Gulmarg - ski resort in the Himalayas.
Gulmarg is the largest ski resort located on the slope of Mount Afarwat (Pir Panjal Range) in the Himalayas. This place received this name back in the 16th century. The fact is that Sultan Yusuf Shah, who was once there, was greatly fascinated by the beauty of the area and nicknamed this land the “Valley of Flowers.” The city of Gulmarg itself is located just 52 km from the capital, the city. By the way, in ancient times this land was a favorite vacation spot of the Mongol emperors. So, if you want to relax like an emperor, Gulmarg is the perfect place for you!
The ski season here starts in mid-December and lasts until the end of March. The snow has an amazing consistency, which will bring a lot of pleasure while skiing. Besides, Gulmarg can delight tourists with free slopes and untouched virgin soil. After all, the resort is somewhat remote, and skiing itself is not particularly popular among local residents.
Since 2005, this resort has been famous for the highest cable car in the world. It stretches for almost five kilometers and has two lines, closed booths for six people. It is also very important that the lift costs only five dollars a day. By the way, this is not the only thing that has a small cost in Gulmarg. Regarding prices, everything here is very affordable. So, this resort has inexpensive instructors, so you can also study here.
It is worth noting that this is an excellent option for beginners, because Gulmarg fully provides visiting tourists with all the necessary equipment and clothing. But even true masters of alpine skiing will love this Himalayan resort, because the elevation difference here is from four to two thousand meters. In addition, there are almost no trails here! Ski area in Gulmarg starts from the very top of the Pir Panjal ridge (4000 m) and ends almost at the foot, in the village of Tangmarg (2150 m). Basically, freeride sections predominate here. And the second stage of the lift consists of slopes of medium difficulty and higher.
Gulmarg - amazing place with stunning nature. Not every resort on the planet can offer you such stunning views. Just look at the eight-thousander Nanda Parbat (8126 m) - the 9th highest peak in the world. And in general, the unique Indian flavor, customs, culture and nature of this country also do their job.
On this moment very few articles were submitted. We hope this is because everyone wants to write the most informative story possible, and are in no rush to submit until they've polished it. Don't be shy, tell us about some freeride place!
This is what Pavel Lavrentyev told us about skiing at the very famous resort of Gulmarg among freeriders.
Since there are descriptions of trips to Gulmarg, I will focus on describing the freeride routes, approaches and departures, but for completeness I will also add a little about the trip itself.
The idea for the trip was born a year before the trip itself; we decided to celebrate the New Year in some unusual way, and of course, go for a ride. We started planning a trip to India, the route turned out like this:
1. Moscow-Delhi plane, Delhi-Cochin plane, right-hand drive taxi Cochin-Allappuja (Allipi), swimming in the ocean, eating all sorts of different things, meeting the New Year (it was cool, several thousand stoned Indians were dancing on the ocean shore, a scene from which incendiary Indians were singing live songs, and the sound of the surf :).
2. Taxi to Cochin, plane Cochin-Delhi, plane Delhi-Srinagar, 1 day in Srinagar for a preliminary inspection of the city, taxi Srinagar - Gulmarg.
3. Accommodation at the Payne Palace Hotel, gurney.
4. Taxi Gulmarg-Srinagar, walking in Srinagar.
5. Plane Srinagar-Delhi, day in Delhi (nothing to do there), plane Delhi-Moscow.
India also has the Internet, so all tickets for domestic flights bought from home. A hotel in Gulmarg was booked from Moscow through a special person, but experience has shown that this is not necessary; at the moment there are three large hotels with central heating in which you can find a room.
There are no trails there, there is a mountain and a lift to the top, in general, everything is as we like. I will describe what concerns skating, and at the end I will briefly describe everyday life. The description corresponds to the moment when we were there, the first half of January 2010. There wasn't much snow, there was snowfall on January 3rd, after that there was sun for 8 days.
