If you are an adventure enthusiast and want to enjoy the serene, lush and green surroundings of Himalayas, then head towards the exhilarating State of Uttarakhand in India. Here, you can enjoy skiing, trekking, rafting, paragliding, mountaineering, rock climbing and a range of other adventure sports. Many national and international competitions are regularly organised in the State.
Auli Ski Resort located close to sacred shrine of Badrinath is virtually the Ski Capital of India. At an elevation of 2,915 – 3,049 meters with five kilometers expanse of snow, Auli offers perfect grounds for both beginners and seasoned skiers. The season of skiing starts during December which can extend upto February. Many ski festivals and several Skiing Championship are also organised during this time. All types of skiing facilities are being provided at this resort. In addition to this, skiing also takes place at Dayara Bugyal, Munsiyari and Mundali in the State of Uttarakhand. The enormous skiing rings of Mundali offer incredible sights of the Himalayan slopes.
Another adventure sport which is popular in Uttarakhand is trekking. There are many exciting treks in this wonderland which is replete with natural beauty. There are many well-traversed trekking routes running along the Munsiyari – Martoli – Milam – Ralam Glacier. The hilly areas of Pithoragarh are perfect for undertaking trekking, mountaineering and rock climbing. In addition to this, Bageshwar – Sunderdhunga – Pindari – Kafni Glacier trek is another trekking route in the area.
The Garhwal region also offers several thrilling treks, some of them being the Panch Kedar trek, Kedarnath – Vasuki Tal trek, Gangotri – Kedarnath trek and the Gangotri – Gaumukh – Nandanvan – Tapovan trek. The Panch Kedar trek passes through the five Kedars represented by Kedarnath, Madmaheshwar, Tungnath, Kalpeshwar and Rudranath. The fascinating routes are profusely intermingled with the widest range of flora and fauna. The Valley of Flowers and Hemkund trek start from Govindghat and lead to Badrinath. Other treks like the Kalindikhal trek, the Khatling – Sahasratal – Masartal trek, Har Ki Dun trek, Rishikesh – Pauri – Binsar trek and Roopkund trek are equally invigorating for both the eager amateur and the veteran mountaineer. Notably, Nehru Institute of Mountaineering ( NIM) located in Uttarakashi has trained thousands of mountaineers and mountaineering enthusiasts in including famous Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to climb Mount Everest.
Rafting is another adventure sport for which tourists make beeline in Uttarakhand. Swift-moving rivers offer a thrilling experience for white water rafters. Stretches along Alaknanda, Dhauliganga and Kali rivers have several challenging rapids. These rivers flow through deep forests, rocky terrains, mountains and sometimes even along snowy slopes so that an enthusiast fully enjoy rafting.
Adventure tourists can enjoy paragliding at Ranikhet, Mukteshwar and Naukuchiayatal. In addition to this, paragliding can also be done at Dayara, Bedini Bugyal , Pratap Nagar and other places.
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