and with changes of horse arranged ahead of time all along the route, could do it in as little as three days. These merchants who dealt in textiles and spices, raw silk and carpets, dyestuffs and narcotics entrusted their goods to relays of pony transporters who took about two months to carry them from Amritsar to the Central Asian towns of Yarkand and Knotan. On this long route, Leh was the half-way house, and developed into a bustling entreport, it bazaars thronged with merchants from far countries. This was before the wheel as a means of transport was introduced into Ladakh, which happened only when the Srinagar- Leh motor-road was constructed as recently as the early 1960s.

Leh was an important stopover on trade routes along the Indus Valley between Tibet to the east, Kashmir to the west and also between India and China for centuries. The main goods carried were salt, grain, pashm or cashmere wool, charas or cannabis resin from the Tarim Basin, indigo, silk yarn and Banaras brocade.
Although there are a few indications that the Chinese knew of a trade route through Ladakh to India as early as the Kushan period (1st to 3rd centuries AD), and certainly by Tang dynasty,little is actually known of the history of the region before the formation of the kingdom towards the end of the 10th century by the Tibetan prince, Skyid lde nyima gon (or Nyima gon), a grandson of the anti-Buddhist Tibetan king, Langdarma (r. c. 838 to 841). He conquered Western Tibet although his army originally numbered only 300 men. Several towns and castles are said to have been founded by Nyima gon and he apparently ordered the construction of the main sculptures at Shey. .Shey, just 15 km east of modern Leh, was the ancient seat of the Ladakhi kings.
Several trade routes have traditionally converged on Leh, from all four directions. The most direct route was the one the modern highway follows from the Punjab via Mandi, the Kulu valley, over the Rohtang Pass, through Lahaul and on to the Indus Valley, and then down river to Leh. The route from Srinigar was roughly the same as the road that today crosses the Zoji La (pass) to Kargil, and then up the Indus Valley to Leh. From Baltistan there were two difficult routes: the main on ran up the Shyok Valley from the Indus, over a pass and then down the Hanu River to the Indus again below Khalsi (Khalatse). The other ran from Skardu straight up the Indus to Kargil and on to Leh. Then, there were both the summer and winter routes from Leh to Yarkand across the Karakorum. Finally, there were a couple of possible routes from Leh to Lhasa.
The royal palace, known as Leh Palace, was built by King Sengge Namgyal (1612–1642), presumably between the period when the Portuguese Jesuit priest, Francisco de Azevedo, visited Leh in 1631, and made no mention of it, and Sengge Namgyal's death in 1642.[11]
The Leh Palace is nine storeys high; the upper floors accommodated the royal family, and the stables and store rooms are located on the lower floors. The palace was abandoned when Kashmiri forces besieged it in the mid-19th century. The royal family moved their premises south to their current home in Stok Palace on the southern bank of the Indus.

Transport

• Road
  

Leh is connected to the rest of India by two high-altitude roads both of which are subject to landslides and neither of which are passable in winter when covered by deep snows. The National Highway 1D from Srinagar via Kargil is generally open longer. The Leh-Manali Highway can be troublesome due to very high passes and plateaus, and the lower but landslide-prone Rohtang Pass near Manali.

• National Highway 1D
  

The overland approach to Ladakh from the Kashmir valley via the 434-km. Srinagar-Leh road typically remains open for traffic from June to October/November. The most dramatic part of this road journey is the ascent up the 3,505 m (11,500 ft.) high Zoji-la, a tortuous pass in the Great Himalayan Wall. The Jammu & Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) operates regular Deluxe and Ordinary bus services between Srinagar and Leh on this route with an overnight halt at Kargil. Taxis (cars and jeeps) are also available at Srinagar for the journey.

• Leh-Manali Highway
  

Since 1987, the 473-km[citation needed] Manali-Leh road has been serving as the second land approach to Ladakh. Open for traffic from June to late October, this high road traverses the upland desert plateaux of Rupsho whose altitude ranges from 3,660 m to 4,570 m. There are a number of high passes en route among which the highest one, known as Tanglang La, is sometimes (but incorrectly) claimed to be the world’s second highest motorable pass at an altitude of 5,325 m. (17,469 feet). See the article on Khardung La for a discussion of the world's highest motorable passes.

• Air
  

Leh's Leh Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport has flights to Delhi at least daily on Kingfisher, Jet Airways and/or Indian Airlines which also provides twice weekly services to Jammu and a weekly flight to Srinagar. Connect in Delhi for other destinations.
How to reach Leh Ladakh
You can travel to Leh Ladakh by air and road. There are regular services from Jammu, Delhi, Srinagar, and Chandigarh. There are flight services from Shimla as well taking hardly 40 minutes.

By road, there are two routes to reach Ladakh. From Srinagar, it is around 434 km travel open to tourists visiting the place between June to November. Another way to tread up the place is via Manali. The Manali-Leh roda is a stretch of around 485 km and is open from July to October. In December and January, because of the extreme temperatures, landslides hamper tours to great extent.

Leh Ladakh

Leh Ladakh are two amazing place of visit especially during the onset of summers. This mountainous region has exemplary beauty of the landscape and holidays here could be like being cut off from an entire civilization. Leh is the capital city of Ladakh, while Ladakh is the plateau and the valley lying close to the Greater Himalayas. There are several ways by how you can reach there but depends on the route that would be open. Srinagar and Manali are two major gateways to Leh Ladakh. A part of the Himalayan kingdom, Leh lies in the district of Jammu and Kashmir. A hamlet of small wooden huts to keep off the cold winds, Leh has a great market for tourists. There are trekking opportunities to Ladakh and excursions to Shimla and other places in Himachal Pradesh. The place is connected to Srinagar from the northwestern part.



