Indian Himalayas aren't short of exciting extreme sports regions, and if you lure to ski then visit Auli, the one of most popular ski resorts in India and the hot winter sport destination of the Garhwal hills in Uttaranchal. For those who yearn to learn skiing, no other place matches Auli. At an altitude of 2,500-3,050m above sea level, Auli offers exciting skiing opportunities to both beginners as well as professional skiers.
In the summer, Auli is inviting but in the winter it is irresistible with its snowy mountain slopes and skiing facilities. Auli can be reached by road or ropeway from Joshimath. It provides an excellent panoramic view of the giant mountain peaks like Nanda Devi, Kamet and Dunagiri. From January to March, the Auli slopes are usually covered with a thick carpet of snow, about 3m deep. The stretch of 3-kms with a drop in elevation of 500m is considered to be a very good skiing ground by international standard. The background of lofty snow clad mountains heightens the sprit of the skiers.
To attract attention, skiing festivals are also conducted at Auli. These now include the national championships in the months of February and March, organised by the Winter Games Federation Of India. While skiing is the chief attraction at Auli, there are other attraction like cable car rides and rope lifts, or spend the day outdoors building snowmen, or having snowball fights.
While experienced skiers are likely to enjoy the slopes of Auli for the excitement it offers of unexplored terrain and the spectacular beauty of the surrounding Himalayas, for those who want to learn how to ski there are numerous skiing facilities available at Auli. GMVN conducts a 7-day as well as a 14-day skiing courses in the months of January-March.
