Travel and Adventure in India

If you’re looking to add a zing to your holiday in India, consider throwing in some adventure along with your tour of the Taj Mahal in Agra or the temples of Puri and Konarak in Orissa or Halebid-Belur in Karnataka. Adventure sports is beginning to come of age in India, and water sports at a nearby beach or river could be an exciting option, especially if you're into photography.

White Water Rafting on the Ganges

For adrenaline pumping, there’s nothing like white water rafting, and the Ganges wins hands down for the most exciting runs. The place to head to is Shivpuri, about 30 km from Rishikesh and a little over 300km from Delhi. Here you will find a number of adventure outfitters at riverside locations offering tented accommodation with complete infrastructure for rafting, including safety equipment and trained guides. The Ganges offers grades of rafting catering to amateurs as well as pros.

In addition to the Ganges, white water rafting is rapidly gaining popularity in other parts of India. If the monasteries of Ladakh form part of your itinerary, then rafting on the Zanskar river could be an exciting option. If you’re into beach holidays and you’re thinking of heading towards Goa, a well-known location is Dandeli, great for rafting as well as kayaking and canoeing on the Kali river. There are a number of resorts in Dandeli that offer a variety of activities including eco-tourism and wildlife tourism in addition to water sports. White water rafting is also done on the Kundalika River in the Sahayadris, in Maharashtra, and on certain stretches of the Cauvery River at Bheemeshwari, and in Coorg, near Dubare.

Coracling : A Unique Experience

Several of these locations also offer kayaking and canoeing. But a must do is a ride on the local country boat called coracle, or a parisal. Originally made from woven reed or palmyrah, nowadays from fiber glass, a coracle is great for a fun ride, since it tends to send beginners around in circles! It’s worth trying your hand at steering it - if you flounder around, the boatman will take over!

If you’re looking specifically for water sports, then Goa is a must-do. The Dona Paula Sports Club offers windsurfing, water-skiing, kayaking and parasailing. A water sports festival is also held on the Dona Paula beach every November. Anjuna Beach is another option.

Snorkelling and Scuba Diving in the Islands

For island adventure, it’s snorkeling in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, also known as the Emerald Isles. If time is a constraint you could go for a short stint in North Bay, otherwise Havelock Island and Cinque would be your best bet to see coral. The Andaman Islands are also famous for diving, but you need to know diving, or have enough time to learn.

For scuba diving, however, the place to be is the Lakshadweep Islands, right across on the other side of the Peninsula from Andamans. Bangaram, among all the islands is fairly well equipped for visitors and for water sports, so that’s your best bet. A visit to Lakshadweep requires a lot of paperwork for both Indian Nationals as well as visitors from abroad, so plan your trip well in advance.

Just the Beginning

Of course, there is also boating, swimming, wind-surfing, sailing, yachting… Across India, there are also virgin rivers and water bodies that are being opened up for water sports as tourism gets fresh impetus. This is just for starters!

White water rafting in the Ganges

Rafting in the Himalayas

River rafting in India

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