Where is Gulmarg?

Gulmarg India is in northern Kashmir in the state of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) located in the north west of India in the Western Himalayas. The village of Gulmarg is situated on a high forested plateau (over 2,500 metres) at the base of Mt Apharwat (4,200 metres) which is part of the Pir Panjal Range.

Gulmarg is 56km west of the J&K capital of Srinagar (it’s only the capital in summer!), and the drive from the Srinagar Airport takes about 1 ½ to 2 hours. 

Flights to Srinagar

Srinagar Airport (SXR) is the gateway airport for Gulmarg, and there are direct flights to Srinagar from Delhi and Mumbai. Flights from Delhi to Srinagar take an hour and 15 minutes. You can look at flight schedules from your home city here although most of the scheduling of flights necessitates a night in Delhi on arrival into India. See the Gulmarg travel page for information on Delhi Airport hotels.

Bill Barker or one of his representatives will pick you up at Srinagar Airport and take you to the hotel in Gulmarg, and also provide other ground transport around Gulmarg, to Srinagar houseboats, and back to the Srinagar Airport.

GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS BILL'S TRIPS

1. Booking

(a) Bill’s Trips will provide you with confirmation of your application upon the receipt of the following signed and completed documents:

• Release and Indemnity;
• Skiing Questionnaire;
• Medical Questionnaire;
• These General Terms and Conditions.

(b) Your acceptance as a guest is subject to your skiing/boarding capabilities, medical condition and fitness being to the standard deemed necessary by Bill’s Trips.

2. Payment

(a) Should you be accepted as a guest you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit of $1000.00 within 14 days of such confirmation.
(b) Bill’s Trips requires payment of the deposit and price to be made by way of cash, bank cheque, money order, electronic funds transfer or credit card.
(c) Payment by credit card will incur a 3% surcharge.
(d) Bank cheques and money orders are to be made payable to “Bill’s Trips Pty Ltd”.
(e) Payment of the remainder of the price is due 90 days prior to departure.
(f) Quotation of all prices are in Australian Dollars (AUD).

3. Prices

(a) Prices which are advertised or otherwise quoted in respect of your trip are subject to change prior to departure. Prices are only guaranteed upon payment of the total Price.
(b) Bill’s Trips may at its discretion change the price of your trip where there are increases in and additions to the costs of the trip beyond its control including (but not limited to):

• A change in exchange rate;
• Additional permits, costs or government charges;
• Additional travel costs and expenses of whatever nature.

(c) Any additional payments which are required as a result of a change in price shall be paid by you within 14 days written notification from Bill’s Trips.

4. Exclusions from price

(a) You are required, at your own expense, to arrange the following prior to departure:

• Airfares, visas and travel taxes;
• Travel insurance.

(b) For the duration of your trip, the following are not included in the price:

• Travel expenses which are not provided by Bill’s Trips including but not limited to excess baggage;
• Meals and beverages which are not provided by Bill’s Trips;
• Personal expenses such as clothing, ski/boarding equipment and ski/boarding equipment maintenance;
• Medical expenses and evacuation for both illness and injury.
• All avalanche equipment

(c) An indication of the travel expenses and meals which are provided by Bill’s Trips are as stated on the Bill’s Trips Website. You are required to review this and familiarise yourself with them prior to signing these General Terms and Conditions.

5. Cancellation by you

(a) You may cancel your trip at any time prior to departure by providing written notice to Bill’s Trips.
(b) Should you cancel your trip at any stage the deposit is non-refundable.
(c) Should you cancel your trip more than 60 days before departure, you will be entitled to a refund of all moneys paid (less the deposit) subject to Bill’s Trips finding a replacement guest. In the event a replacement guest is not found, the entire price paid by you will be forfeited.
(d) Should you cancel your trip less than 30 days before departure the entire price paid by you will be forfeited.

6. Cancellation by Bill’s Trips

(a) Bill’s Trips reserves the right to cancel your trip either prior to departure or during the trip for reasons including (but not limited to):-
(i) Prior to departure:-

• A change in your medical condition or fitness;
• Your failure to disclose details of your medical condition or fitness prior to departure;
• In the event that insufficient guests are booked on a particular trip.

(ii) During the trip:

• Should you fail to comply with the directions of Bill’s Trips;
• Should Bill’s Trips determine that you should not participate any further.

(b) In the case of termination prior to departure Bill’s Trips shall refund the price (less the deposit) within fourteen (14) days of written notification from Bill’s Trips of the cancellation.
(c) In the event of termination during the trip the entire price paid by you will be forfeited.

7. Alterations to your trip

(a) Bill’s Trips reserves the right to alter your trip including but not limited to dates and routes, including early termination or finalisation of your trip in respect to any trip which you have been accepted as an applicant.
(b) Factors such as government travel warnings, hazardous weather conditions, dangerous militant or terrorist activity, and/or other events occurring which cause serious risks to you or other guests may give rise to modification, postponement or delay of your trip.
(c) In the case that the dates of a trip are postponed or delayed by Bill’s Trips and you are not able to participate as a result of this change, you will be entitled to a refund of the price (less the deposit) within fourteen (14) days of you advising Bill’s Trips in writing.
(d) Should your trip be terminated or finalised early, you acknowledge that you will not be entitled to any compensation or refund of the price from Bill’s Trips.

8. Release and indemnity form

It is acknowledged that the terms of the Release and Indemnity Form that you have signed separately are to be incorporated within these General Terms and Conditions.

