Gulmarg or Pahalgam: Which Should You Visit First?
09 Oct 2026 · AL-Iqra Admin
If you only have time for one, choose Gulmarg for snow, cable car views and a shorter drive from Srinagar; choose Pahalgam for river valleys, a greener landscape, and as a base if you're also considering the Amarnath Yatra route.
Gulmarg in brief
About 1.5 hours from Srinagar. The main draw is the Gondola cable car, one of the highest in the world, and in winter, actual skiing. It's a more compact destination — most visitors see the main sights in a day.
Pahalgam in brief
About 2–2.5 hours from Srinagar. Spread across a wider area with Betaab Valley, Aru Valley and the Lidder River. It rewards an overnight stay more than Gulmarg does, since there's more ground to cover.
If you have time for both
Most of our itineraries include both, usually Gulmarg as a day trip and Pahalgam as an overnight stop, since they're roughly equidistant from Srinagar in different directions and don't overlap on the way.
