Outdoor Camping

We reached there in evening at 4pm, after settling we went for jeep safari, which was separately charged.

After jeep safari we were welcomed in traditional way after welcome we sat in a round dance where there was bonfire in middle and on other side local singers and dancer were ready to perform for us.

They performed of local Rajasthani songs. At 8.30pm our dinner was ready in buffet, it was a separate dinning tent. The food was good Rajasthani food with dal, batti, churma and mix veg, and butter paneer.

After dinner we enjoyed dance on DJ songs and dancers.

At 10 pm we went sleep as we had to wake early to enjoy our camel ride at sun rise guys if was so real and calming for me as slow wind blowing and you are on camel it feels so good in morning.

At 9 pm we had breakfast and after taking shower we checked out with memories in heart.

you can reach easly by your car, rented bike or pulbic bus. it is road side resort with parking facility

Awesome weekend trek and kojagiri celebration at Rajgad fort. This time we had trek with friends as well as spouses and kids.

This is the first time, we were taking our kids for the trekking with overnight camping. Hence selected the easier route (than the one we take regularly) to climb i.e. from Pali darwaja. All the 4 kids managed to hike it well without any trouble to their parents.

Kids (Mrunmayee Masurkar - 7 yrs, Atharva Kolhe - 6 yrs, Siddhiksha Nimbalkar - 5 yrs and Shlok Kolhe - 3 yrs) enjoyed the trek, camping in tents, morning fun and food as well.

Dinner menu (Veg sweet corn soup with papad, methi paratha and khichadi) was awesome and we let Viraj and Bhagyashree handle the cooking fortress while we remain in supporting role. Post dinner, kids (except Mru) went to sleep quickly. We played card games for an hour and then enjoyed the badam keshar milk, special menu for Kojagiri Pournima

It all started as a day’s fun and everyone came up with options like Goa, Mahabaleshwar, Matheran etc. We had to go for an outing together. Soon, we realized that we have hardly 1 night and 2 days stay and should plan accordingly.

It had to be some sort of adventure sports and hence all agreed upon DANDELI, Karnataka. I always had on mind to go to Dandeli for water rafting and was so excited to hear this name!! Yes that’s the place and we all started working on the accommodation and travel plans.

Dandeli in Karnataka is known for its White water rafting through the river Kali. We booked Tempo Traveler for 12 and soon we were on our way. We started at around 10 P.M. on a Friday night. No one was in a mood to sleep. Hence, we started playing Games and Antakshari and by 3 A.M. we were all down. Let me tell you, having smoking Chai at roadside dhabas while travelling is so much fun especially in the night. Finally slept for few hours and when opened my eyes, I saw we are halted at some dhabaa. I looked at the watch. It was 6:30 A.M. This was our 4th or 5th tea of the night.

After around 360 kilometers, we left NH4 and took the State highway-1 towards Dandeli. Since then the road was getting narrower and could hardly find any shops around. We reached Dandeli resort at around 9:30 Morning. It was quite a long travel and with no sleep. But the resort brought the excitement back and we rushed in and out of our rooms within no time. Tasty parathas were waiting for us and some chai again.

Adventure sports at Dandeli:

The Resort had so many options for outdoor activities and we were thrilled, wanting to do each one of them. As we know Lot of minds end up in mess. We almost did something similar. But then decided to take it easy and instead of all of them we will do few activities but spend time and enjoy it!

Kayaking in Dandeli -

Kayaking is use of Kayak for moving across water :-) wowww wikipedia gives such dumb definition sometimes: although It was great fun. We were waiting for our turn and the person in front of us lost his balance while getting into his Kayak. That made me think a bit but all was comfortable from then on. We managed to get on to the Kayak and since then we just enjoyed the sport! Few in our team even compete against each other. It was fun to watch them.

Natural Jacuzzi in Dandeli -

This is nothing but some stylish name to sitting in river water and enjoying the light stream of water flowing around you. We spent most of our time in water. It was so relaxing; we could spend hours in there. Splashing water over each other, clicking photos, playing truth and dare, it was fun time!

Supa Dam visit in Dandeli -

Supa dam being the second largest dam in the state is built on the river Kali. It was nearby from our resort and also with some influence available, we could not miss visiting the dam. It was awesome and one of the highlight of our trips. Have never seen a dam from the top. Could manage it this time thanks to my friends.

The most exciting part of the trip, fresh water rafting. It starts from a place called Ganesh Gudi, 20 km from Dandeli. On the way we saw Supa dam, the biggest dam among the series of dams built on Kali River.

We were introduced to the rules of the rafting and after wearing the life jackets and helmet, we were on the raft.

