Gulmarg

Located in the northern Indian state of Kashmir and Jammu, Gulmarg (originally Gauri Marg) was a favourite of Emperor Jahangir and a popular summer retreat since the days of the Raj. It stands in a broad upland bowl-shaped meadow – the name means "flower filled meadow" because in spring the whole area comes alive in a riot of colour.  It is a stunning landscape of towering snow-capped peaks, flower-filled meadows, pristine streams and dense forests of conifers, fir and pine trees.

At an altitude of 2,740 metres, Gulmarg offers spectacular mountain scenery as well as one of the most dramatically located golf courses on Earth. In winter, it becomes a ski resort and has recently opened the highest cable-car in the world, an awe-inspiring journey up to the previously unreachable heights of the Himalayas. The winter season officially starts from mid-December when the serious snowfall arrives; skiing and snowboarding can be enjoyed until the end of March. Gulmarg receives approximately 14 metres of snowfall a year, which is roughly on a par with Niseko in Japan and dramatically more than European or American ski resorts. For truly intrepid travellers, these exotic powder pistes offer an unforgettable and unique skiing experience! 

With arguably some of the world’s most beautiful scenery, Gulmarg also offers fantastic opportunities for refreshing walks in the fresh mountain air.  The pine slopes surrounding Gulmarg are great for trekking to get a distant view of Nanga Parbat (8126m) to the north, in Pakistan-controlled Baltistan. Typically, trips to Gulmarg start or end with a few days on a houseboat in Srinagar. Srinagar is the access point to Gulmarg with direct flights from Delhi. From Srinagar it takes an hour and a half to get to Gulmarg. Since the 1940s Kashmir has been a disputed territory between India and Pakistan, and the region still has a strong military presence, however tourism has started to recover slowly since the late 1990s. Today, Gulmarg mainly has domestic tourists and a small but increasing number of Western tourists.

I can't think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything.
Bill Bryson