Special Interest Tourism

(See respective sections for details.)

Trekking/mountain-biking/rafting/angling
In India, May to October is the best time in the Himalayan region for adventure related activities. The places in the Himalayan region where professional operators have set up permanent camps include Garhwal Himalayas, Kumaon Hills, Kullu Valley, Kangra Valley, Lahaul and Spiti, Zanskar and Ladakh, and the Eastern Himalayas.

Skiing and Heli-skiing
Skiing in India is popular in the places of Auli (Garhwal), Gulmarg (Kashmir), Manali, Solang and Narkanda (Himachal Pradesh). Skiing takes place from mid-December to March. Heli-skiing takes place in the Solang valley.

Safaris
Jeep Safaris Tours:
The trans- Himalayan jeep safaris on the Manali-Leh stretch takes place from mid-July to October. From October to April, the show shifts to the tourist paradise of Rajasthan.

Horse Safaris:
The thrilling horse safaris in Rajasthan passes through Rajput battlegrounds, cenotaphs, villages, lakes, wildlife sanctuaries and castles. The safaris stop each night at a heritage hotel or in tents. From October to March, safaris are also operated along certain trails in Himachal Pradesh.

Camel Safaris:
Camel safaris take place in Rajasthan's desert regions around Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Bikaner. Camel Safaris are regarded as the best means of exploring the desert from close quarters.The safaris stop at welcoming villages which also enables the participants to interact with the local people and enjoy their traditional folk music.

Wildlife Safaris Tours:
India has a number of wildlife sanctuaries that are home to many varieties of flora and fauna. In northern India, Corbett National Park, named after the British hunter-writer Jim Corbett is famous for tigers. Dudhwa National Park, situated near the Indo-Nepal border is home to rhinos and elephants. Sariska National Park and Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in Rajasthan are famous for tigers and birds respectively. Hundreds of migratory bird species come to Bharatpur during winters. Ranthambore in Rajasthan is another wildlife sanctuary famous for tigers. In central India, Kanha and Bandhavgarh also showcase the tiger. To the west of India is the Gir wildlife sanctuary in the state of Gujrat. Gir is famous for its lion population. In southern India, elephants are found in large numbers in Bandipur, Nagarhole and Mudumalai wildlife sanctuaries. Periyar wildlife sanctuary is a tiger and bird preserve. In India's north east, Kaziranga National Park is famous for its one-horned rhino.

Angling:
In the Himalayan region, angling may fetch tourists the rainbow or brown trout or masheer. Tourists who love deep sea fishing can go to the Malabar coast or Lakshadweep islands. The angling season in the Himalayan region is from February to June and again from September to mid-November.

Scuba Diving and Snorkeling:
Scuba diving and Snorkeling is famous in the islands of Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep.

Aero Sports:
In India, Wanderlust Travels offer hot-air ballooning over the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Delhi, Himachal and Rajputana desert. Wanderlust also organizes bungee-jumping in Delhi and some other metro cities of India. Hand- gliding and parasailing also takes place in the lower Himalayan ranges. Participants from all over the world come to Kangra for an annual hand- gliding championship.

Mountaineering:
In the Himalayas, mountaineering treks are organized up to heights of 25,000 ft. Tourists should go with specialized operators only.

Adventure Sports
Courses in trekking in Jammu; skiing at Patnitop; paragliding (Auli and Patnitop).

Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Jawahar Parbat, Darjeeling, West Bengal.

Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi, District Uttarkashi (Uttaranchal).

Western Himalayan Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Manali, Himachal Pradesh (also skiing and water sports courses).

Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering, Department of Tourism, C-1 Hutments, Dalhousie Road, New Delhi, also in Jammu, Auli (Uttranchal) and Narkanda (Himachal).

National Institute of Water Sports, E-3 Dramila Apartments, Mangor Hill, Vasco da Gama 403 802 (also water skiing and scuba diving).







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