Adventure Holidays In The Garhwal
January 8, 2010 by Kartik Bajoria
Filed under Featured, Health, Travel
Move over New Zealand & Australia… for when it comes to adrenalin pumping adventure in the midst of breathtaking scenic beauty, what lies in our very own backyard is truly remarkable! Amidst the awe-inspiring mountains rests a tranquil paradise. And every once in a while, thrill seekers from the world over can be heard engaging in a plethora of adventure activities. One with nature, as nature intended it to be. I give you, the Garhwal…
Location
Nestled in the lap of the Himalayas, the Garhwal region brings together Himachal Pradesh to its West & North West, Tibet to its North, Western Uttar Pradesh in the South and Kumaon to its east. Presently falling largely under the jurisdiction of the recent state of Uttaranchal, the Garhwal region presents a diverse milieu of landscape, flora and fauna – where delights abound for every kind of adventure-seeker! Plains to high up mountain tops, lakes to beds of rich flower forests, white water rivers to the innumerable mountain stream trickles. Its as if God constructed this idyllic setting, as his personal park…
Endless Adventure
The rich & diverse geographic tapestry allows the Garhwal region to be the best Adventure Sports destination in the country. The possibilities are almost endless. Following are a few unmissable attractions:
Skiing
You don’t have to head to the French Alps or anything as inaccessible (distance & money-wise) to indulge in some glorious skiing. Auli, just 16 kms from Joshimath, is a snow-capped paradise protected by an expansive Oak forest. The slopes and the minimum wind conditions here lend themselves perfectly to a superb skiing experience. Add to that state-of-the-art skiing facilities, including equipment & instruction, plus beautifully appointed lodging, and you have all of this pristine patch of Himalayan heaven as your skiing playground!
White Water Rafting
A picture-perfect and exhaustive collection of mountain rivers, across varied terrain, produces very enticing rafting routes. Be it Rishikesh (the epicenter of the white water rafting scene), or indeed through the length and breadth of the Garhwal region, rafting spaces abound. With rivers flowing through a myriad mix of different colored rocky gorges, forests, flowers and high mountain villages, the Garhwal and Kunaon hills provide ideal locales for the perfect water adventure. What’s even better is that depending on your will & skill, routes have been divided into 3 grades of difficulty. So whatever your aspiration, there will be a raft waiting for you!
Trekking
“A land blessed with snow-bound peaks, crystal glaciers, rolling meadows, jagged rock faces, scenic valleys,meandering rivers, cascading waterfalls, dense forests and hospitable people with a rich culture. A state Particular suited to Mountaineering, Trekking and Rock Climbing. For those fascinated by the unexplored, the hills of Uttar Pradesh offer breathtaking adventurous trekking routes. Trekking is the best way of getting to know any land, its people, its culture and traditions.”So says the Garhwal Tourism website (www.garhwaltourism.com), and neither do I contest it, nor could I have articulated it any better myself.
From destinations like Nanda Devi to Badrinath, Nagtibba to Kedarnath, its divine. And having lived in the region for a good seven years, I can personally vouch for the Garhwal being trekking-nirvana!
Still More…
The list of offerings does not end here. In fact, the afore-listed activities are just a few of the more popular ones. Again from personal experience, I can tell you that another great activity to explore in the Garhwal is Cycling. Cycling around the valley region is strenuous yes, but thoroughly rewarding. One really comes to appreciate the awesome beauty of the landscape. The limitless flora & fauna can be best explored through cycling. What’s even better is if planned a little bit in advance, one can even seek permission from the Government to ride through reserved forests and game areas such as the Motichur & Rajaji National Parks!
A Complete Experience
Your adventure-spirit will be tested to its very limit. Your senses will be blown away by the scenic magnificence. In and beyond it all, the countless holy towns, rivers, temples will instill a never-before experienced sense of calm and oneness. And at the end of your grueling adventure holiday, you can always sneak into the many luxury spas that lurk in the arms of these gorgeous surrounds. Invigorate, rejuvenate, and feel alive all over again!
[Kartik Bajoria, a regular contributor, runs his own creative agency called BOLD & is also involved in Films & Music as a force of habit!]
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Dear Kartik,
The range of topics that your articles are covering have a clourful diversity to them to say the least. Right from the first one that I read on the new Indian food joint in Mumbai (and my mouth still waters when I think about it) to cooking for your date (and having known you a bit you flashed a few images of your realities there). In regards to that diversification it does require experience in method to master it all and I’m sure you’ll get there. I still think the adventure holiday article could have been better (seemed to have a hurried tone to it in descriptions and summarys etc.) The romance was just not there, and since one has felt it in the wilderness in real life I can tell you it makes a difference. A romantic like you would probably understand that essence more easily and just need to research the technicalities of each activity and experiences from a few adventurers, as compared to a number of die hard trekkers wanting to knock off the peaks to satiate empty claims.
Another point would probably be a writing oversight, and a minor technical error but should be taken into account. Garwhal is now part of Uttaranchal and not Uttar Pradesh.
Also Motichur Range is part of Rajaji National Park and not a separate entity.
Hope this helps
Regards
Sam
Hey Sam…
Good to hear from you…
And even better that for once there is someone who’s offered honest criticism. Thanks… I hope my future writing will be all the better for this..
As for the factual info, I admit the mistakes you point out..
As for the contention that the story lacks romance; its a personal perception Sam. You are someone who’s a trillion times more in sync with nature and the outdoors, hence bound to find my writing inadequate in spirit..
I am but a conduit, trying to get at least some awareness out there for the general reader…of options that exist plentifully in our own country, for adventure holidays!
Cheers
K
Sam, good comments. In fact, it would be useful if you could share some points from your Garhwal experience or mention other similar locations of interest.
Cheers.