Adventure Tourism in India
There are now several types of tourism such as cultural tourism, religious tourism etc. Amongst them all, adventure tourism is now developing as a niche tourism in which the tourists are expected to participate in one or the other kind of adventures in quite remote and wild areas. Mountaineering, trekking, jungle safaris, bungee jumping, white water rafting, scuba diving, rock climbing etc. are some activities that fall under the category of adventure tourism.
Scope for Adventure Tours in India
India being a country with a vast diversity of nature in terrain, flora and fauna has ample scope for many adventurous activities. Also, with the advent of technology and access to professional courses in various activities have now opened the doors to a wide variety of adventures that can be offered to both Indian as well as foriegn tourists in India. India is blessed with a long shoreline on three sides which are blessed with beautiful beaches and many unexplored islands. This has opened the doors to a number of scuba diving and other underwater exploration activities. India is also blessed with beautiful mountain and hill ranges such as Himalayas, Aravalli, Sahyadri, Western Ghats etc. giving rise to a number of mountaneering, trekking, rock climbing and other related adventure sports.
Some types of adventures and where to go
Scuba Diving
To experience the thrill and beauty of India's underwater natural world that is hidden inside the mysterious horizons of the sea, there are various
promising coasts and shores in India which have crystal clear waters just right for this kind of activity. For die-hard water freaks, there are ample opportunities for scuba diving and also for snorkelling. Though these activities may prove to be a little on the expensive side since this requires specialized equipment such as the wet suit, fins, oxygen tank, mask, snorkel, a knife, a pair of leather of canvas gloves, underwater flashlights for night time diving, dive watch etc. The joy of watching the beautifully coloured corals, a large variety of beautiful fish and other rich underwater flora and fauna in their natural habitat is an experience par anything else, so just don the gear and go for the dive.
Best Season for Diving
Except for the monsoon season, all seasons are best times for scuba diving and snorkelling.
Hot Destinations for Scuba Diving
Bay of Bengal at the Andaman-Nicobar Islands and the Arabian sea at the Lakshadweep islands.
Paragliding
I am sure everyone has dreamt of becoming a bird at least once or just simply wanted to spread his hands like wings and soar high up in the sky! If you often think about this, the paragliding is the sport for you. Paragliding is a combination of skydiving and hand gliding and is the best way to conquer your fear of heights. It is the closest thing to flying free in the air like a bird, feeling the wind in your hair and your face and being able to be completely at one with nature. The launch sites for paragliding are normally on the gentles slopes of hill sides. The paragliders do not have to withstand the stresses of free fall as is seen in sky diving, hence the gliders are much lighter and aerodynamic in structure and they are designed to go up rather than go down. A paraglider is a non-motorised, foot-launched inflatable wing. It is very easy to transport, launch and land and is made up of rip-stop nylon or high stress polyester fabric. Although it sounds dangerous, the sport is quite risk-free, that is when all the safety measures are followed strictly. Most paragliding trainers are very professionally trained and therefore the sport is very safe.
Best Season for Paragliding
It can enjoyed all year through except for monsoons.
Destinations for Paragliding
Billing in Himachal Pradesh and Solang are popular places. Garhwal, with the Great Himalayas in the North and the plains of terai region on the south, is a paragliders' paradise. Other very popular destinations for paragliding are Mumbai, Pune, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bikaner and Kota.
Parasailing
This is another form of aerial sport, similar in many ways to paragliding. But the main difference between the two is that in paragliding, the flight is
free whereas in parasailing, you are attached to a long rope tied to a vehicle that is used for launching you in the air. This activity can be compared to a kite, where you actually turn into a human kite swinging hundreds of feet high up in the air. This is a more popular sport on the beaches where a speedboat is used to tie the 300-feet long rope at one end of which you are attached to the parasail harness. When the boat speeds off in the water, the parasailor takes one or two steps and is then lifted up in the air with parasail lifting up behind him. Not only the beaches, the sport can be enjoyed on plain table lands on hills as well as with therope being tied to a jeep.
Best Season for Parasailing
Best season for thsi sport is the summer. Parasailing is never undertaken in rain, fog or approaching storm.
