Monthly Archives: December 2009

Cable Car Gondola Rates and Tariff – Gulmarg 2009

All rates are as of Dec 2009

RATE LIST OF GULMARG GONDOLA RIDE
CATEGORY SECTION – I
(Gulmarg to Kongdori)		 SECTION – II
(Kongdori to Apherwat)
Adults Rs. 300.00 Rs. 500.00
Children below 10 years Rs. 150.00 Rs. 250.00
Students on Picnic with Schools Rs. 150.00 Rs. 500.00
Army Personnel Rs. 150.00 Rs. 250.00
GONDOLA RATES FOR SKIERS
Skiers SECTION – I
(Gulmarg to Kongdori)		 SECTION – II
(Kongdori to Apherwat)
Single Trip Rs. 150.00 Rs. 250.00
Day Pass: # Foreign Skiers Rs. 700.00 Rs. 1250.00
Day Pass: # Domestic Skiers Rs. 450.00 Rs. 800.00
Weekly Pass: # Foreign Skiers Rs. 4500.00 Rs. 6000.00
Weekly Pass: # Domestic Skiers Rs. 2000.00 Rs. 4000.00
Combined Pass for both Phases (Only for Foreigners)
# Day Pass Rs 1800.00
# Weekly Pass Rs. 9000.00

NOTE : – Tickets for 2nd Phase is sold upto 3 PM only during winter months. Ensure to purchase the ticket for 2nd phase before 3 PM.

Tickets for GCC are also available at Srinagar International Airport (SIA) and Tourist Reception Centre (TRC)

This information is from J and K State Cable Car Corporation at jkccc.com

Contact Information is (’91’ is the India Country Code) Ph: 91-194-2435837, 91-194-2436405, 91-194-2441742

Email : cablecar@rediffmail.com

Kashmir Snow Festival Gulmarg 2009

The winter sports season will commence with ‘Kashmir Snow Festival’ in Gulmarg from December 24 and “Night Skiing, cultural programmes, FAM Tours and National Ice championships would be included in the three-day festival.

The season will culminate with national cross-country ski championship to be held from March 11 to 13 next year (2010).

Other competitions slated to be held at Gulmarg include National Junior Alpine Ski Championship and State Ski Championship.

Heliskiing in Gulmarg

Cross your fingers as Jammu and Kashmir government is planning to revive Heliskiing in Gulmarg. Well, at least thus as stated the Tourism Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora.

The government cannot do this directly, and is in talks with some “organizations” – presumably companies who have experience in this field. In July, the Ministers had held discussions with a renowned French heli skiing expert Mr. Sylvain Saudan.

Heliskiing comprises of being dropped by a helicopter on the summit of a high, snow-covered peak and then skiing down the slopes. Al ready some private companies are offering to take people on heliskiing trips to Gulmarg, using private helicopter and private helipad. Notable are www.gulmargheliski.com & www.gulmargpowderguides.com

Gulmarg 2010 Organized Ski Tours

Believe it or not, this year (Dec 2009/Jan 2010) sees an explosion of organized Ski or Skiing tours to Gulmarg – mostly by people/companies from outside India. You apparently get the benefit of ‘Ski Travel Consultants’ with specific trips organized between specific dates by different companies. The slots are limited and can be filled up using the online websites easily.

A week’s trip costs about USD 2000, generally including return flights from Delhi, local transfers, twin sharing hotels, Lift costs, food, guide, etc. Equipment may or may not be covered.

So looks like market forces are taking over. What if the government could not exploit the potential; savvy people from the field the world over are coming in and filling the void.

The costs seem somewhat high for Indian visitors – but compare it to a vacation to Kerela or Goa, and it could still make sense. Not to forget that this is about guided skiing tours to one the most beautiful places on the earth, and not merely a vacationing, take it easy kind of trip. More adventure than one could ever dream of…when you combine the powder fun with the fun of travelling to Kashmir in a peculiar India kind of way – who’d clear the snow from the roads? no one; would there be electricity? who can tell; and so on…

Check out these sites:

http://www.sevendescents.com.au/trips/india/gulmarg.php

http://ski-gulmarg.co.uk/trips/

http://www.trekclimbski.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53&Itemid=85

http://www.gulmargheliski.com

http://www.skihimalaya.com

Gulmarg Skiing

http://www.freeskihimalaya.com

(if there are any others that anyone would like to suggest, please contact or add them below to the comments section).

Finally, if you have been to one of these trips and would like to share your suggestions, comments, or feedback for the benefit of others, you are welcome to add your comment below.