Kashmir in Winter 2026–27: Gulmarg Snow, Dal Lake and What It Costs

Kashmir in winter means snow in Gulmarg from as early as October or November and in Srinagar usually between late December and early February, with the coldest stretch, Chillai Kalan, running from 21 December to the end of January. Our winter Kashmir trips start from ₹17,999 per person for 4 days with two Dal Lake houseboat nights and return flights from Ahmedabad, ₹27,999 per person for a Gulmarg ski week (January to March departures) and ₹4,499 per person for a Gulmarg Gondola snow day (prices checked 12 Oct 2026).

What is Kashmir like in winter, month by month?

Figures are India Meteorological Department (IMD) 1991–2020 averages: mean night low / day high, and Gulmarg's mean monthly precipitation (rain and melted snow).

What do our Kashmir winter trips cost?

Prices are per person. GST, and TCS where it applies, are shown in your written quote, along with the price for your exact dates.

When does it snow in Gulmarg and Srinagar?

Gulmarg gets snow first. In 2025 the upper reaches, including Kongdori above Gulmarg, had their first snow on 6 Oct (All India Radio), and Gulmarg recorded 7.6 cm on 4 Nov (ETV Bharat, citing the Srinagar Met centre). The deep cover builds later: IMD's averages give Gulmarg 161 mm of precipitation in January and 208 mm in February, against 74 mm in December. In 2026, officials declared all major ski slopes, up to Phase II and the Bowl, fully operational from 25 Jan, with about four feet of snow at Kongdori and six at Phase II (Greater Kashmir), and the Khelo India Winter Games were held in Gulmarg from 23 to 26 Feb (The Tribune).

Srinagar is less predictable. The city's first snow of the season came on 1 Feb 2024 after a dry Chillai Kalan (PTI), on 27 Dec 2024 (ETV Bharat) and on 23 Jan 2026, when it was the first snow in most inhabited areas (ETV Bharat). Plan your snow around Gulmarg and treat snow on Dal Lake as a bonus. Dry winters do happen: in January 2024 houseboat owners reported about 30% occupancy because visitors were waiting for snow (Kashmir Life).

What is Chillai Kalan, and how cold does it get?

Chillai Kalan is the 40-day core of Kashmir winter, from 21 Dec to 31 Jan, followed by the 20-day Chillai Khurd and the 10-day Chillai Bachha, which runs to early March (Kashmir Life). IMD's January averages are −1.9°C at night in Srinagar and −7.7°C in Gulmarg, and cold snaps go lower: on a December 2019 night Srinagar fell to −5.6°C, Dal Lake partly froze and boatmen broke a thin layer of ice to get through (Kashmir Reader). Dress in layers rather than one heavy coat.

How does the Gulmarg Gondola work in winter?

The Gulmarg Gondola is a two-stage ropeway run by the Jammu & Kashmir Cable Car Corporation (JKCCC). Phase 1 climbs from Gulmarg to Kongdori at about 3,050 m, and Phase 2 continues to Apharwat at nearly 4,000 m (Greater Kashmir, September 2025). Tickets are sold on JKCCC's online portal; a tatkal quota opens at 5 pm for the next day, and the ID you show at the gate must match the name on the ticket (Greater Kashmir, December 2024). JKCCC's site did not show current fares when we checked, so confirm the price when you book.

Phase 1 is where most families play in the snow. Phase 2 is the weather-sensitive leg and can close in high wind, sometimes at short notice. Our Gulmarg Gondola Snow Day, from ₹4,499 per person, starts at 9:00 or 10:30 am and includes Phase 1, Phase 2 when it runs (refunded automatically if it closes) and a guide through the queues; transport to the base station is not included. Older parents should know that the altitude, cold and standing in queues are tiring with breathing or joint problems, and small children need warm layers at the top.

For skiing, the Gulmarg Ski Week, from ₹27,999 per person for 5 days, is built for first-timers: four days of ski school with gear and a certified instructor, return flights from Ahmedabad and stays with breakfast and dinner. It is not advised for senior citizens. More on our Gulmarg page.

Can you stay on a Dal Lake houseboat in winter?

Yes. Houseboats on Dal and Nigeen lakes take guests through winter; there were about 750 of them in 2024, down from 1,200 in 2013 (Kashmir Life). Nights on the water are cold, so ask whether your room has a heater or electric blanket and whether heating is charged separately.

Our Srinagar Houseboat Romance, from ₹17,999 per person for 4 days, includes return flights from Ahmedabad to Srinagar, two nights on a carved walnut-and-cedar heritage houseboat, breakfast and dinner, private transfers, the Mughal gardens at golden hour, an old-city walk and a private sunrise shikara on the last morning. Most of it is seated, on the veranda, in the shikara or in the car, so it suits parents; vegetarian meals are available and Jain food on request. See the Srinagar page.

