Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh Tourism Information
May 12, 2006, 12:49 pm
#16
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I was very keen on riding the "chair lift" near the golf course in Gulmarg, as a kid in the late 70s. I think it was the ski lift which was used as a amusement ride in the summer. It wasn't working the day we arrived there for a day trip from Srinagar. The disappointment was somewhat reduced when I found a golf ball in a hole on the course. 
Boy did that one bounce!
Boy did that one bounce!
Last edited by knit-in; May 12, 2006 at 12:59 pm
May 12, 2006, 1:50 pm
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Originally Posted by knit-in
I was very keen on riding the "chair lift" near the golf course in Gulmarg, as a kid in the late 70s. I think it was the ski lift which was used as a amusement ride in the summer. It wasn't working the day we arrived there for a day trip from Srinagar. The disappointment was somewhat reduced when I found a golf ball in a hole on the course. Boy did that one bounce!
Boy did that one bounce!
"Highland Park" in Gulmarg come to mind?
May 15, 2006, 9:19 am
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
I was invited by the then Chief Minister to the Winter Sports festival or something like that they had last winter in Gulmarg; I didn't go, but maybe they've got the chair lift functioning finally.
"Highland Park" in Gulmarg come to mind?
"Highland Park" in Gulmarg come to mind?
Highland Park, as I remember, used to be the place to be at in Gulmarg back then. Can't say what the status is now. Does it still exist?
May 15, 2006, 10:09 am
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Originally Posted by knit-in
Boy, do you move around in the right circles.
Highland Park, as I remember, used to be the place to be at in Gulmarg back then. Can't say what the status is now. Does it still exist?
Highland Park, as I remember, used to be the place to be at in Gulmarg back then. Can't say what the status is now. Does it still exist?
The landmark hotel/huts that are Highland Park still exist although they didn't get much good use (since the nonsense began) until more recently. They may have even been refurbished as of late but I am not sure about that. I will try to check it out this summer or most certainly next (presuming that what happened to the Pahalgam tourist center -- the one with the rollerskating-rink IIRC -- doesn't happen at Gulmarg).
May 15, 2006, 3:05 pm
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
but maybe they've got the chair lift functioning finally
May 15, 2006, 11:20 pm
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Originally Posted by cj001f
The tram at the ski area is fully operational according to friends who were there spring '05. It's not exactly full service - little to no safety patrol/avalanche control, etc. Will be curious to see what happens to it if/when the proposed Himalayan Village ski resort comes to Manali.
I'll bring up the "safety patrol/avalanche control" -- avalanche control doesn't much concern me there compared to other places at which I have gone skiing -- to see if anything has been done in that regard.
It'll be interesting to see how "mountain" resort-type areas start doing going forward. There's no doubt that the higher end Indian tourists that used to go to Kashmir are now barely found there -- courtesy of problems there since '89, increased overseas travel opportunities, and domestic alternatives -- and has shifted to elsewhere in India or otherwise does overseas holidays.
Last edited by GUWonder; May 15, 2006 at 11:26 pm
May 15, 2006, 11:49 pm
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From Action Asia:
Heliskiing in Kashmir is also apparently being marketed to the European travel market, but if that's your fix, better to still do that in HP than in J&K.
India's skiing is tucked away in the country's northern reaches. With continual problems in the Kashmir region, the focus is on Himachal Pradesh, the mountain range immediately west of the Zaskars and the border with Tibet. This area is a frustrating combination of perfect conditions and -- with the exception of one outstanding heliski operation -- perfectly horrible infrastructure. While the snow can be counted on, the lifts, hotels and rental equipment are in serious doubt. There is plenty of inexpensive lodging in Manali. If you are serious about skiing here, bring your own gear as the stuff available locally is just plain dangerous.
For those with an abundance of either time or money, the pristine slopes in the state of Himachal Pradesh are most definitely worth the visit. The quickest way to access those steep, powdery slopes safely and quickly is in the comfort of a helicopter from a base in the town of Manali. Australian-owned and operated Himachal Helicopter Skiing (HHS) is your best bet for a legal and safe way to get Himalaya high -- most of the runs start above 5000m. The company offers week-long trips out of Delhi and guarantees 7000m of vertical sliding. Swiss pilots fly small groups of skiers, matched with guides according to skill, to get a helping of "curry" powder. Prices for a one week trip out of Delhi including guides, back-up helicopters, avalanche gear, deluxe accommodation in HHS's lodge and food, start at US$5250. Tel: (61-3) 9593 9853; [email protected].
For those who must experience the joys of an Indian ski resort, Solang Valley, just 13km out of Manali, has a 300m-long t-bar, some decent slopes and spicy chai available on the hill. But if resorts are your thing, you're in the wrong country.
