Adventure Holidays for a New Year Break: The Best Sports Destinations In North India

Rishikesh: The Adventure Capital of India

Commonly associated with temples, the city of Rishikesh is among the most important pilgrimage destinations for Hindu devotees seeking spiritual salvation. Situated in the Garhwal region, the city is home to prominent yoga centres, which attract crowds of tourists with meditation and wellness programmes, as well as Ayurvedic treatments. Notwithstanding its reputation as a spiritual centre, Rishikesh is also known as the Adventure Capital of India.

Haridwar is blessed with diverse terrain, comprising hills, valleys, and the gushing waters of the Ganges. This makes the city an ideal hub for a variety of adventure sports. However, the adrenaline junkie in me had always assumed that Rishikesh would be a sleepy pilgrimage centre. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Upon my arrival in the city, I noticed the signboards of numerous adventure companies advertising various outdoor activities, such as river rafting, kayaking, bungee jumping, rock climbing, and ziplining.

Rishikesh is located around 264 km northeast of Delhi. I woke up early to board the bus from Delhi and reached the city within 4 hours. After refreshing myself, I checked out a few tour agencies before finally booking an adventure package with one of the tour operators.

My adventure holiday began with river rafting. I was excited but nervous about joining the rafting expedition because I had never been on one before! The tour operator recommended the 9-km rafting route, which runs from Club House Brahampuri to Rishikesh NIM Beach. This route is relatively easier with small rapids and it takes about two hours to complete the course.

My tour guide asked me to arrive at Tapovan at least an hour ahead of the scheduled time. The instructor put me in a group of six riders and after giving us a set of instructions, he assigned us our positions on the raft. Once we hit the rapids, I realised why such intensive planning goes into each trip. The weight and body mass of the riders and whether they are right- or left-handed is critical to the success of the trip.

Despite being a Grade I-II rafting route, the Club House Brahampuri to Rishikesh NIM Beach circuit is 9 km of pure exhilaration. Although the route has gentle rapids, it makes for an incredible experience. Even after I was back on land, my head was still buzzing with the sound of the gushing water! Once you gain confidence in your skills, you can opt for the longer route from Shivpuri to Rishikesh (16 km) or Marine Drive to Rishikesh (25 km), which I explored later on my trip.

Tour operators in Rishikesh take safety and precaution very seriously. Although I was given a long list of conditions and precautions to follow for the rafting trip, let me share some of the most important ones with you.

It is important to make sure that you don’t eat a heavy meal before embarking on a rafting expedition. Additionally, be sure to carry an extra change of clothing and a pair of water-resistant clothes. Finally, if you have any kind of muscular pain or have had recent fractures or surgeries, it is advisable to seek advice from the tour operator before booking the activity.

The next set of activities on my travel list was mountain climbing, rappelling, and bungee jumping. However, Mother Nature had other plans. A heavy cloud cover and the possibility of rain derailed my plans; hence, all of my activities had to be rescheduled.

A key thing I learned was the importance of weather and why it is essential to plan for weather, especially on an adventure trip. Be sure to check weather variables at all times and keep your schedule flexible while planning your adventure trip.

Kufri: A Skier's Paradise

Located around 14 km east of Shimla, in Himachal Pradesh, Kufri is popularly known as "Skier's Paradise" for its snow-blanketed valleys and steep slopes. Situated at an altitude of around 8,600 ft, the hill town is known for its scenic beauty, with mountain slopes covered with pine and cedar forests. From December to February, the landscape turns into a white wonderland, offering a rather thick snow carpet for winter sports, such as skiing and tobogganing.

Situated 358 km north of Delhi, Kufri can be reached by taxi from Delhi. Alternatively, you can take an overnight bus to Shimla, and then hire a cab to reach the hill town. Upon reaching the town, I took a deep breath of the crisp mountain air, smiling to myself at the "White Carpet Welcome" by Mother Nature.

Kufri has different slopes to cater to ski enthusiasts of varying levels. There are slopes meant for a beginner's run as well as advanced skiers and then those that are earmarked for slalom runs, which is a speedier, wavy course with obstacles. Most of the tourists are usually happy to ski and surfboard on the lower hills that are marked for amateurs.

I booked my beginner’s session with a tour operator associated with my hotel and he helped me rent all the equipment as well. My session lasted for around four hours, with most of the time spent on my back! While I wanted to experience the thrill of gliding and flying across mounds of snow, I realised it would take several ski lessons to reach that level.

Irrespective of your expertise in the sport, I cannot emphasise enough the importance of checking the equipment for any signs of damage before you hire it. If overlooked, you may end up paying for damages after the session.

Bir: Soaring High

If skiing down an 8,000-ft slope in 20 minutes is not your thing, then consider heading to the peaceful village of Bir, in Himachal Pradesh. Located at an elevation of 5,000 ft, Bir is known as the Paragliding Capital of India. A paragliding experience is also a great way to take in spectacular aerial views of the mighty Dhauladhar Range and the village's landscape of dense forests interspersed with green fields.

A word of caution though — paragliding looks rather exciting on video or in pictures (and it indeed is), but it is not for the faint-hearted. It can cause some people to panic the first time; so, make sure you work on your fear before jumping on board.

The nearest major town to Bir is Dharamsala, which is around 64 km northwest of Bir. I took a bus from Dharamshala to Bir, which is the base point. From Bir, it’s a 45-minute drive to Billing, which is the take-off point for paragliding. I was lucky to reach the place on time, but once I got there, the weather decided not to cooperate. There were around 10 more gliders at the venue waiting for the clouds to clear up.

As we waited for the weather to get better, I spent time talking with the instructor and understanding the basics of paragliding. I checked the gear and the safety equipment — it all looked brand new. I decided I was in safe hands. After waiting for about an hour, the sky became clear again, and the gliders gave a little cheer. We were ready to fly at a height of 8,000 ft — talk about insanity taking over!

I re-checked my harnesses and helmet and geared up to take flight. Billing offers tandem paragliding, in which the captain and the flyer fly together. Throughout the takeoff and the flight, the captain has all the controls. However, the captain instructed me on some of the basic controls, just in case I wanted to try a few turns thousands of feet in the air.

It was finally my turn for takeoff. I muttered a little prayer and stood on the ramp. When we were ready, the captain screamed from behind, "Run, run, run!" I promptly followed the instruction and ran towards the edge of the cliff. Another 20 steps or so and I couldn’t find the ground below my feet. I was flying, literally flying! The captain had opened the chute, and the wind lifted us. We flew over the mountains and the valley — it was a breathtaking experience.

I must admit that as I jumped, the first thought which crossed my mind was about a man in a viral video who did a similar jump and instantly regretted it. Thankfully, I didn’t regret it.

But I must also confess that I was terrified for a moment or two when I took the plunge and my feet didn’t hit the ground. Once we were gliding in air, it felt like a smooth transition. The ride lasted for around 20 minutes, and the moment we landed, I wanted to be up in the air again.

Conclusion

An adventure holiday is a great way to make incredible memories as you transition into the new year. You can choose from a variety of gentle as well as adrenaline-rushing activities, depending on your interests as well as physical and mental health. But remember that despite your best-laid plans, weather can play a spoilsport. There is always a good chance that your activity may get delayed, rescheduled, or even cancelled owing to unfavourable weather conditions. If something like this happens, you can come back another day. After all, your safety is key above all else.