 Poster: A snowHead
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At the moment I'm starting to organise a ski trip to Gulmarg in Kashmir, Feb 2011. Peak Leaders (who I did a gap course with) run a two week course with 9 days skiing for £1700. Another company offers 10 days with 7 skiing for £1500 (then pay flights on top for both).
After a bit of research, I think I can do 10-12 days skiing for around £1200 for everything (flights/accom/mountain guides/food/lift pass/one day heli skiing)
Just wondering if anyone has been there, or has any advice? Also at the moment it's only me, my gf, and I've got a 'maybe' form one other mate. If anyone else is interested in coming with, let me know. We'll be looking to book stuff this summer at some point.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 19-03-15 19:08; edited 2 times in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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clarky999, might be interested, although the foreign office advice is not to travel there . . . but my pensioner mum is off there in september so if she gets back in one piece . . .
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Yeah I think it's bee like that for years, but apparently its fairly stable. Admittedly I don't really know how the Pakistan fiasco has affected kashmir...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I am amazed it would cost that much. I did a month's skiing in India in '06 for <£600, everything included. Admittedly that was a touring trip, but I heard that a pass for the full Gulmarg lift was only around £100 a week. If you are using UIAGM guides then I can understand the additional cost, but if they are local guides then I can't.
BTW, the lift is closed a lot, if I were going I would want to be there for longer to account for likely multi-day closures (due to weather, mechanical problems, failure of the right people to bribe each other etc).
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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It's the hotels that seem to be crazy pricey (for India)! Where did you stay? I'm pretty sure the guides I'm planning on using are locals, I think it's around £60 per day for upto four people (atm cost is calculated on just myself and my gf). Flights around £500 to Delhi, £75 to Srinegar.
Yeah we're planning on touring a bit too. How much is there to do without huge tours when the gondola's down? I would like to make it longer, but my gf wants some time i Delhi too. Hopefully I can persuade her...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Cheers for those links!
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clarky999, my mums flight is under £400 i'll find out who that is with, obviously the time of year etc will make a difference but thats for all connections into where ever it is in Kashmir that she's going 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Cool, I'd budgeted about £500 for all flights, but obviously cheaper is better. For safety's sake, I've overbudgeted everything a little. Apparently in resort most things (accom) can be negotiated a lot, but I don't want to be stuck there with not enough cash...
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Based on what i've heard of the place. If you can manage it you're best off on trying to arrange it that you're in resort for a minimum of at least 2 weeks. I've heard a number of stories of people going travelling around India with a weeks skiing stuck in in the middle not actually getting to the top of the hill. As at the end of the day it is a third world ski hill & they don't have the facilities for snow & avalanche management that you would expect to see in a western resort. Add to that the possibility of large multi day multi metre storms & you've got a recipe for week+ long shut downs on the main lift. There are other alternatives but you don't go the himalayas skiing to ski lowers. Mind i do like the idea of tows behind a jeep instead of taking a lift back up the hill.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| clarky999 wrote: |
| Where did you stay? |
I wasn't in Kashmir, I was in Himachal Pradesh. Based myself in the Kullu Valley, about 10 miles above Manali, near the Rotang Pass. Accommodation cost was not an issue. One of my hotel bills, after ~2 weeks, including a couple of meals a day and endless tea was ~£35. Ironically, I spent a week in a Norwegian campsite later that winter, which cost the same!
Almost everthing is negotiable in India. Am sure you'd be able to cut a much better deal on accommodation when you get there, possibly also the guides.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Yeah, jsut I'd like to have a realistic idea of what to budget for accomodation before I go. If I can haggle the price down, then great. I don't want to be stuck without enough dollar though.
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I know you are just trying to get a handle on what to budget, but if you are expecting any significant level of certainty about what you will find in Gulmarg then you may face a shock and a nasty learning curve when you get there. Don't want to come across more arsey (than usual  ), but thinking a bit differently about the trip might help you have a more enjoyable time.
