Packages / Individual Packages / Bills Trips

Perched at the very top of India, the beautiful village of Gulmarg sits on the rim of the Kashmir valley in the Pir Panjal range of the mighty Himalaya. With the installation of 'The World's Highest Gondola' in 2005 and a skiable vertical of 2000 metres consisting of vast alpine bowls and awesome tree skiing it has become one of the world's must-ski destinations for adventure skiers.

The gondola rises from the village in two stages to an elevation of 4000 metres. During big storms the huge pines from the mid station offer great protected tree skiing and the options off the top are endless. Ski the main bowls, hike to the summit and explore the northern slopes or ski off the ridge to remote mountain villages.

The majestic views, amazing powder and unique cultural experience make Gulmarg one of the greatest skiing destinations on earth.

At Bill's Trips we want you to experience the best of Gulmarg. That's why we stay at the best hotel, limit our numbers and have a low client to guide ratio. Our highly qualified, experienced guides structure each day around the specific needs of individual guests. The choice is yours - explore the trees, discover hidden stashes beyond the boundaries or learn avalanche awareness and backcountry skills. We offer a safe, personalised and unforgettable Gulmarg adventure.

HIGHLIGHTS

- 14 day skiing and snowboarding adventures
- 12 full days on snow
- Client to guide ratio of 4 to 1
- Maximum of 12 guests per trip
- Stay at the best hotel - Highlands Park Hotel
- Learn avalanche awareness and backcountry skills
- Ski through remote mountain villages and meet the locals
- Explore 2000 vertical metres of awesome terrain and amazing powder 

DATES

9th January - 22nd January 2011

23rd January - 5th February 2011

6th February - 19th February 2011

20th February - 5th March 2011

 

AN AWE-INSPIRING POWDER AND CULTURAL EXPERIENCE AWAITS THOSE WHO DARE TO SKI OFF THE BEATEN TRACK.

Highlands Park Hotel

Presidents, Prime Ministers, visiting royalty and Bollywood stars have all enjoyed the warm hospitality and old-world charm of this grand hotel. The Highlands Park Hotel is a heritage property spread over eight acres of prime real estate in a majestic position on the Gulmarg plateau.  It is surrounded by the peaks of the Pir Punjal range and has sweeping views across the valley to the greater Himalaya.

The Hotel was established in 1966 by Major Benjie Nedou who came from a long line of hoteliers. Some of the original structure was occupied by his great grandfather and family 100 years earlier. Today the hotel is managed by the Major’s granddaughter and husband. Major Nedou’s army influence can be seen in the décor of the lounge as well as the staff uniforms. The hotel also has golfing paraphernalia, animal skins and traditional Kashmiri wall hangings that take you back to the time when Gulmarg first became a thriving summer destination for the well-to-do.

The hotel consists of one central building and eight separate cottages that house the 35 character-filled rooms. The grand central building which contains the reception, lounge and restaurant has uninterrupted views of Mt Apharwat and all the terrain accessed by the recently installed ‘World’s Highest Gondola’. While savoring breakfast, you can eye off the lines you want to ski, then, at the end of the day, ski through the trees to the backgate, enjoy an après beer in the lounge and check out your tracks.  

After a big day skiing, a couple of Kingfishers, a hot shower or bath, it’s time to sit down for a Kashmiri feast. The food and service are sensational. Delicious soup, a banquet of Kashmiri meat and vegetable dishes and a tasty dessert all served with style and laughs. If you feel like dancing, the staff will fire up the disco for you or you might prefer to adjourn to the movie or poker room or enjoy a quick nightcap at the bar.

The atmosphere is what really makes the Highland Park unique. The rooms are fantastic, the views awesome, the service exceptional, but it’s the character, nature and humor of the management and staff that make the Highland Park special.

Sixty kilometers west of Srinagar, Gulmarg has been a summer resort destination for many years.  During the Raj era, the Indians and British used it as a cool retreat to escape the oppressive heat of an Indian summer. A golf course was built at the turn of the century and during the winter of 1927 the first skiing took place. In the years that followed a few pomas were established around the golf course and a double chair was built in the trees at the base of Mt Apharwat

Whispers of the huge skiing potential of Gulmarg started circulating the international ski community and pioneers of the area include none other than the legendary “father of extreme skiing”  Frenchman Sylvan Sudan who started a heli ski operation in the area and in later years Australian mountain guide John Falkner.  In the late 80’s a plan was hatched to build a gondola to the crest of Mt Apharwat but unfortunately this coincided with escalating political unrest in the region so the project was put on hold.  Nearly two decades later, once local tensions had eased somewhat the grand project was finally completed.  

Winter of 2005-06 saw the opening of the final stage of the gondola and it was the first time in many years that foreigners had returned to Kashmir in substantial numbers.  A local ski patrol was selected and an intensive training program began.  At first, stories of virgin slopes, awesome powder and huge vertical got the ski bums rumbling and then the international snow scene became aware of the “Worlds Highest Gondola”.  Skiers and boarders from all over the world are now enjoying the magic of Gulmarg. 

One of the greatest things about the resurrection of Gulmarg as an international skiing destination is that the local villages which have been doing it very tough for some time are now starting to thrive thanks to the long awaited return of tourism to their beautiful area. 

Mt Apharwat

Gulmarg village sits on a mountain plateau at 2600 metres beneath the 4200 metre summit of Mt Apharwat.  A table-top shaped mountain, Mt Apharwat has a crest approximately 5 kilometers long with ridges and gullies dropping towards the resort offering countless skiing opportunities.

The first stage of the gondola delivers you from the village to the top of the tree line at 3000 metres from where big pines offer great protected tree skiing and the second stage of the gondola drops you at 3960 metres just shy of Mt Apharwat's summit.

From the top station you can drop straight into the gondola bowl or traverse in either direction to ski the 1000 vertical metres back to the mid station. A 20-30 minute hike to the summit opens up the northern end of the mountain and an amazing choice of lines. From Mt Apharwat's main ridgeline it is possible to ski 2000 vertical metres of awesome terrain an amazing snow down to and through local villages.

Gulmarg has fantastic terrain and great snow but the facilities are not yet up to the standard of western resorts. It is best described as lift-accessed back country. The grooming is very minimal and lift operations are often hindered by weather conditions and other factors. There is avalanche control, hazard marking and ski patrol in the main gondola bowl however this only accounts for about 10% of the terrain that is ridden on a daily basis.