What to Wear in Gulmarg — Resort Wear and Ski Town Packing Guide

What to wear in Gulmarg depends less on the season and more on the altitude. At 2,650 metres — one of the highest resort towns in India — Gulmarg runs 10–15°C colder than Srinagar year-round, and the Gulmarg Gondola climbs another 1,400 metres to Apharwat Peak, where the temperature can drop to near freezing even in July. This guide covers what to wear in Gulmarg across summer, autumn, and the winter ski season, with a realistic packing list for every month.

Gulmarg by altitude — the wardrobe principle

The single most important thing to know about dressing for Gulmarg: it is a lot colder than the rest of Kashmir. Visitors coming up from Srinagar in the morning, still wearing what felt right for Dal Lake, arrive in Gulmarg properly cold. If you take the Gondola to Phase 2 and Apharwat, you need another whole layer beyond that.

Plan in three zones:

• Gulmarg town (2,650 m) — cool to cold, depending on season. A warm layer is always needed; a proper jacket is needed for mornings and evenings.
• Gulmarg Gondola Phase 1 (3,100 m) — markedly colder. Add a second warm layer.
• Apharwat Peak / Phase 2 (4,000 m) — genuinely cold, often with snow even in summer. Proper winter kit — insulated outer, gloves, warm headwear.

The resort-wear formula that works in Srinagar or Pahalgam doesn't work here on its own. You need fuller insulation, and genuinely warm outer layers.

Gulmarg in summer — June to August

Summer in Gulmarg is meadow season. The town sits in a green bowl surrounded by pine forest, with the famous Gulmarg golf course (one of the highest in the world) in its centre. Days run 15–20°C; evenings drop to 8–12°C; the gondola can take you from that green landscape into a genuinely cold zone within fifteen minutes.

For daytime exploration, a long-sleeved kurta or tunic with tailored pants layered with a velvet shrug or cashmere layer is the practical choice. Printed pieces in jewel tones photograph beautifully against the meadow green and the pine forest — one of the strongest backdrops in Indian resort photography.

For the gondola ride, add a tailored jacket. For Apharwat in particular — where patchy snow often persists into August — you want a full insulated outer, warm headwear, and gloves.

Evening dressing in Gulmarg hotels is relaxed but warm. A full-length kaftan over thermals, paired with a cashmere wrap, is both comfortable and striking for hotel dinners.

Gulmarg in autumn — September to October

Autumn is arguably the most beautiful time to visit Gulmarg. The meadow turns gold, the surrounding Himalayan views sharpen as the air clears, and the temperatures sit at 10–18°C during the day, dropping below freezing some nights. This is the shoulder season — fewer crowds, more light.

The wardrobe formula is serious layering: a long-sleeved base (a kurta or a silk shirt), a mid-weight warm layer (cashmere or velvet), and a structured outer. A warm stole handles the temperature swing between sunny afternoons and cold evenings without adding a full extra garment.

Autumn is also the ideal time to wear jewel-tone resort pieces in Gulmarg — deep garnet, emerald, midnight blue against the gold meadow and the first autumn colours produces some of the most cinematic photographs in the Kashmir wardrobe.

Gulmarg in winter — December to February (ski season)

Winter transforms Gulmarg completely. The entire valley goes under snow; the gondola runs through powder; the slopes open for skiing and snowboarding; the resort becomes a proper winter destination. Temperatures: −5 to 8°C in Gulmarg town, colder at the gondola, sub-zero at Apharwat.

For slopes and snow activities, rent or bring purpose-built ski kit — resort wear is not the right tool here. For the rest of the day — hotel arrivals, dinners, bonfire evenings, the casual walk around town — the wardrobe goes luxurious warm:

• A full-length velvet kaftan over thermals for hotel dinners — beautiful, warm, and photographs exceptionally well in firelight
• A long kurta layered with a cashmere wrap for around-town afternoons
• A heavy wool or down outer for outdoor time
• Snow boots for everything outside the hotel — regular shoes are not enough

Kashmir is one of the world's great textile regions; the cashmere and winter collection at First Resort pair naturally with a hand-woven pashmina bought locally.

Après-ski and hotel evenings

Gulmarg's better hotels — the Khyber, the Kolahoi Green, the Highlands Park — all operate proper fireplace lounges and candlelit dining rooms in winter. The evening dress code is warm but elegant: a velvet piece, a richly embroidered long kaftan, or a silk set with a heavier stole thrown over the shoulders all work.

The practical trick in ski towns is pieces that work hotel → car → hotel without needing a costume change. A long velvet kaftan slides under a down jacket easily; a cashmere set over thermals handles the walk to the car at −5°C. Pack with this flow in mind — you'll be in and out of warm spaces all evening.

Gulmarg packing list

A practical Gulmarg wardrobe for 4–6 days:

Summer (June–August):

• 2 long-sleeved kurtas or tunics
• 1 full-length kaftan for hotel evenings
• 1 velvet or cashmere layer
• 1 tailored jacket for the gondola
• 1 heavier stole
• Gloves and warm headwear for Apharwat
• Closed-toe shoes with grip — meadow paths can be wet

Winter (December–February):

• 1 velvet kaftan for hotel evenings
• 1 long kurta with embroidery
• 2 cashmere layers — one fine, one chunky
• Thermal base layers
• Heavy outer jacket (down or wool)
• Gloves, warm hat, ear warmers
• Snow boots for all outdoor wear
• Ski kit — better to rent locally unless you ski regularly

Browse the cashmere collection, winter edit, and velvet pieces at First Resort — all available with free shipping across India.

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Also read: What to Wear in Kashmir  ·  How to Wear Velvet in Winter  ·  What to Wear in Rishikesh  ·  Behind the Scenes  ·  First Resort Online Store