The area is unstable in many ways. The situation around everything changes from day to day, including prices for almost anything that isn't strictly government controlled (ie the lift). So hoteliers will change their prices depending on how busy it is in town (which can be affected by snow, politics, the latest flare up of the troubles or the most recent big transportation balls up) and likewise transport costs can fluctuate massively. Depending on whether things are kicking off politically, affecting transport in the region, food prices and taxi and snowcat can fluctuate wildly. Prices will also change depending on how much people think you will pay, or how you choose to bargain. I could go on...
Then there's all the uncertainty about whether the lift will run to the top, or the middle or at all (enough fuel, enough electricity, enough staff, enough snow, not too much snow, no issues with military use, correct permits obtained by operators etc)...
All this makes it nigh on impossible to give you the kind reliable info that I think you want. Frustrating if you are not used to it, but being flexible in what you are expecting to pay - and about your expectations for what skiing you will be able to do - is fairly critical to not finding yourself disappointed by what you experience there (as several of my friends who have gone have been). Skiing in India is a totally different kettle of fish to skiing elsewhere - so with a different mindset one is more likely to enjoy it, Insh'Allah.
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You know it makes sense.
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Oh yeah, I completely get all that - I just want to know that I will have enough money out there to cope with any of those eventualities., so some sort of ballpark figure (however rough) would help, so I know I will need more than x amount.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Hi Clarky,
Just stumbled upon this topic when searching for a ski trip to gulmarg india. I'm also checking out a trip for Feb. 2011 which isn't costing that much. 1700 GBP excl flight to India seems a bit much for me as well. Did you allready find some info. Maybe we can plan things together, and maybe meet up in Delhi or so (i'm travelling from Holland).
Allthough this topic died in januari I still hope te get some extra info, all is welcome.
regards,
Pascal
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hey dude, unfortunately uni got in the way a bit, and I can't get the time off when the snow's best in Gulmarg, so I've postponed my trip 'til Feb '13. Good luck though, it seems to be an awesome place to ski. TGR (teton gravity research) is a goldmine of info on Gulmarg amongst other places.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Pazz457, clarky999, There is an article about Gulmarg Heliski in the November issue of DMS&SM. The part that might be of interest to you is the page with a competition to win a trip to Gulmarg (which you might already be aware of). Anyway, entry details are on www.metrosnow.co.uk/competitions and it closes on 19th November. 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Hey There,
I'm going to be in Gulmarg for 10days from the 18/02/2011. If anyones out there for these dates and would like to hook up let me know. I'm traveling alone and would like to ski with other snow heads/split costs for a guide.
Let me know.
Ryan
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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HELLO EVERYONE,
This is Mir Tafveez from kashmir. Well it seems everone here is confused about one thing or other. Let me clear one thing that the situation is very much stable and lot of tourists are already here. Best skiing time is january 20 -feb 20. ABOUT THE BUDGET , i must sAY that its cheap than other places and the slopes are awesome. if u still have doubt u can mail me on (m.tafveez@yahoo.com)
I dont know whether mentioning e-mail id is allowed here.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| clarky999 wrote: |
| Hey dude, unfortunately uni got in the way a bit, and I can't get the time off when the snow's best in Gulmarg, so I've postponed my trip 'til Feb '13. Good luck though, it seems to be an awesome place to ski. TGR (teton gravity research) is a goldmine of info on Gulmarg amongst other places. |
Good to know that you'll be in Gulmarg in Feb. My Name is Audil and I'm Kashmiri, but currently residing in Bangalore (India) from last 3 years. But I have never missed Gulmarg Winter season. The Gulmarg in Winter is great place for your Holidays and to dance on Powder snow with your Skiis or Snowboards. I have booked the Ticket for Kashmir on 7th Feb and I'll be joing Gulmarg Skiing on 10th Feb. My friends are waiting for me and I'm sure we will be having great fun this year too.
If you need any help, information or suggestion, please let me know (shabu.audil@gmail.com). I'll be glad enough  .
See you in Gulmarg,
Cheers!!!
Audil.
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