For some reason, there is a widespread myth that this place is not dangerous for avalanches. This is exactly a myth, we triggered three small avalanches, a group of Australians triggered 2, and after our return to Moscow and active snowfall, an avalanche occurred in one of the couloirs, in which about 30 people died, Indian military personnel who illiterately set up a camp for their exercises . So be careful!
The geography is simple: a ridge, a plateau below it, a sloping forest below the plateau.
From the bottom of the forest there is a lift to the plateau, from the plateau the second stage to the ridge itself. In the picture this is a vertical line, point G2-3 is the transfer point to the plateau.
This is what it looks like from a satellite. Unfortunately, for more large maps, the place we are interested in is covered by clouds
First I will describe the descent, and then the return options. I will call what is indicated by numbers sidelines. You can ride to the right or left of the lift.
On right
To ski on the right (as seen from below, couloirs 1-6) you must walk. Lobbies 1 and 2 accessible without a pawn, from a lift, the first one is immediately, to the second one you need to cross the edge with a traverse. As a result, they rolled out on the first day after the snowfall, on the fifth day, in the upper part of the second couloir there was a perfectly even coating with ice hardness. Entering couloir 2 from above is risky, there is an unpleasant cornice there.
Couloir 2 from above
Couloir 3 very interesting, you already have to go to it. 30-40 minutes, depending on the degree of acclimatization, presence of traces, etc. It begins with a wide, steep circus turning into a wide rollout. In the upper left part (if you look from below) a small avalanche was released, it went about 200 meters and stopped on its own. As you can see from the photo, it crossed the traverse of those who were climbing from the second couloir.
Couloir 4, from the third couloir go quickly, because there is a flat part of the ridge at the top. Everything is fine there, in the upper part there is great potential, in the lower part everything degenerates into a narrow pipe. You have to be careful there, because... If an avalanche goes along the bottom, it is very difficult to escape. There is no point in trying to get over the ridge below, into couloir 3 through the forest; it cost us 2 hours of poking around in the forest, bushes, crossing a stream, etc., it’s all flat.
Couloir 5, from couloir 4 you can get to the beginning of the fifth by going around the top of the ridge on the left, with little snow it’s a slalom among the stones, if you feel sorry for the ski-board, somewhere you have to walk. The circus is ambiguous, if you look from above, it is better to enter from the left, because... On the right there is a cornice, and under the cornice traces of natural avalanches are visible. Wide, a large number of descent options.
Couloir 6. From couloir 5 you have to walk for another 20 minutes, from above it looks like the circus of 5th, on the right (when viewed from above) there is a cornice, on the left is the most optimal approach.
The snow there after the circus is hard, the geometry is such that there is very little sun there. We descended in this place on the third day after the snowfall, the crust scattered in pieces, perhaps if immediately after, it would be softer.
We lowered the board on hard snow, it didn’t go very far, about 50 meters, in large hard pieces.
In all the couloirs, if there is snow, there will be somewhere to jump, it will be possible to ride not along the walls, but along the ridges.
The hike up on foot looks like this:
If the path is crowded, then it’s easy to walk, like walking down steps. The most difficult section is the first one up to the third couloir, then everything is more or less flat.
At the top of each couloir there are comfortable resting places if you are tired of walking :)
Departure
If you go along corridors 1, 2, 3, you reach the plateau in the “green” zone, and here it is easy to get to the bottom of the second stage of the G2-3 lift. The plateau is sloping, so driving along it is acceptable. From there you can go into the forest, but we never left.
If you go down corridors 4,5,6, you will find yourself in the “purple” zone. From her best option go down through the forest. In the forest, everything is intuitive, it’s difficult to miss, but you can drive into lowlands from which you will have to leave on foot. Theoretically, it is possible to move from the blue zone to the green one, but this will be on foot in the snow; it will be more time-saving to go down through the forest and go up on a ski lift.
Left
There is no need to walk, the slope allows you to get to all the couloirs. You have to “pay” on the way out, there is a pawn there. In general, there is less snow than to the right of the ski lift.
