12 Reasons to Visit Kashmir in Winter (and What to Do When You Get There)

Asia\'s top ski resort with 13 km of runs that range from gentle beginner slopes to serious off-piste powder. The gondola takes you up to 4,267m. Ski hire starts around 500 rupees per day. Lessons from 800 rupees per hour. For experts, world-class heli-skiing is available.

Even if you have no interest in skiing, riding the Gulmarg Gondola in winter is something else entirely. You rise through clouds and emerge into a vast white Himalayan panorama. It is one of the most dramatic cable car rides on the planet, and it costs 900 rupees.

Traditional wooden sleds are available near the gondola base station. Snowball fights, snow cricket, snow sculpting -- this is the part of winter Kashmir that children (and plenty of adults) remember most fondly.

In January and February, parts of Dal Lake freeze. Gliding in a shikara through patches of thin ice with snow-covered mountains in the background is unlike anything else we know of. It feels almost surreal.

The kangri is a small clay brazier that Kashmiris carry under their pheran to stay warm. Kehwa is saffron-spiced green tea. Together they define winter life here. Visit a local home in Srinagar\'s Old City and experience this firsthand -- our team can arrange it.

The valley under snow is extraordinarily photogenic. Pari Mahal draped in white, Char Chinar island frosted on Dal Lake, bare walnut trees against grey skies. Drone photography is stunning here, though check current local regulations before flying.

Wazwan -- the multi-course Kashmiri feast -- is best experienced when it is cold outside. Rich, slow-cooked meats like Roghan Josh, Yakhni, and Gushtaba are perfectly suited to freezing temperatures. There is a reason Kashmir\'s food traditions evolved around winter.

Guided snowshoe walks through the Gulmarg Biosphere Reserve are a quieter alternative to skiing. You might spot red foxes and Himalayan birds moving through the silence of a pure white landscape.

Gulmarg\'s terrain works beautifully for snowboarders. Board hire runs about 600 rupees per day, and instructors are available if you are just starting out. The powder days here are genuinely world-class.

Winter is actually the best time to spot the critically endangered Hangul deer in Dachigam. The animals move to lower elevations when snow covers the high meadows. An early morning game drive is the way to do it.

The wooden mosques and old bazaars of downtown Srinagar dusted with fresh snow create an atmosphere that is deeply moving. Walk past Hazratbal Mosque, Shah Hamdan Shrine, and Jama Masjid. The silence and scale of these buildings in snow is something you will remember.

Many premium houseboats run year-round with heated interiors and warm bedding. Waking up on a snow-covered houseboat, the water still and misty around you, is one of those experiences our guests describe as genuinely life-changing. And winter rates are lower than summer.

Stay in Gulmarg for ski-in, ski-out convenience. Hotels range from 3,000 rupees a night for budget options to 18,000 for luxury. Book early if you are visiting between December 20 and January 5 -- it fills up fast.

A heated houseboat on Dal Lake in winter is genuinely magical, and more affordable than summer rates. Gulmarg is only about 1.5 hours away by road, making day trips easy.

Pahalgam gets snow without the ski crowds. It is peaceful, scenic, and perfect for photographers and travellers who want to see authentic local life during the cold months.