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Best Adventure Activities and Destinations in Uttarakhand

Best Adventure Activities & Destinations in Uttarakhand

At a Glance :

  • Region : Himalaya’s northern western region
  • Regional Language : Kumaoni, Garhwali
  • Capital City : Dehradun
  • Perfect Visiting Time : Month of October till June

Along with natural beauty, Uttarakhand state has been blessed by adventure structure. More than just a holiday spot, it is majorly renowned as the best place in India to practice adventure sports along with the company of adorable and refreshing nature. The majority of tourists of Uttarakhand visit this thrilling place to refresh their minds, body and add some spicy thrill to their exhausting life. At the green mountain, you can see extensive wildlife which is hidden, deep gorges, the meadows all these factors are enough to attract adventure and nature freaks to explore this exotic place. Glaciers, covered peaks, rich flora and fauna, and valleys all these elements have made this state a perfect place to try adventurous sports. The popular adventure activities are such as safari, trekking, rafting, and skiing and there are some more fishing, angling, mountaineering, rock climbing, nature camps, canoeing, etc. Apart from these, trekking in Uttarakhand has a massive following among the young adult and is also popularly called Trekking Paradise of India. Following are some popular adventure spots, where you can enjoy your holiday thoroughly.

Dayara Bugyal Trek

Second in the list is Dayara Bugyal Trek with originating point in Uttarakhand. Counted amongst the most beautiful regions in India, it takes you to the elevation of around 10,000 ft. above sea level. Offering breath-takingly beautiful views of some of the high mighty Himalayan peaks; the trek is considered easy and interesting for trekking in India. Best season to enjoy trekking here is May to November. In winters, the region enjoys heavy snow fall that gives travellers another reason to explore white natural beauty.

Adi Kailash Trek

This is a nice place to enjoy trekking for about twenty three days. it is also famous as Chotta Kailash. The entire area is adorned with serenity, natural beauty and peace. During Adi Kailash trekking, you will get a chance to get a sight of the snowy peak, huge forests, Annapurana and wild flowers. You will really feel that it is an imitation of mount Kailash , due to a number of features, it is also very near to the border of Indo Tibetan. At each foot of mount Kailash, you will find Gauri Kund, here you can see the reflection image of Mt. Kailash. From this location, you can easily reach Parvati Sarovar, it is also popular as Mansarovar, but the size of this sarovar is not as broad as the real one. This place also has religious beliefs, due to the presence of Lord Shiva’s temple, over Sarvovar’s bank, local people have built this temple. Once you put your foot inside this Temple, you will get an idea why God has chosen this place for stay.

High Trekking Altitude

If you are in the mood to experience the extreme thrilling and adventurous trekking then suppose that this place is only made for you. It is located on Nandanvan’s eastern side, that goes towards Ghastoli. The height of this place is about 5967 meters. You can get an interesting trekking experience in Arwa Tal.

Kedarnath & Vasuki Tal

The altitude of this location is around 3584 kilometers. This place is very beneficial because at this one place, you will not only enjoy the breathtaking trekking but you will also get a chance to worship God. It is renowned due to both the features. The temple has been built at the base of Kedarnath’s peak; it has been constructed through the Pandvas. The point from where you have to start your journey is Gauri Kund.

Yamunotri

This is a very holy place which is famous due to its spiritual epics and huge interest towards devout pilgrimage. It is a sacred spot for the Hindus, people come to this place to put their prayers in front of Yamuna Goddess . After reaching here, pilgrim first take a divine dip in the holy river water, here you will also get to see the natural hot water springs.

Gangotri Kedarnath

After reaching here, you will fall in love with this place’s beauty, because the entire trekking route of Gangotri Kedarnath is surrounded by picturesque beauty, which attracts a huge number of adventurous people and tourists from many years. It is hugely connected to spiritual Hindu pilgrimages; Kedarnath and Gangotri are the two prime attractive spots of the devotees.

Kempty  Fall Trekking

The capital city Dehradun is a very large place, which has been spread over 1880 sq. kilometers. Dehradun’s farmers are attracted towards this part of Himalaya, due to suitable alluvial soil and climate, at present this place has been developed as educational institutions and research like Public Schools, Military academy and Forest Research Institute and many more educational organizations.