Lobbies 7-8, they didn’t go there - everything was torn off, because it was the simplest option. From the outside it looked interesting, when there is more snow, it is fun there.
Lobbies 9-10, we started from the 10th, in the middle we lowered the expected avalanche into a narrow chute.
Snowboarding in Ghummarg (India)
We left at the ninth and went down the ridge between the 9th and 8th.
Departure
If you go to the bottom of the 9th and 10th, you will have to go into the forest, and then go down to the village of Tanmarg, and from there by jeep to the top. Due to the lack of snow, it was not possible to try this route.
Avalanche men
There are local avalanche experts, these are Canadians and Americans. Once a week they give a lecture, very useful to listen to. Every day they post an assessment of the factors influencing avalanche risk at the lift, so that this information can be used in on-site analysis.
Road, housing, etc.
The price of accommodation in Gulmarg is from 1500 to 3500 rupees per day in a hotel with central heating; I do not recommend others. The price depends on your bargaining ability. Breakfast and dinner in the hotel restaurant are prepared very tasty, but, as usual in India, you need to strongly emphasize the complete absence of pepper and spices. Otherwise, you won’t eat even a spoon. J There is no entertainment in the hotels other than evening ski parties. We lived in the “upper” part, it is a little more expensive, but also more comfortable, and they call it “Heritage”. It's warm to sleep, clothes dry. The bathroom is cold, washing is a feat.
Taxi: there is a subtlety. The path from Srinagar to the hotels can be divided into three parts: along the highway to Tanmarg, along the serpentine from Tanmarg to Gulmarg, from Gulmarg to the hotel through the barrier.
We rented a car in the center of Srinagar right at the taxi stand. There was a promise to take us straight to the hotel. We were taken to Tanmarg, then transferred to a car to Gulmarg, this is a type of minibus, a jeep with 9 people in it. They changed the bus because the road was snowy and the taxi driver didn’t have chains. But the minibus refused to take us from the barrier to the hotel and wanted another 200 rupees. I would recommend discussing this at the time of hiring a car, insisting that they must be taken to the hotel entrance. The cost from the airport is about 1500 rupees.
Except for the gurney
You can also go for a walk around Srinagar. Some areas are fun and some are downright scary. Right on the street there are basins of oil and in them Indians fry lotus root, potatoes and nuts in some kind of pink transparent dough. Very tasty and nutritious, although it looks extremely unsanitary. But the most important thing is the pomegranates, they are so ripe and tasty that we bought a bag and ate them in the mountains in the evenings while dousing ourselves in pomegranate juice.
If you get to the right area, you can see shops where they make and sell copper utensils, we were very impressed.
There is Dal Lake, a lot of Indians offer a boat tour on this lake, between houseboats, the program states a bunch of attractions, as usual, the Indians are lying :) But it’s worth a little ride, the settlements in houseboats on the water are very impressive. The only thing you should beware of is that when you sail away from the shore, boats will begin to swim up to you and offer all sorts of handicrafts. If this is not nipped in the bud, you may not get anywhere, payment is on time. In our case, the message to our boatman worked: “If even one more person comes up and starts offering us something, we won’t pay you money” :)
Gulmarg from A to Z: map of hotels and ski areas, slopes and pistes, lifts and ski passes. Vivid photos and videos. Reviews of ski tourists about Gulmarg.
- Tours for the New Year to India
- Last minute tours to India
One of the most famous Indian resorts, which was recently chosen by our compatriots who are keen on alpine skiing, freeride, luge and in general everything that rolls down a snowy mountain as quickly as possible. In the warm season, more leisurely, not too young golfers gather here.
The winter season lasts from the second half of December to March. Then, after a short “demi-season”, the active phase of summer holiday lovers begins.
Slopes and tracks
However, Gulmarg still has much greater attractiveness for fans winter species sports According to the testimony of many experienced experts, the routes in this region globe, like no others, are quite well suited for those who are just starting to ride. It just so happens that it is preferable for beginners to master long, not too steep and fairly snowy slopes.
