Kongdori - Gulmarg Gondola, Gulmarg Overview

Ever since its existence, Gulmarg, the 'Meadow of Flowers' has attracted more than a thousand tourists with its exceptional beauty. One of the main attractions of this place is Gulmarg Gondola which is the second highest cable car in the world. Phase 1 of this cable car lift was made operational from May 1998 while the other phase came into running after 6 years in May 2005. An addition was made in the form Chairlift or phase 3 in 2011. Since then it has been a commercial victory for the government of J&K. The construction of this cable car even boosted the tourism in the state. The Gondola ride gives you the most extravagant views of both Gulmarg and Khilanmarg. It captures the beauty and splendour of this place at its best.

The 1st phase of Gondola takes you to Kongdori Station which is situated at the height of 8530 ft and the second stage goes up to the altitude of 12293 ft. It gives you a chance to have magnificent views of Nanda Devi, LOC, and Pir Panjal range. Apart from cherishing the beauty of Himalayan ranges, tourists can enjoy other activities like horse riding and snow skiing. The pine surrounded area becomes a white blanket in winters making it a skiers paradise. The place is perfect for re-discovering the child within you!

Gulmarg Gondola Ride

Gulmarg's exquisite beauty, its pine surrounded basins, and opulence of blooming flowers make it a prime hill station in Jammu & Kashmir. During winters it is the country's major ski resort which is accessible by the Gulmarg Gondola. The Gondola Cable Car covers an aerial distance of 5 km and reaches the Apharwat top.

It operates in two phases. The first phase takes you from Gulmarg to Kongdoor. It starts from 2,990 m and has a vertical rise of 400 m. Every hour it ferries 1500 people to the height of 3100 m from where several easy runs for skiing are accessible. The ways are made through pines and snow-covered slopes. Next, phase 2 brings into the picture the enormous Himalayan Ranges as it goes to a level higher than before. The cable car ascends 1,330 vertical metres to a height of nearly 4,000m and reaches the Apharwat Mountain. It carries 600 people per hour. After arriving at the station, you can further have a 30 minutes trek to reach the mountaintop. From here the LOC or the Line of Control is visible.

Gulmarg Gondola Chair Car

In 2011 the installation of third phase or the Chair Car was completed. It was inaugurated by the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on 17th of September 2011. The chairlift connects Kungdoori to Mary Shoulder where most of the skiing events take place. It has 90 chairs and is designed in a way that skiers can even bring their skiing gears along with them to the top. 1000 passengers can easily be ferried every hour. The ride gets completed in 11 minutes.

Gulmarg Gondola Ticket Price

The price of tickets for Gondola is as follows-
Phase 1
Adult- INR 740
Children (3-10 yrs) - INR 740
Phase 2
Adult- 950
Children (3-10) - 950
Chair Lift
Adult- 270
Children below 11 years of age aren't allowed.

Tips For Visiting Kongdori Gulmarg Gondola

1. To avoid the whole fuss of slots being unavailable book the tickets online.
2. Remeber the boarding pass is only valid for 3 hours from the very moment it is handed over to you. If you board at 3 it will be valid for two hours only i.e till 5:00 PM.