Mussoorie

It is located on the foothills of the Garhwal range’s ; at this place Nag Tibba is located, on the northern eastern side Mussoorie is placed. The place where Mussoorie is located is about three thousand eighty four meters. This is a favorite place of mountaineers, trekkers, photographers and nature lovers, Mussoorie city is itself a very renowned hill station. It is situated over saddle and, the best moment which you will spend here would be sunrise, the whole look of Mussoorie city is unbelievable, it is not less than any shining diamond.

Kedarnath:

Getting a chance to trek over Kedarnath would be definitely one of the dreams of trekking freaks, because it is amazing and breathtaking. The adventurous structure and beauty of this place are attracting a number of trekkers. If you are in the search of trekking spots then you won’t get a perfect spot than Kedarnath.

Hemkund Trekking:

Hemkund is a very spiritual place, because it includes holy Sikh religion’s shrine, it is situated on the foot part of Hemkund Lake; its height is about 4320 meters. It is very popular due to the presence of holiness; Sikh religion’s tenth Guru Gobind Singh’s divine shrine is located at this place. After a long time of meditation, he was joined to God, which he had done in his previous birth. The mention of Hemkund can be found in Guru Gobind Singh’s autobiography; this autobiography has inspired 2 spiritual Sikhs.

White Water Rafting:

Uttarakhand state’s Garhwal and Kumaon Rivers is the perfect Rivers to try River rafting. If you love water sports and wish to add some thrill into your life, then visit this place. Himalaya’s altitude is a center of origin; a number of Indian Rivers have been born here along with icy winds. All these Rivers are coursed through a number of streams. The whole view of rivers when they run from the mountain’s top the over rocks by cutting gorges is just marvellous. There are big and strange rocks which increase the breathtaking beauty of this place.

10 Adventure Destinations in Ladakh

Ladakh – is a largely celebrated winter wonderland and adventure paradise for every kind of traveler. The incandescent beauty of this union territory is alone enough to provide various range of scenic views, a heavily snowed environment, a great reach of Himalayan landscapes, a snow-adorned walk through an alpine forest area, deep Buddhist traditional festivities, a gorgeous look into the wildlife culture. Ladakh is not just a scenic ride for millennials but instead, it evokes a certain kind of emotion – an emotion that is filled with a feeling of freedom and liberation among the millennials and that may be the reason why the people of today’s generation seek a vacation or adventure journey in Ladakh.

Apart from harboring various lengths of scenic travel sites, Ladakh is more recently being honored as a base point that heartily opens several trekking destinations for any kind of traveler i.e., a seasoned or an adventure traveler. From letting you experience a swift walk on a Zanskar River to letting walk to the arms of Mount Nun, Ladakh has been blessed with every kind of adventure that a traveler seeks.

So, following is the list of 10 famous adventure journeys a traveler can enjoy in Ladakh

  1. Chadar Trek (8 Days)

Chadar trek or also popularly called a Zanskar Gorge Trek is a 106-km long trekking journey and is famously traversed as a winter trail by adventure travelers. The trek is famous for giving its visitor an inexplicable experience of walking on a frozen river of Zanskar and feeling mesmerized after realizing the surreal beauty of this place.

The trek is very much related to testing one’s determination and survival instinct in walking down a journey that gives you immense pleasure after winning it.

2) Markha Valley Trek (9 days)

Markha Valley is a 9-day long trekking journey that is usually attempted from the month of May to September and is walked to witness the natural green beauty filled with thousands of watering streams. One needs to walk about 75 km of leveled path crossing through the waist-deep river of Markha to finally reach a gorgeous Buddhist village situated in the middle of towering mountain ranges.

Many of you who undertake this easy level trekking journey get to witness the spellbinding peaks of Zanskar Ranges, Kang Yatse, Stok Kangri, etc.

3) Nubra Valley Trek (6-10 Days)

Nubra Valley – famously enjoyed by the millennials for being the one-time gateway to the ancient Silk Route of India where one can easily witness the heavily perched purple mountains, double-humped camels, and cold breeze swirling upon the white sand dunes. This is a 6-10 days long walking journey where the traveler gets to traverse through lush green meadows and anciently built Buddhist shrines.

Upon reaching the mountain top of Nubra Valley, you also get a chance to witness the mesmerizing ranges of Karakoram, K2, etc.

4) Stok Kangri Trek (9-10 Days)

A snowy, razor-cut peak perched atop the rough mountains of Ladakh – Stok Kangri is like a journey for experienced trekkers who climb up to this mountain to test their limit and also to define the walk towards a tough ascent to themselves. By heartily starting their journey from Stok Village, the travelers make a walk for about 9-10 days through a steep path and a carefully led walk on frozen water.

