Skiing, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh India

Situated in the Himalayan ranges, Kufri is a picturesque hill station situated 20 km from Shimla in Himachal Pradesh. Founded in 1819 by the British, the popularity of the hill station as a tourist spot grew only in the last 50 years.

Kufri is located in the southern part of the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. It is situated at an altitude of 2,510 m above sea level amongst the foothills of the Himalayas. It is 13 km from Shimla.At a height of 2501 ms, girded by awesome pinncles, Kufri is a scenic hill resort 13 kms from Shimla. From December to March it wears its white winter garb, with snow trimmings on its undulating slopes are fashioned by nature to exhilarate lovers of winter sports. Skiing facilities and training for beginners are available during the best part of winter.
There is a range of slopes, including a beginner's run, an advanced slope and slalom run. Himachal Tourism offers ski courses, and has equipment on hire at Kufri. Travellers can hire cabs or take buses from Shimla, Narkanda or Rampur. An annual winter sports festival is organized every year in the month of February where skiing enthusiasts and adventure seekers come in large numbers.

Kufri derives its name from ‘Kufr’ which means lake. It is especially popular among trekkers. Popular treks to Manali, Shimla, Rewalsar, Fagu, etc. start from Kufri. Kufri, Shimla and Chail form the Golden Triangle of Himachal Pradesh.

The salubrious climate and stunning natural beauty makes Kufri a perfect summer getaway. Kufri is also the venue for annual winter sports festival held in February. Organized by the travel and tourism department of Himachal Pradesh, the festival is a major attraction with tourists. Skiing competitions are the main event at the festival.

Kufri is also renowned for other adventures activities such as skiing, tobogganing (sliding downhill on a sled), etc. Kufri has the oldest skiing slopes in Himachal Pradesh. One can experience adrenaline rush by taking fast cuts and turns in the Go-Karting circuit in Kufri.

Kufri is also a haven for nature enthusiasts and wildlife lovers as the Himalayan Nature Park is situated on the outskirts of the town. The Park is home to over 180 varieties of fauna.

Not much is known about Kufri’s history. The region surrounding Kufri was part of the Kingdom of Nepal until it was ceded to the British. However, Kufri was founded in 1819. It remained a sleepy hamlet and took off only after 1930. Kufri has become a famous tourist destination only after 1970.

 Skiing is a new adventure sport in himachal but is popular in India from many years. Himachal being nestled in the laps of the great Himalayas offers wonderful places for skiing like Manali, Kufri, Lahaul & Spiti, Rohtang Pass, Kinnaur, Kullu etc. People from all over the world come to experience this enthralling adventure activity in himachal. Best time for Skiing in himachal is from January to March. But Rohtang Pass and Patalsu are the only slopes in the country where you can enjoy skiing in summer season. Solang Nallah in Manali also plays host to the National level ski competition.

It involves substituting air craft for ski lifts thereby enabling the skier a greater choice of runs. Heli skiing is expensive because participants are taken to high mountain tops or the ridges by the helicopter and dropped there. The skiers then ski down through the unknown route on the slopes. Skiers also choose their own slopes or terrain thus they need not waste time and energy in climbing up the slopes.The sport is immediately available in the area bound by the Hanuman Tibba, Rohtang Pass, Deo Tibba and Chanderkhani Pass near Manali. A major feature is the compactness of the Heli-skiing area. A sortie of ten minutes can carry the skiers to the top of a 14,000 foot high slope. Skiing is an old sport but it was recognized in 1930's in the modern form.

The ski resort which is perhaps the most easily accessible for anyone in northern India is Kufri. Just about 10 km from Shimla, Kufri’s a quiet little town which becomes a busy winter wonderland once the snow starts falling. British officers in the Indian Army discovered this beautiful little place way back in the 1930s, and a serendipitous discovery it was- for Kufri, within a few years, became one of the hottest winter resorts in Himachal. The 1970 and 80s, especially, were boomtime for Kufri, although it’s now been overshadowed by classier resorts like Auli.

The snow still falls in Kufri, however, and a skiing trip here can be pretty satisfying. The Mahasu Ridge, just above Kufri, has some good slopes which are worth a try.

Skiing as a competitive sport is either racing or jumping with feet attached to runners, known as skies, over snow surfaces of varying angles. Skiing is divided into 2 main sections viz. Alpine and Nordic. Alpine skiing is racing down on steep prepared snow slopes one after the other and the fastest skier is the winner. The races are divided into 3 categories viz Down hill, Giant slalom and slalom. Nordic skiing includes cross country i.e. running over undulating surfaces and ski jumping from an elevation platform.

 Slopes in Himachal hills are perfect for the skiing adventure sports. It’s very old recreational activity of this place. Thousands of tourists, from all over the world come to experience this enthralling adventure activity in Himachal. The most popular destinations for skiing in Himachal Pradesh are Kufri, Manali, Kullu, Lahaul& Spiti, Kinnaur and Rohtang Pass. Best timing for skiing Himachal Pradesh is from January to March. But Rohtang Pass and Patalsu are the only slopes in India to enjoy skiing in summer season also. Kufri and Manali are the venue for the annual winter sports festival in the month of February.