Be careful with these guys- although they were recommended by reputable experts, our group had a near-death experience with them.

Short version- we took a heli day in February 2019. Through no fault of Billa (the owner & lead guide) and his team, the heli was put out of action by the Indian military while we were out in the heli terrain.

After several hours fruitlessly waiting to see if we would be able to access another way of getting out of the terrain, ideally by heli, what happened next was pretty shocking- Billa (and 2 of his remaining guides) abandoned his combined group of 1 dozen or so clients (from 3 heli groups) and left us to find our own way out of very dangerous avalanche terrain, following his tracks through a narrow valley that was constantly avalanched. When we confronted him about this (when we finally caught up with him), he explained that it was 'too dangerous' for him to lead the group out and wait for stragglers.

The skiing was off-the-scale, with bottomless, perfect powder and stunning terrain. But this was a really shocking experience and without a lot of really good luck we would have been in a terrible situation with no guides and no way out.

I'd love to go there again but would only do so with one of Bills Trips' reputable guides- and expecting the worst while hoping for the best.

I think it is really important to call out dangerous practices- this was as bad as it gets. I'm only giving '1' ratings for Guiding, Safety and Value because it isn't possible to leave these at zero.
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As you would expect of any competent heliski operation, Billa and his crew know their surrounding mountains and ski terrain in various snow and weather conditions extremely well to always find great lines on flying days. What sets them apart from other operations is their desire to go above and beyond to please their customers. They really want you to walk away with fantastic memories of Kashmir and, of course, its snow.

The territory they access is high-altitude Himalayan terrain hovering about the same elevation as the peak of Mont Blanc. On a clear day you have amazing views to some of the world’s highest mountains, including Nanga Parbat, the 9th highest mountain in the world at over 8,100m. On a day with less visibility, well, just enjoy the amazing high-altitude skiing. They also provide a great lunch with hot tea from a hut high on the shoulder of Sunshine Peak.

Gulmarg, Kashmir has to be one of the most unique ski destinations in the world. From mud shepherds’ huts scattered on the lower slopes above town to historic hotels and lounges from the British Colonial Raj to the warm Kashmiri people, it will steal your heart.

If you are looking for a trip to never forget, look no further.
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Thanks for an awesome trip Kashmir Heliski we just returned and we're lucky to have 1 week full Heli ski we went up to 4200m and rode over 1000 vertical metres some lines! The terrain is vast and we enjoyed untouched powder everyday. Can't wait to return
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These guys have a rep for being rather dodgy - don't give them any money until after you've been out heli skiing.

They have all sorts of problems: they take your money and then can't run the heli skiing because of a myriad of reasons: they don't have a helicopter; or pilots; or there's too much unrest in the area; or the avalanche risk is even higher than normal. So you'd expect a refund right? You might be waiting so long for that….

If you can't trust them with your money would you trust them with your safety??
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It takes guts to run a company like this in Kashmir. In the not too distant past, a commercial heliski company on the border of India and Pakistan would have been unthinkable. These days the Gulmarg is a lot safer, but it is still not easy making something like this work. It is no secret that the season of 2012-13 was very difficult for this company. Anyone who has skied with them will be glad they managed to find the reserves to fly in 2013-14 for what was a great season. This is one of the best heliskiing destinations in the world and right up there with the best in North America and New Zealand.

There is a good amount of vertical – at least a 1000m for each alpine run, with drop points amongst the highest of any heliski destination at up to 4,500m. There are almost unlimited possibilities for runs in the mountains surrounding the Gulmarg. If the weather closes in, the company goes for shorter tree runs.

The quality of the runs is very, very good. The majority of the alpine is not super steep, although there is definitely challenging stuff to ski here. All of the alpine skiing is wide open, perfect pitch, and beautiful snow. The runs are usually 3 to 4 big open descents with so many perfect turns to be strung together that by half way down your legs are screaming, but you just don’t want to stop. There are some very good skiers and snowboarders heliskiing with this company (one of the weeks I was there, the Red Bull team and their groupies were skiing with us) and everyone was happy. For me, most of the runs were so good, I would find myself laughing out loud.

Although the daytime temperatures are quite warm on bluebird days here, the snow is usually beautiful from top to bottom of these massive runs. The powder days can be huge, but in general the snow is mid-calf and moderately dry. The powder is slightly heavier than Japanese snow, but similar to interior British Columbia. The tree runs are steep, wide open and undulating. The snow under the trees is deep and soft, like skiing on an eiderdown with lots of jumps and obstacles to play on. The tree runs are shorter, but definitely not a second best option. Everyone who has been to the Gulmarg will tell you that the tree skiing here is right up with the best.

The good thing about Kashmir is that it gets a lot of snow, but in 3 to 4 big storms over the winter. Pretty much every day in between is bluebird. This is perfect for heliskiing. The weather can come in a bit in the afternoon, but usually after 10 perfect runs have been racked up. No fly days happen, but in general the weather can be predicted pretty accurately here and down days would average only one or two per week. On no heliski days you can ski the Gulmarg field of course and being based in a skifield is a big advantage for a heliski company.

The guides and pilots are very good. A lot of New Zealanders are involved with this company and if you have done a bit of heliskiing or back country skiing or riding in NZ, you are likely to recognize a few faces. There are good local guides as well, most of whom grew up skiing the area and who are being trained to international standards. The helicopter pilots this year were from Switzerland and the season before from New Zealand. There is an onsite team of engineers to make sure there are no problems. I had no concerns about the quality of the helicopters, or safety.

The Gulmarg is not really a mainstream ski destination and will likely always be a place for more adventurous skiers and boarders looking for untouched snow and a wilderness experience. This is definitely a heliskiing destination to consider alongside the best however. Running helicopters at this altitude consumes a lot of fuel and it is not cheap, but looking at the number of runs and the quality of the skiing, it compares well with any of the world’s great heliski operations. The operation is not luxurious, but it is adequate and friendly. From next year there should be a new dedicated heliski lodge, but to be honest, no one really cares about that part of things do they? If you are serious about heli, you should put this one on your list.
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Heliskiing with Kashmir Heliski was AWESOME overall! The terrain is inspiring with something for everyone - from wide open powder turns to beautiful alpine tree skiing and features for the adrenaline junkies!

Next to the fantastic and unique nature it is also a great cultural experience! It is like discovering India’s mountains without risks – the safety level is similar to European standard!

Deep powder boarding, fun Kiwi guides, and delicious food - I am saving for my next trip with Kashmir Heliski for sure!
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