Very soon, we were at the first rapid and also the biggest one. We could feel the rush of adrenaline as the raft slid into the rapid. Bad part was that i could capture these events in my camera. All along the rafting, we just needed to follow the instructions by the trainer. We passed through some nine rapids and in some places where the water was placid, we jumped into the river. The rafting lasted for about 1.5 hours and it was an experience to remember.

Everyone was kind of exhausted and journey was bit hectic and extensive considering that we took almost 12 hours to reach back home.

Dandeli is well known for Adventure sports and especially White river water rafting.

Best time to visit - Ask the locals about the water levels. Entire trip depends on it.

Stay in Dandeli - Bison River Resort Bison river resort Feedback - Activities availability - Yes and good. Experience with activities - We tried Kayaking and natural Jacuzzi. Thoroughly enjoyed it! Resort quality and service - Good. Food Quality - Bad Price - Expensive food. Stay is fine. But we don't have other food options. So overall EXPENSIVE Would I refer anyone for it - Try out other resort. Hopefully it would turn out better and cheaper.

About Author: I work as a software engineer in British Telecom. I am passionate about traveling and long drives.

Coming to the Easter break, I decided that something had to be done with the ten days and spending the entire stretch inside my attic didn’t seem to be a good idea. It was decided to check out the Northern lakes of Italy. There were two of them in the list, Como and Maggiore. The deciding factors were ticket prices and weather forecast.

It was sulky weather everywhere in Italy that weekend. The only hopeful one seemed to be places surrounding Lake Maggiore where weather websites foretold the probability of precipitation to be just 20% which was better compared to 40-60% in Como.

Saturday morning. Turin was drenched in a steady drizzle from the previous day. Fine mist of a rain it was. Cars sped past with headlights peering into the fading misty darkness, a hesitant dawn. With merely an hour or so of sleep the night before, I doubted whether I would stay away during the journey. So we started off, 3 with one trailing behind from Porta Nuova at about 7 in the morning.

At Novara, where we had to change the train, rain displayed no signs of receding. Everything was damp, cold and gloomy. The journey from Novara to Arona was humdrum, with the sights of the northern villages and patches of desolate deciduous woods, which assume a depressing appearance in winter.

I must confess that despite my often declared dislike for the country, south of India still lives somewhere inside me, making me acutely aware of its influence on occasions like these. The train journeys back home, lashing merciless rains that seep in through the imperfect pull down shutters of rail coaches, one glass shutter and one metal shutter, the sight of swaying dark green foliage desperately fighting rain and thunderstorm. A bedlam of sounds from hawking cries of tea, raindrops pelleting train’s roof to the steady rhythm of sound made by metal wheels on metal rail.

A friend had commented long back, “It’s the inherent craving for chaos that lives inside Indians”. The lake started being visible by the time our train reached Arona. Blanketed with a heavy mist and the steady rain, it was just a part of the shore that we could figure out through the blurry windows.

It was not a crowded station. We ventured out braving the rain. Lake stretched before us, mild mist letting only a hazy view of its banks on the other side. There was a friendly girl at the local tourism office near the train station who suggested us to try the place Stressa if we wanted more stay options. Stresa too was on the shores of Lake Maggiore, and was about 20 minutes drive from Arona. She suggested that we take the bus instead of the train, which offered a better view and cost just about €2.5.

Wandering around Arona in the rain to pass time till our bus to Stresa started, froze the last bit of warmth out of me and that’s when I discovered the Italian magic portion that goes by the name of “Café Correto”. It is a normal espresso coffee spiced up with a shot of a grape based pomace brandy called grappa. As far as my taste was concerned, it was an agonizing drink to consume, but the moment it gets inside, you start thanking your stars for having discovered it. Strong coffee kills sleep, perking you up and grappa shoots heat into every cell of the body.

Journey in the bus was fascinating especially with just three of us as passengers. Meandering roads traced the shoreline of Maggiore which was still enveloped by mist. Bus sped past buildings along the shore most of which had piers and a couple of boats tied to them. It dropped us at the ferry point of Stresa. There was a trackless sightseeing train that took people on a city tour which I wanted to try out but had to give in to the group plan to go to the islands first by boat.

As we walked to the boats, a tall guy in a uniform (with a fancy naval cap) approached us and sternly asked us whether we were planning to go to the islands as there was a boat leaving in five minutes. Before we could agree upon it, he hurried off and directed us to follow him which we did, like a bunch of school kids. From a desk placed in a hole in the wall type structure, he tore down three tickets and demanded €60 (€20 each) for two islands. We obediently complied and he set us scuttling off to a boat which we promptly boarded. All this happened in about 5 minutes and by the time we realized that he made jackasses out of us, our boat was already on its way to the islands.

There were many operators and this boat was just one of them. It was not like the last boat to the islands. And cost of the ride was €18 but the guy had impressively managed to beat us off €2 each. I did, however, admire the way he did it. Maybe he had a whole repertoire of strategies from which he picked up one titled “authoritarian” and tried on us. And it worked.

