Ropeways are not really a very famous mode of transport in our everyday life, which makes them even more exciting to ride when we get the chance. Mostly used in mountainous regions, the hilly regions in the Northern and Eastern regions of India make up for most of the famous ropeways in India. the scenic views of the Himalayas and its many foothills and valleys give you some memorable moments from the trip.
Also see: Top Cable Car Rides in the World
Best Ropeways In India
List of best Ropeways In India:
1. Gulmarg Gondola, Jammu & Kashmir
The Gulmarg Gondola, going over the Kongdori valley in Jammu-Kashmir, is the second-highest operating cable car in the world. Located in the Gulmarg district of Jammu & Kashmir, the ropeway starts from Kongdoori Mountain, near the Aparwath Peak, nearly 4200m in height with a total length of 2.5 km. The timing of the gondola is 10 AM (IST) to 5 and each cable car can carry six people at a time. The total ride is of nearly 21 minutes and is divided into two stages (9 and 12 minutes respectively).
2. Solang Valley, Himachal Pradesh
Solang is a side valley at the top of the Kullu Valley in Himachal Pradesh on the way to Rohtang Pass near Manali (14km from there). The cable ride begins from the Solang valley and ends at Mount Phatru reaching an elevation of 3200 m. The ride takes around 10 minutes.
3. Auli Cable Car, Uttarakhand
Auli Ropeway is the second-longest ropeway in Asia, only after the Gulmarg ropeway. The scenic views of the majestic Himalayas make it a major attraction in Auli, as its high height gives gorgeous views of the snowy peaks. While the cable car ride covers 4 km, one can get to Joshimath and reach Auli via this cable car in around 20 mins to reach Auli accompanied with a majestic view of the Himalayas and the forests below.
4. Ropeway of Rajgir, Bihar
The Rajgir ropeway is the oldest in India and it is Bihar’s only. This picturesque ride on the ropeway takes you to a height of 400m where you can visit the Vishwashanti Stupa on the Ratnagiri hill.
5. Rangeet Valley Cable Car, Darjeeling, West Bengal
One of the oldest ropeways in, it descends from an altitude of 7000 ft. to 800 ft. – from Singamari to Singla Bazar in 45 minutes. It is one of the best ways to experience the greenery of the valleys and hills, lush green tea garden spread and the Eastern Himalayan range including Kanchenjunga. One can find it from Singamari which is 3 kms away from Darjeeling Chowk Bazaar.
6. Gangtok Ropeway, Sikkim
This is 1 km cable ride is one of the major attractions of Gangtok as it serves as one of the best ways to get a view of the Gangtok township and that of the Himalayas with Mt. Kanchenjunga. Starting from Deorali market, the ropeway stops at two places- Namnang and Tashiling while going up to a height of 3500m. The lowest station is at Deorali Bazaar near Institute of Tibetology.
7. Trikut Ropeway, Deoghar, Jharkhand
Trikut Ropeway, also known as Gagan Khatola, carries you to the top of the Trikut Pahar right from the base of the hill. The ride takes passengers to a height of 1282 feet within 10 minutes, which would be a difficult journey otherwise. Even the length of the cable is impressive at around 2500 ft, thus ensuring a scenic and pleasing journey for the riders with plenty of views surrounding them.
8. Bhedaghat Ropeway, Dhuandhaar, Madhya Pradesh
To access the breathtaking Dhuandhar waterfall from the east bank as well as from the west bank of Narmada River, one has to take the Cable Car Service available at the entrance gate of Bhedaghat. The ride crosses the Narmada river, starting from the eastern bank and ending at the western bank, and you get a panoramic view of the river meanwhile. This 1140m ride, constructed across the Narmada River, is one of the best ways to experience these falls. They are around 25km from Jabalpur.
9. Gun Hill Cable Car, Mussoorie, Uttarakhand
Mussoorie is known for one of the best ropeways in the world with magnificent views of Gun Hill, the second-highest peak of Mussoorie, and the picturesque Himalayan range above the Doon Valley. At a height of 2024m, this dynamic 400 m ride will get you to the Gun Hill which rests at an altitude of 2024 m where you can relax for the rest of your time and present a scenic view of the hill station. On a clear day, you can get a good view of several peaks including the Bandarpunch from Gun Hill.
10. Mahakali Ropeway, Pavagadh, Gujarat
The Mahakali temple on the hilltop attracts hundreds of pilgrims and tourists to climb the famous hills using the ropeway, while some prefer the journey on foot. One of the best things to do in Vadodara, Gujarat, this ropeway has gained a lot of popularity for enabling a non-crowdy and scenic visit to the Mahakali temple. One can reach the Pavagadh Ropeway Hill Top Station via bus or metro from any nearby station in Vadodara. Each year, several groups of pilgrims and even tourists make this journey to the top and the ropeway is pretty famous for it in Gujarat.
11. Raigad ropeway in Maharashtra
Raigad Fort is one of the major tourist attractions of Maharashtra. The Raigad ropeway is the ropeway that has been installed to reach the fort. There is beautiful scenic view from this ropeway ride.
12. Malampuzha Udan Khatola in Kerala
Malampuzha is a tourist spot in the Palakkad district of Kerala. A passenger ropeway is built over Malampuzha Gardens at a height of 60 ft. It has provided the best panoramic view of the beautiful landscapes. This is the twenty minutes sky-ride on Malampuzha Ropeway that gives an unforgettable experience and has a beautiful scenic view.
13. Jakhu Ropeway Shimla
The Jakhu ropeway is a cable car or ropeway in the town of Shimla. The ropeway connects the Jakhu temple to the ridge ground. The total distance is about 8 km that this ropeway covers and saves time.
You can enjoy aerial views of Shimla, Jakhu Temple, and the beauty of forests in 10 minutes ride of the Jhaku ropeway. You can also see 108 feet long statue of Lord Hanuman from the ropeway. This statue of Lord Hanuman is the world’s tallest Hanuman statue at the highest altitude of over 8100 feet.
14. Mansa Devi Ropeway, Haridwar
Mansa Devi Temple has a lot of recognition among Hindus in India. This ancient temple in Haridwar has millions of devotees visiting every year. It is located on Bilwa Parvat on Shivalik Hills, Haridwar. There are two possible ways of reaching here, by trekking or the famous Mansa Devi Ropeway. The view of Ganga from this ropeway is amazing.
15. Vaishno Devi Ropeway
It is said that along with Vaishno Mata, Bhairav Baba’s darshan is also necessary. People get so tired while walking till Vishno Mata that the climb of Bhairav Baba becomes difficult. To make it easy, the ropeway was built recently. You can enjoy the beauty of Vaishno Devi Dham from this ropeway.
Read More, Cable Car Rides in the World
In India, ropeways do not necessarily connect important junctions across mountains, but provide for a great tourist spot to move across valleys, rivers, and climb atop a hill in the company of terrific views.