7 Best Destinations for Skiing In India

Skiing is not just an attraction in western countries alone. Even in a tropical peninsular like India, skiing can be enjoyed like never before. If you are planning to visit India during winter, skiing is a must-do activity. What can be the most beautiful place to ski than the mighty and snowy Himalayas? There are a lot of different skiing destinations in India.

Skiing Destinations

1. Manali

Manali in Himachal Pradesh is the paradise for skiing. When people say Manali is the best for skiing, they actually mean a valley that is about 12 km from Manali. A little away from the heart of Manali, Solang Nala is a well known place for skiing. There is also an institute in Solang Nala for mountaineering and allied sports. You can learn skiing here. The best time to visit Manali for skiing is, between December and middle of February.

Suggested Tour : 6 Days - Himachal Vacation Tour Package

2. Auli

Auli is located in Uttarakhand. It is one of the preferred skiing destinations. This place is well known for all kinds of winter sports. There are skiing slopes in the range of 2000m to 3000m. There is a 500m ski lift and 800m chair lift for skiers. There is an institute in Auli where you can learn skiing during December, January and February.

Read More : 10 Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Uttarakhand

3. Gulmarg

Gulmarg is located in Jammu and Kashmir. It is one of the top skiing destinations in the world. The extraordinary scenic value of this place makes it a wonderful tourist spot. There are small slopes for amateurs to enjoy. In Apparwat Ridge, an 800m slope is present which gives a lifetime experience for skiers. This steep terrain suits only advanced and intermediate skiers. Another skiing related attraction here is the largest cable car in the continent. This cable car stops at Kongdori and Apparwat Ridge only.

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4. Pahalgam

Pahalgam is located in Jammu and Kashmir. To be precise, Aru is a place which is a little away from Pahalgam. Aru has many skiing slops and serene landscape for skiing experience. The Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering and Winter Sports provides courses for amateurs in skiing. The best time to visit Pahalgam for skiing is between December and middle of March.

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5. Kufri

Kufri is located in Himachal Pradesh. It is located a little away from Shimla. It is one of the wonderful spots for skiing in Himachal Pradesh. There are many beginners slope with gentle steeps. This place is exclusively for beginners. You can also enjoy tobogganing along with skiing. An annual winter sport meet happens during winter season. Lot of tourists visit Kufri during this sport meet to participate in various winter sport events.

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6. Narkanda

Narkanda is another place in Himachal Pradesh. There are different kinds of slopes here with varying difficulties. You can choose the slope as per your expertise. If you are planning to ski for the very first time, you can hire ski instructors who would guide you. There are a lot of skiing courses that start in January in Narkanda.

7. Phuni Valley

Phuni Valley is located in Sikkim. It is a place where ski enthusiasts flock during winter. There are a lot of different types of slopes here for varying expertise. It is one of the important skiing holiday destination and romantic getaway spot. This valley is very serene and has many picturesque spots to enjoy apart from skiing.

This is not an exclusive list. There are a lot of other skiing destinations in Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir and in many other places in India. Before you start planning for a skiing holiday in India, learn about the climate, condition of the place and other important information. Though India is a tropical place, most of the skiing destinations would obviously have a very cold climate. Woolen clothes and gears are very essential. It is better to bring your own skiing gears as there might be shortage of gears during peak time. Pre-booking tickets and accommodation is very essential due to the rush during skiing season.

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