The gloom of this setback was somewhat subdued with sight of our first island. Apparently, these islands, referred together as Borromean Islands, comprises of three small ones and two islets. Among these, we were to visit only Isola dei Pescatoriand Isola Bella as our €20 only covered them.

Isola dei Pescatori, which we stepped on first was a fishing island with a permanent population. It had beautiful narrow cobbled streets albeit being sandwiched by too many stalls selling fancy stuff to tourists. By dusk, we returned to Stresa and having nothing much to do, hunted around for a reasonable Bread and Breakfast place. We finally fixed on one run by an old lady somewhat a bit away from the main road and got out after a much needed nap to roam around the place in the night.

It was here that I saw the moon in its most outrageous size. Huge, yellow and spotted, it resembled a roughly cut lump of cheese illuminated by a dim bulb. But that was really a great night, walking aimlessly though the shores of Maggiorewith that huge yellow moon above, the sprawling lake beside and the snow capped Alps beyond.

About Author:

I am a lawyer by profession who has quit practicing law and presently engaged in teaching. Being a rolling stone, I keep drifting around focusing more on travelling and less on being riveted to any place. I save enough money every year to do a bit of mountaineering in the summer. I am passionate about mountaineering. I do a lot of climbing around Gharwal Himalayas. Love testing hi altitude gear. Last year, I tested a basic 2K Quechua tent high on Gharwal Himalayas in blizzard. I travel a lot. I also do a little bit of mountain biking. I have explored Ketam Mountain Biking Park (Singapore) just a month back. I am also a mechanical gadget freak. I love fixing mechanical things. This includes a long list of things from alarm clocks to cars. I collect outdated gadgets, mechanical and electronic. I read a lot, especially surreal stuff like Murakami.

Har Ki Dun Valley is a cradle shaped hanging valley in the Garhwal Himalayas. It is surrounded by snow-covered peaks and alpine vegetation. It is connected to Baspa Valley by the Borasu Pass This valley is at an altitude of approx 3500 m above mean sea level and is snow-covered during October to March.

The valley is around 25 km from Taluka. The trek to the valley starts from Taluka village and passes through Gangaad, Osala, and Seema. It is a 2-day trek usually done in two stages. First stage is from Taluka to Seema/Osla, and second stage is from Seema/Osla to Har Ki Dun. Return route is the same. It is also possible to complete return journey in a single day, however it can physically demanding. There is a shop and a small restaurant at Taluka, where trekkers can buy eatables like biscuits and wafers etc.

Authors Take:

Har ki Dun also refereed as Tons valley by British who discovered its route back in the 19th century was my first Himalayan Trek. It is a popular Beginners trek for the Himalayan trekkers. The valley of Har-Ki-Dun falls in the Western Garwal Himalayas bordering Himachal Pradesh. The trek is a wonder in itself with lust greenery, ice caped legendry peaks, vibrancy of colors all around with flowers blooming and serenity of the mind, glancing at the views, snowy mountains, peaks, dense forest, waterfalls, bugyals (high altitude meadows), wildlife and rare Himalayan birds.

You can view the majestic peaks of Swargarohni, Bandarpoonch and Kala Nag from a close range. For ages, the land has been known for temples and shrines with sacred mythological attachments, Duryodhna, the eldest of Kaurvas, is worshipped here, This trek route is virtually a paradise for the botanists, bird watchers, photographers, nature lovers, foot loose trekkers and anyone interested in exploring and learning in an unconventional way, in short, the more you trek in this area, the more curious you get to know more which has not yet been written and only found in tales and lories.

A single route trek, you go up and come down from the same trail and an all year round trek too…U can hop on for an adventure anytime of the year …Summers or winters always open for you to visit. The purpose of the trek is to expose the great adventure and to rough out the rigors of plodding through snow with a sense of love for nature and outdoor recreational activity. So trek, explore, learn and excite others who listen to your pep talk.

I have learned a lot on this journey of Himalayan Trek…there is still lots to learn & explore in life….These following lines by Edmond Hillary which he wrote after failing twice (looking at Mt. Everest.) inspires me:

“I’ll come again & conquer you… because, as a mountain you cannot grow… But as a Human I can…”

Thank you Mountains for teaching the best lessons of life…be bold, be thoughtful yet beautiful….!!

About Author:

Hi I am Shila Kunji, Architect by profession. I am passionate about Traveling, photography, gardening, reading. I love doing it. I am very passionate about trekking too… I am a life member of youth hostel association of India & I most go trekking with them.

