Asia's highest cable car runs in two phases - which one to take, how to get tickets and when to go up.
The Gulmarg Gondola is a two-stage cable car running from Gulmarg at 2,650 m to Apharwat Peak at 3,979 m. It is the single most popular thing to do in Kashmir, and also the thing most often mishandled by visitors.
The two phases
Phase I runs from Gulmarg to Kongdoori at 3,080 m, an eight-minute ride over pine forest. Phase II continues from Kongdoori to Apharwat at 3,979 m. Phase II is where the year-round snow is and is the more dramatic ride, but it is also frequently suspended for wind.
Tickets
Tickets are sold online through the official J&K Cable Car Corporation portal and at the Gulmarg counter. Phase II sells out early in peak season. Buy Phase I and Phase II together online three to seven days ahead if your dates are fixed - the counter queue in season can run to two hours.
Timings
Operations generally run from 10 am to 5 pm, with the last upward ride around 3.30 pm, and they shorten in winter. Go on the first slot of the morning: wind picks up through the day and Phase II is the first thing to close.
What to wear
Apharwat is around twenty degrees colder than Srinagar. Snow boots, jackets and gloves are rented at the Gulmarg base for a few hundred rupees. Do not go up in trainers.
