Skiing, India Vacations and Skiing, India Luxury Adventure Packages

The sheer joie de vivre inspired by one's first successful slide down a ski slope defies description. Once limited to a privileged few, the adrenalin-producing pastime of skiing has been brought within the range of the common man now. For the purist, there is unsullied, powdery snow. For the accomplished and ego-conscious, there are punishing runs. For wobbly beginners and confident intermediates, there are easy slopes and understanding instructors who soon inspire dreams of Olympic glory. With a first run to buoy one under the belt, there follows a succession of blissful days. Each day brings a fresh challenge to conquer and relish when you are at any skiing resort. Mastering the twists and turns and jumps of skiing, completing a longer ski run, and achieving faster speed are all part of this process. Every winter in the Indian Himalayas the slopes are warmed by the excited cries and laughter of entrants being introduced to the joys of winter sports: the magic of the wind rushing past as you whiz down a slope of skis, or the sheer pleasure of gliding gracefully, artistically cutting figures of eight in the snow.

Skiing, like any other high-altitude adventure sports in India, is a contribution of the Europeans. The summers in north India have always been unpleasant, more so for the Europeans who were mostly from the cold countries. To save themselves from this oppressive heat, they went to the Himalayas, not too far from major centers in north India. Many hill stations were established, the prominent among them being Shimla, Manali, Mussoorie, and Nainital. These places served not only as the home away from home for them but also as the center where they could participate in recreational activities like skiing and trekking. Some of these places still have the best skiing slopes in the country. Affluent Indians started participating in this sport even before independence. After independence, with the efforts of adventure sport bodies, local youths were encouraged to participate in this sport. They took to it enthusiastically and later helped in training hordes of tourists coming from other parts of the county and even abroad.

Today, skiing is quite popular in the hill stations of North India and new facilities have added up to make it more popular among the masses.

Major Destinations

Auli
16 km from Joshimath, is a popular winter resort run by the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) offering good skiing conditions. There are many slopes, which provide excellent opportunities for cross-country, slalom and snow-hill skiing events. GMVN has snow-beaters and other sophisticated machinery to keep the slopes fit for skiing. A ropeway from Joshimath connects Auli in 15 minutes flat, saving much time and energy of the skiers. Auli also has the distinction of celebrating the National Winter Games Championships every year in the month of February/March. You are advised to take enough warm clothing, dark glasses and heavy boots. Pithoragarh in the Kumaon hill is another site being developed as a ski resort.

Gulmarg
situated in the state of Jammu and Kashmir , is another famous skiing resort frequented by the tourists. With the first fall of snow, the highlands are transformed into a glittering winter wonderland, the country's premier arena for action-packed skiing. Gulmarg has slopes varying between 8,700 and 10,500 feet with some of the highest ski runs in India . Meant only for beginners, Gulmarg ski lifts and chair lifts provide basic utilitarian facilities with a simple link-up. Those who enjoy the exhilaration of heights will therefore have to make their own way up. Nevertheless, what is of a particularly high quality is Gulmarg's ski-shop with professional equipments that are imported from Australia and France . Facilities are also being provided for skiing at Pahalgam and work on an institute of mountaineering and winter sports is already underway. At Gulmarg, the ski-slopes are being extended for the ambitious skiers. Heli-skiing too is being introduced.

The Shimla, Narkanda, Kullu-Manali, Chamba, Kuper and Pabber areas in Himachal Pradesh have several ski slopes, which are attracting a growing number of enterprising winter sports enthusiasts. Comfortable ski lodges, lifts, trained instructors, and ski runs to suit all levels have been provided at most of these ski resorts in the state. Serious international cognoscenti rate the runs between Solang Nallah and Pathru worth any good skier's time and money. Heli-skiing facilities are available at Hanuman Tibba, Rohtang Pass , Deo Tibba and Chanderkhani Pass near Manali.

Important Events
Auli and Solang Valley near Manali organizes National Winter Sports Championship in the month of February/March every year. Skiers from all over the country come to these places to participate in this challenging sport held under the auspices of the Indian Olympic Association and state bodies.