The 5 most Amazing Adventures while travelling in India

Last Updated on December 10, 2023

There is no dearth of destinations for thrill-seekers in India. The diverse terrain offers unique adventurous experiences in different parts of India. Biking through the Himalayan passes, multi-day treks in the Western Ghats, whitewater rafting, skiing, paragliding, snorkeling – there's ample opportunity to experience adventures of a lifetime in India.

Yours truly is not the adventurous type, and usually stays away from anything that requires her to sign an indemnity form. But I have managed to get swayed by the lure of adrenaline rush more than once during my travel through India. And each time, it just made me stronger and wanting for more. In this post I share my first-hand experience of the top 5 adventure activities I've had in India.

 

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Night Trek at Ramnagaram

My first tryst with trekking was in Bhutan – the world-famous Tiger monastery trek. Ramnagaram is nothing like that. It's one of the forest-covered hillocks in Karnataka where Bangaloreans flock in to for weekend breaks. But a night-trek is a unique experience all together. Maneuvering through the dense shrubs and insects, quietly not to awaken the unknown devils of the forest to finally reach the peak was quite scary for a first-timer. I remember how the guide hushed us saying we could attract wolves.

We spent the night in our sleeping bags gazing at the starry sky and talking nonsense. Imagine waking up under the open sky to watch the first golden rays touch the earth beneath you. Magical, isn't it? It was one of the most frugal yet satisfying travel experiences I've had.

 

There are many places near Bangalore to go out for night trekking. It's always advisable, and often mandatory to do this with registered guides or tour operators. Check out other exhilarating one day trips from Bangalore.

Check out the best hiking boots for such adventures.

Book a sunrise trek to Skandgiri for even more spectacular views.

 

Bandipur Tiger Safari

One of the best wildlife adventure opportunities in India is tiger safari in the dense forests of the Karnataka. Bandipur, Nagarhole, Wayanad (Kerala) and Mudumalai (Tamil Nadu) are four national parks spread across 3 states of India.

Together this interconnected group of national parks form the largest free habitat of tigers in India and the whole world. About 570 tigers are estimated to live in these jungles.

Spotting the evasive striped beauty in the dense forests is not easy. Even in the 6-hour jeep safari in Bandipur Tiger Reserve we booked where we went deep into the forests, we managed to see only one tigress right in front of us. The safari was conducted in two phases, one 3-hour safari in the evening and the second 3-hour safari in the next morning.

We managed to spot one tiger at a large distance away from us across the lake in the evening. Despite that the thrill of riding through the dusty forest, watching the spectacular sunset amidst the sound of birds and looking out for peacocks, deer, monkeys and other members of the beautiful forest ecosystem of Karnataka was a memorable experience. 

Other popular Indian destinations for tiger safari outside the Western Ghats are Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand, Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan, Bhandavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh, Taboda National Park in Maharashtra.

Bouldering in Hampi

Hampi is undoubtedly one of my favorite places in India. Exploring the historic ruins of Vijayanagara empire is like time-travelling to the golden era of Karnataka. But besides the architecture and heritage, Hampi is famous for its unique landscape with boulders of different size and shapes strewn across.

Bouldering is basically unaided climbing, no ropes or anchors involved, just using your upper body strength and balance. With boulders of all shapes and sizes there is an opportunity for everyone – from the amateurs to the advanced climbers.

The most popular place for this activity is Hampi bazaar, where you can climb up the boulders and sit there looking at the breathtaking views. We were blessed with a great weather when we visited Hampi and did the easiest climbs to experience the thrill and enjoy the panoramic view.

Read this post and plan your trip to Hampi- you won't regret it.

Whitewater Rafting

I experienced river rafting for the first time on my trip to Coorg. Barapole river rafting is a popular adventure conducted by the local trainers. Barapole is turbulent river full of class 2 and class 4 rapids originating from Kithu Kakathu River further extending to Brahmagiri hills to the Arabian Sea.

The bonus on this trip was the nosedives where you'd be pulled upwards against the waterfall to let the water gush into your nose. What I didn't appreciate personally was the insistence on adding extra thrill by pushing non-swimmers into the water suddenly, without prior warning. You can't drown or injure yourself because of the protective gear your wear but it's scary nonetheless.

Take a High Ropes Course in Coorg.

And that's the reason why I was not too excited about rafting if I got a second chance. But I did. On our trip to Sikkim in winter we decided to raft in the Teesta River in Kalimpong, on our way back home. This one was expensive, but it was absolutely worth it. The techniques used were different from the ones we used in Barapole and the scenery was spectacular.

Multi-day Roadtrip from Bangalore to Kolkata

For my regular readers this won't come as a surprise that I love road trips. And the biggest adventure in my life so far was the 3-day road trip covering 2000 km from Bangalore to Kolkata via Puri. The first lap of the road trip was 1000km with unexpected rainfall during the journey. You will surely enjoy reading the account of this invigorating experience in detail here. 

Check out and download my practical road trip packing list.

Adventure activities like this help enrich your travel experiences multifold.

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