Khilanmarg in Jammu & Kashmir, India, is a small valley that is about 6 kilometers away from Gulmarg. The place is filled with lush green meadows, which is a sight to behold in the spring season, and enigmatic views of the Himalayan mountains and forest cover. The distance between Gulmarg to Khilanmarg is nearly 600 meters and tourists have to walk to this mini beautiful valley as there is no other way to reach here.
Any time of the year is suitable to visit Khilanmarg, The best time, however, to visit Khilanmarg is during the winter season between November and February as one may indulge in adventure and snow sports such as trekking, skiing, and more during this time. If adventure sports are not your cup of tea, then visiting Khilanmarg between June and September is also great as the climate is pleasant for exploring the place and sightseeing.
Set at 2000 ft above sea level, Khilanmarg Valley is a popular tourist destination in Jammu and Kashmir. This exotic mini valley is visited by most of the tourists who visit Gulmarg. The geographical location of the valley is such that one may witness and capture the sight of Nanga Parbat and the twin peaks Nun and Kun.
Major Attractions in and Around Khilanmarg
1. Alpather Lake
Situated at a distance of 13 km from Gulmarg, this lake is one of the most amazing tourist destinations to explore. Located at the foot of the Apharwat peaks, this lake stays frozen during the winter times. Ducks walking on the large ice chunks of the lake is a delightful sight that tourists and photographers love to capture through their cameras.
2. Gulmarg
Gulmarg is located quite nearby Khilanmarg. It is like there is a boon of nature associated with Khilanmarg. Heavy snowfall during the winter season attracts tourists from across the globe to this place in Jammu and Kashmir. The scenic views of this place are quite magnificent and its snow-capped mountains are apt for skiing. If you want to explore Gulmarg, then check out this travel guide which covers all the places to visit in Gulmarg.
3. Ferozpur Nallah
The Ferozpur Nallah is quite an interesting travel destination to visit along with your loved ones. The place is basically a mountain stream flowing amid green meadows. The panoramic view of this place is out and out quite exquisite and locals arrive here for picnics and romantic getaways. Moreover, what is worth knowing about this place is the fact that this Nallah is renowned for trout fishing, owing to which it attracts a great number of tourists and locals alike.
4. Ride Gondola Cable Car
The Gulmarg Gondola is considered one of the main tourist attractions of Gulmarg. An interesting fact worth knowing about it is that it is the second-highest cable car all across the world. It covers a distance of nearly 5 km and terminates at the Apharwat top.
5. Skiing
Skiing along with snowboarding are two of the main activities which people generally enjoy in Khilanmarg and Gulmarg. There is no doubt that Gulmarg is quite a popular skiing spot located in India. Furthermore, there are many ski resorts serving various kinds of facilities to tourists.
6. Shrine of Baba Reshi
Built in the 13th century, this shrine belongs to a well-known Muslim saint who was known as Baba Payam-Uddin. Locals claim that the saint passed away in this very place during the year 1480.
How to Reach Khilanmarg
Situated at a height of about 2,000 feet, Khilanmarg is quite a beautiful travel destination to explore in Gulmarg. To reach here, you will need to cover a total distance of about 856, 2,220, 2,374, 3,019 km from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru respectively. Check out the following details on how to reach here.
By Air
Srinagar airport is the nearest airport to reach Khilanmarg. The airport is approximately 60 - 70 km away and one may cover this distance by a taxi or a bus. Srinagar airport receives flights from all parts of the country with good flight connectivity. There is no direct road connectivity to Khilanmarg hence one has to reach Gulmarg first and then walk to Khilanmarg or hire ponies to complete your journey.
- From Amritsar - Board IndiGo, Air India, Air Asia flights from Amritsar Airport. The airfares start from INR 5,000 - INR 6,000
- From Bhopal - Board Air India, Spicejet, Go Air flights from Bhopal Airport. The airfares start from INR 7,000 - INR 8,000
- From Kanpur - Board Spicejet, IndiGo flights from Kanpur Airport. The airfares start from INR 10,000 - INR 12,000
By Rail
Baramulla railway station is the nearest station to reach Khilanmarg. From the station, one has to cover another 30km to reach this exotic mini valley via taxi or a bus. Trains from most of the metro cities of India arrive at Baramulla train station, hence making reservations and finding trains from and to Khilanmarg will not be a problem.
By Road
Road travel gives you the opportunity to take breaks at the roadside villages and farms and admire the beauty of the place and interact with locals. To travel to Khilanmarg by roadways one has two options: one may either take the tourist bus to the place or may take the personal car/bike to reach Gulmarg because it’s the nearest you can reach to Khlianmarg by road.
- From Chandigarh - 609 km via NH44
- From Ludhiana - 548 km via NH44
- From Dehradun - 777 km via NH44
You can plan your trip and create your own route to the city with Adotrip’s technically driven circuit planner. Click here.
