By Divij Pasrija:
You do not have to seek adventure in India. Rather, adventure in India seeks you. Be it the adventure of road crossing, with cars zipping past you, or the adventure of manoeuvring puddles and finding your way on a rainy day, adventure is everywhere in India. However, this list focuses on the more traditional definition of adventure.
If you seeking thrill while travelling in India, here are some things to do that will definitely get you excited.
1. Snorkelling with an elephant- it’s real:Â When in India, do not miss a chance to go snorkelling with an elephant. Take a trip to Andaman and ask for Rajan. No, he is not a guy; he is an elephant, an elephant that can snorkel underwater. While you need snorkelling gear to go underwater, Rajan relies on his innate swimming skills and his trunk to navigate his way. The icing on the cake is the rich marine life of the region. You can come across some really beautiful sea creatures in Andaman, that is, if you can get your eyes off Rajan.
2. Chadar Trek- don’t freeze in your tracks: Most adventure seekers out there want that real bone chilling experience that send a rush to their veins. In Ladakh, you can have the bone chilling part in the real sense. Chadar Trek is a trek which takes you on a walk through the frozen Zanskar River in sub-zero temperatures. Calling it a walk would be somewhat of an understatement, as you may have to do a bit of rock climbing too to evade the dangerous patches of ice on the frozen river. It is one of the most adventurous treks of Ladakh, one that will give you the much needed rush.
3. Caving in Meghalaya- bring out the explorer in you:Â Imagine walking through dark corners, crawling your way through tight spaces without really knowing where you are headed. That’s caving for you and one of the best destinations to do it in India is Meghalaya. Meghalaya has an extensive network of caves owing to clement weather conditions and limestone deposits. There are more than a hundred caves in regions such as Jaintia Hills. For those with a spirit of an explorer, it is the perfect way to satiate their desires. Are there bats in these caves? Go explore!
4. Safari through Corbett National Park- a wild trek:Â Stop watching Animal Planet for all those marvellous animalistic moments. Instead, head to Jim Corbett National Park. The national park has one of the largest populations of tigers in the country. You can go on a tiger tracing trail in the national park and try to spot the majestic beast in action. Even if you cannot spot one, you are sure to come across plenty of first hand animalistic moments. In fact, you could have your camera handy and shoot (with your camera) some interesting moments. Send those to Animal Planet and maybe you will get paid for it!
5. Hot air ballooning in Rajasthan- touch the skies:Â How many times have you secretly desired of putting your hand out of an airplane window and feel the rush? In a hot air balloon, you can actually do that- put your hand right out and touch the skies. Hot air ballooning has recently come to India, giving India one more adventurous jewel in its cap. You can go hot air ballooning in Rajasthan, with flights operating from Jaipur, Jaisalmer and Sariska. The flights conform to international standards and you even get a flying certificate after the trip.
6. Watch a snake boat race- choose your team carefully:Â If you thought Kerala is all about tranquillity and peace, a Kerala tour during the time of snake boat races will change your perception. Every year, during the time of Onam festival, snake boat races take place here. They are a major attraction for locals as well as tourists, as each contingent can be seen cheering their team on. Watching well oiled men and hundreds of them on one long boat, rowing in unison is exciting. Take a trip to Kerala during Onam and watch one of these races in action. Before you pick a team though, make sure you do a little bit of research among the locals for present champions, present form etc.
7. Take a wild jungle safari through Gir National Park:Â Unfortunately, the number of lions around the world is fast dwindling. Africa is the only continent in the world where you can see a sizeable number of lions in the wild. And then there is Gir National Park, a lion reserve in Gujarat. While the number of lions in the country is down to a bare few, you can still spot them in this national park. Watching the King of the Jungle in its natural habitat, and hearing its roar rip through the forest is sure to send a chill down your spine. Nevertheless, it is a beautiful experience.
8. Go skydiving in Deesa-feeling the rush literally:Â You don’t need to tread all the way to New Zealand, Australia or the US to experience one of the most extreme adventure sports- skydiving. Skydiving is finally here in India, in a small town, Deesa, in Gujarat. You first undergo short training in skydiving where you are taught a safe way to jump and then travel through the air. After the training, you are made to jump off a place and have one of the most thrilling moments of your life. Of course, there is a pilot with you all along to ensure safety, but even then, you cannot help but feel jittery, nervous and excited.
9. Try waterfall rappelling in Vihigaon- much more than rappelling:Â Rappelling is never easy. You need to hold the rope tightly while making tour way down the rock, and you also need to know when to release it. On a flat rock surface, it can get really tricky. But you know what’s even trickier? Waterfall rappelling. Yes, as the name suggests, you have to rappel down a waterfall. You can try this extreme adventure sports at Vihigaon in Thane, Maharashtra. With water coming down on you at full force, making your way down the waterfall safely is a really adventurous experience.
10. Take a trek to Roopkund Lake:Â Roopkund Lake is a small lake situated in Trisul in the upper Himalayan region. It is a beautiful lake located in the lap of the Himalayas. But what’s special about this lake? The Roopkund Lake is also called the skeleton lake, since there are hundreds of skeletons lying all around the lake. The skeletons are believed to be centuries old. Nobody knows how so many people died all at once, which is what makes the experience spooky and mysterious. Don’t worry; skeletons in Roopkund Lake have not been known to come to life….yet!