9. General

(a) The governing law of these General Terms and Conditions shall be the state of New South Wales in Australia.
(b) All notices you send to Bill’s Trips are to be sent by email to bill@billstrips.com. All notices sent by Bill’s Trips to you will be via the email address provided by you when submitting your application.
(c) Where a term of these General Terms and Conditions are invalid at law or otherwise, this does not invalidate these Terms and Conditions as a whole.
(d) Reference to “Bill’s Trips” in these General Terms and Conditions includes Bill’s Trips Pty Ltd ACN 142 773 448, its principals, directors and agents.

Safety & Guiding

Bill Barker and his team place a very high emphasis on safety and the team of guides are highly experienced and professionally trained.

While anyone can show you around a mountain, only the professionally trained and adequately equipped guides are able to choose safe lines, and in the unlikely event of an accident, are capable of performing a timely rescue. The guides carry the best possible communications and all the equipment necessary to treat injuries and evacuate someone off the mountain if needed. The guides safety net includes direct daily contact with Gulmarg Avalanche Centre, Gulmarg Ski Patrol, Kashmir Heli Ski and the Gulmarg Tourism Department.

Small Groups

The guiding ratio is kept to a maximum of 4 clients to 1 lead guide and you will often find yourself in a smaller group. In addition to the lead guide, each group has a tail guide. Small groups have the benefit of moving faster, safer, and are best for matching ability levels, daily objectives and finding more powder.

The Guides

Bill’s Trips lead guides come from across the globe, are veterans of the mountains, and have an intimate knowledge of Gulmarg. All are very experienced and highly qualified in avalanche mitigation, first aid, and mountain rescue techniques. Coming from a variety of backgrounds including instructing and patrolling, their combined skills, experience, professionalism and energy, ensure a safe and super fun Gulmarg adventure. 

BILL BARKER CSGA, CAA

Bill was in Gulmarg when the gondola first opened in 2005 and was employed by the Jammu and Kashmir government to manage the avalanche hazard, establish resort protocols and procedures, and train the local ski patrol. He has been patrolling for over 30 years and guiding in Gulmarg for over 10 years.

Bill is very well known in the ski fraternity. Over the years he has featured on many magazine covers, in documentaries, and written numerous articles on new destinations, avalanche safety and backcountry skiing. Bill Barker is the Director of ski patrol at Mt Hotham in Australia.

His passion for back-country skiing and out-of-the-way places drew him to Gulmarg, which he now calls home for the northern winters. Bill has formed great friendships with the locals and is well respected in the community. You will benefit from these connections and also be welcomed as family. There is no one better to introduce you to the magic of Gulmarg. 

MARK SEDON IFMGA

Mark is one of the best known mountain guides in the business. He is well known for his leadership roles with Harris Mountains Heli Skiing in NZ, and has led ski and climbing expeditions all over the world. He has guided on over a dozen Himalayan expeditions including summiting Mt Everest and has guided numerous climbing and skiing trips to the Antarctic. Mark is also a highly respected avalanche forecaster and teaches certified courses to students varying in experience from absolute beginners to qualified guides.

In his spare time he is the Festival Director of the NZ Mountain Film Festival and is a sought after motivational speaker. Mark’s other passions include kite surfing the long left point breaks of Peru and paragliding the peaks surrounding his home town of Wanaka.

DEAN STAPLES IFMGA/NZMGA

Mountain and Ski Guide Dean is one of the legends of the alpine and ski guiding world. Among too many other things to mention, he has summited Everest 9 times, climbed 15 x 8,000 metre peaks and he has also filmed footage for several Everest documentaries and films. In 2010 he sailed to the Antarctic Peninsular to guide a small team climbing and skiing in rugged coastal mountains. For many years, he was the chief guide at Harris Mountains Heliski and has previously guided for Kashmir Heliski. Dean has done a bit!

When he finally makes it home to Lake Hawea outside Wanaka, he occupies himself with kite surfing and tearing around the winding roads of NZ on his motorbike. Or he just starts packing for the next adventure.

DAVID MARCHI

When Dave isn't heli-guiding in Alaska or backcountry guiding at home in California he is most likely guiding people somewhere else on the planet. He has lead ski and climbing expeditions all over the world including Mt Denali, Antarctica, Patagonia, the Himalaya and New Guinea. Before life as a guide, Dave was a ski instructor and race coach for the U.S. Para Olympic team. David also spent the winter of 2006 in Gulmarg passing on his years of experience to the newly formed Ski Patrol. 

SAM DUNLOP

Sam grew up at Merijig at the base of Mt Buller in Australia and skied freestyle as a kid before swapping to teles. A world class tele skier, Sam has achieved podium finishes in Big Mountain free skiing events in the US and New Zealand. He has extensive backcountry experience including months of ski touring in the Himalaya. Sam worked as a Patroller for 9 years in Australia, the US and New Zealand before moving full time to New Zealand where he now runs telemark clinics and in his free time explores the Southern Alps. Through years of guiding, patrolling and exploring Gulmarg, Bill, David and Sam have gained an intimate knowledge of the mountain. They are great friends and their combined skills, experience, professionalism and energy ensure a safe and super fun Gulmarg adventure.

LOCAL GUIDES

An international lead guide and a local assistant guide work alongside each other to provide the best safety net and cultural experience possible. Bill’s Trips have been able to secure the services of an awesome group of local legends. Wali, Firdous, Tanveer, Rafiq and Showket have all grown up living and guiding in the Gulmarg Mountains, and bring way more than just good solid guiding skills to the operation. They are a blast to be around and give everyone real insight into life in Kashmir.

Avalanche Training

Learn avalanche and back-country safety from the experts. While all guests receive basic avalanche safety training throughout the trip, some opt to delve more deeply for their own future endeavours. Utilise the expertise of the qualified guides to learn how to read mountain weather, dig snow pits, analyse the snow pack, and make safe decisions in the back-country.

The guides can structure mornings, days or even whole trips around learning the fundamentals of safe back-country skiing and boarding.