All through the summer and well into the autumn, Gulmarg is a enticing attraction for golfers from all over the world. The world’s highest, 18-hole green golf course is at Gulmarg. A highland meadow, just 4 km from Gulmarg, Khilanmarg is accessible by foot, by pony or in a dandi. From here, the view of the snow peaks and the limpid waters of the Wular Lake is a breathtaking one, unfolding view upon view of Himalayan splendour. Khilanmarg offers an unparalleled view of the great Himalayan range. The Apharwat peak leads to the Alpather Lake, a picturesque alpine lake that remains frozen until late June. For horse riding freaks, Alpather Lake makes an exciting day’s excursion. Slightly lower than Gulmarg is the shrine of Baba Reshi (a Muslim mystic saint) visited by people of all faiths. This smaller valley is about a 6-km walk from the Gulmarg bus stop and car park. The meadow, carpeted with flowers in the spring, is the site for Gulmarg’s winter ski runs and offers a fine view of the surrounding peaks and over the Kashmir Valley. It’s a 600-metre ascent from Gulmarg to Khilanmarg and during the early spring, as the snow melts, it can be a very muddy hour’s climb up the hill. The effort is rewarded, if it’s clear, with a sweeping view of the great Himalayas from Nanga Parbat to the twin 7,100-metre peaks of Nun and Kun to the southeast.