What is New Year in Srinagar like?

New Year's Eve 2026 falls on a Thursday. On 31 Dec 2024, fireworks went off across Kashmir, tourists and locals celebrated at Lal Chowk and along Boulevard Road beside Dal Lake, Gulmarg counted down in freezing cold and Pahalgam held private parties (PTI, via Greater Kashmir). For 2026, thousands rang in the year at Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg and Srinagar, hundreds of shikaras carried visitors across Dal Lake, and the J&K Tourism Department organised celebrations and cultural events at Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg (WION, 1 Jan 2026).

The simplest New Year plan from Ahmedabad is our Srinagar Houseboat Romance from ₹17,999 per person: the trip begins on the houseboat and ends with a sunrise shikara before your flight home, so arrive on 30 or 31 Dec and ask for New Year's Eve on the water. If you want a Gulmarg snow day as well, tell us and we will quote the extra night. Book flights early for the holiday week, and keep a spare day: weather can ground flights at Srinagar.

How do you reach Kashmir in winter, and which roads close?

• Flights: flying into Srinagar is the simplest route from Ahmedabad, and our houseboat, ski and chinar trips include return flights. Snow days disrupt flying: poor visibility cancelled six flights on 27 Dec 2024, and air operations were suspended on 24 Jan 2026 (ETV Bharat).
• Train: the Katra–Srinagar Vande Bharat began public service on 7 June 2025, taking about three hours, with coaches heated for sub-zero conditions (ETV Bharat). On 24 Jan 2026 it kept running while the Jammu–Srinagar highway was shut.
• Jammu–Srinagar highway (NH44): closes on heavy-snow days; on 24 Jan 2026 snow blocked both sides of the Navyug tunnel (ETV Bharat).
• Mughal Road: not a winter route. In 2024–25 it was shut for more than three months by snow and reopened on 15 Apr 2025 (All India Radio).
• Zojila (Srinagar–Leh): snow closed it on 4–5 Nov 2025 and again in January 2026 (ETV Bharat), so do not plan Ladakh by road from Srinagar in winter; see our Ladakh guide instead. Sonamarg itself still drew 87,693 visitors between 1 and 27 Jan 2026 (Greater Kashmir).

What should you pack for Kashmir in winter?

• Two sets of thermal innerwear, a fleece or wool sweater and a padded or down jacket
• Waterproof boots with grip, woollen socks, gloves, a cap that covers the ears and a scarf
• Sunglasses and sunscreen for snow glare, lip balm and a heavy moisturiser
• Original government photo ID for gondola gates and checks along the way
• Regular medicines, a power bank (cold drains phones quickly) and a hot-water bottle for parents

We send a list of gear you can rent in Kashmir, so you do not need to buy everything. For the wider plan, read our Kashmir guide and our December list.

We plan winter Kashmir from Ahmedabad for couples, families and parents, and we set the pace around the cold and the altitude. Tell us your dates, who is travelling and whether you want snow, skiing or a quiet houseboat New Year, and we will send a written quote. Start with a message.

FAQs

When does it snow in Gulmarg? Gulmarg can get its first snow in October or November: in 2025 the upper reaches had snow on 6 Oct and Gulmarg recorded 7.6 cm on 4 Nov. The deepest snow builds from January, when IMD's averages show 161 mm of precipitation, rising to 208 mm in February.

When does it snow in Srinagar? In the last three winters, Srinagar's first snow came on 1 Feb 2024, 27 Dec 2024 and 23 Jan 2026. Plan for snow in Gulmarg and treat snow on Dal Lake as a bonus.

How much does a Kashmir winter trip cost from Ahmedabad? With us, from ₹17,999 per person for 4 days on a Srinagar houseboat with return flights from Ahmedabad, ₹27,999 for a Gulmarg ski week with flights and ski school, and ₹49,999 for 6 days with both gondola phases (flights extra).

What is Chillai Kalan? The 40 coldest days of Kashmir winter, from 21 Dec to 31 Jan. IMD's January averages are −1.9°C at night in Srinagar and −7.7°C in Gulmarg.

Is the Gulmarg Gondola open in winter? Yes, but Phase 2 to Apharwat depends on wind and snow and can close at short notice. Book on the JKCCC portal, where a tatkal quota opens at 5 pm for the next day, and carry the ID named on your ticket.

Can we spend New Year's Eve on a Dal Lake houseboat? Yes. Our Srinagar Houseboat Romance begins on the houseboat, so arrive on 30 or 31 Dec and ask for New Year's Eve on the water. On 31 Dec 2024, Lal Chowk and Boulevard Road beside the lake had fireworks and crowds at midnight.