Destinations for Parasailing
The best destinations for enjoying parasailing are in Doon Valley, Billing in Himachal Pradesh, Solang Valley near Manali, Nilgiri Hills in South India, Darjeeling, Gangtok in the East, Auuli in Uttaranchal, Zanksar in Jammu and Kashmir. This sport is also gaining popularity in Pune and on the beaches of Goa and Konkan belt in Maharashtra.
Trekking
India offers the most awesome opportunities for trekking, the best and wonderful way to get a feel of the earth. There are a series of breathtaking trekking trails in India from north to south and from east to west, ranging from very easy ones that even little children can negotiate to really tough ones. Trekking in India is an unforgettable experience as it not just lets you experience the unexplored nature but also brings you into direct contact with the country and its people. It takes you to breathtaking places with stunning landscapes, quaint villages where time stands still. The great number of mountain and hill ranges in India offer breathtaking and entralling trekking routes. So go for it and experience the thrill of sheer adventure in India amidst the world's most beautiful places.
Best Season for Trekking
Trekking season in India normally is between April and November but some routes, especially far north are open only for a couple of months. Monsoon and summer seasons are best for trekking around the large number of hill forts in Maharashtra.
Hottest Trekking Trails in India
Garhwal and Kumaon regions of Uttaranchal, Chamba, Manali, Lahaul-Spiti, Kullu and Kangra valleys in Himachal Pradesh, Darjeeling, Yuksam in Sikkim, and Leh in Ladakh are some hottest trekking destinations in India. Apart from these, the Sahydari ranges around Pune with beautiful places such as Lonavala, Khandala offer quite strenuous and breathtakingly amazing trails such as the Dukes Nose trail and large number of hill forts such as Sinhagad, Lohgad, Vasota etc. provide great experience.
Wildlife Safaris
Unique, mysterious and fascinating - India spans a diverse variety of geographical terrains that are a veritable haven for large varieties of animals and
birds. In order to protect the wild species and at the same time enable tourists to view them in their natural habitat, there are specially demarcated areas such as national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. Therefore wildlife watching is one of the country's most favoured and premier tourist activities in India. Embarking on a safari and sensing the excitement of sighting a tiger prowling through underbrush, watching elephants and rhinos through tall grass, spotting deer etc. are very enjoyable and exciting activities. In some parks, the safari is also on an elephant's back through deep jungles, this is simply an experience that is unforgettable and exciting.
Best Season for Safaris
Except monsoons, one can go on a wildlife safari all around the year.
Hot Safari Destinations
Wildlife parks and sanctuaries spread across India offera fascinating diversity in terrain, flora and fauna. Ranthambore in Rajasthan, Corbett National Park in Uttaranchal, Bandipur in Karnataka, Sunderbans in West Bengal, Manas Tiger Reserve and Kaziranga in Assam, Tadoba National Park in Maharashtra, Kanha National Park and Bandhavgrah National Park in Madhya Pradesh are some of the best places to experience the wildlife safari of lifetime.
River or White Water Rafting
This is a challenging sport in which an inflatable raft is used to navigate a river, usually at places where the flow of water is extremely fast, so fast that
the water is all foamy and turbulent looking like white foam. Hence the name White Water Rafting. This is quite a dangerous sport and is considered to be an extreme sport. The rafting is graded in terms of the ease of navigating waters from Grade 1 being the most easy and safe water to Grade 6 being the most dangerous and extremely tough waters to navigate. This is also called as rapids and contains natural hazards such as huge rocks, natural drops in waters to large waves etc. Although these is an extreme sport, the conductors of this activity are all well trained by expert professionals and utmost precautions for safety measures are taken. So those who are looking for the rush of blood in their veins, this is the sport to indulge in.
Best Season for Rafting
Normally the season is from October to May, monsoons being not safe for this sport.
Hot Destinations for Rafting
The hottest destination for rafting in India is at Hrishikesh on the Ganga river, on the Zanskar river in Zanskar mountain ranges, Ladakh in Jammu and kashmir, Bhagirathi river, on Brahmaputra River in Arunachal Pradesh, in Teesta river in Sikkim and Darjeeling. Nowadays, the popular rafting destination for corporates in and around Pune and Mumbai are on the Kundalika river at Kolad.
(Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons)
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