'World’s largest' igloo cafe draws visitors in Himalayan ski resort of Gulmarg in Kashmir

A giant igloo cafe is proving a hit with tourists in the Himalayan ski resort of Gulmarg in Kashmir. Its owner, who told local media he got the idea from seeing a similar thing in Europe, claims it is the world’s largest igloo cafe, with a diameter of 12.8m (42 feet) and a height of 12m (40 feet). Benches and tables are made of frozen blocks. Seating surfaces are covered with Kashmiri rugs. Visitors are served hot kahwa, a Kashmiri tea flavoured with cinnamon, cardamom, and saffron. Unused to such a venue, tourists often touch the ice-block chairs to ensure they are safe to sit on before doing so. The igloo café is named 'Snowglu'. Its owner also claims it is the highest-altitude such cafe in the world. Gulmarg is situated in the Pir Panjal Range in the Lesser Himalayan region, at an altitude of 2,650m (8,694 feet), about 56km (35 miles) from Srinagar. It is currently covered with heavy snow