Like every coin has two sides, so is in the case of the Majestic Himalayan Region. Apart from offering you its awe-inspiring and dramatic beauty, the Grand Himalayan Region also proffers all the people who are in a dire need of having an adrenaline rush a wide variety of adventure sports to choose from.
The Great Himalayan Region is one of the most admired tourist spots with tons of activities waiting to be explored. The natural glory of the mountains, the general population, inexhaustible wildlife, and even its remoteness, have drawn a huge number of travelers in the past 10 years. Below mentioned are some of the fascinating adventure activities that you can enjoy amidst the gigantic, treacherous and sunlit Himalayan Region.
Adventure Activities in the Himalayas
River Rafting
River Rafting or White water rafting gives you whole together an experience to enjoy the challenging staircase rapids of the untamed rivers. The river crashes onto the rocks, cuts against rocky banks, crevices, and breaks into white water rapids. River rafting sites in the Himalayan Region are Ladakh in Jammu & Kashmir, the Garhwal Himalayas in Uttaranchal, the Beas River of Himachal Pradesh, and Teesta River in Sikkim. The best time to do river rafting is June-late August. While packing your bags for a rafting trip, it is important to pack clothes according to the temperature of the water and not the atmospheric temperature. In warmer months, when the water is tepid, it is advisable to pack:
- T-shirts it’s best to avoid cotton as it sticks to you after getting wet)
- Converse or any other running shoes. It is advisable to avoid sandals as they may slip off in the water.
- Sun hats preferably with a cord
- Sunglasses
- In cooler temperature or on rivers which present a quick succession of rapids, it is advisable to pack:
- Wetsuit
- Synthetic fleece or woolen clothing
- Long shirts
- Woolen socks
Don’t forget to carry your sunscreen as sunburn is reportedly the most common injury after river rafting. Estimated Cost for this Sport: ₹750-₹1600 (depending on the stretch chosen).
Trekking
Exploring the grandeur of the resplendent Himalayan Ranges via trekking is the first love of all the adventure buffs. It gives you an opportunity to witness the lovely profound valleys encompassed by lavish green timberlands, wild blooms, and the diverse wonderful assortments of widely varied vegetation.
The ideal time to undertake the fun-filled trekking activities in the Indian Himalayan region is between the months of April – May – June, and September – October – November. Well, the Himalayas offer you numerous treks depending upon the difficulty level. To list a few:
- Chadar trek (difficulty level: high {challenging}), Everest Base Camp, Markha Valley, etc.
- Essentials to be carried when you are trekking:
- Woolen/ thermal undergarments
- Long trousers
- Long shirts
- Windproof/ rainproof jacket
- Woolen socks
- Woolen caps
- Hiking gloves
- Hiking caps
- All-weather trekking shoes
In addition to all this, pack some weather/altitude-specific gear depending on where you’re going. This includes feather-down jackets for extremely cold weather conditions, snow gloves for any treks through snow, and special waterproof snow-trekking boots among others. Snow boots are specially designed to offer advanced traction and better adherence while trekking across wintry terrain.
It’s really important to invest in good quality sportswear to ensure durability under challenging weather conditions. Quechua and Decathlon are among the trusted brands for outdoor sports gear. Both brands are readily available online and will last you a long time. This can be done starting at ₹6500 onwards depending on the trek chosen.
Skiing
Skiing has emerged out to be one of the most loved adventure sports in the last decade. All the adventure seekers literally cannot miss skiing when they pay a visit to the Himalayas. Sites for skiing in India include Jammu and Kashmir, the hills of Kumaon, Solang Valley in Himachal Pradesh, Auli, and the Northeastern states of India that have become the favorite ski hideouts of adventure enthusiasts.
The best time to go skiing is in the winter months that are from late November to March.
Essentials to be carried when going skiing:
- Gloves
- Sweaters/Jackets
- Long Underwear
- Buff (combo of neck warmer and muffler)
- Snow Boots
- Warm Hat
- Waterproof Ski Pants
- Sunglasses
- Poles
- Ski Bag
- Ski lock
- First Aid kit
- Sunscreen
An estimated cost for skiing in India starts at ₹300 onwards.
Heli-Skiing
Heli-skiing is a sort of action that picked up a great deal of prevalence throughout the years in the Himalayas. Himachal Pradesh specifically, offers a few amazing alternatives. Skiers are transported with a helicopter at a stature of around 14,000 feet from where they bounce onto the snow and slide downhill. Spots, where you can do Heli-Skiing, are Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Manali, Solang Nala, and Munsiyari. Winter months i.e from December to February are the best times for doing heli-skiing.
Mountain Biking
Not every Himalayan course is intended for hiking and trekking. Some are superb for biking, as well. The Zanskar and Pir Panjal ranges are a perfect area to test this game, in spite of the fact that you are encouraged to be cautious; sooner or later, the ways may turn into somewhat dubious. The trail interfaces Kullu Valley to Ladakh, and it’s likewise the most astounding drivable way on the planet. Other spots where Mountain Biking is done in India are Leh-Zanskar, Kangra Valley, Kumaon.
The best time to do mountain biking is from June to September.
Para Gliding
For all those of you who have ever fantasized about flying like a bird in the Sky, it is a dream come true for you. You should definitely give a shot at this adventure sport. It gives you both a thrilling and becalming experience. The best places to do paragliding in the Himalayas are Garhwal Himalayas, Bir Billing.
The best season to do is March To June And September To December.
Paragliding starts at ₹600 and may go on until ₹1800.
Hiking
Himalaya has the absolute best-hiking goals on the planet, including the most noteworthy – Mount Everest. Be that as it may, the most wonderful out of every other place on earth is India’s Har Ki Doon Valley. Shrouded in Himalayan blooms and elevated mountain ranges, try to go in the warm season to appreciate the show. There are several numbers of options available in the Great Himalayan Region for hiking.
Bungee Jumping, Giant Swing, and Flying Fox
One of the best excites you would ever take is jumping into the obscure, and it gives you an adrenaline surge like nothing else. All these sports are one of a kind and a package of these three sports combined together can cost you around ₹7500. Rishikesh is famous for all these sports. You can do Bungee jumping throughout the year except for the monsoon months.
Rock Climbing
A mountaineer must not only climb the mountains but should also understand the mountains. There is a huge number of places where rock climbing can be done in the Himalayas, to list a few: Parvati Valley, Shey Rock, Miyar Valley, Sar Pass, Malshej Ghat, Ramangara, Madhgiri. The ideal time for peak climbing in India falls between the months starting mid-June to September/mid-October.
Canoeing and Kayaking
Canoeing and Kayaking are thrilling sports for the adventure enthusiast. The best time to do canoeing and kayaking is in the months of May/June or September/October. The famous sites in the Himalayan region where you can get a chance to do this exciting sport are Dal Lake, Nagin Lake, Wular Lake, Rishikesh, and Teesta River.
Attention! adventure lovers, all the sports mentioned above should be ticked off from your bucket list as soon as possible. Go check out above which adventure sport is suitable for the coming season and just go and live that sport. Go and experience the unknown, the beauty, the cool breeze, snow-capped mountains, and much more. Happy Sporting!
