Gulmarg is about 50 km from Srinagar, a drive of 1.5 to 2 hours. A taxi for the day trip costs roughly ₹3,000–3,500 in a sedan or ₹3,700–4,000 in an Innova in 2026, return the same evening. It is the easiest of the three classic day trips from Srinagar, and the one with the most to do once you arrive.

This guide covers the route, the fares, the cheaper ways up, what to do in Gulmarg in a day, and what changes when the snow comes. We run this road most days of the year from our base in Srinagar.

Srinagar to Gulmarg at a glance

  • Distance: about 50 km from central Srinagar (a little more from Dal Lake).
  • Drive time: 1.5–2 hours; longer after snow.
  • Route: Srinagar – Narbal – Magam – Tangmarg – Gulmarg.
  • Altitude: Srinagar about 1,585 m; Gulmarg about 2,650 m.
  • Taxi, day trip: sedan ₹3,000–3,500; Innova ₹3,700–4,000; Tempo Traveller about ₹6,000.
  • Best for: the Gondola, snow from December to March, meadows from May to October.

The route

Leave Srinagar on the Baramulla road and turn off at Narbal. From there the road crosses open rice fields and apple orchards through Magam to Tangmarg, the last proper town, with petrol, ATMs and snow-gear shops. The final 13 km climb from Tangmarg through pine forest is the scenic part, with hairpins and long views back over the valley.

  • Tangmarg is where to hire boots and coats in winter, and to use an ATM. There are very few in Gulmarg.
  • Drung waterfall, a short detour near Tangmarg, freezes solid in mid-winter and is worth half an hour.
  • Baba Reshi shrine, below Gulmarg, is a 15th-century Sufi shrine visited by people of every faith.

Taxi fares from Srinagar to Gulmarg (2026)

There is no single official tariff for this route; these are typical ranges across Srinagar operators’ published 2026 rates, for a return day trip including fuel, the driver, tolls and parking:

  • Sedan (Dzire, Etios or similar): ₹3,000–3,500, up to 4 passengers.
  • SUV (Innova or Innova Crysta): ₹3,700–4,000, up to 6 passengers.
  • Tempo Traveller: about ₹6,000, up to 12 passengers.
  • One-way drop: usually close to the return fare, because the car returns to Srinagar empty.
  • Staying overnight: expect a night charge for the driver if the car stays with you.

Peak weeks (Christmas–New Year, May–June) push these up, and fares are higher after heavy snow, when only chained or four-wheel-drive vehicles may be allowed up. On a package, the car is included: our Kashmir 4N/5D includes the Gulmarg day with a private vehicle and driver for the whole trip.

By bus or shared taxi

J&K road transport buses and shared cabs run from Srinagar to Tangmarg, and shared cabs run on from Tangmarg to Gulmarg. It is the cheapest way up, at a few hundred rupees, but slow, with changes, and hard to time for a Gondola slot. It suits solo travellers on a tight budget more than families.

What to do in Gulmarg in a day

The Gulmarg Gondola

The main reason most people come. Phase 1 climbs from Gulmarg to Kongdori at about 3,050 m; Phase 2 continues to Apharwat at almost 4,000 m, with snow for most of the year. 2026 fares have been about ₹800 for Phase 1 and ₹1,000 for Phase 2 per person, booked online only and sold out in season. Everything you need to know, from booking to altitude, is in our Gulmarg Gondola guide.

Khilanmarg

A meadow above Gulmarg, reached on foot or by pony, with wide views across to Nanga Parbat on a clear day. In winter it becomes the sledging and ski-touring slope.

The meadow, the golf course and St Mary’s Church

Gulmarg itself is a huge, bowl-shaped meadow. Walk across it to the golf course, one of the highest in the world, the small stone St Mary’s Church, built in 1902, and the Maharani Temple on its knoll above the meadow, which shows up in a good few Hindi films.

Ponies, sledges and snow play

Ponies run on fixed union routes; agree the route and the price on the rate card before you set off. In winter, sledge pullers will pull you across the snow for a few hundred rupees per person. Boots and coats hire for about ₹250 a piece at Tangmarg or Gulmarg.

Skiing

From about late December to March, Gulmarg is India’s best ski resort, with lift-served terrain off Apharwat and ski schools for beginners. Lessons and equipment cost a few thousand rupees a day. January and February have the most reliable snow.

Alpather Lake (summer only)

A glacial lake below Apharwat peak, usually frozen until June. It is a long day’s walk or pony ride from the top of the Gondola, and only practical from about July to September.

A good day trip, hour by hour

  1. 8:00 Leave Srinagar. Earlier in winter.
  2. 9:45 Tangmarg: hire snow gear in winter, use the ATM.
  3. 10:15 Reach Gulmarg; ride Phase 1 in your booked slot.
  4. 11:30 Phase 2, if open and if everyone is fit for the altitude.
  5. 13:30 Lunch in Gulmarg.
  6. 14:30 Khilanmarg, the meadow, or sledging.
  7. 16:30 Leave for Srinagar, back by about 18:30.
Red Gulmarg Gondola cabin above snow-covered slopes and pine forest, with skiing and pony-ride scenes below
From December to March Gulmarg is a ski resort; from May to October, a meadow town.

Gulmarg season by season

  • December to February: snow, skiing, sledging, a frozen Drung waterfall. The road can close after heavy snow; keep a spare day.
  • March to April: snow lingering at the top, a quieter town, spring in the valley below.
  • May to June: green meadows, flowers, everything open; the busiest and most expensive months. Book the Gondola early.
  • July to September: greenest, with the best walking and Alpather Lake open. Some rain.
  • October to November: clear air, golden light, first snow on Apharwat, good-value hotels.

Day trip or overnight?

Most people do Gulmarg as a day trip from Srinagar, and that works well. Stay overnight if you are skiing, if you want the meadow at dawn and dusk without the day crowds, or in winter, when an overnight removes the risk of a road closure cutting your Gulmarg day short.

Our Luxury Gulmarg Retreat includes two nights at a 5★ resort in Gulmarg with both Gondola phases, from ₹78,500 for two.

Practical tips

  • Book the Gondola before you leave Srinagar, ideally before you leave home.
  • Carry cash. ATMs in Gulmarg are few and often out of service.
  • Carry a warm layer, even in summer: the top of the Gondola is cold.
  • Use an official rate card for ponies and sledges, and agree it before you start.
  • Mobile signal is reasonable in Gulmarg, patchy higher up. Prepaid SIMs from outside J&K do not work.

Plan Gulmarg with us

MIRHA Tour & Travels is based in Srinagar, and Gulmarg is part of almost every itinerary we run. For the full valley, see the 5-day Kashmir itinerary; for the other day trips, our guides to Srinagar to Pahalgam and Srinagar to Sonamarg.

See the Kashmir tour packages, or tell us your dates and we will plan the Gulmarg day around the Gondola slots and the weather.