Getting there
You've to start from Manali to access the Indian slopes. Flights from Delhi to Manali are operated by Jagson Airlines, on tel: (91-11) 332 5320, US$150 one-way.
Himalayan high
Gulmarg is the best ski resort in the Himalayas, and was established by the British in 1927 during colonial rule. The resort maintains the standards, naturally friendly service and ludicrously cheap prices for which India is famed.
For those with an abundance of either time or money, the pristine slopes in the state of Himachal Pradesh are most definitely worth the visit. The quickest way to access those steep, powdery slopes safely and quickly is in the comfort of a helicopter from a base in the town of Manali. Australian-owned and operated Himachal Helicopter Skiing (HHS) is your best bet for a legal and safe way to get Himalaya high -- most of the runs start above 5000m. The company offers week-long trips out of Delhi and guarantees 7000m of vertical sliding. Swiss pilots fly small groups of skiers, matched with guides according to skill, to get a helping of "curry" powder. Prices for a one week trip out of Delhi including guides, back-up helicopters, avalanche gear, deluxe accommodation in HHS's lodge and food, start at US$5250. Tel: (61-3) 9593 9853; [email protected].
For those who must experience the joys of an Indian ski resort, Solang Valley, just 13km out of Manali, has a 300m-long t-bar, some decent slopes and spicy chai available on the hill. But if resorts are your thing, you're in the wrong country.
Getting there
You've to start from Manali to access the Indian slopes. Flights from Delhi to Manali are operated by Jagson Airlines, on tel: (91-11) 332 5320, US$150 one-way.
Himalayan high
Gulmarg is the best ski resort in the Himalayas, and was established by the British in 1927 during colonial rule. The resort maintains the standards, naturally friendly service and ludicrously cheap prices for which India is famed.
May 1, 2007, 10:04 am
#24
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It depends on where you go there.
The Ladakh part of the state of Jammu & Kashmir (& Ladakh) -- where Leh is located -- is as fine as any place else in India.
In the Kashmir valley itself -- where Srinagar is located -- wandering about into the hills and mountains by yourself is still not recommended. Going walking in the downtown areas is something to still be minimized. Staying on Dal Lake or the Nagin Lake on a boathouse in the water is about as safe as any of the major international "luxury" hotels in Delhi over the course of the next few years.
In the Jammu part of the state, it'll be scorching heat at this time, and while most parts there are fine the Doda and Rajouri and Poonch sectors in the Jammu part can be as or more dicey than most of the beatent-path places in the Kashmir valley itself.
Going to some of the traditional resort areas in the Kashmir valley is back to basically as safe for foreigners as it was in the summer of 1989 although that doesn't mean it's fine to go for hikes into the mountains.
The important thing is: where you stay/don't stay, where you go/don't go, how you go/don't go, who you have/don't have locally to handle you once there.
You'll see a lot of government military and paramilitary and police forces everywhere but once you get over that and use a bit of common sense, it still can make for a very enjoyable trip.
If you plan to go, I am associated with someone who knows the area very well and he's got a list of safety rules applicable to the ground realities there. I'll procure them and post some here.
It's a great place to visit and I've gone quite often. Just don't throw caution to the wind.
About the political situation, except for extremist non-Kashmiri elements, which are now more obsessed with going after DEL and BOM and BLR and HYD than foreigners in Kashmir, the majority of what local militants remain in Kashmir today -- far fewer in number than five years ago -- have an understanding that non-Indians are basically off-limits. (This is no guarantee, but it means the risk is far, far lower today than it was 5 or 10 years ago.) Basically, the militancy, at least locally, is having its last breath and has more of an impact in more remote villages/towns and on military/police than foreigners or Kashmiris resident in the major towns/cities who exercise some caution.
A 3-4 day visit and you'll almost certainly be fine. A three month visit is not for nervous nellies who don't know what they are doing.
Arrival day, check out Lake Dal and Nagin, take a shikara ride to/from the houseboat and get a small car driving tour of parts of Srinagar -- do that in the reverse order. Next day take a day trip to Gulmarg and come back in the evening. Following day go to Pahalgham and enjoy the rivers coming off the mountains. (Some people stay there overnight if they don't stay overnight in Gulmarg.) Then take off for some place where you don't have to see boots on the ground.
All said, it's a very interesting place and should be checked out.
This summer I'll probably be back there, for leisure this time, attending a wedding.
The Ladakh part of the state of Jammu & Kashmir (& Ladakh) -- where Leh is located -- is as fine as any place else in India.
In the Kashmir valley itself -- where Srinagar is located -- wandering about into the hills and mountains by yourself is still not recommended. Going walking in the downtown areas is something to still be minimized. Staying on Dal Lake or the Nagin Lake on a boathouse in the water is about as safe as any of the major international "luxury" hotels in Delhi over the course of the next few years.