Experienced skiers are more attracted to the so-called “freeride”, or “off-piste skiing”. As many have already guessed, this does not require a large and well-maintained track: everything happens on the wild slopes, under the personal responsibility of the extreme sports enthusiast.
As practice shows, trails for beginners are always staffed not only by instructors, but also by specially trained people who carefully ensure that the same number of people descend alive as climbed the mountain.
Freeride in Gulmarg
Freeride
In the case of freeride amateurs and professionals, everything is somewhat more complicated. As a rule, in Indian Gulmarg no one watches them except monkeys on snow-covered fir trees. And they are not the best helpers in an impending avalanche. That is why experienced experts strongly recommend that you first inquire about where you can go through a kind of “educational education” on behavior in the Gulmarg mountains. It also doesn’t hurt to learn how to use walkie-talkies and other emergency communication devices that a freerider needs.
Since this area receives quite a large amount of precipitation, avalanches are also not uncommon here. But, fortunately, the bearded Indian guys from the local equivalent of the Ministry of Emergency Situations are strictly vigilant to ensure that people with skis in their hands do not run into the mountains during snowfalls.
Infrastructure
Naturally, it will not be very convenient to bring all your ski equipment with you. Therefore in local hotels We offer rental of all equipment and numerous related special equipment. means like the same walkie-talkies. On average, all equipment and skis themselves cost 20-25 USD per day.
Prices on the page are as of September 2018.
Hotels
It is worth noting that hotels in this region of India are quite diverse and differ significantly in numerous criteria of comfort and cost. Thus, a holiday in a three-star hotel will cost approximately 60-95 USD per day per person, while in five-star luxury apartments the price tag is limited only by the imagination of the lucky owner of a bank account.
For those who feel like a person of heroic destiny, independent of the Internet, a clean bed, philistinism, and also stoically going through life’s hardships, a 0* (zero stars) hotel with the pretentious name “Raja House” is highly recommended. A roof over your head, four walls on the sides, a place to sleep - only 5-7 USD per day!
Entertainment and attractions in Gulmarg
During periods of heaviest snowfall, extreme sports enthusiasts usually try to find more mundane entertainment. Some note with regret their acute shortage. The bottom line is that Gulmarg is run by orthodox Muslims who don't take kindly to loud music, short dresses or alcoholic drinks. However, according to eyewitnesses, in some hotels you can still find bars and discos, but there are very few of them here.
The so-called “house boats” also deserve special attention, which in Russian literal translation sounds like “house-boat”. And if Gulmarg is a mountain settlement, then immediately below it is Srinagar, locality on Dal Lake, which is famous for its “houses on the water”. This ancient tradition originates from hoary antiquity and has now been somewhat rethought by the tycoons of the tourism business. As a rule, all “boats” are now converted into hotels, cafes and other establishments aimed at tourists.
India Kashmir: skiing at the resort of Gulmarg
Duration of the tour
8–10–12 days
Our program is an exciting journey to the north of India to the “valley of heavenly happiness” - Kashmir. Gulmarg, the best ski resort in India, is located here.
Skiing altitudes are 1400–2200 meters above sea level. There are lifts (gondolas, chairlifts, rope tows), and ski equipment can be rented. The slopes are designed for skiing levels from “beginner” to “above intermediate”, the maximum descent is 3 kilometers. The snow is natural, in some places it is compacted by snowcats. There are opportunities for heli-skiing. The season is from mid-December to the end of March.
Minimum number of trip participants: 2 people. Departure is possible any day.
