INDIALINE
Complete India Travel Guide

Auli Skiing Resort

Auli Skiing Resort, Uttaranchal

India might not be able to boast of skiing slopes like Alps but Auli is a consolation. Auli is the ski capital of India. And, Auli Ski Resort is India's prime ski resort resting at 8,200 feet, in the Chamoli district of Uttaranchal. The resort is close to China and Nepal. It is a place where you just want to ski for the fun of it. The awesome beauty around is extremely pleasing.

Though the place is at such a height but one may not realise it as the 23,000 feet Nanda Devi certainly looks more majestic and towering. The resort is accessible from Joshimath, a 16 kilometer drive will bring you here. The skiing season starts around December and goes uptill March. It is during this time only that the resort sees maximum visitors, mainly ski lovers from across the country. It is also during this time that the ski festivals and National skiing championships start.

Have Fun Skiing

The resort is run and maintained by Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam. All the facilities and equipment for skiing are provided by the resort. To save time of skiers in climbing back again and save energy, there is a chairlift and ski lift, this is the longest ski lift in the country and was imported from France. The entire skiing area at Auli skiing resort can be divided into the upper fields and lower fields and they are kept in good condition always by snow beaters (imported from Germany) so that they are as inviting for skiers all the time.

The ski slopes descend from 3049 metres to 2915 metres. Though it is just three kilometres long but people seldom grudge about it. It is because of the oak and conifer trees which flank the slopes, the 180 degree view of the Himalayas and the prominent peaks, Nanda Devi, Kamet, Mana Parvat and Dunagiri hills. The beauty of the place is awe inspiring and this is what makes Auli ski resort such a hit with the tourists.

Facilities To Make You Comfortable

Accommodation at the resort is very warm, hospitable and if you chose to be, adventurous also. The hotel here has a 110 bed capacity and, there is accommodation to suit every pocket, from budget to luxury. As far as adventure is concerned, you can also choose to stay as there are alpine cottages and log huts. The resort might not be high on luxury list but it is not short of any facility. Good catering, hot water, adequate heating arrangements, all these make the place quite nice to stay coupled with warm hospitality. The heating especially, when you burn logs of wood to warm yourself, is quite a romantic experience.

The dining is also quite reasonable, breakfast in bed and lunch and dinner in the dining hall which doubles up as a dance floor after the dinner is over, the place is too good to stay.

For excursion purpose, you can visit Joshimath nearby, just 16 kilometers. The place has some ancient temples that date back to as old as 8th century B.C.

As far accessibility is concerned, Auli is quite remote. The nearest railway station is Haridwar 299 kms and the closest airport is Jolly Grant, Dehradun, 273 kms.