In the Jammu part of the state, it'll be scorching heat at this time, and while most parts there are fine the Doda and Rajouri and Poonch sectors in the Jammu part can be as or more dicey than most of the beatent-path places in the Kashmir valley itself.
Going to some of the traditional resort areas in the Kashmir valley is back to basically as safe for foreigners as it was in the summer of 1989 although that doesn't mean it's fine to go for hikes into the mountains.
The important thing is: where you stay/don't stay, where you go/don't go, how you go/don't go, who you have/don't have locally to handle you once there.
You'll see a lot of government military and paramilitary and police forces everywhere but once you get over that and use a bit of common sense, it still can make for a very enjoyable trip.
If you plan to go, I am associated with someone who knows the area very well and he's got a list of safety rules applicable to the ground realities there. I'll procure them and post some here.
It's a great place to visit and I've gone quite often. Just don't throw caution to the wind.
About the political situation, except for extremist non-Kashmiri elements, which are now more obsessed with going after DEL and BOM and BLR and HYD than foreigners in Kashmir, the majority of what local militants remain in Kashmir today -- far fewer in number than five years ago -- have an understanding that non-Indians are basically off-limits. (This is no guarantee, but it means the risk is far, far lower today than it was 5 or 10 years ago.) Basically, the militancy, at least locally, is having its last breath and has more of an impact in more remote villages/towns and on military/police than foreigners or Kashmiris resident in the major towns/cities who exercise some caution.
A 3-4 day visit and you'll almost certainly be fine. A three month visit is not for nervous nellies who don't know what they are doing.
Arrival day, check out Lake Dal and Nagin, take a shikara ride to/from the houseboat and get a small car driving tour of parts of Srinagar -- do that in the reverse order. Next day take a day trip to Gulmarg and come back in the evening. Following day go to Pahalgham and enjoy the rivers coming off the mountains. (Some people stay there overnight if they don't stay overnight in Gulmarg.) Then take off for some place where you don't have to see boots on the ground.
All said, it's a very interesting place and should be checked out.
This summer I'll probably be back there, for leisure this time, attending a wedding.
Last edited by GUWonder; May 1, 2007 at 10:10 am
May 1, 2007, 11:47 am
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From around Oct. 1989 until 2002, I would definitely not have recommended visiting for any non-essential purposes. Every year since 2002 has been a huge improvement such that in the past couple of years I've revised my opinion and am now returning for non-essential purposes.
The situation now is much improved with tens of thousands of people from various countries in the EU, Israel, China, Japan, Australia and other places coming there in the last two summers. After Israelis, Chinese were the second biggest contingency of foreign tourists to Kashmir last summer. An interesting note is that Kashmir's main tourist spots are safer for foreign tourists than for Indians segregated from locals. (Just something to factor in depending on who the travel companions are and who you know/don't know locally.)
I'll put up the key points around midnight DC time -- since it's not cut and paste-able -- on some approaches that would make your trip to SXR safer and hopefully enjoyable.
[This reminds me, I have to post a thread about my experiences/observations at SXR airport.]
When are you thinking of heading/being there?
The situation now is much improved with tens of thousands of people from various countries in the EU, Israel, China, Japan, Australia and other places coming there in the last two summers. After Israelis, Chinese were the second biggest contingency of foreign tourists to Kashmir last summer. An interesting note is that Kashmir's main tourist spots are safer for foreign tourists than for Indians segregated from locals. (Just something to factor in depending on who the travel companions are and who you know/don't know locally.)
I'll put up the key points around midnight DC time -- since it's not cut and paste-able -- on some approaches that would make your trip to SXR safer and hopefully enjoyable.
[This reminds me, I have to post a thread about my experiences/observations at SXR airport.
]When are you thinking of heading/being there?
May 1, 2007, 8:55 pm
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I haven't been to Kashmir in ages. A shikar ride in DAl and NAgin lake is good as GUWonder said. We also went to Nishat and Shalimar Gardens in Srinagar itself. Pahalgam, and Gulmarg. A hike to Shankracharya temple can be good too.
May 1, 2007, 9:04 pm
#29
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As suggested above, a hike up the the Shankracharya temple overlooking the Dal Lake is something that should be done if visiting Srinagar. The greater risk there is (again) an encounter with a wild bear -- not that there are that many that close to the downtown area, except around there.
Also not too far from Shankracharya and Cheshmashahi is Pari Mahal.
http://www.pbase.com/oeyvind/parimahal
http://www.pbase.com/oeyvind/kashmir
May 1, 2007, 9:10 pm
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The lakes in Srinagar are being cleaned up (de-weeding and more); and a tourist train trolley around the area is in the plans -- although it won't be up for at least another year or two.
Those photos found in the link supplied above really do a great job in capturing what I see there on a good day.
Those photos found in the link supplied above really do a great job in capturing what I see there on a good day.