ADVENTURE VACATIONS IN INDIA

Adventure Unlimited In India

India has long been known for its historical past, cultural richness and religious diversity. However a tourist intersted in adventure sports also finds in India perfect destinations for his vacations. The terrain and climate of India, that varies from place to place allows for various adventure sports. The hilly regions, desert areas and coastal regions, provide for excellent adventure sports.

Hill adventure
India boasts of numerous mountain ranges like the Great Himalayas, the Vindhyas, the Satpura, the Nilgiri, the Sahyadri and the Aravali. These ranges make hill adventure sports possible in India. Tourists from all world over flock these places located in the hilly regions to enjoy a challenging as well as funfilled holiday. Major adventure sports in these regions are trekking, rock climbing, mountaineering, mountain biking, skiing( includin heli skiing), safari (jeep and yak), river rafting, kayaking and canoeing. Adventurous tourists can find almost all hilly places suitable for these sports, however the major ones are:

Trekking : Ladakh, Zanskar, Garhwal and Kumaon, Kashmir valley, Amarnath, Darjeeling, Sikkim, Kullu, Manali, Panchmarhi and Ooty.

Mountaineering : Manali, Garhwal, Kumaon, Lahaul and Spiti (Himachal Pradesh), Sikkim, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

Mountain Biking :
Terai region of Uttaranchal,Leh-Manali highway and Mussorie- Rari Pass.

Skiing : Gulmarg in Kashmir valley, Auli in Garhwal hills of Uttaranchal, Solang valley in Manali and Kufri in Shimla

Rock Climbing : Igatpuri in Sahyadri range of Maharashtra, Lonavala, Khandala, Manali valley, Dharamsala, Mussorie and Garhwal hills.

Safari : Jeep safari in trance himalayan region, Ladakh, Garhwal and Kumaon, Kinnur, Lahaul and Spiti in Himachal Pradesh. Motor bike safari in Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Lahaul & Spiti and Manali.
River rafting, conoeing and kayaking are also popular in these regions.

Desert Adventure
Rajasthan is the hot spot for the desert adventures in India. Situated on the western side of the country, a large part of this state attracts adventure tourists from both India and abroad. Jeep safari, camel safari are the most important adventure activity undertaken by tourists visiting this area. Ensconced in an open jeep, tourists explore the vast sandy stretch of the Shekwati region. As far as camel safari is concerned, the major areas are Jaiselmer, Jodhpur and Bikaner. Leading through the villages, open desert sands and the archtectural ruins of bygone era, these safari allow travellers to to catch a glimpse of the desert region of Rajasthan.

Wildlife Adventure
India is home to numerous common and rare species of flaura and fauna. Assam, West Bengal and Arunachal Pradesh are the major forest regions of the country and a wildlife enthusiasts will find immense pleasure in exploring these forest regions. Wild life adventure includes animal safari, jeep safari, bird watching, wild camp, wildlife safari and jungle trail. The Kaziranga National Park, Bandhavgarh National Park, Corbett National Park,Ranthambore National Park, Kanha National Park, Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, Sariska sanctuary and Priyar Wildlife Sanctuary offer tourists an opportunity for wildlife adventure.Some of these parks and sanctuaries are famous for particular animals like the Kaziranga is famous for the horned rhino, Gir for Asiatic lions and Bandhavgarh for its white tigers. Nonetheless, tourists can also view various other animals, birds and most of all variety of plants in their wildlife adventure tours. The wildlife spots in India make for a perfect holiday destination filled with challenges for the lovers of wildlife.

Water adventure
India is a perfect vacation destination for tourists who adore water adventure. From the hilly regions of the Himalayas to the beaches of the coastal regions, water sports enthuse travellers everywhere alike. The most important water sports include river rafting, swimming,wind surfing, angling, scuba diving, canoeing and kayaking. The rushing water of the Himalayas offer tremendous scope for river rafting. Sikkim is also an attractive destination for rafting. Kayaking and canoeing can be enjoyed in place like Nanital, Srinagar and also in the coastal beach water of Goa , Karnataka and Kerala. The sea provides for numerous other water adventure like scuba diving, snorkelling and wind surfing. The rich sea life in India have encouraged countless visitors to indulge in scuba diving and snorkelling in the Bay of Bengal at Andaman and Nicobar islands or Arabian sea at Lakshdweep. Goa is also an excellent scuba diving spot. Angling and fishing though not as adventurous as other water sports, nevertheless, they are fast gaining popularity in India. Tourists interested in angling and fishing can find somewher to fish almost everywhere in India- the Himalayan rivers, other rivers in southern India and coastal regions of the western India. Favourite catch for tourists are Masheer( found only in India), trouts and sharks.