Auli sits between 2,500 and 3,050 metres in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, accessible from Joshimath either by road or by one of Asia's longest aerial ropeways -- a 4-km gondola ride that takes about 25 minutes. The ski slopes have real gradient, the Garhwal Himalaya backdrop includes Nanda Devi (7,816 m), Kamet, Mana Parbat, and Dronagiri, and in a good snow year the experience is genuinely compelling. Auli is India's best ski destination. That part is true. The rest of the picture requires some additions.
What is genuinely good
The slopes are real. The main ski slope starts at around 3,000 metres and has a 3-km run with a 500-metre drop in elevation. The Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) operates a chair lift from approximately 2,520 metres to 2,910 metres. The gradient is suitable for beginners and intermediate skiers. This is not a novelty hill -- it is a functional ski slope in a high-altitude setting.
The views are extraordinary. The Nanda Devi massif from Auli is one of the great mountain panoramas in the Himalaya. On a clear winter morning, with fresh snow on the meadows and the 7,816-metre wall of Nanda Devi filling the northern sky, you understand why the ski infrastructure was built here in the 1980s.
The ropeway is an experience. The Joshimath-Auli gondola covers 4.15 km, crossing a gorge above the Dhauliganga valley. The views during the ride -- oak forests, snow-covered meadows, high peaks -- are memorable regardless of whether you ski.
The snow, when present, is good quality. Auli's snow is colder and drier than what you find at lower-altitude Indian hill stations. It is more compact and stable than the deep powder at Gulmarg, which makes it more forgiving for beginners learning balance and control.
What the brochures leave out
The snow is not reliable. Snowfall in Auli has become erratic. The season runs roughly from late November through March, but conditions vary dramatically year to year. In lean years, the lower slopes show brown grass through a thin icy crust. You can drive seven hours from Rishikesh and find marginal conditions.
Auli uses artificial snow. The resort has snow-making machines to supplement natural snowfall. There is also an artificial lake -- reportedly India's highest -- built specifically to supply water for snow production. In low-snow years, the machines run to keep the main slope viable. Artificial snow on a Himalayan gradient is a different experience from what the photographs promise.
Equipment rental is limited. Both GMVN and private operators offer ski rentals, but the selection is considerably more restricted than what you would find at comparable destinations elsewhere. At Gulmarg, for comparison, you can rent a full kit (boots, helmet, eye gear, poles) from around 1,000 rupees onward with a reasonable selection. At Auli, options are fewer and equipment quality is variable. If you have your own gear, bring it.
Accommodation is adequate, not luxurious. The GMVN lodges are functional government-run mountain accommodation -- warm enough, with hot water at specific hours, with solid unremarkable food. A few private hotels have opened in recent years and are more comfortable, but the overall ecosystem of services at Auli is several stages behind a developed ski resort.
Power supply can be inconsistent. At this altitude in winter, power cuts occur. The GMVN properties have backup systems, but they are not always seamless. Private accommodations vary.
The Joshimath question
You cannot discuss Auli in winter without addressing Joshimath. The town is the gateway to Auli, and it experienced a serious land subsidence crisis that became widely public in January 2023. Over 800 houses developed cracks. Of 2,152 houses surveyed, 1,403 were affected -- 472 requiring reconstruction, 931 needing repairs. The causes identified by scientists include inadequate drainage, seepage from multiple water sources, and the cumulative effects of construction and infrastructure projects in a geologically sensitive zone.
As of April 2026, subsidence continues at an extremely slow rate according to scientists at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, who have noted that the town remains in a "danger zone" requiring continuous monitoring. Heavy monsoon rainfall could accelerate movement.
The Joshimath-Auli ropeway was shut down in January 2023 when the land beneath one of its pillars sank. It has since been restored to operation and is currently running. Tourism in Auli has resumed. However, it is worth checking the latest advisories from Uttarakhand Tourism before planning a winter trip.
The road from Joshimath to Auli, used when the ropeway is closed for maintenance, is steep and often icy in winter. It requires chains or a capable four-wheel-drive vehicle.
When to go
January and February are the peak months for snow at Auli. This is when conditions are most likely to be good -- natural snowfall is heaviest, temperatures are coldest (keeping snow quality high), and the slopes are at their best. March is possible but the snow begins to soften and thin. December is the early season and snowfall may not yet be sufficient.
The honest recommendation
In a good snow year, Auli in late January or early February is the finest skiing experience available in India. The combination of real slopes, quality snow, and the Nanda Devi panorama is not matched anywhere else in the country.
In a poor snow year, it is a long journey for a limited experience on artificial snow with restricted equipment.
The practical approach: check conditions in the week before travel. Satellite imagery and local reports from Joshimath give a reasonable picture of snow coverage. If the season is strong, go. If it is marginal, consider waiting for a better window or adjusting expectations.
And regardless of snow conditions, Joshimath itself repays attention in winter -- the temples, the views toward Hathi Parbat, the extraordinary quiet of the Badrinath road with no pilgrimage traffic and fresh snow on the mountains. The ski brochure has no space for these things, but they are worth the journey on their own terms.