Desert Jewels - Frasers Hospitality

24 | frEE spirits
Kayak with sea serpents
in Scotland’s Wild West
If you want rugged scenery, prolific birdlife and an
area shrouded in myth and legend, then go kayaking
around the islands of the Outer Hebrides, known as
Scotland’s Wild West. They have a lore, landscape
and even language of their own, with Gaelic still
spoken among the inhabitants. The relative comfort
of a kayak offers deserted coves, imposing cliffs and
historic castles. It is also one of the few places in the
UK where you can view whales – although you might
not want to get too close in a kayak. The Hebrides are
a mysterious place and the locals will likely warn you
to watch out for sea serpents near Lewis or point you
to the mermaid’s grave allegedly located on the island
of Benbecula. Best time to visit: June to September
during the Scottish summer. adventurehebrides.com
Cruise like a Maharajah in Kerala
If you were asked the question:
What do India and Ireland have in
common? Chances are you wouldn’t
answer they both use the coracle as
a traditional boat. The small round
boat covered in animal skin is used to
traverse the waterways of Kerala and
Ireland’s east coast. In Kerala state, it
is the perfect way to view the wildlife
dotting the banks of the Kabini River,
in the Rajiv Gandhi National Park.
Floating down the river lets you get
close to the elephants and prolific
birdlife, and occasionally, see a tiger
or leopard. The park was the former
private estate of the Maharajahs of
Mysore, and although their days of
hunting game are long gone, you can
still get a taste of royalty by staying in
their former hunting lodge.
Best time to visit: March to May
for wildlife viewing and November
to February for more comfortable
temperatures. kabiniriverlodge.com
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Photos: Getty Images
Conquer Colorado River’s ‘room of doom’
If the names ’skull rapid’, ‘rock of shock’ and ‘room
of doom’ excite rather than frighten you, then rafting
down the Colorado River is probably something you
would enjoy. These are three of the more ferocious
rapids on the 27-kilometre stretch of river along the
Westwater Canyon in Utah, which is rated as one
of the world’s best whitewater experiences. All the
rapids are graded III or IV, which pretty much spells
sheer adrenaline rush. Besides pushing yourself
against the scary sounding rapids, it is also popular
with nature lovers as it contains rock formations
nearly two billion years old. On overnight trips,
the lack of light pollution means that it has excellent
stargazing. Overnight camping also allows trips to
mysterious rock paintings and waterfalls. Best time
to visit: May to August during the summer months.
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