November 2013 -

India’s Ski Towns

Skiing in India takes place mostly in the Himalayas. Owing to their great height, Himalayas make for a great Skiing destination as they offer long descents. There are 3 popular destinations for Skiing in India – Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir, Auli in Uttrakhand and Solang in Himachal Pradesh. Here is some information about these places and the infrastructure they offer for a great Skiing experience –

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Gulmarg

Situated on a high plateau, pastoral Gulmarg, which literally means ‘Meadow of Flowers’, is home to a hill station that has few parallels in India. It boasts a picture-perfect Alpine landscape, with gardens, lakes, snow-covered mountains and (when not snowed in) lush-green vistas as far as the eye can see. Gulmarg also has one of the highest cable cars in Asia – a ride here can take your breath away, literally!

Gulmarg Image Credits: kashmirskiing.com — Skiing in beautiful Gulmarg
Image Credits: kashmirskiing.com

Gulmarg is India’s top skiing destination (8955 ft), and consistently ranked as among the world’s best. It also hosts the country’s annual Winter Games. It is surrounded by dense forests of tall conifers and snow capped mountains of the Himalayas. Today Gulmarg is acknowledged not only for its scenic surroundings, but also as the world’s highest golf course and a premier ski resort in the country.

International Destination – The Archipelago of the Azores

Azores View from above Povoacao to the Atlantic ocean Sao Miguel

Located out in the Atlantic, the isolated Azores is 1564 km directly west of Lisbon, Portugal, and 3900 km off the North American coast. This chain of nine islands, all volcanic in origin, was colonized by the Portuguese in the mid-15th century. The islands’ location, almost bang in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, has proved of great strategic value. Today, they are a key mid-ocean refueling and pit stop for commercial airlines, international shipping, cruise ships and private yachts.

Extremely popular for deep-sea fishing, wine production, many varieties of tropical fruit and local cheeses, the Azores is increasingly becoming a favorite tourist destination. Even the nonchalant traveler will be smitten by the emerald-green and sapphire-blue lakes, volcanic craters and cones, verdant grasslands, 15^th-century churches and majestic manor houses.

Skiing Tips

Skiing is one activity that requires a lot of lower body strength and preparation. So before you set out to Ski, there are a few important things you should keep in mind that will help you enjoy your time on the slopes.

Here are some tips, straight from our Gurus, for a great Skiing experience:

National Parks of India

Jim Corbett National Park

The first National Park to be established in mainland Asia (1936), CorbettNational Park has captured the imagination of many with the diverse wildlife and the natural uniqueness of the area. It is situated in the town of Ramanagar in the Nainital district of Uttrakhand. Covering an area of 521 sq km, it offers a remarkable variety of landscapes formed by the streams, rivers and many ridges crisscrossing the terrain.

CorbettNational Park is home to a varied species of plants, birds and land animals. Among the birds Crested Serpent Eagle, Red Jungle Fowl, Blossom-headed Parakeet are commonly seen. Kalagarh dam located in the south west of the wildlife sanctuary is considered to be the best place for birding.

Tiger spotting at Jim Corbett — Jeep Safari at Jim Corbett National Park
Image Credits: tempotravellerindelhi.in

Mountain Climbing Tips

Mountaineering or Mountain Climbing is one of the most popular adventure sports/activities in India and many other countries. While a lot of people wish to climb high peeks, they tend to ignore the basics.

We have compiled a list of top 7 tips from our Gurus, that will help you understand mountaineering better and what goes into a successful climb. Here goes –

The many colors of India!

Mountains, beaches, deserts and the colorful festivals, India has it all. Offering activities like Mountaineering, Kayaking, Cruising, Birding, Wildlife and Desert Safaris, Outdoor Photography and more – India is a popular travel destination.

Here are some glimpses of this diverse landscape –

Safdarjang, New Delhi
Image Credits: facebook.com/PhotographyByManoo/

Look where you are landing!

For a traveller, an airport is a very important space. A lot of waiting time is spent there, both coming and going. So it is such a blessing if that time is made convenient and entertaining by the services and facilities that the airport has to offer.

