Kashmir in winter: what's open and what isn't

Winter in Kashmir is magnificent: snow on the Mughal gardens, steam rising off Dal Lake on a cold morning, and Gulmarg under a metre of powder. It is also the season of the most common planning mistake we see — an itinerary that includes places which, between December and March, you simply cannot reach. Here is what is open, place by place.

The quick version

• Open and at its best: Gulmarg, for snow and skiing.
• Open, quieter and colder: Srinagar.
• Open, but partly: Pahalgam, with many hotels and side valleys closed.
• Reachable but mostly closed: Sonamarg.
• Closed: Gurez, Tulail, Keran, Machil, Bangus, Aru, the Mughal Road, Sinthan Top and every high-altitude trek.

Srinagar: open, and underrated

The city stays open all winter, and it is a different place from the summer one. In Chillai Kalan, the forty days of hardest winter from 21 December to 31 January, nights fall well below freezing and the shallow edges of Dal can freeze over. The Mughal gardens are bare but beautiful in snow, the old city is at its most atmospheric, and winter brings its own food — harissa, slow-cooked overnight and served at dawn in the old city. Many houseboats stay open with good heating; some close. Expect power cuts, and choose stays with reliable back-up.

Gulmarg: the reason to come

Gulmarg is Kashmir's winter destination and is fully open from December, with the ski season running roughly from late December to March. The gondola runs through the winter, though the top stage to Apharwat closes whenever the wind or visibility turns. The road up from Tangmarg needs snow chains, which we arrange. Over Christmas and New Year the resort is at its busiest and hotels fill months ahead — February is often the better month. See our Gulmarg Snow & Ski journey.

Pahalgam: open, partly

Pahalgam is open all year, but in deep winter much of it closes. Many riverside hotels shut from December, the road towards Chandanwari closes beyond the first few kilometres, and Aru is usually cut off after heavy snow. What remains is a quiet, snow-bound town with the Lidder running dark between white banks — beautiful for a night or two, if you choose your hotel carefully.

Sonamarg: reachable, mostly closed

The tunnel at Z-Morh, opened in 2025, has made the road to Sonamarg far more reliable in winter. But most hotels and services still close for the season, the glacier walk is buried, and the road beyond to Zoji La and Ladakh shuts entirely. Treat Sonamarg in winter as a day out from Srinagar in good weather, not a place to stay.

Closed until spring

These are the places we most often see on winter itineraries that cannot happen:

• Gurez and Tulail. The Razdan Pass closes with the first heavy snow, usually by November, and does not reopen until late May or June.
• Keran, Machil and Bangus in the far north, and the high meadows of Kupwara.
• Aru, Lidderwat and the trekking country above Pahalgam and Sonamarg — the Great Lakes, Tarsar Marsar and Kolahoi are summer-only.
• The Mughal Road over the Pir Panjal and Sinthan Top above Daksum close completely.
• Doodhpathri and Yusmarg are snow-bound for long stretches and best left until spring.

Getting in and around

Srinagar's airport operates through the winter, but snow and fog can delay or cancel flights for a day at a time. Build a spare day into the end of any winter journey so a delayed flight home does not cost you a connection. The road from Jammu can close after heavy snowfall. Within the valley, our drivers carry chains and know which roads are being cleared; we plan each day around the forecast, not the itinerary.

Why come anyway

Because winter is when Kashmir is most itself. Fewer visitors, lower rates outside the holiday weeks, snow on the chinars, a kangri under the pheran, noon chai by the bukhari. It is not the season for covering ground — it is the season for staying put somewhere beautiful.

If you are planning a winter trip, read what to pack and then tell us your dates. We will tell you exactly what will be open while you are here.