The distance to be covered during the Stok Kangri journey is about 240 km to finally reaching a top perched at an altitude of 20,180 ft above sea level. And thus, by making its difficulty level in your mind, the journey to its top will only keep rolling in your mind.

5) Nun Peak Climbing Expedition (21-22 Days)

Almost always traversed by the experienced traveler or by the travelers who have some basic technical mountaineering knowledge – the Nun peak climbing expedition is one of the highest peaks of the Himalayan region lying on the Indian side of LOC in Ladakh. The desolate and uninhabited mountain stands at a staggering height of 7,135 m above sea levels in the Suru region.

Every traveling group takes around 21-22 days to reach the mountain top of Nun Peak and be mesmerized by its virgin beauty. You can also witness the peaks of many different ranges like Zanskar, a panoramic view of Leh-Ladakh, etc.

6) Kun Peak Expedition (22-23 Days)

Believing in a similar journey like its twin peak – Mount Nun, Mount Kun is the second highest peak of the massif and is generally traversed by aspiring mountaineers or sometimes by ordinary travelers who seeks brief supervision from travel companies. The snow-covered, green fog-enshrouded mountain stands at a towering height of 7,077m above the ground near Suru valley.

The trek to the top of this massive peak usually takes around 22-23 days while walking on rough terrain towards a tough ascent, hugely covered in snow. The peak offers an unprecedented view of Mount Kun, Mount Barmal, White Needle, etc.

7) Sham Valley Trek (3-5 Days)

Also widely pronounced as ‘Baby Trek’, by the locals of Ladakh is a beautiful trekking journey along with the traditional sites of the Buddhist religion. Letting you walk through the poplar-lined path and small traditional settlements; the Sham Valley trekking journey will be a great experience for the first-timers or it will work as a primer for polished travelers.

The 3-5 days trek to the Sham Valley takes its travelers through a scenic hike to the 11-century Buddhist Monastery where a towering gold statue of Lord Buddha worshipped ardently.

8) Kang Yatse II Trek (12 Days)

Kang Yatse II Peak – a journey filled with rough terrains and tough straight-line ascent is an aspiring mountaineer’s paradise who pick up this journey to train themselves for another harder journey in the Himalayan region. The incredibly tall and slender mountain stands at a towering height of 6,400m above the ground at the end of Markha Valley that requires an extremely technical walk across various knife-cut ridges.

The travelers can traverse this massive peak in and around 12 days where they get a chance to walk through the cultural Ladakhi region.

9) Digar La Trek (8 Days)

Instead of making you walk towards a mountain top, the Digar La trek takes you through a journey to the several mesmerizing landscapes of Ladakh until it reaches the cold desert in the Nubra region. Digar La Trek also locally called ‘Leh Nubra Pangong Circuit’ that connects the Indus Valley to the green fog-enshrouded Nubra Valley.

The trekking distance is about 30km and is generally traversed during the course of 8 days while taking some brief enjoyable stopover at the famous Monasteries of Ladakh.

10) 6 Passes Trek

6 Passes Trek is not about traversing a single mountain range but instead starting from Rumtse village, the traveler follows a unique journey of traversing six high-altitude passes perched atop the height of more than 5000 meters above the ground.

The 106-km long Gargantuan hardly-traveled trekking journey, makes you pass the six high-altitude regions incorporating 3 lakes in the path named Tso Kar, Tso Moriri, and Startsapuk Tso and beautifully adorned with meandering river, lush green meadows, barren terrains, mesmerizing landscapes.

6 Off Beat Travel Destinations of India

Gurudongmar Lake North Sikkim

The idea of travelling in India draws up many images, lush greenery, deserts, snow-capped peaks, beaches… the country definitely has it all and for a lack of a better word, the Indian landscape is diverse. Practically you find something or the other to do in some destination across the country… and yet, traveller after traveller haunt the beaten path. If you are looking for something that is different from a prescribed list… you might as well check out the new list of off-beaten destinations.

1- The Little Rann of Kutch, Gujarat

The Little Rann, located close to the Great Rann is a definite must visit for those who are looking to experience the colour and raw plethora of desert colour and culture. While it lacks the tourism appeal that Jaisalmer in Rajasthan has, Little Rann has this raw flair that is completely charming and disarming at the same time. A quaint salt marsh desert, the Little Rann is famous as the world’s last refuge of the Khur or the Indian Wild Ass.  A stark landscape with rich biodiversity, the Little Rann is an ecologically important zone and is the home to several water birds like pelicans, flamingos and ducks and other birds like the Indian Bustard, Sandgrouse and francolins. The perfect destination for nature lovers.

