WINTER BREAK LEAP OF FAITH
National Geographic Traveller India|February 2021
Two novice skiers try to find their feet amid Gulmarg’s snow-whipped slopes
GUSTASP & JEROO IRANI
WINTER BREAK LEAP OF FAITH

We stood atop a gentle beginners’ slope, watching some colorful ski gods schussing down distant trails, curling and uncurling their bodies with ease. Plagued by doubt, we balanced ourselves on unwieldy skis clipped onto large ski boots weighing two kilos each, a pole in each gloved hand, and dithered.

But then we remembered how lucky we were to be here: in Gulmarg, Jammu, and Kashmir, at the country’s premier ski resort in a high, forested valley at the base of Mt. Apharwat looming at 14,403 feet. We had long dreamt about reveling in the cold caress of a Himalayan winter and learning the daunting sport. Gulmarg welcomes both expert skiers and novices (like us) who learn the basics on a few groomed bunny slopes at private and state-run ski schools. So, leaving all caution to the chilly wind, we swooped down the incline, elated at a glimpse of the snow-whipped Pir Panjal range which rings Gulmarg like a forbidding army of stone. Evergreen trees rose around us like protective totem poles.

It might take a while to learn skiing, but it sure teaches you how to laugh at yourself. Our first attempts were undignified tumbles beside five-year-olds on wee skis, stopping by to offer help. Mortified and embarrassed, we’d decline. Those nimblekneed little ones would then bend down, scoop up fistfuls of snow to pop into their mouths, and whiz away!

This story is from the February 2021 edition of National Geographic Traveller India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the February 2021 edition of National Geographic Traveller India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIAView All
Best Of The World 2023
National Geographic Traveller India

Best Of The World 2023

Travel inspiration is everywhere. The question is where to go next. Here's our annual list of enlightened destinations for the year aheadplaces filled with wonder, rewarding to travellers of all ages, and supportive of local communities and ecosystems. Framed by five categories (Community, Nature, Culture, Family, Adventure), these destinations are under the radar, ahead of the curve, and ready for you to start exploring.

time-read
10+ mins  |
November - December 2022
Α ΗΟΜΕ IN THE HILLS
National Geographic Traveller India

Α ΗΟΜΕ IN THE HILLS

Skyview by Empyrean is a onestop destination for adventure and leisure in Jammu

time-read
3 mins  |
November - December 2022
ENTER THE PICTURE POSTCARD
National Geographic Traveller India

ENTER THE PICTURE POSTCARD

A stylish luxury hotel in Thimphu's northern outskirts is where illustrious Bhutanese and travellers alike are finding their happy place

time-read
6 mins  |
November - December 2022
48 Hours : Seattle Leads The Way
National Geographic Traveller India

48 Hours : Seattle Leads The Way

The jewel of the Pacific Northwest is one of America’s greenest and grooviest culture capitals

time-read
8 mins  |
November - December 2022
BIG BINGE: DUBAI FOR THE JET-SETTING GOURMAND
National Geographic Traveller India

BIG BINGE: DUBAI FOR THE JET-SETTING GOURMAND

Delightful degustation menus, French brasseries with art-inspired menus and Japanese diners excelling at nostalgia—the Dubai Food Festival 2022 justified the city’s status as one of the world’s premier food capitals

time-read
4 mins  |
November - December 2022
CULTURE COOL - UNDER THE EMIRATI SUN
National Geographic Traveller India

CULTURE COOL - UNDER THE EMIRATI SUN

Home to one of the world’s grandest mosques, an exciting emerging arts district on Saadiyat Island and an entertainment hub promising genuine thrills, Abu Dhabi has arrived in the league of extraordinary family destinations

time-read
4 mins  |
November - December 2022
ONLY IN OTTAWA
National Geographic Traveller India

ONLY IN OTTAWA

ACTIVE ADVENTURES, BUZZY BREWERIES AND NEIGHBOURHOODS THRIVING WITH BARS AND BOUTIQUES— CANADA'S BIJOU CAPITAL HAS PLENTY TO DISCOVER BEYOND THE HALLS OF PARLIAMENT

time-read
2 mins  |
November - December 2022
OF FRENCH FINESSE
National Geographic Traveller India

OF FRENCH FINESSE

QUENELLE DE BROCHET IS A REGIONAL LEGACY DISH HAILING FROM LYON. THE OVAL, POACHED PIKE DUMPLINGS ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN INVENTED BY A PASTRY CHEF TO REGULATE FISH OVERPOPULATION

time-read
2 mins  |
November - December 2022
Coorg: A WILD ROAST
National Geographic Traveller India

Coorg: A WILD ROAST

Back in another timber den of Karnataka, native wildlife and humble stories surprise Suhas Dwarkanath as he sips on a bold cup of robusta.

time-read
10+ mins  |
November - December 2022
DIVING INTO RAS AL KHAIMAH
National Geographic Traveller India

DIVING INTO RAS AL KHAIMAH

THE U.A.E'S NORTHERNMOST EMIRATE IS ALL ABOUT ENJOYING NATURAL TREASURES, FROM SOARING OVER THE AL-HAJAR MOUNTAINS ON THE WORLD'S LONGEST ZIPLINE TO PERUSING PRECIOUS PEARLS BY THE SEASHORE

time-read
6 mins  |
September - October 2022