Monday, June 27, 2011

TYPES OF SAFARIS IN INDIA

Man, machine and animals:
That rugged jeep had seen enough of your garage, take it out and hit the roads. Bikers roar your cruiser-buddy. Indian streets are winding, wooded, dirty, yet promise undulating gamble for the ‘roadies’. The romance between the man and the machine apart, Indian safari adventures mean animals as well, and a lot of them. Camels, horses, elephants -- which one are you planning to ride? India sightseeing is best done on animal back. Come to this mystic land, explore the unexplored, and leave rejuvinated! Team it up with extensive photography spree and you can host an exhibition, write for travel blogs (write us a travelogue), and what not!


Some of the best Indian safaris


Jeep Safari:Imagine driving in a jungle, and some predator gives you a chase for your life! Reminds you of the dinosaurs chase scene in The Lost World? Drive your blues away in the craggy hills and muddy roads, wildlife parks and beaches of this incredible land, India. In the trans Himalayan region, Leh-Ladakh and Kinnaur-Spiti promise those winding roads, high altitudes, deep gorges and everything that takes to get your heart throbbing and body sweating. The ‘Raid-de-Himalayas’, an annual car-rally, is something you must opt for if you land up just during the program. Rajasthan’s forested valleys and arid hills also give you a different kind of safari flavor. The Shekhawati and Mewar region, Udaipur and Jaisalmer are options you should give a check.


Biking Safari:


Those who have straightaway jumped to this paragraph sure must have read Che Guevara’s Motocycle Diaries or at least seen the movie. And those who have not, and still is a biking-maniac, should check it out, for it inspires endlessly to embark on a biking safari. And if you have made your mind, here is India for you. The Himalayas again are the most enticing with winding and difficult routes, just perfect for the bikers. Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh regions like Kinnaur, Lahaul Spiti, Manali are the zones of interest. While, for rugged countryside biking, try Rajasthan.


Elephant Safari:

Best for exploring the jungles and having the closest and the best possible wildlife encounters, elephant safari is the most common safari option. The national parks and sanctuaries, have safari tours with trained mahouts (guides). Corbett National Park, Periyar Widlife Sanctuary, Kaziranga National Park are famed for their elephant safaris. The sightseeing safaris are best conducted by Rajasthan Tourism to reach their hill-top Forts and of course to tour tourists around the city, alongside their camels.

Camel Safari:

Wobbling on the camel back is fun, but minus the back-aches. But roosted on its hunch-back as you tour the varied attractions or scale the deserts, anything and everything feels worth the experience. In the Thar Desert of Rajasthan, around Jodhpur, Jaisalmer (Sam sand dunes), and Bikaner, toddling though palaces, old havelis (mansions), oasis --- is rated the best of camel-safari escapades. Jaisalmer to the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat is another exciting route. Special camel safaris are also organized round Pushkar and Nagaur in the winter season of October to March, when these two cities have their popular cattle fairs. Chambal camel safari a must for Agra visitors, that begins with a river cruise conducted by the Pathanias (attraction: close encounters with Ghariyals and Crocodiles) and the camel safari, which takes you to the picturesque Atar Fort.



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Thursday, June 23, 2011

Why do trekkers from across the globe haunt India’s Himalayan ranges.


It is not just the ruggedness that is infatuating, but the celestial and humbling beauty of nature that swathe its hills and dales. Camp in the wild (animals won’t harm, till you harm them), cook food (like our ancestors did), let your hair down and dance the nights away (better if you volunteer to teach a localite some hip-shaking in exchange of the jungle jinga-la-la), and sleep under the blue sky (make a hole in your tent-roof to gaze at the stars!).....

MOST TREKKED ZONES

Garhwal Himalayas: Himalayas most beautiful slice is called the Garhwal. The Ganges, Nanda Devi sanctuary, the bewitching Valley of flowers, Hindu pilgrimage sites Badrinath and Kedarnath, there is an endless list that awaits the vision. The best part is the unpredictable weather and the changing terrain. Whether, impressed by the celestial beauty or because of the pilgrim interest, they call it ‘Dev Bhumi’ (abode of the gods). For treks in the higher regions go between April and November, while lower regions are best trekked between December and February. The snow-fall is awesome!!!

Kumaon Himalayas: The starting point of the rivers Pindar, Gori, Dhauli, E. And Kuti, form the main trekking and mountaineering regions. As you trek through the ardous track, you are more than reminded of the great hunter Jim Corbett (of ‘Man eaters of Kumaon’ fame). And if you have read his book, you sure will day-dream seeing him crawl with his gun for the man-eater. No more man-eaters, just unending excitement.

Ladakh: If trekking right upto the sky sounds exciting and higher the altitude, the better, than Ladakh -- between the Great Himalayan range and the Tibetan Plateau at 3000 m above the sea level, is just the zone for you.

Himachal: Four mountain ranges -- the Dhaula Dhar, Pir Panjal, Himalayas and Zanskar, alongwith a myriad local cultures, pristine valleys, deep gorges, plummeted orchards, meadows -- and what not, Himachal treks are the most enriching. There are about two dozen passes on the Dhauladhar, a dozen over the Pirpanjal range and 8-10 passes over the Great Himalayan range to cross over to the Zanskar valley.

Sikkim & Darjeeling: Mount Kanchenjunga is Sikkim and Darjeeling’s claim to fame besides the cultural potpourri of Bhutia, Lepacha and Tibetian races. Endless green tea gardens, an eclectic diaspora of flora and fauna, the quaint toy train (an World Heritage site), some of the most colorful Buddhist festivals, adventure sports --- your trekking tour has tango, more exciting than the humbling white peaks. Go there during April to May and October to November

The world is a book and those who do not travel have just read a page. Book worldwide Vacation Rentals, holiday cottages, holiday villas for your holiday trips.

Friday, June 10, 2011

TADA - A good place for trekking

Tada falls or Ubbalamdugu Falls is in Tada mandal of Nellore district in India. It is situated on the border of Tamil Nadu and Andra Pradesh. It is situated around 95 km from Chennai.

Its a good for teen age guys to enjoy a safe trekking and it is still a nice spot for trekking without the usual buzz of people and shops surrounding you.

The best time to visit Tada would be after the rainy season, which I feel would be sometime between December and February. (Remember it is the North East monsoon which brings rains to these parts of India.) Even a visit during the rainy season would be fun, but you would have to be extra careful during the trek as it will be slightly difficult to climb the rocks. e you have reached Basecamp 1 (the place where the cars are parked), the trek begins. (Believe me, it is called Base Camp). The total trek distance would be about 10kms to and fro with nearly 4kms in real rocky conditions. From here the mud road begins and if you are on SUV or two wheelers, you can go for another 1km. We stopped at Basecamp 1 and took out the stuff that we required to carry and set about on the trek at nearly 11am. And its really a good place trekking enjoyment