Tour program
Tour program:
| Departure from Moscow at 19:25 from Sheremetyevo-2 airport, regular Aeroflot flight SU-535. Aircraft type Il-96. | |
| Day 1 | Meeting, transfer to the airport for domestic routes. Departure to Srinagar on a scheduled flight with Kingfisher Red or Jet Airways. Arrival in Srinagar. Meeting at the airport, transfer to the most famous ski resort India - Gulmarg(about 2 hours). Hotel accommodation and rest. |
|
Days 2–5 (2–7 or 2–9) |
Skiing at the resort. |
| Day 6 (8, 10) | Transfer to Srinagar airport and flight to Delhi. Arrival in Delhi, meeting at the airport, transfer to the hotel. Accommodation and rest. Free time. Optional: half-day tour of Delhi with a Russian-speaking guide (70 USD per person). |
|
Day 7 (9, 11) |
Free time in Delhi. This is an insurance day in case the plane does not take off from Srinagar on the previous day. Optional: excursion to Agra (from 190 USD per person). |
|
Day 8 (10, 12) |
Timely transfer to Delhi airport. 04:30 - departure to Moscow on regular Aeroflot flight SU-536. Aircraft type - Il-96. 09:30 - arrival in Moscow, Sheremetyevo-2 airport. |
Cost of the program per person, in USD:
(price is based on a trip of 2 or more people)| Hotel name | 8 days | 10 days | 12 days |
| Highlands Park | 1590 | 1810 | 2030 |
| Hill Top | 1565 | 1775 | 1985 |
| Heaven Retreat | 1470 | 1640 | 1810 |
*All hotels do not have formal “stars”; these are well-maintained, cozy guesthouses, the range of services in which can correspond to a good 3*+ hotel. All Gulmarg hotels include three meals a day in the price.
Important: centralized water heating is only available at the Hill Top Hotel. Other hotels have gas and/or wood stoves in every room.
The tour price does not include:
- air flight Moscow - Delhi - Moscow (from 22,400 rubles),
- air flight Delhi - Srinagar - Delhi (from 400 USD - economy class),
- all personal expenses, all other expenses not specified in the program.
Optional:
- surcharge for “sport” insurance: 2 USD for each day of riding.
Attention: To obtain a visa, you must provide 2 photos and a foreign passport with a validity period of 6 months, a copy of the general passport of the Russian Federation (pages with photo and registration).
For people accustomed to European and not-so-European ski resorts, Gulmarg is a wonderland. Old-timers claim that yetis live somewhere in the local mountains - snow people- short creatures similar to a person, overgrown with hair and possessing enormous strength. We didn't see yetis, but monkeys are found in abundance in the garbage dumps around the hotels. This is a manifestation of local specifics.
Gulmarg (1400-4138 m) was built in 1927 by the British. It is very far from European standards. It also bears little resemblance to the usual domestic resorts. Some of Gulmarg's old-fashionedness is fully compensated by the friendly and unobtrusive service and low prices.
Its specificity and local flavor introduces a stoic attitude of the local population towards difficulties and hardships. Winter is perceived as a natural disaster. Like a necessary evil. Since winter lasts only 2-2.5 months, you just need to endure it.
Gulmarg is probably very beautiful in summer. High mountains, Himalayan pines, monkeys, mild climate. However, in winter, local stoicism is somewhat annoying. The monkeys with the pine trees remain the same as in the summer. The only difference is that the temperature at night can drop to -20 C.
About the Hotels
Since heating in local hotels is in its infancy, this can cause some inconvenience. Double glazing is also unknown to local builders.
If you are lucky and your room is equipped with central heating (and it is possible to have a stove-stove), then the temperature in the room above 17 degrees is difficult to achieve. And then only when the heating is on. They heat the rooms at best 17.00-20.00 and 7.00-9.00, but at this moment the hot water is turned off (if there is any). In the worst case (Hill Top Hotel, room with electric heating), the temperature does not rise above 8 C. Water appears sometimes, but only cold. We didn’t have the opportunity to live in a room with a potbelly stove and water in basins in the morning, perhaps this did not allow us to fully appreciate the fullness of local comfort that befell us.
We were lucky enough to stay in 3 rooms consecutively. A room with central heating and a shower - at the Hill Top Hotel. Room with electric heating in the same Hill Top. At the Pain Palace Platinum Hotel.
