Travel cover story for Pulse magazine - Sonali Shah's website

cover story
India
tripping
Your earliest
memories
of travelling
are probably
associated
with family
and summer
vacations. Now that you’re all grown
up and making your own moolah,
your trips can have varying company.
Stuff a backpack and disappear for a
week, go cycling in the mountains,
or visit a particular place to come
back with brimming shopping bags.
India has enormous scope to
accommodate whatever it
is that you wish to gain
out of your trip, also
providing the flexibility
of budgeting it as
per the type of travel
chosen. Here’s looking
at various styles in
which you can travel
to the hotspots in the
country. Bon voyage!
Adventure sports
For adventure junkies, bungee-jumping,
paragliding, white-water rafting would
possibly be done to death by now (no
pun intended). Therefore, at times
something as simple as cycling can turn
adventurous, especially if it is on the curvy
roads from Leh to Manali. These bicycle
tours have become increasingly popular
with the growing tourism of Ladakh. A car
accompanies the riders to supply them with
food and water and the tired ones can chuck
their bikes in the carrier and rest in the car.
While these mountain bikes are well-maintained, it
is always best to practise in the city before taking
up a difficult trip like this. Considering how
expensive taxis are in Ladakh, this could be a good idea to save
some bucks. Scuba diving is another fun activity to take up in
the summer and the Andaman Islands are known for this.
There are short diving courses offered close to the sites,
Although an expensive option, short courses
on scuba diving provide for an excellent
underwater, deep-ocean experience.
What is your motivation to travel?
Is it to feel the rush of adrenaline
as you zip-line across a town, seek
blessings at a shrine or proudly
watch your children imitate a
birdcall in a national forest?
Text Sonali Shah
A trip to Leh-Ladakh is synonymous with
hiking, trekking and mountain climbing,
but increasingly, cycling tours are becoming
a sensation among many a tourist.
depending on the number of dives you need to make. The
expenditure could go up to five figures for up to 12 dives
and a fewer number of dives cost a few thousand bucks.
It’s preferable to travel with company, and essential to
carry a first-aid kit and clothing appropriate for the sport.
While Char Dham and Vaishnodevi top most people’s lists for
pilgrim tours, a trip to Hemkund Sahib gurudwara is not far behind,
what with its 15 km trek to enhance your spiritual experience.
Pilgrimage
Pilgrimage is often the reason many of us travel
and this country of myriad gods is peppered with
several sacred spots. Most of these are located in
northern India, perched atop snowy peaks and
nestled deep inside valleys, the most famous sites
being Vaishnodevi and the Char Dham pilgrimage.
The north is also host to some of the most sacred
gurudwaras and exquisite mosques. Those who
believe in the saying that the more arduous a
pilgrimage, the closer it brings you to God must
head to Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara. The place
where Guru Gobind Singhji meditated for years is
accessible only after taking up the 15-km trek from
Govindghat in Uttarakhand. Situated on a glacial
lake, surrounded by snow-capped mountains,
one can experience God inside and outside this
temple. Although these pilgrim routes are open
between July and September, it is always advisable
to research about the weather beforehand and
book well in advance due to the sheer number of
worshippers thronging the place. Pilgrim tours are
often taken by families or a group of newly married
couples, but if you are spiritually inclined, you can
probably take it up solo and set out in search of
inner tranquillity.
Solo backpacking
Travelling alone is adventure and exploration packed into one,
but travelling in India can sometimes push it to the edge. The
solution is to plan meticulously and do ample research. A solo travel
destination has to be safe, within budget, easily accessible and not
too deserted to help you bump into new acquaintances. Booking
in advance is a must and so is packing light. A lot of places in India
act as ideal companions for solo travellers such as Dharamsala,
Hampi and Orissa. Dharamsala is a highly popular destination
mainly because it ticks all the boxes of proximity, exploration, safety
and budget. Travelling solo also means exploring the place at your
leisure and not the tour guide’s, and this is where Hampi comes
in the picture. Hampi will narrate to you its stories of ruin through
its boulder-strewn hills and ancient temples, and all you will need
to have is a map and a sturdy pair of shoes. Orissa may be less
popular on the tourism front, but only because it is less-explored.
After you have finished the ‘golden triangle’ i.e. Puri, Konark and
Bhubaneshwar, head to one of the pristine beaches or to lake
Chilika, Asia’s largest brackish water lake.
The historic ruins of Hampi are a safe and widely recognized choice for
travellers, including the solo traveller.
Although Orissa does not rank high on
most tour itineraries, its unexplored terrain
has much to offer any travel buff.
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cover story
Relaxation
Check yourself into a resort where
your only ‘job’ is to relax. And to eat
balanced organic meals, meditate, swim
and enjoy massages. You probably want
to be free of responsibility and not take
the kids along; therefore, a week together
at a resort can work as a wonderful gift for
couples. Women can check-in with their girlfriends
and spend some time together catching up on gossip.
What better place could offer you that, than the ayurvedic
ashrams and spa resorts in Kerala. However, if Kerala is
too familiar and over-exploited, try one of the heritage
spa resorts in Rishikesh. The spa treatments and the early
morning walks in the vast abode of nature will leave you
rejuvenated – mind, body and soul. Be warned if budget
is on your mind since spa trips are synonymous with the
word expensive, but going there during off-season would
definitely be lighter on the pockets. You can also check
the resorts’ websites for discount offers, some of which
have special packages for women groups.
While Kerala is a recognized wellness destination, the hills and fresh
mountain air of Rishikesh also serve as an excellent alternative.
Renowned for ayurvedic healing
techniques, a trip to Kerala would be
incomplete without a visit to a spa resort.
Family
Wildlife tours are the best option for family
trips because while children may enjoy hill
stations as summer escapades, nothing
can entertain them better than a group of
rhinos sprinting in excitement. Skip the usual
wildlife sanctuaries located in accessible
locations, and instead opt for the Kaziranga
National Park in Assam – known for the huge
population of one-horned rhinoceros. To
make it more exciting, you can also drop the
jeep safari for a day and take an elephant ride
into the interiors of this vast jungle, and while
you do that, do not forget to carry a pair of
binoculars and a good camera. It is advisable
to visit Kaziranga during summers and
winters since monsoons are torrential here.
Choosing a hotel close to the park is ideal,
and depending on personal tastes, families
can also pick moderate accommodation since
most of the days will be spent on safaris.
Travel is no longer about fixed itineraries and
forced sightseeing. It is about discovering
new places and choosing the kind of
experience you desire depending on your
mood, budget and company. So go ahead
and choose the type of travel you want to do
this vacation and depending on that choice
pick the right place.
With inputs from Vidhi Salla
An elephant ride in a wildlife sanctuary makes
for an adventurous alternative to the jeep safari.
An exciting and most anticipated element of
any wildlife safari tour is the sighting of animals.
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