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HEALTH & SAFTY

Is Kashmir safe?
Most foreign governments have issued negative travel advisory warnings on India's state of Jammu and Kashmir due to the political unrest suffered there since the late 1980s, with various militant groups seeking independence from India , or union with Pakistan. Governments of neither country has yet been prepared to openly endorse the apparent solution (independence - for the peoples of both Indian and Pakistan controlled Kashmir) to their squabblings over Kashmir. Thankfully, public security in Kashmir has improved significantly in recent times, due in part to improving relations between India and Pakistan.

Emergency health care - how far is Gulmarg from the nearest medical facilities?
There is a local hospital at Tangmarg, 12 kilometres from Gulmarg, which offers basic medical facilities. Srinagar has a number of hospitals, including the Soura Medical Institute, which is the teaching hospital for the University of Kashmir 's medical school. The Soura Institute is located on the side of Srinagar which is closest to Gulmarg.

In the event of a serious injury or illness , one can telephone the 24-hour Alarm Centre of East West Rescue in Delhi, and seek East Wests' advice 'over the phone'. If the person requires hospital care, East West Rescue would communicate direct with the Soura Institute to advise of the circumstances of the incoming patient, and if need be, organise ground ambulance services between Gulmarg and Srinagar.

East West Rescue's emergency services include flying their specialist doctors to more remote parts of South Asia, and the evacuation of patients by air ambulance services. Emergency assistance from East West Rescue requires confirmation of cover by the injured person's insurer.

Typically all payments for East West Rescue's services (and related hospital expenses) are then made direct by the insurer. East West Rescue have kindly provided us with a List of Insurers who in past dealings with East West Rescue have provided immediate authorisation and discretion for East West Rescue to incur expenses in assisting a person in medical difficulties (including emergency air ambulance charter costs).

Do I need any medical vaccinations to visit India?
We recommend that guests seek medical advice regarding vaccinations well in advance of travelling to India. We understand that visitors should, at minimum, be up-to-date with vaccinations against Tetanus & Diptheria, Polio and Hepatitus A.

Can I drink tap water in the Himalayas - will I get "Delhi Belly"?
Gulmarg has its own recently upgraded water filtration system, so you should have no problems is you wish to drink H2O derived from pure Himalayan snowflakes! Notwithstanding these comments, many travellers continue to utilise bottled water for drinking and cleaning teeth.

Common sense suggests that this is a sensible precaution in avoiding illness during your holiday, albeit not an essential precaution.

Isn't Gulmarg the highest resort in the world - will I get altitude sickness?
As outlined in our Ski Resorts Around the World chart, Gulmarg's village is no higher than many winter resorts in the central and southern Rocky Mountains.

The top station of Gulmarg's gondola just overshadows the highest lifted points of famous destinations in Europe like Chamonix and Zermatt, which provide Gulmarg's No.1 ranking in "elevation status" worldwide. Fortunately the main contributor to altitude sickness is not the maximum altitude to which you ascend to each day, but the lower altitude at which you eat, sleep and spend most of your time. Gulmarg's village altitude is 2,650 metres, which is LOWER than a number of resorts in America (including Portillo in Chile, and the USA's Breckinridge, Copper Mountain, Crested Butte, Keystone, Taos and Telluride resorts).

Athough Gulmarg's village is only marginally within the lower elevations at which altitude sickness is typically experienced, to minimise any risk of discomfort and inconvenience from even mild altitude sickness (or simply headaches caused by dehydration), guests should take the following measures on their arrival in Gulmarg: drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol and sleeping tablets, and do not over-exert yourself on the mountain on your first day or so.

COME AND ENJOY SKIING WITH US LIKE NEVER BEFORE

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