Need a Travel Idea
Have you reached that stage when you feel you’ve seen it all, done it all? Most monuments, museums, temples, art galleries, beaches, villages, wildlife have been plummeted? The eternal question is what next? How about some evergreen adventure? Arrive at your pre-booked hotel in Delhi and head for the highest mountain peaks!
Like the best ski mountains, the best ski vacations come in all shapes and sizes, from luxury mountain getaways to affordable ski-lodge stays. Today’s travel portals cater to every conceivable kind of holiday experience. The portals that will take you to your unforgettable ski trip are sorted by region, timing and interest.
Skiing is not the preserve of the rich and famous anymore, thanks to improved accessibility. More and more people are hopping onto the international recreational skiing circuit for fun and frolic.
India has some fabulous world class ski resorts. These traditionally used to cater to an international crowd. But today, its not just the jet set in chic hotels in Delhi and Mumbai who are booking ski tours, but the lesser mortals as well.
Jammu and Kashmir and other northern states were always popular for their fabulous cool climate, snowfall, pristine rejuvenating air and flora and fauna.
The sheer joie de vivre of one’s first successful slide down a ski slope defies description. Once limited to a privileged few, the adrenalin-producing pastime of skiing has been brought within the range of the masses now. Many a common man is now landing at a hotel in Delhi, as transit to a mountain slope, with intention to slide down it.
For wobbly beginners and confident intermediates, there are easy slopes and understanding instructors. Every winter the slopes in the Indian Himalayas are warmed by the excited cries and laughter of new comers being introduced to the joys of winter sports.
The best time for skiing is December to March – the time of maximum snowfall. About 16 km from Joshimath is Auli, a popular winter resort. There are snow -beaters and sophisticated machinery to keep the slopes fit for skiing.
Gulmarg, in Jammu and Kashmir, is another famous skiing resort frequented by tourists. Gulmarg has slopes varying between 8,700 and 10,500 feet with some of the highest ski runs in India. Gulmarg’s ski lifts and chair lifts provide basic utilitarian facilities with a simple link-up. At Gulmarg, the ski-slopes are being extended for the ambitious skiers. Heli-skiing too is being introduced.
Shimla, Narkanda, Kullu-Manali, Chamba, Kuper and Pabber in Himachal Pradesh have several ski slopes. Ski lodges and hotels as comfortable as any luxury budget hotel in Delhi, trained instructors, lifts and ski runs to suit all levels are provided. Heli-skiing facilities are available at Hanuman Tibba, Rohtang Pass, Deo Tibba and Chanderkhani Pass near Manali.
Most of the skiing tour operators are active in the Himalayas. Just contact the travel help desk at your hotel in Delhi – they will organize everything for you – right up to your local hotel stay arrangements and tour operator and instructor /guide.
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