Living
in a metropolitan requires a lot out of your life. You need to keep
working, and pushing, and running to stay in the rat race. To be at the
top is everyone's endeavour; to survive everyday's challenges is
everybody's goal. But if you keep straining so much there will come a
breaking point, the way you don't continuously run a machine for the
fear of overheating you cannot force your body to keep working.
Everybody needs a break. Everyone has to relax.
With
the number of gazetted holidays on the rise and some falling before or
after the weekends you can plan a recreational weekend getaway for your
family to take the edge off. We have compiled a list of 10 adventurous
places within easy reach of the capital where you can escape off to and
forget about your stressful life within Delhi/NCR.
The
starting point of the sacred "Char Dham Yatra", this holy city is known
for the Ganges flowing with life giving force. You can take a bus and
reach in a span of 5-6 hours or simply drive to this sanctuary of all
that is held in sanctity and enjoy a day or two of complete relaxation
or adventure.
Since
the flow of the river Ganges is pretty fierce here you can do all sorts
of water activities and take part in water sports, like river rafting,
river crossing, kayaking, canoeing, etc. You can go body surfing in the
calmer parts of the river or cliff jumping into the fresh water. One can
even try bungee jumping here at "Jumping Heights", which is the tallest
bungee tower in India. Other activities include trekking, rock
climbing, rappelling, wildlife walks, etc.
CORBETT NATIONAL PARK
Established
in 1936, this is India's oldest national park. An abode for the
majestic tiger it offers a quaint weekend retreat for utter relaxation.
You can put up at the many resorts around the sanctuary. The resorts too
offer packages for fun activities like hot air ballooning, river
crossing, etc. You can also go camping in the wild environs and the
safari which takes you through the heart of Corbett is always the
favorite choice amongst all the tourists.
SATTAL
It's
a small hamlet 22km from Nainital, raised at an elevation of 1370m
(4000ft). The name "Sattal" literally means 7 lakes. There is a network
of 7 interconnected freshwater lakes in this region, which is surrounded
by grand oaks and sentinel pines. The place is amazing for trekking and
camping and other adventurous activities.
You can go fishing here, row a boat, watch exotic birds, etc. and enjoy the hospitality of the smiling faces of the locals.
MANALI
Situated
at 2000m above the sea level, Manali has emerged as a famous hill
station resort over the years with the increase in tourism. A popular
destination for the newlyweds with a plethora of choices in cosy lodges
and resorts, Manali is also frequented by families for a beautiful
getaway from the polluted air of the cities. There a lot of recreational
activities you can indulge in like camping, skiing at Rohtang Pass, yak
safari, trekking, rafting, etc. One cannot miss the chance to take a
relaxing dip into the sulphur springs of Vashisht or go to Solang valley
for adventure activities.
MUSSOORIE
Mussoorie
is called the "Queen of Hills" and is made famous by Ruskin Bond's many
books featuring the eerie Mall road and foggy paths. It was a hill
retreat of the British and is said to be haunted by the spirits of the
departed patrons. It is quite an adventure if you believe in ghosts and
want to visit haunted places.
Apart
from the eerie surroundings, Mussoorie has a lively social life and
great trails for nature walks, treks, and sightseeing. You can visit the
Kempty Falls and splash about or take the trolley up to Gun Hills or
simply hike to Lake Mist.
BHARATPUR
Situated
in Rajasthan, this place is most famous for the Keoladeo National Park
also known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary where you can spend a relaxed
weekend looking for birds like the Siberian Crane and many more, as
they undertake their migration from the colder climates up north to lay
eggs in the warmer climates of the tropics.
Apart from bird watching you can visit the local heritage sites and find out about the Jat history of the place.
DAMDAMA LAKE
It's
a reservoir lake built at Sohna in Gurgaon and is fed by rainwater
running off the Aravali range. The best time to visit this place is
October till March. There are many adventure sports facilities around
the lake like, parasailing, kayaking, angling, cycling and walking
around the Aravalis, rock climbing, etc.
There
are also sulphurous hot water springs around the lake which have a
mythological back history which says that Pandava prince Arjuna shot an
arrow into the ground to extract water because he was thirsty.
DEHRADOON
The
adventure hub, Dehradoon is nestled between the two arteries of India
i.e. the Ganges and the Yamuna rivers. It is a pleasant place for
trekking, walking around, sightseeing, etc. You should totally
experience the rejuvenating waters of "Sahastradhara", which literally
means a thousand streams. There are numerous dripping pores which form a
sulphurous lake at their base. It is said to be created by Dronacharya
and is known to have healing properties.
LANSDOWNE
This
is a small hill station located in the Pauri-Garhwal district and is
not over developed like other hill stations. It's a quaint little place
perfect for an enervating outing with your family. You can trek through
the misty, jade green woods, enjoy the fauna, and breathe in the non
polluted air of this place. You can visit the places like the "Jwalpa
Devi Temple", " Durga Devi Temple", "Tarkeshwar Mahadev", "Karnava
Ashram", etc.
Try
out the local sweets like chocolate which is not the cocoa sweets you
buy. Also taste a local sweet called the “BAL Mithai" which is their
special chocolate sprinkled with sugar balls.
BHANGARH
274km
and one hell of a journey away, lies Bhangarh nestled among hills on
three sides and a narrow pathway approaching the main gate on one. The
place if ripe with rumors of being haunted by the spirit of one jilted
magician who fell in love with the queen of the Bhangarh Fort. Being
snubbed by Her Highness the lover is said to have cursed the town which
is said to have led to its ruined condition of today.
This
is a very eerie place and great for a ghost busting adventure trip if
you are of a more solid countenance. Take the road to this allegedly
haunted place and we are sure you will forget all about your tensions
back home.
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