Little Rann of Kutch
Little Rann of Kutch

The region is pretty popular for it’s surreal natural beauty that it has been featured in multiple movies in India such as Magadheera, refugee, Goriyon ki Raasleela, Sarainodu, and many other superhit movies. This wonderful holiday destination in Gujarat has also been mentioned in numerous books like Midnight Children written by Salman Rushdie. If you are also looking for a holiday destination for this winter vacation then check out different Gujarat holiday packages and plan accordingly.

2- Gurudongmar Lake – Sikkim

Gurudongmar Lake, North Sikkim

There is something about high altitude lakes… nestled amongst high mountain peaks that inevitably bring in a sense of complete peace and serenity.  While the Pangong Tso shot to reluctant fame with the famous 3 Idiots scene, there is another beautiful high altitude hidden at a height of 17100 feet in the Eastern Himalayas. Emerald Waters, set deep in the backdrop of majestic snow-clad peaks, the Gurudongmar Lake is Sikkim’s well-kept secret.

3- Bandhavgarh National Park – Madhya Pradesh

While the Jim Corbett National Park is a popular destination for all those who want to get a glimpse of the elusive predator, there is another destination where you can get a peek at this royal cat – the Bandhavgarh National Park. While the Jim Corbett National Park is known for its dense jungles and the different variety of flora and fauna; catching a glimpse of the tiger with several safaris can be quite a task.

Bandhavgarh National Park
Bandhavgarh National Park

In Bandhavgarh, however, the chances of sighting this regal striped cat are quite high. Smaller in size when compared with the Jim Corbett National Park, it is much easier to navigate along Bandhavgarh, and rest assured, this National Park too is filled with a plethora of flora and fauna.

4- Syalsaur, Uttarakhand

Syalsaur, Uttarakhand
Syalsaur, Uttarakhand

The Himalayas are filled with several wonders, which are simply understated and hidden from the prying tourist eye. One such destination that lies hidden along the bend of the mighty mountains is Syalsaur. With the Mandakini gurgling alongside the perfect contrast of lush green trees cloaking majestic peaks, Syalsaur in Uttarakhand is the perfect destination to experience the quiet and majestic splendour of the Himalayas.

5- Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh

Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh
Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh

The last major site before hitting the China Border, Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, is probably North-East’s best kept secrets. Possibly because of its political and geographically location, Tawang is rarely flocked by dozen tourists. Nevertheless, Tawang is worth each and every bureaucratic effort, tucked in the high mountains, the region boasts of over a 109 high altitude lakes! If lake hopping at over 12000 is your thing, then Tawang is a definite must visit!

6- Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi

If the Indian history, particularly the Mughal Era, has enthralled you and the idea of reliving that magnificent time through the exquisite Persian architecture has excited you – then apart from a visit to the ever-famous Taj Mahal, a peep at the Humayun’ tomb is a must.

Humayun's Tomb, New Delhi
Humayun’s Tomb, New Delhi

Commissioned by Humayun’s first wife Bega Begum, the tomb of Humayun or popularly known as Humayun ka makbara, was designed by the Persian architect Mirza Ghiyas.  The tomb is believed to be the first garden tomb of the Indian subcontinent. The tomb is also the very first structure to use red sandstone in such a large scale.

A UNESCO World Heritage site, Humayun ka Makbara is tucked deep in the winding ‘Galis’ of the Nizamuddin area of Delhi. Known for its brilliant symmetry, this imposing structure has delicate touches of marble and other precious stones at the end of several gateways. Adding to these lush gardens that surround the area make it a beautiful spot to rewind time.

10 best churches to visit in France

eiffel tower

Are you planning on visiting France for a peaceful and serene vacation? After you tour the whole city, there are many ancient churches in France for you to visit. Every city has at least one traditional church that symbolises the authenticity of the place. So, here is an ultimate list of the 10 best churches to visit on your vacation in France. 


10 Best churches to visit in France on your vacation

  1. Mont Saint Michel Abbey
  2. Notre Dame de la Garde
  3. Sacre-Coeur
  4. Rouen Cathedral
  5. Monolithic Church of Saint-Jean
  6. Chartres Cathedral
  7. Notre Dame de Paris
  8. Strasbourg Cathedral
  9. Bourges Cathedral
  10. Reims Cathedral
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