India is a truly intriguing and unforgettable experience with its myriad colorful facets attracting visitors down the ages. To the adventure sports enthusiast there are limitless opportunities on offer - with varied terrain, mountainsides draped with snow, green Alpine meadows, placid mountain lakes and rapids - all forming a part of the immense spectrum.

There are kaleidoscopes of activities for the adventurer. One can go for day-hikes and treks that last a couple of days, varying from gentle walks over easy terrain, to grueling expeditions. Alongwith, there is skiing, heli-skiing and ice-skating. The thrill of paragliding and the test of stamina with mountain cycling gets one's Adrenalin pumping.

Himalayas, which span over all of North India, offers excellent opportunities to serious trekkers and mountaineers. Bungee jumping is an exhilarating new sport, which owes everything to plain raw nerve, not meant for the weak-hearted.

If the mountains are your destination but speed your passion, go Heli-Skiing in Manali or freewheel down a hillside in the wilderness on a Mountain Bicycling trip in the Kumaon region.

But if you're more the aqua type you don't have to climb mountains. You can take a jeep halfway up the valley and come back down White Water Rafting through foaming rapids on most of India's major rivers. Or you can rub shoulders with schools of fish under the sea while Scuba Diving or Snorkelling in the Andaman Islands.

Perhaps you'd rather have an animal doing the exercise for you then how about bouncing on a Camel Safari? Also, check out a number of Other Outdoor Pursuits that you might want to try out all over the country.

Thus, there is limitless adventure awaiting the outdoor enthusiasts! All Adventure sports involve a certain level of risk.

Bungee Jumping

Bungee Jumping, is both a spectacular attraction and an exhilarating experience for all who participate, attracting people from a wide background and a broad spectrum of age groups. The average age of jumpers is between 16 and 40, but the limit is 14 to 50. Spectators of all ages stand in awe, witnessing the many people who just have to do it.
Bungee Jumping originated on the South Pacific Island of Vanuatu with the natives performing it as part of their manhood ritual, leaping from bamboo towers with only wines tied to their ankles. The world’s first Bungee jump, occurred on April Fools Day 1979, when four jumpers performed a completely unauthorized leap, simultaneously from Bristol’s Clifton Suspension Bridge using elasticized rubber ropes. Soon after, red-blooded adrenaline seekers across the world embraced this thrilling and intriguing new sport that owes everything to plain, raw nerve! It is quite a safe sport, as all the equipment used in the whole operation applies a fundamental "redundancy" principle throughout and the procedures include rigorous double checking very much like a pilots preflight check routine. The Bungee jumping crew combines extensive practical experience, with theoretical familiarization with procedures and equipment.
India is also fast catching up with this thrilling sport. Several organizers are coming up with Bungee Jumping in various parts of the country.

In Delhi, you can contact:
MICKEY’S BUNGEE – Wanderlust
M-51,52 Palika Bhawan,
Opp. Hyatt Regency,
R.K.Puram,
New Delhi – 110066 (India)
Website:www.wanderlustindia.com

Diving, Windsurfing, Yachting, Scuba Diving and Snorkeling 

Those visiting Goa will find ample opportunity to indulge in all kinds of water sports. However, serious H2O freaks should head for the sparkling blue (and strictly preserved) waters of the Andamans and Lakshwadeep Islands. The Andamans offers some excellent locations for snorkeling; it is better to bring your own equipment though. Scuba diving is the in-thing in the Andamans nowadays and schools offering diving courses have mushroomed all over the place. The best is easily the Port Blair Underwater Diver Center in the South Andamans that offers an internationally recognized PADI affiliated Open Water Diver Certificate course.

Lakshwadeep also has its fair share of scuba diving schools – the best known is the Poseidon Neptune School. In Lakshwadeep you can also try windsurfing, parasailing, water-skiing, snorkeling and deep-sea fishing.

River Running and Kayaking

The best-known whitewater river running courses in India are the Ganges (from Rishikesh) and the Beas (from Manali). The Ganga is a more popular stretch with several interesting patches like the golf course and so on. However, to the initiated rafter, this might seem like tame stuff. They might find the swifter Beas, with its unpredictable temper, a much better challenge.
For a truly unforgettable (and tumultuous!) experience don't miss the Indus (in Ladakh) and Zanskar (in Zanskar) rivers. If you're lucky you might even catch the night rafting, when the runners raft by the light of the full moon – which casts eerie shadows all over the flat Himalayan desertland. Heady, no less.
In Sikkim, you can raft on the Teesta river. However the Teesta is definitely not for beginners and strictly for those people who are looking for a little adventure in rafting.
Other rivers you can raft on are the Sutlej, Chenab, Tons and so on.
Kayaking is becoming increasingly popular in India and you can try it on the Beas. 

Camel Safaris

Game for something a little different? Riding a camel can take getting used to – think the first time you tried sitting cross-kneed. It’s not like an elephant ride where you sit back comfortably and let the animal do the rest. Be prepared for sore ankles and knees. It will be better if you try a one-day safari before getting on to anything major. One of the first people to think up camel safaris were – surprise, surprise – the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC), in Jaisalmer. Now there are a whole lot of them, retracing the paths that once traders used to take on their way to business. The popular circuits now are based in Pushkar, Bikaner and Shekhawati.

Elephant Safaris

Hark back to good old days of the sahibs and shikari by trying an elephant safari. An elephant might seem like this huge, intimidating beast but they are quite gentle really. Those with vertigo might feel slightly giddy when the animal stands up and starts moving – but it's all a matter of seconds, very soon you'll get used to the swaying motion of the elephant's gait. Howdahs, the seats on which you will sit, might seem high up in the list of things most-likely-to-break-apart – rest assured, thousands have sat and lived to tell the tale!
Elephant safaris are popular in the various wildlife sanctuaries scattered all over India and in the forestlands of Kerala. It is the best way to see wildlife from close quarters. Despite their size, elephants can move soundlessly and can even sneak right up to an unsuspecting tiger. Contact individual local authorities and operators for details

Horse Safaris

Trekking, Mountaineering & Skiing

Trekking and mountaineering freaks never had it so good. The Himalayas which span all over North India offer excellent opportunities to serious trekkers and mountaineers. In some areas trekking and mountaineering permits may be required – these can be easily organized by tour operators.
Right now the dramatic Himalayan deserts of Ladakh and the lush Garhwal hills are especially popular with trekkies. However, trekking on your own in the treacherous Himalayas is strictly not recommended. It is better to organize your trek through local or Delhi-based companies who know their terrain and business better. Seasons for trekking vary in different areas and the local authorities will be able to advice you on this.
Several local tour operators offer trekking equipment and reliable guides. Mountaineering seasons also vary in various places, so please check with local tourism authorities. The Mountaineering Institute and Allied Sports Complex, about a km out of Manali in Himachal Pradesh, will offer assistance to anyone interested in mountaineering in that part of the Himalayas.
At one time you could have skied right in the Kashmir valley, in Gulmarg – though not now due to the troubled political situation. The premier skiing resort now is in Auli near Josimath (western UP). You can contact local tour operators who offer excellent packages. The season is from January to March-end. Other skiing resorts are at Solang, near Manali, and in Kufri and Narkanda near Shimla. These are however not very developed. In Solang Valley, near Manali you can also do ballooning; the season for this is usually in summer.

Para Gliding