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The Meadow Of Flowers
A huge cup shaped meadow, lush and green with slopes where the silence is
broken only by the tinkle of cowbells, Gulmarg looks like a fantasy set in
a film and not surprisingly have been the venue of several films.
The
valley of Gulmarg, a large meadow about 3-sq-kms in area, stands at 2,730
metres, 56-km south west of
Srinagar . The
name means 'Meadow Of Flowers' and in the spring it's just that, a rolling
meadow dotted with countless colourful Bluebells, Daisies, Forget Me Not's
and Buttercups. The valley itself is about 3-km long and up to a km wide.
Take a Hike!
All around are snow-capped mountains, and on a clear day one can see all
the way to Nanga Parbat is one direction and Srinagar is another. It's a
popular day trip from Srinagar to Gulmarg, although many people extend
their stay or use it as a base for trekking. The road from Srinagar rises
gently towards the lower slopes of the range, passing through rice and
maize fields.
From Tangmarg, at the foot of the range, there are two paths to Gulmarg -
a steep footpath or a winding sealed road. There is also a pony track from
Gulmarg that leads upwards to Khilanmarg, Kongdori and seven springs.
Khilanmarg
This smaller valley is about a 6-km walk from the Gulmarg bus stop and
car park. The meadow, carpeted with flowers in the spring, is the site for
Gulmarg's winter ski runs and offers a fine view of the surrounding peaks
and over the Kashmir Valley. It's a 600-metre ascent from Gulmarg to
Khilanmarg and during the early spring, as the snow melts, it can be a
very muddy hour's climb up the hill. The effort is rewarded, if it's
clear, with a sweeping view of the great Himalayas from Nanga Parbat to
the twin 7,100-metre peaks of Nun and Kun to the southeast.
Alpather Lake:
Beyond Khilanmarg, 13-km from Gulmarg at the foot of the twin 4, 511
metre Apharwat peaks, this lake is frozen until mid-June and even later in
the year one can see lumps of ice floating in its cold waters. The walk
from Gulmarg follows a well-graded Pony track over the 3, 810 metre
Apharwat ridge, separating it from Khilanmarg, and then up the valley to
the lake at 3,843 metres. The more adventurous trekkers can climb straight
up the boulder-strewn slope of the ridge and descend the other side to the
path. For horse riding aficionados, Alpather Lake makes an exciting day's
excursion, starting early morning and returning late evening.
The Ningli Nallah:
Flowing from the melting snow and ice on Apharwat and the Alpather Lake,
this pretty mountain stream is 8-km from Gulmarg. The stream continues
down into the valley below and joins the Jhelum River near Sopur. This
long, grassy valley is a popular picnic spot and the walking path carries
on, crossing the Ningli (also spelt as Ningle) Nallah by a bridge and
continues on to the Khilenmarg, another grassy meadow and a good spot for
camping. In early summer one will probably share the campsites with Gujars
moving their herds up to the high meadows.
Ferozpore Nallah
Reached from the Tangmarg road, or from the Outer Circular Walk, this
mountain stream meets the Bahan River at a popular picnic spot known as
'waters meet'. The stream is reputed to be particularly good for trout
fishing; it's about five km down the valley from Gulmarg but quite close
to Tangmarg. The river can be reached by walking 3-km down the path from
the gap near Tangmarg and then heading south through the forest, down a
slope towards the stream.
Near here there is a bridge which leas to the small waters meet picnic
spot on the right bank. Looking south from Tangmarg the river can be
traced up to its source close to the rugged peak known as Ferozpore or
Shinmahinyu. On the right bank the stream branches, the left path leading
to Tosa Maidan, while the right bends away towards the Gogaldara road at a
second bridge, about 32-km upstream, and then leads away to the Ferozpore
pass, Poonch and Kantar Nag.