The room at the Pain Palace Platinum hotel was the best in the entire valley ( this hotel booked by Australian skiers for the entire season), however, even there the temperature did not rise above 17 C. Since the pumps of the heating system are electric, the heating was turned off when the voltage went out. But no more than 10 times a day. Room rates range from 1000 to 3000 rupees per night.
Electricity is supplied to hotels in a very unique way. The voltage on different phases distributed to different sockets in the same room can range from 150 to 200 volts. Using shoe dryers and other amenities of civilization can be very difficult. Sometimes the voltage drops below the start voltage of fluorescent lamps.
Gulmarg is an ideal resort for the brave of spirit, fully equipped with equipment and clothing. Sleeping bags at this resort there are no extras at all.
About food
On the one hand, everything is simple with food in Gulmarg. Every hotel has a restaurant where they are always ready to serve you for your money. There are a number of places where you can taste local cuisine.
On the other hand, local cuisine is quite specific. The abundance of spices makes many dishes unacceptable to Europeans. The diet completely lacks beef and pork, but rice is present in all forms and manifestations.
Alcohol is also almost completely absent. You can only find local beer at bellhops for 200-250 rupees a bottle. 1 rupee is 0.7-0.8 rubles.
About morals
Local service is simple and unobtrusive.
The Indian mentality, their slowness and bureaucracy leave their mark. The lift may be working, but there is no ticket taker (he just picked it up and left), the ticket seller returned - the gondola stopped working (the electricity ran out). When electricity appeared, it began to snow. In heavy snowfall the lift also does not work. The gondola is unstable, only one queue can work. Maybe only the first stage will turn on, and the second will turn on only at, say, 12:00, or maybe it won’t turn on at all. In this case, the line of sufferers at the lower station of the second stage is surprisingly reminiscent of Cheget. But there is also a significant difference. Access to the ski lift is only possible with tickets.
About skating!!!
But all the difficulties and hardships described above can be forgiven and endured for the sake of the opportunities that the slope itself provides.
The skiing (for freeride lovers) is simply fantastic. Since the Himalayas block the path of warm and humid air masses with Indian Ocean, there are no problems with snow. To say there is a lot of snow is an understatement. Pooh!!! A lot of fluff.
Unrolled virgin soil waist-deep or more almost every day is the rule rather than the exception.
The maximum height to which the second stage of the lift rises is 4000 m. Actually, this is of interest. Large elevation changes, good slope and huge fields. Soft snow. In terms of skiing, the place is excellent. There are no pistes as such, the skiing is off-piste, with many variations.
You can diversify the skiing even more by walking a little higher and orographically to the left of the upper station. In this way, you can get into the neighboring couloir, which has a common run-out to the lift.
You can go further to the right, but from there you can only get to the villages below, and only if you know the way. This option is quite extreme, since there have been cases of skiers wandering for several days and, accordingly, searches by local rescuers.
If the lift is not working, you can take a jeep and ride through the forest down to the village (Babareshi or Tangmarg), the feeling is indescribable. And again snow, a lot of snow. A lot of snow!
Prices for skiing pleasures are approximately as follows. Lift: 1 point - 100 rupees, 2 points. 200. Car - 600 rupees for one lift from Babareshi from a car (6-7 people)
Snowfall in Gulmarg is SNOWFALL with a capital letter. Visibility is limited to 5-10 meters. There is a lot of snow falling. Avalanche transceivers and shovels are not superfluous. You shouldn't ride alone either.
About other joys
After completing the ride, sadness and melancholy sets in. There is nothing to do in the evening except for drinking water, but this is not for everyone.
In case of prolonged bad weather, you can arrange an excursion to Srinagar. At the same time, get a lot of adrenaline, ride in a jeep on bald tires along an icy serpentine road. But we must assume that such an excursion will take at least two days. And there is something to see in Srinagar. Srinagar is located in a picturesque valley near the Lotus Lake. Srinagar is not only a city of famous floating houses for a long time, it is also the terraced Mughal gardens, the “throne of Solomon”, the tomb of Moses, the Shivalingam in the Amarnath cave and the white marble Hazratbal mosque. But again, this is all an acquired taste and greatly depends on the tension in the region. You are unlikely to see so many armed people on the streets anywhere. Pakistan is actually located beyond the pass.