Skytrax, a UK-based consultancy, runs an airline and airport review and ranking site. It conducts research for commercial airlines and carries out international traveller surveys to find the best cabin staff, airport, airline, airline lounge, in-flight entertainment and on-board catering (alongside several other categories).

Here is this year’s list of the top-five airports – and the adventure activities the cities they are situated in offer:

Singapore Changi Airport – Built in the 1970s and 80s, Singapore’s Changi Airport was designed for both current and future needs as the city-state’s primary airport. Changi has three terminals with a total annual handling capacity of 66 million passengers, and boasts over 753,500sq ft of space spread between the terminals for shopping and eating outlets. It has won close to 450 awards since 1981.

Singapore Changi Airport Image Credits: djfunworld.com/ — Singapore Changi Airport
Image Credits: djfunworld.com/

Destination Guide – Solang Valley

Located 14 kms from Manali in Himachal Pradesh, SolangValley (8500 ft) lies on the western bank of the River Beas. It has a number of hotels and other accommodation options available nearby – and also the choice to pitch your own tent!

The start of international skiing competitions like the Alpine Premier League has made the valley very popular among foreign tourists.

Solang Valley, locally known as Solang Nullah, derives its name from a combination of the words Solang (nearby village) and Nullah (water stream). It offers great views of the surrounding glaciers as well as of the splendid valley lying between Solang and Beas Kund. The valley is also home to a shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva, located on top of a hill. Hidimba Temple and Raha Waterfalls are other attractions nearby that one can visit.

Adventurenation x DressHead Chiffon Fit and Flare Mini Dress

Adventurenation x DressHead Chiffon Fit and Flare Mini Dress – Floral Print / Mesh Inserts

Finding just the right evening chiffon dress for a spring or summer night event can be difficult, but this colorful chiffon dress inspired by adventurenation x http://www.dresshead.com is designed to flatter your figure in the vivid colors of seasons. With a pleated design, the skirt of the dress gives a sophisticated multi-layer look to your attire while simultaneously demonstrating a sense of fun as the colors peek out from beneath the white of the dress. The focus of the dress’ design is fitting comfortably, which is achieved through the zip back closure, regular fit, and machine washable nature of the dress. The halter-style square neckline of the chiffon dress provides an additional classic detail.

River Cruising in India

River Cruising is a leisure activity that’s organized along inland waterways, with stops at various ports en route. Since many cities and towns developed around rivers, river cruise ships often dock in the center of cities and towns.

River cruising is a unique way of traveling. It is like experiencing life in the slow lane, where the pace is gentle with no rush, nature all around, and abundant opportunities to explore riverside towns and cities along the way. It is a very tranquilizing experience in natural surroundings, away from the pressures of life, with good food and enjoyable company.

In recent years, river cruising has become an increasingly popular form of leisure travel. With smaller ships, and itineraries that take voyagers to big cities, small villages and through breathtaking landscapes, river cruise lines offer a very unique type of experience. Popular river cruises include trips along the Nile, Amazon, Mississippi, Yangtze, Mekong, Danube, Loboc (Philippines), and Rhine, Seine, Volga, Douro (Spain/Portugal) and the Po (Italy) rivers.

Roopkund Trek – A Travelogue!

4 months of workout, 4 months of abstinence, 4 friends – and the mountains beckoned!
This is their journey from New Delhi to Roopkund and back, covered in 7 days!

Day 1 – Reached Kathgodam by train from Delhi and drove up to Loharjung (7600ft), which is a 10-hour drive through the foothills of the Himalayas – past gushing streams, through valley clouds and on curvy roads.

Fresh streams on the way!
Image Credits :facebook.com/anandkshitij/media_set

Day 2 – Walking past icy-cold streams and coming face to face with high-flying birds, the group trekked its way up to Didna (8800ft). Villagers’ huts and blankets came in handy for camping.

On the way to Didna
Image Credits :facebook.com/anandkshitij/media_set

Day 3 – The day began at 8, and through muck, rock, oak forests and meadows, they reached Ali Bugyal – the next campsite.