View allAll Photos Tagged AlpineScenery
I try to hide my disappointment by taking a selfie in the Gulmarg Valley against the threatening thunder clouds, which obscure the mountains. Luckily there was no rain. Once we reached Gulmarg, there were several disappointments in store for us. First, we could not drive around the sights of Gulmarg, it was mandatory to use a local taxi, and the rates were extortionate, to say the least. They were quoting rates from INR 4,000 to 6,000 for an one hour ride, trying to justify it by saying they can only only four months in a year, the rest of the year, it's snow and they cannot operate. Second, the famous Gulmarg gondola ride was fully booked for the rest of the day. So in short, we had to spend all our time in Gulmarg merely walking around, taking selfies. Oh well. (Gulmarg, Kashmir, India, Apr. 2024)
As we make our way back to Srinagar after a rather disappointing trip to Gulmarg, for reasons I explained earlier in this album, we stop for a quick photo session and yet another selfie in a public park on the Srinagar to Gulmarg highway with a long lookout point running along it's length. I looked down and spotted this pleasant little town nestled deep down in the valley. I couldn't make out the name of the town, but aren't those residents truly blessed to be living amidst such gorgeous Alpine scenery! I somehow thought the town in the valley had a sort of European feel to it- maybe due to the Alpine setting, type of cottages in the town and the steeply sloping roofs! (Gulmarg, Kashmir, India, Apr. 2024)
Thanks to the extortionate local taxi fare in Gulmarg, we had to spend all our time here, at the selfie spot overlooking the valley. Had we used a taxi, the taxi would have driven us round on the road you see here. Somewhere in the centre of this picture, at that long building with green roof is the starting point for the famous Gulmarg gondola. You can in fact see the first pylon with a gondola suspended next to it if you view this picture is expanded or full screen mode. Gulmarg lies in a cup-shaped valley in the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas, at an altitude of, 2,650 mtr above sea level. It is located some 56 km from Srinagar. The natural meadows of Gulmarg, which are covered with snow in winter, allow the growth of wild flowers such as daisies, forget- me-nots and buttercups during spring and summer. Gulmarg's meadows are interspersed by enclosed parks and small lakes, and surrounded by forests of green pine and fir. Skiing and other winter sports in Gulmarg are carried out on the slopes of Apharwat peak at a height of 4,267 mtr Many points on Apharwat peak and Khilanmarg offer a panoramic view of Nanga Parbat and Harmukh mountains. We could have seen some of these spots from the gondola, sadly, it was fully booked for the rest of the day. (Gulmarg, Kashmir, India, Apr. 2024)
Thanks to the extortionate local taxi fare in Gulmarg, we had to spend all our time here, at the selfie spot overlooking the valley. Had we used a taxi, the taxi would have driven us round on the road you see here. Somewhere in the centre of this picture, at that long building with green roof is the starting point for the famous Gulmarg gondola. You can in fact see the first pylon with a gondola suspended next to it if you view this picture is expanded or full screen mode. Gulmarg lies in a cup-shaped valley in the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas, at an altitude of, 2,650 mtr above sea level. It is located some 56 km from Srinagar. The natural meadows of Gulmarg, which are covered with snow in winter, allow the growth of wild flowers such as daisies, forget- me-nots and buttercups during spring and summer. Gulmarg's meadows are interspersed by enclosed parks and small lakes, and surrounded by forests of green pine and fir. Skiing and other winter sports in Gulmarg are carried out on the slopes of Apharwat peak at a height of 4,267 mtr Many points on Apharwat peak and Khilanmarg offer a panoramic view of Nanga Parbat and Harmukh mountains. We could have seen some of these spots from the gondola, sadly, it was fully booked for the rest of the day. (Gulmarg, Kashmir, India, Apr. 2024)
We stop off at a viewpoint with magical scenery on the road from Srinagar to Gulmarg. There is a wooden balcony constructed at the place, and you have to cock your head to one side to catch this wonderful splendour, but wow, what a scene! I was imagining that it's a glacier in the distance with a glacial spring running down from it down into the valley below. Not sure if that is indeed a glacier and glacial stream, maybe that's just a river of snowmelt, but it's a magical scene nonetheless. (Gulmarg, Kashmir, India, Apr. 2024)
We stop off at a viewpoint with magical scenery on the road from Srinagar to Gulmarg. There is a wooden balcony constructed at the place, and you have to cock your head to one side to catch this wonderful splendour, but wow, what a scene! I was imagining that it's a glacier in the distance with a glacial spring running down from it down into the valley below. Not sure if that is indeed a glacier and glacial stream, maybe that's just a river of snowmelt, but it's a magical scene nonetheless. (Gulmarg, Kashmir, India, Apr. 2024)