Leh Ladakh holidays
Having a rich trade history through the Rohtang Pass, Leh matured as a tourist destination over the years. Once it is snowing in Ladakh the adventure of the place gets intensified. Though there are few noted attractions in these two places, the Leh Palace is a popular place of visit. The palace built by king Sengge Namgyal has nine storeys with the royal family residing in the top floor before shifting their home to the Indus. The Karkoram range is another major attraction apart from the Himalayan mountain. The ridges and the peaks of high altitude are aprt for rock climbing, trekking, and skiing during snowfall.

Ladakh is alluring with its altitude of at least 9,000 feet overlooking the Kargil and Tibet border. Your holidays in Ladakh is more about adventure and photography that sightseeing. The Tibetan and Buddhist cultures have prevailed for centuries now in these two places of India. Many Buddhist monasteries are top pilgrimage centers in the country. Leh-Ladakh tour is a journey into the most fascinating peak and religious zone of the world accompanied by exceptional adventure sports activities throughout the region.

Sheltered from the rain clouds, there is just a minimum rainfall of 4 inches in Leh Ladakh annually. There is a lake system existing for ages maintaining the bio-diversity of the region. During summer months, the lakes in Leh have boating rides as the skies are thankfully clear for the whole year and the lake is not frozen.

Location of Ladakh India

A land of freezing winds and burning hot sunlight, Ladakh is a cold desert lying in the rain shadow of the Great Himalayas and other smaller ranges. Little rain and snow reaches this dry area, where natural forces have created a fantastic landscape. Surrounded by rugged mountains this land is completely different from the green landscape of many parts of the Himalayas. Bounded by two of the world's mightiest mountain ranges, the Great Himalaya and the Karokaram, it is a land which has no match.

Formation of Ladakh India

In geological terms, this is a young land, formed only a few million years ago by the buckling and folding of the earth's crust as the Indian sub-continent pushed with irresistible force against the immovable mass of Asia. Its basic contours, uplifted by these unimaginable tectonic movements, have been modified over the millennia by the opposite process of erosion, sculpted into the form we see today by wind and water.

Water in Ladakh India

The main source of water in this land remains the winter snowfall. Ladakh was once covered by an extensive lake system, the vestiges of which still exist on its south -east plateaux of Rupshu and Chushul - in drainage basins with evocative names like Tso-moriri, Tsokar,and grandest of all, Pangong-tso.

Temperature in Ladakh India

The temperature rarely exceeds 27 degree celcuis in summer while in winter it may drop to minus 20 degree celcuis






Three places to see around Leh in Ladakh: the Buddhist murals in Alchi, the high altitude Pangong lake and the world’s highest motorable mountain pass, Khardung La.

Pangong Tso, a High Altitude Lake in Ladakh






You’ve driven for hours through fields where the only other living things you see are wild goats and marmots, you’ve passed the third highest motorable mountain pass in the world (Chang La) and you’ve had to figure out a way to drive through the remains of a severe landslide. You’ve arrived on the shores of a high altitude lake that stretches from India to Chinese-controlled territory and you have dealt with a bored official at the checkpoint who gets his only job satisfaction from giving you hassle when checking your travel permit. You’re at 4250 metres altitude somewhere in East Ladakh, and you think you’ve arrived somewhere very far away, so you feel quite intrepid.
And then you see the tent village and the German tour bus, just as the jeep full of European and Israeli backpackers arrives, followed by four travellers you know from
Pangong Tso is not really as remote and inaccessible I thought it was going to be, but it’s very beautiful. If you have been to Tibet and seen some high altitude lakes, you’ll know what to expect: clear blue waters, very blue skies, rocky shores, snow-capped mountains. If you haven’t seen one before, you won’t be able to stop going “I can’t believe it’s so beautiful here”. Accommodation is basic, so do not count on running water or electricity.

Khardung La is the world’s highest motorable mountain pass – maybe. Apparently there is another, higher pass nearby, although it is one that would be very difficult for foreign tourist to get to. Apparently some people with GPS have also measured less than the 5602 metres that is advertised on top of Khardung La. Who cares? It’s very high! You can’t stay too long because of the altitude, but there is also not so much to do anyway except to take some photos and have a cup of tea. Khardung La, or K-Top, is an easy half a day’s trip from Leh, and also a gateway to the Nubra Valley, the northernmost part of India a tourist can visit.

Alchi and its Buddhist Murals
Alchi is a small and incredibly pretty Himalayan village about 60 km from Leh, and home to unique Buddhist murals. The 11th century Kashmiri Buddhist murals have suffered badly due to neglect and the harsh mountain weather, and soon you might not be able to see them at all: while some have been restored, some are clearly not going to survive.

Alchi is an easy daytrip from Leh (although in Ladakh 60 km of road means a good few hours of driving ) but the cute guesthouses, nice restaurants and bakeries and the gorgeous views made me wish I could have stayed a few nights.
Ladakh Travel Permits for Foreign Tourists
An Inner Line Permit is needed to visit most of these places. Almost any of the travel agents in Leh can get one for you. Each permit should include four names so if you’re travelling alone, the travel agents will group you together with others.
Officially, you should travel together with the others on the same permit, and if you don’t, there might be trouble at checkpoints. Keep several copies of the permit, especially if going to Pangong Tso, because each checkpoint will keep one copy and there are lots of checkpoints on the way.