My family took a short trip to Jim Corbett national park between 12th November and 15th November this year. It was a very pleasant experience and we had a really good time relaxing in midst of nature. We stayed at a very comfortable and luxury resort called “the golden tusk”. It is situated in midst of the Jim Corbett national park and the jungle safari starts just 15minutes away from the resort, convenience coupled with luxury.

The resort has very comfortable suites/rooms which are beautifully spread in the resort's main compound dominated by a huge garden that has some rare plants, vegetable gardens, swings and a simply adorable swimming pool with the view of mountain. The resort itself offers a good amount of activities to keep one busy or entertained.

The swimming pool area is very well maintained and there is separate pool for kids and also a Jacuzzi. So our morning started with swimming and some water games followed by a refreshing breakfast. The menu for all the three meals was quite extensive.

The buffet system is well organised and the waiters serve you on table as well. After a stomach full of breakfast we played some indoor games like table tennis, carom and chess. The games room is very well equipped with options for kids as well as youngsters and old age people. We also played badminton, the court is big and they have enough equipment. They have a small activity zone which includes a burma bridge for kids, a rappling wall and few other adventure installations for kids.

As our resort was just 15 mins away from jungle safari spot, the resort organised a jeep for us and we spent couple of hours inside jungle full of wild animals. Make sure you take a prior permit for jungle safari. On our way back we enjoyed some local samosas with tea. The resort was beautifully lit during night and they organized bonfire and musical chair for the guests.

Jim corbett is a very prime location, Nainital is 2-3 hours drive away and can be covered in one day. We did so the next day and it also went smooth and joyous. The following night the resort organised music show and tam-bola for the guests, we made most of these group activities and spent some memorable time with each other.

One of the most interesting things about living in middle of the jungle is that we get to hear all kinds of noises of the wild animals especially in the night time. The howling of jackals are one of the constant sounds in the night sky and gave a very interesting elements to the nature stay.

Overall it is a must have trip for anyone especially for people living in Delhi NCR, it is one of the best week end get aways. A family trip can bring a lot of love and affections among themselves. And it is one such family trip which every family should take.

About Author: I am a media professional I am passionate about travelling and exploring various untouched places.

Hampta Pass is a beginners delight in every possible way, be it easy accessibility, mystical pine forest, mesmerizing meadows, adrenaline pumping river crossings and a high altitude mountain pass. It is named after the Hampta village situated in there; shepherds and villagers used the pass to enter in Lahaul Spiti valley of Himachal. This has been traditionally the alternate route between Lahaul and Kullu Valley before the road was built over Rohtang Pass.

Day1: The trail for the trek began once we crossed the hydel power project buildings. We started walking through the magical pine forest. After some time, with a mild gradient we ascended a wooden bridge to cross a beautiful sparkling fresh water stream. It was a beautiful location for photography. We had a Photography / Lunch break on the banks of the stream. We could not wait to grab the opportunity to capture the beauty of the location in our camera. We walked further along the banks of the river for about couple hours to reach Chikka (Camp site). The location of the camp site was right at the middle of a riverbed of two streams flowing along side. We could hear the burble of stream the whole night. I would like to introduce our team here. We are independent small group of people from different parts of the country; began as strangers and befriended by end of the trek. Day2: The weather was pleasantly cold since it was summer (June end). Moreover, we got acclimatized during the base camp too. After a nice nap in the lap of Mother Nature, we began to ascend to our next destination Balu Ka Gera (Balu ka Gera means heap of sand) which is about 4-5 hours gradual ascent from Chikka. We played dump charades and had good fun; almost everyone was known to each other on this day. Day3: I must confess that this is the D(difficult)-day since our ascent to Hampta Pass (4100m) in extreme climatic conditions. The day started with rain and cold breeze and then started snowing. The entire day’s ascent continued under the snow. It was a daunting task for us to make our way through. Some of the members got terribly exhausted. We are thankful to our trek lead and the porters for their support to help us cross the snow laden pass. The ascent was getting harder and more difficult since it was getting steeper and slippery due to snow fall. After descending for an hour, the humongous snow laden valley appeared in front us. We were all awestruck by the sight and realized that our snow sliding dream will come true here. The day was full of twists and turns☺ and finally came to an end. We reached our camp site named Shiagoru which is in spiti valley.

Day 4: The fourth day was a great Himalayan blessing. Almighty was kind. There was no drizzle and the sky was bright and clear. We moved towards Chatru. We had to cross the Chandra River. This river starts from the high altitude lake called "Chandrataal".

Day 5 [End of Trek]: This was the last day of our journey towards the crescent lake chandrataal also called Moon Lake. This is one of the motorable lakes in the Himachal region.

About Author: Author is an engineer by profession and a hardcore traveler. Being an outdoor person, his hobbies are trekking, Photography, Playing games and reading books. Apart from this, he does spent some time for social causes like Tree plantation, Cleanup activities etc.