Friday, July 27, 2012

Adventure Tourism in India


If you are looking for adventure, look no further – India offers you a range of adventure tourism unsurpassed by any other destination.  You can go trekking and mountaineering in the Himalayas – the highest mountains on earth. You can ride a camel across the desert on a camel safari in Rajasthan, rush down tumbling rivers on river rafting tours, go scuba diving, surfing and wind surfing in the sea of India’s coasts, enjoy trekking over green hills, skiing and winter sports in winter or Paragliding over scenic landscapes.


Mountaineering is a popular adventure activity in India and the Himalayas and its foothills offer many opportunities for mountaineering and trekking in India. Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Garhwal and Kumaon districts in Uttarakhand are popular destinations for adventure tourism in India. Two Institutes in India that offer courses and provide permits for mountaineering are the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) and the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Limited (GMVN). Always be certain to inform the authorities before setting out on mountaineering tours and ensure that you have all the necessary equipment and protective
clothing.


Hang gliding and paragliding adventure sports activities are carried out near Bir-Billing and Solang Valley in Himachal Pradesh, Naukuchiatal near Nainital and Sanasar near Jammu which are popular paragliding destinations, due to the presence of hills from where it is easy to take off due to the presence of favorable wind currents.  


Tourists can enjoy river rafting between Rishikesh and Shivpuri in Uttaranchal, which is not far from Delhi in North India. River rafting camps are organised regularly and experienced instructors accompany tourists on river rafting adventure tours to ensure that safety is maintained. Madikeri in Coorg, which is not far from Bangalore, in South India, is a popular place for white water rafting adventure tours.


Tourists can enjoy water sports off the coasts of Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the tropical islands of Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar. All these locations offer venues for scuba diving, snorkelling and many other water sports, on adventure travel in India.


Winter sports such as skiing, skating, tobogganing and snow boarding can be enjoyed at venues such as Patnitop and Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir and Auli in Himachal Pradesh. The ski slopes are as good as many international slopes but are lesser known and are therefore not crowded. You can enjoy a relaxed winter sports experience on adventure tours of India.