One can continue on from here to Tosa Maidan, a three day, 50-km walk to
one of Kashmir's most beautiful Marg's, crossing the Basmai Gali pass at
about 4,000 metres. The track here is very close to the ceasefire line
with Pakistan and on the right one will pass the Jamainwali Gali, the pass
at 4,000 metres is one of the easiest and safest routes into the Punjab.
Shrine Of Baba Reshi / Ziarat Of Baba Reshi :
This Muslim shrine is on the slopes below Gulmarg and can be reached from
either Gulmarg or Tangmarg. The Ziarat, or tomb, is of a well-known Muslim
saint who died here in 1480. Before renouncing worldly ways he was a
courtier of the Kashmir King Zain-ul-Abidin. Every year thousands of
devotees visit this shrine regardless of the faith they believe in.
Golf Courses:
Gulmarg
also has one of the world's highest green golf courses, as well as a
clubhouse, which is a historical building in its own right. For the
would-be golfer, there are golf sets on hire, pros to instruct one in the
game, and temporary memberships. Naturally, these facilities are available
to players as well, except that serious golfers usually carry their sets
along.
Gondola Lift:
For a fun filled ride of a most unusual kind, Gulmarg's newly constructed
Gondola lift from high above Gulmarg, through pine clad slopes, is
exhilarating.
Gulmarg Biosphere Reserve:
For witnessing the glorious fauna of the great Himalayan range, such as
the Himalayan Musk Deer, Red Fox, Brown and Black Bear along with numerous
resident and migratory birds, visit the Gulmarg Biosphere Reserve. Located
at a height of 2,400m above sea level and with a coverage area of
180-sq-kms, this reserve is at a distance of 48-km from Srinagar. The best
time to watch the wildlife is September to March.
Skiing:
In
winter, Gulmarg acquires a new persona - that of the country's premier
skiing resorts. Skiing, to many who watch it on TV, seems like a very
elitist sport, requiring a high level of training and expensive equipment.
They are surprised, when they visit Gulmarg for a day's expedition to "see
the snow", that others with the same level of physical fitness and
training are skiing down slopes. Gulmarg is the ultimate beginner's skiing
resort. One doesn't requite a heavy woolen wardrobe - slacks or a Salwar
Kameez will do fine. In Gulmarg one will also be able to drift to one of
the many Ski shops and hire skis, sticks and goggles. Just find yourself a
ski instructor and set off down a slope.
Neither does one need to exert oneself climbing up slopes. The gentlest
slope of 200m is linked with a ski lift, which helps one to go up. When
one graduates to intermediate level - which will happen after the first
few days of practice, there are other slopes, longer and steeper, which
are connected by chair lift. The longest ski run in Gulmarg is provided by
the Gondola cable car, which allows a ski run of 2,213m.
Outer Circular Walk:
A circular road, 11-km in length, runs right round Gulmarg through
pleasant pine forests with excellent views over the Kashmir valley. Nanga
Parbat is clearly visible 137-km to the north, Haramukh 60-km to the east
while to the south one can see the Ferozpore and Sunset Peaks and the
Apharwat Ridge. Nanga Parbat, the 'lord of the mountains', is the fourth
highest peak on earth at 8,500 metres.
Air: Gulmarg is in Baramula District and is 56-kms
from Srinagar
District . The nearest Airport from here is situated in Badgam
District, which is well connected with all the major cities of the
country.
Rail: The nearest railhead is at Jammu.
Road: The journey from Srinagar to Gulmarg takes approximately 2
hours in bus and may take short time by chartered conveyance. The road to
Gulmarg is very beautiful and is lined with poplar trees all through. All
sorts of transport are available to Gulmarg from Srinagar bus stand at
Batmallo and from private transport operators.
There are numerous hotels of various standards available for accommodation purpose in Gulmarg, some of them being luxury, several being comfortable in addition to JKTDC's winterized, fully furnished huts, which are great value for money. Assistance for booking accommodation can be had from the booking manager at Tourist reception centre in Srinagar.
Srinagar : 56-km