Gulmarg is a town, a hill station, a popular skiing destination and a notified area committee in the Baramula district of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is situated in the Pir Panjal Range in the western Himalayas and is within the administrative division of the Kashmir Valley. The town is about 55km (34 miles) from Srinagar, the state capital, and is accessible by car or by the Gulmarg Gondola, the world’s second-highest-operating cable car.
Gulmarg was a favourite spot of the Mughal emperor Jahangir who called it the “Fountain of Flowers”. The British discovered it in the 19th century and developed it as a hill station and a popular tourist destination. After the partition of India in 1947, Gulmarg remained a part of India and became a popular destination for Indian and Pakistani tourists.
The name Gulmarg is derived from two Persian words – gūl (گل) meaning “flower” and mār (مار) meaning “meadow”. It is believed that the Mughal emperor Jahangir was so enchanted by the beauty of the flowers in the meadows of Gulmarg that he called it the “Fountain of Flowers”.
The town is situated in the Pir Panjal Range in the western Himalayas at an altitude of 2,650 m (8,694 ft). It is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and has a temperate climate. The average temperature in Gulmarg is 5 °C (41 °F) in winter and 15 °C (59 °F) in summer.
Gulmarg has a number of attractions for tourists. The Gulmarg Gondola, the world’s second-highest operating cable car, takes visitors to the top of the Apharwat Peak (4,265 m or 14,024 ft). From there, visitors can get a panoramic view of the Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. The Gulmarg Golf Club, founded in 1911, is the world’s highest green golf course. Other popular tourist activities in Gulmarg include skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing and hiking.
The town of Gulmarg is accessible by road from Srinagar, the state capital, and by air from Delhi and Mumbai. The nearest railway station is in Jammu, about 300 km (186 miles) from Gulmarg.
Gulmarg was a favourite spot of the Mughal emperor Jahangir who called it the “Fountain of Flowers”. The British discovered it in the 19th century and developed it as a hill station and a popular tourist destination. After the partition of India in 1947, Gulmarg remained a part of India and became a popular destination for Indian and Pakistani tourists.
The name Gulmarg is derived from two Persian words – gūl (گل) meaning “flower” and mār (مار) meaning “meadow”. It is believed that the Mughal emperor Jahangir was so enchanted by the beauty of the flowers in the meadows of Gulmarg that he called it the “Fountain of Flowers”.
The town is situated in the Pir Panjal Range in the western Himalayas at an altitude of 2,650 m (8,694 ft). It is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and has a temperate climate. The average temperature in Gulmarg is 5 °C (41 °F) in winter and 15 °C (59 °F) in summer.
Gulmarg has a number of attractions for tourists. The Gulmarg Gondola, the world’s second highest operating cable car, takes visitors to the top of the Apharwat Peak (4,265 m or 14,024 ft). From there, visitors can get a panoramic view of the Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. The Gulmarg Golf Club, founded in 1911, is the world’s highest green golf course. Other popular tourist activities in Gulmarg include skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing and hiking.
The town of Gulmarg is accessible by road from Srinagar, the state capital, and by air from Delhi and Mumbai. The nearest railway station is in Jammu, about 300 km (186 miles) from Gulmarg.