A trip to Gulmarg can also be combined with visiting other interesting places in India.
In general, the impressions of the 10 days spent there were excellent. True, it was not possible to “ride away”, but this is a tribute to local specifics.
About the fly in the ointment
However, as usual, every barrel has its own fly in the ointment. In our case, the role of this spoon was played by the choice of travel companions and the corresponding financial losses. When the decision was made to visit Gulmarg, the question arose about how to get there. On the recommendation of mutual friends, we turned our attention to a certain Mr. Petrov.
Andrey Petrov introduced himself as a guide, recruiting a group for a trip to Gulmarg. During direct communication, it was promised that for our $2000 we would not have any problems, within reason. Including visa. Considering that the cost of the flight Moscow - Delhi - Moscow was approximately $600. Delhi-Srinagar $100 and transfer Srinagar-Gulmarg $50-80, we fully expected that in addition to travel, this amount would include at least accommodation. How naive we were.
The first call was an offer to change at Delhi airport for at least $1000-1500. By local standards, this is quite a lot of money, enough for living and skiing in Gulmarg for 10-14 days.
Upon arrival in Gulmarg, it turned out that accommodation, meals, lift and return trip to Srinagar were not included in the price. The question immediately arose, what is included? Unfortunately, the answer to this question has not yet been obtained. However, just like any financial report.
It was not possible to get the rest of the amount back. Not directly in India. Not upon arrival in Moscow. Meetings were repeatedly scheduled, followed by oath assurances that the entire remaining amount would be returned to the last cent, but when the crucial moment came, Mr. Petrov was either unavailable or extremely busy. And so 8 times. At this point, more than 9 months have passed since the trip to Gulmarg and I probably could have found a couple of hours to settle my financial obligations, but this did not happen.
The need to pay for a guide's services is beyond doubt. However, I would like to know what these services are and their cost. Commissions of 100% of the travel expenses seem a little high.
This behavior hardly corresponds to the behavior of the guide that Mr. Petrov positions himself as. This is more like the behavior of a person who wants to ride at someone else's expense.
Brief summary
- Is it worth going? Necessarily! You are unlikely to find such skating and exoticism anywhere else.
- Comfort is quite limited.
- There is nothing to do after riding.
- A trip to Gulmarg fits well with a visit to other beauties of India.
- Golden Triangle, Srinagar, Leh, Goa, optional.
- Communication in Gulmarg itself is only at call points. GSM does not work.
Approximate costs. 1 rup. - 0.8 rub. You can and should change dollars and not rupees at the airport upon arrival. The course is quite adequate
- Moscow-Delhi-Moscow approx. $600
- Delhi-Srinagar 100 $
- Srinagar-Gulmarg 50-80$
- Riding 100 rupees. - 1st stage. 250 rupees - 2nd stage.
- Skating is mainly on the 2nd stage. It is difficult to go down more than 4 times a day.
- Accommodation 1000 to 3000 rupees per day.
- Meals 300-600 rupees.
P.S. to the “fly in the ointment”
Two days after the article was published on the site, Mr. Petrov contacted me and I received a financial report and the rest of the deposited amount, which made it possible to clarify the costs of the trip. Report provided:
- Tickets Moscow-Delhi-Moscow: $635
- Visa: 245$
- Delhi-Srinagar-Delhi tickets: $135
- Overweight: $15
- Transfer Srinagar-Gulmarg: $25
- Guide services: $700
What we spent directly in Gulmarg:
- Living and riding expenses: $900
- Return transfer Gulmarg-Srinagar: $25
Total: $2675
The guide's services included:
- Obtaining visas
- Buying tickets
- Organization of one-way transfer
Reviews and comments
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Gulmarg (like India) is a different style and skill in general.
I partially agree with the material, but it’s necessary to go once.
Great report!
There are just too many typos...
