India has practically everything that a tourist could ask for and adventure sport is a great attraction. The wide choice of adventure sports ranges from the daring to the exotic. These test your skill, toughness and endurance. Above all, they are exciting.

You can choose your kind of adventure, from scaling the high peaks of the Himalayas, trekking to the Valley of Flowers, riding the waves in the rapids, or taking camel safaris in the Thar desert. There is trekking and mountaineering in the Himalayan region, river rafting and other watersports, camel and elephant safaris; bike tours, skiing, heli-skiing; hang gliding, sailing, tribal tours, orchid tours and many more breathtaking opportunities for nature enthusiasts. Your search for the ultimate excitement can begin and end in India.

Ladakh, the Garhwal hills, the Himachal hills, Darjeeling, Goa, Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar, Jaisalmer and the wildlife reserves are the places to visit for adventure activities.

Trekking/mountain-biking/rafting/angling
The major trek road heads in the Indian Himalayan region include Kashmir valley, Kishtwar, Zanskar, Ladakh, Lahaul & Spiti, Chamba and Manali. Trekking in the Himalayas is quite enjoyable and has become comparatively easy with the development of lightweight equipment and clothing. There are difficult treks as well as easy treks, long and short treks to choose from. In Uttaranchal, the 16 km trek to Kedarnath is a must.

River rafting trips run through beautiful terrains that the Himalayas have to offer - sandy white beaches, boulder-studded rapids, river confluences, deep gorges and some of the revered temple towns. The use of top of the line equipment, Hyside self-bailing rafts, tested life jackets, helmets and paddles has made rafting a safe and thrilling experience.

Mountain biking in India is picking up interest. There are some interesting adventure bike tours through Garhwal Himalayas. In Himachal, one of the popular mountain bike tour traverses through Kufri-Narkanda-Sungri-Jeori; Sangla-Karcham-Bhabanagar; Sainj-Basantpur-Shimla.

In the Himalayan region, fish for rainbow or brown tout (February-June; September-mid November) or mahseer unique to India. Deep sea fishing can be done off the Malabar coast or the Lakshadweep islands.

Skiing and Heli-skiing
India is getting serious about skiing, providing great slopes that pose exciting challenges. Auli, near Joshimath is adequately equipped for skiing. Its slopes provide excellent opportunities for cross-country and downhill skiing. For more details contact the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Tel: 011-23350481. Narkanda, 40 km north of Shimla, offers good opportunities for cross-country skiing. Solang Nala, 13 km from Manali, has some good slopes for beginners.

Manali is the hot bed for heli-skiing in India. Get a helicopter to drop you on a mountain peak or ridge as high as 6,500 metres, so you can whiz down the mountainside on skis. The area has deep snow packs, ideal for jetting down the mountainside. Heli-skiing is organised by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation. Best season is from January to April.

Jeep Safaris/Horse Safaris/Camel Safaris
From July to mid-October, the trans-Himalayan jeep safaris, particularly the Manali-Leh stretch, are popular. From October to April, Rajasthan is the favoured destination. Jeep safari tours are also available in the various wildlife sanctuaries in India. The highest motorable road in the world, the Leh-Nubra Valley route offers a splendid diversity of mountain scenery. The Manali-Leh road weaves in and out among the mighty snow-clad peaks of the western Himalayas, over a stretch of 485 km. The road is open from mid-July to mid-October.

Horse safaris involve taking a detour from the urban chaos and taking a leisurely tour of the countryside. This provides an interesting way of acquainting oneself with the flora and fauna of reaching out to the locals, and getting acquainted with the customs and rituals of a region. Horse safaris may involve a picnic outdoors or a visit to the wildlife sanctuaries.

Wildlife Safaris
Wildlife sanctuaries dot the country, each with its unique flora and fauna. In the north are Corbett, named after the British hunter-writer Jim Corbett; Dudhwa National Park, bordering Nepal, known for rhinos and elephants; Sariska National Park and Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, where migratory birds arrive in season, and Ranthambore known for its tigers. In central India, Kanha and Bandhavgarh showcase the tiger. In the west is the Gir Lion sanctuary. In the south are Bandipur, Nagarhole and Mudumalai, known for their elephants, and Periyar, a tiger and bird preserve. In the east, Kaziranga is known for its one-horned rhino.

Angling
In the Himalayan region, fish for rainbow or brown trout (season from February to June, and September to mid-November) or mahseer, unique to India. Deepsea fishing can be done off the Malabar coast or in the Lakshadweep islands.

Scuba Diving and Snorkelling
India offers unlimited possibilities to scuba diving enthusiasts. Given its vast, undulating coastline dotted with sandy beaches, two major group of islands, some of the most isolated, unexplored, exotic diving locations in the world and numerous island lakes. Equally exciting are the affordable prices at which the thrills can be obtained. The coral reefs, pristine blue lagoons of Lakshadweep and Andamans are the ideal location to go scuba diving in India. At present, scuba diving facilities exist at the Andaman Beach Resort. In 'Lacadives' located at the Kadmat Island Resort is the only diving school of its kind for beginners.

Aero Sports
Hot-air ballooning over the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Delhi, Himachal and Rajputana desert is offered by Wanderlust Travels, which organises bungee-jumping in Delhi and some other metro cities, too. Favourable thermal effects make the lower Himalayas ideal for hang-gliding and parasailing. Kangra holds an annual hang-gliding championship, with entrants from all over the world.

Mountaineering
The Himalayas include eight of the world's fourteen highest mountain peaks, extending a magnificent sweep of 2,400 km along the northern boundary of India from Kashmir in the west to Darjeeling in the east. No mountaineering experience can match the excitement or the picturesque spell of the Himalayas.

Approved Adventure Tour Operators

Ruck Sack Tours (P) Ltd
Som Dutt Chamber-1, 5
Bhikaji Cama Place, New Delhi
Tel: 26183690; Fax: 2619431
E-mail: ravi@nde.vsnl.net.in

Ibex Expeditions
G-66, East of Kailash,
New Delhi
Tel: 26912641; Fax: 26846403
E-mail: ibex@nde.vsnl.net.in

Greater Himalayan
MG Bhawan, New Delhi
Tel: 26983358; Fax: 26983357
E-mail: vharsh@del01.vsnl.net.in

Arton Voyages
J-424, Shankar Road
Tel: 25762484; Fax: 25762480
E-mail: arton@gias01.vsnl.net.in

Float & Fly Tour
LGF 4, Ambadeep, 14, KG Marg;
Tel: 23352195; Fax: 23352197
E-mail: floatfly@del2.vsnl.net.in

Shikhar Travels (I) Pvt Ltd.
209, Competent House, F-14,
Middle Circle, Connaught Place

Emerald Cruises
Nizam Bhawan, 5th Floor,
Menezes Branzan Road,
P. Box -143, Panaji, Goa

Others:
Insight India Tours, Snow Leopard Tours, Adventure Tours