On Higher Grounds

Anurag Sood,a professional mountain climber who runs Climb The Himalayas,agrees that more people are venturing out to discover off-beat holiday locations. This year,Sood is rolling out a 12-day trans-Himalayan jeep safari (Rs 35,000 per person),which will take drivers to places such as Narkanda,Thanedhar,Sarhan,Sangla,Kalpa Nako, Tabo,Kaza and Parvati Valley. The drive overlooking snow-capped hills and high altitudes,promises Sood,will be a unique experience. Camping,treks and visits to places such as Tibetan villages and art centres,the safari will also give a chance to visit Buddhist monasteries such as the 1,200-year-old Tabo,the Tang -Gyud Gompa,which dates back to the 14th century,and the Sakya Tangyud Monastery,which has a mummy of a 500-year-old Buddhist monk. “It will also take one to Chandertal Lake (Moon lake) in Kaza,at an altitude of 4,200 metres,Rohtang Pass and Tosh,where you have a magnificent view of Parvati valley,’’ adds Sood.

The seven-day adventure camp at Kothi (Rs 6,500 per person) on the Rohtang Pass highway has a range of activities and is equipped with tents,sleeping bags,cooking team and instructors.

In Rishikesh,Jumpin Heights offers an array of unique adventures such as the Giant Swing,along with India’s highest ‘Fixed Platform Bungee Jump’ facility,from a cantilever platform built over a rocky cliff at a height of 83 meters. Add to this Asia’s longest Flying Fox,which is 120 meters high. “These activities have been created by experts from New Zealand and an internationally qualified crew. The charges are between Rs 1,500 and 3,000,’’ adds S P Singh of the adventure facility.

Termed by Chandigarh Adventures as the ultimate traveller’s journey,Treks and Sports ( CATS) will undertake a fortnight-long road expedition to Leh this summer. The journey will traverse one of the highest passes in the world. “Travelling above 13,000 ft,it would be a roller-coaster ride,with high-altitude passes,formidable roads,landslides,glacial melts and broken bridges among others,” informs Supreet Dhiman of CATS. The trip will also include white water river rafting in the icy cold Indus or Zanskar,with rapids of increasing severity reaching grade five.

Driving through the highest motorable Khardung La pass,a trip down the Nubra Valley in the Karakoram ranges with a camel safari in the cold desert,are also the highlight of the expedition. “An overnight stay at Pagong-Tso Lake,forming a watery border with China,offers yet another unforgettable experience,” says Dhiman.

Choose your summer getaway right now and explore your adventurous side.

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