On Friday, Olli witnessed the opening of the Shtarkin Winter Carnival and the National Ski Championships.Uttarakhand Minister Satpal Maharaj lit the ceremonial lamp to inaugurate the Games. A total of 17 teams take part in the Winter Carnival and the National Ski Championships in the world-famous Orly.More than 300 athletes compete in these Winter Carnival and National Ski Championship events.Uttarakhand Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj told reporters: “Today, the winter carnival kicks off in Oli. I have announced that this carnival will be held every year.” We want to make Orly the center of the Winter Olympics. We are committed to this. The event will provide employment opportunities for young people. This will promote the development of local entrepreneurs. “The Orly Ski Winter Carnival and the 2026 National Winter Games Championships will be held from February 13 to 16 in Orly, Chamoli district. The four-day event will feature national competitions in alpine skiing, snowboarding and ski mountaineering (Skimo).At an altitude of 2,500-3,050 m, Auli is one of India’s premier ski resorts with long natural pistes and perfect winter conditions. Auli offers panoramic views of some of India’s highest peaks, including the second highest, Nanda Devi (7,816m).It is also the gateway to Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks including Hemkund Sahib gurdwara, as well as to popular trekking destinations like Gorson Bugyal, Pangerchulla Summit and Tapovan.Apart from Auli, Uttarakhand has several other ski resorts including Dayara Bugyal, Munsiyari and Mundali.