As we make our way back to Srinagar after a rather disappointing trip to Gulmarg, for reasons I explained earlier in this album, we stop for a quick photo session and yet another selfie in a public park on the Srinagar to Gulmarg highway with a long lookout point running along it's length. I looked down and spotted this pleasant little town nestled deep down in the valley. I couldn't make out the name of the town, but aren't those residents truly blessed to be living amidst such gorgeous Alpine scenery! I love the conifers running up the mountain slope (Gulmarg, Kashmir, India, Apr. 2024)
As we make our way back to Srinagar after a rather disappointing trip to Gulmarg, for reasons I explained earlier in this album, we stop for a quick photo session and yet another selfie in a public park on the Srinagar to Gulmarg highway with a long lookout point running along it's length. I looked down and spotted this pleasant little town nestled deep down in the valley. I couldn't make out the name of the town, but aren't those residents truly blessed to be living amidst such gorgeous Alpine scenery! There is a shrine at the far end of this long park with the lookout. A pair of lovebirds who was sitting next to the bush in the distance beat a hasty retreat when they saw me photographing the shrine - you can see them sitting across from the bush on the other side of the grass. (Gulmarg, Kashmir, India, Apr. 2024)
Thanks to the extortionate local taxi fare in Gulmarg, we had to spend all our time here, at the selfie spot overlooking the valley. Had we used a taxi, the taxi would have driven us round on the road you see here. Somewhere in the centre of this picture, at that long building with green roof is the starting point for the famous Gulmarg gondola. You can in fact see the first pylon with a gondola suspended next to it if you view this picture is expanded or full screen mode. Gulmarg lies in a cup-shaped valley in the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas, at an altitude of, 2,650 mtr above sea level. It is located some 56 km from Srinagar. The natural meadows of Gulmarg, which are covered with snow in winter, allow the growth of wild flowers such as daisies, forget- me-nots and buttercups during spring and summer. Gulmarg's meadows are interspersed by enclosed parks and small lakes, and surrounded by forests of green pine and fir. Skiing and other winter sports in Gulmarg are carried out on the slopes of Apharwat peak at a height of 4,267 mtr Many points on Apharwat peak and Khilanmarg offer a panoramic view of Nanga Parbat and Harmukh mountains. We could have seen some of these spots from the gondola, sadly, it was fully booked for the rest of the day. (Gulmarg, Kashmir, India, Apr. 2024)
Beautiful Alpine scenery from a public park in Pahalgam in Kashmir, India. As you can see, apart from the green grass, most of the bush in the park are fairly barren- meaning devoid of flowers etc. This is a bit off season for the flora in Srinagar- in fact I was disappointed that all the apple orchards, saffron fields and chilly (hot pepper) bushes and lavender fields were all devoid of flowers or fruit (as the case may be)- it's off season, come back in September, they all said. Pahalgam is located in the Lidder Valley, which is part of the Great Himalayan range. Notes and more pictures about Pahalgam appear elsewhere in this album. (Pahalgam, Kashmir, India, Apr/ May 2024)
The extortionate local taxi takes you down this road all the way down to the other side of the valley- that road is actually forbidden territory for visitors' cars as you are obliged to take a local taxi into the valley. Thanks to the extortionate local taxi fare in Gulmarg, we had to spend all our time at a selfie spot overlooking the valley. Gulmarg lies in a cup-shaped valley in the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas, at an altitude of, 2,650 mtr above sea level. It is located some 56 km from Srinagar. The natural meadows of Gulmarg, which are covered with snow in winter, allow the growth of wild flowers such as daisies, forget- me-nots and buttercups during spring and summer. Gulmarg's meadows are interspersed by enclosed parks and small lakes, and surrounded by forests of green pine and fir. Skiing and other winter sports in Gulmarg are carried out on the slopes of Apharwat peak at a height of 4,267 mtr Many points on Apharwat peak and Khilanmarg offer a panoramic view of Nanga Parbat and Harmukh mountains. We could have seen some of these spots from the famous Gulmarg gondola, sadly, it was fully booked for the rest of the day. (Gulmarg, Kashmir, India, Apr. 2024)
We are now well and truly on our way back to Srinagar after a rather disappointing trip to Gulmarg, for reasons explained in detail earlier in this album. As we approach the viewpoint with a view of what I thought was a glacier and a glacial stream running down it, (see previous pictures earlier in this album), a military truck of the Indian army passes us. The military presence in Kashmir is still visible throughout the state, due to which relative clam prevails all over the state most of the time. (Gulmarg, Kashmir, India, Apr. 2024)