Facilities & Services

Resort services and facilities at Gulmarg are basic at best, but if you keep your expectations low, you won’t be disappointed.

Eating On Mountain There are eateries at the base and mid station of the gondola. Having inspected the kitchen at the base of the gondola, under no circumstances should one eat here. Rubbish tips are cleaner than this particular kitchen. I won’t even mention the toilets – oops I did anyway.

The gondola mid station restaurant is pretty good. If you’re after a Kasmiri tea or similar they’ll even serve you through an outside window. If after something more substantial, sit inside. The toilets here are passable by Kasmiri standards.

Another lunch option is the Dhaba which is near the mid-station, and on fine days you can sit outside. Otherwise the Hilltop hotel has sandwiches and pizzas.

Facilities for Children As Gulmarg is not a family resort, there are no specific facilities for children.

Ski School Forget it! The disorganised ski school is really only for the locals considering that Gulmarg is not well suited to international beginner skiers.

Gulmarg Ski Rental Limited gear rentals are available from the two ski shops in Gulmarg. The bigger range of powder skis is available from the Gulmarg Ski Shop in the market area. The Kashmir Alpine Ski Shop near Hotel Highland Park has a smaller range of skis and can do basic repairs and waxing. Both shops have some backcountry gear for hire, but stock is limited. To avoid disappointment organise all your gear prior to leaving home.

ATMs An ATM exists in the tourist office in the market area of Gulmarg opposite the shambolic Hotel Kingsley. It works periodically and should in no way be relied upon as a cash source. Another ATM is located in Tangmarg at the bottom of the hill. Hotel Highlands Park does some money exchange as well.

Health The Gulmarg gondola tops out at almost 4,000 metres so altitude sickness (Acute Mountain Sickness) is one major health concern for those on a Gulmarg holiday, particularly for those who reside at sea level. Symptoms may become evident about 6 hours after ascent and may include headache, nausea, fatigue, dizziness, increased heart rate, shortness of breath, and insomnia. Exertion (ie skiing, boarding, hiking) aggravates the symptoms, and in more severe forms symptoms may include a wet cough, unsteady gait, in-coordination, vomiting, and loss of consciousness. So altitude sickness is not something that should be taken lightly.

Prevention is the best cure. Take it easy for the first couple of days (pause for rests whilst pretending to admire the breathtaking views), increase fluids but not of the alcoholic variety, and avoid sleeping tablets (which is unfortunate if you’ve got insomnia). Acetazolamide aka Diamox is a prescription medicine that can be taken a day or two prior to ascent to speed up the acclimatisation process. Apparently Viagra is also effective in preventing Acute Mountain Sickness, so long as you can cope with the “side-effects” of the little blue pill!

Treatment for mild altitude sickness includes rest and fluids, with symptoms likely to resolve within one to two days. Descent is a very effective treatment, and for moderate or severe illness, medical treatment should generally be sought. However you would not want to end up in the hospital in Kashmir that features cockroaches, other people’s bodily fluids on the sheets, and a general lack of quality health care. So prevention is absolutely the best cure!

See our Ski India page for more health tips on travelling to Gulmarg.