IMHO, there was no fly in the ointment. Moreover, the spoon is very individually specific))
Thank you! It will come in handy!
2 Sonchik: But in my opinion it was worth it. What does "individually specific" mean? The fact that someone unfamiliar was deceived, but someone familiar was not deceived? Individual approach? The mistake of Andrey and his company is that they did not immediately find out “where, what and for what money.” However, to assume that the services of the organizer (not even a guide, as I understand it - the guys did not use his services) of the trip will be priced at half its cost... However.
In addition, this is a report on the trip, including the costs of it.
Normal report. Although I can’t say that I really wanted it. To climb so far so as not to “roll away” because of the idiotic Indians... If I understood correctly about the “local specifics”.
2 Sonchik. The spoon is too small, I would even say. Address, telephone number and name of Mr. Petrov's office in the studio..
Hmm.... The services of a guide (and not a travel agent) are amazing in their volume...
- 2 individual descents on the 1st stage
- 2 group descents in a large company
Or did you agree on this right away (before the trip)?
With Kirill, everything was somehow very different...
I take my words back. The spoon turned out to be greatly understated...
Total cost 2800 USD for everything. I will follow the process. I know Petrova, we rode together on Cheget.
I won’t say anything yet, but $700 for 2 weeks is a very reasonable amount. What does it include..? Well, knowing Petrov, this includes a full day of skiing.
If anything goes wrong, I'll let you know.
Andrey! I rode with you in Gulmarg, but I organized the trip myself, although Petrov also wanted to rip off ten thousand rubles from me before leaving (I once went down from above with your group), I remember I was very amazed! Very good report. And then I started to forget something. Not going this year?
For comparison - ski pass for the whole season in Val Thorens it costs 707 euros.
I was in Gulmarg on the same dates. It cost me $1,700 for travel, travel and accommodation. I went with snowpro. It turned out cheaper since the accommodation was in Greenheights. I really liked!!!
Volodya oxoma - good luck, everything will be ok. During the ride in August, you had the opportunity to shake me off with information about India. I didn’t find out, so it will be more interesting...
P.S. I don't know what amount we are talking about. But my IMHO, these guys (guides) really travel at our expense, but for themselves and their families they earn mere pennies on these trips... But without such guys, simply going to the mountains will not be interesting.
This report evokes conflicting feelings about the desire to go there... This year in the summer I visited the Chilean resorts of Valenevado with El Colorado and Termas de Chillan - there were no fly in the ointment - maybe because there were no guides, and we rode off-piste with local riders - SUPER.
Hello! It’s all strange: of course, I rode in the next group with Kirill, but everything was the same for us and what kind of bullshit is this about 4 descents for 700 bucks? We rode with GOOD guides all the time and paid $700 for two weeks of riding with guides. Yes, I think that this is quite expensive, but it’s 1200 rubles a day!!! This is exactly the same as what we pay in Russia for the work of guides. Petrov is not a ticket buyer or a bus driver - he is a master of mountaineering and will probably pull your ass out if it ends up in the wrong place. And they pay money for it - that’s how it works...
Another thing is that it really wasn’t 2 weeks, since the lift was often stopped, the groups were quite large, which is also not great, and if I remember correctly, there were organizational overlays, but not so much as to come here in such a form.
and about Gulmarg, you can simply add that it’s worth going there, but most likely no more than once, so after that you can ride in the Alps with a guide for the same money, but it’s much more interesting.
Thank you very much for your emotional and meaningful commentary on my report. However, let me add my points to your comment.
Firstly. The report does not cover skating in the group in which you took part. Skating in a group in which you did not participate is considered.
Secondly. The report does not discuss anyone’s sporting credentials or successes. The topic is completely different. A specific visit to Gulmarg and all the events associated with it are described.
Third. It is very difficult for any guide to quickly pull out the buttocks of his wards from extreme situations if he sees them more often in the evenings. And even then, not every day.
And fourthly. If you want to start a debate on this issue, then this site has a wonderful forum.
