Travelling to a regular adventure destination has a disadvantage – one finds too many people milling about the place in search of adventure. That can definitely mar the pleasure of going on a holiday, which, in most cases, is to run away from the crowds one has to face daily. No use running away from one crowded place into another! There is a remedy to this problem and, that is, travelling to offbeat adventure destinations. We bring you some almost unknown places of adventure in India:

Tamenglong, Manipur

The district of Tamenglong of Manipur has a lot to offer to the traveller seeking adventure. Orchards, lakes, waterfalls, enigmatic caves and pristine forests are waiting for the adventurer to explore. Of the many caves, the Tharon caves deserve mention. Discovered by the Maharaja of Manipur in 1946, these caves hold evidences of ancient Hobinian culture, traced to North Vietnam. The caves are at a height of about 900 meters above sea level and are very dark, even frightening for the faint hearted. One has to go into the caves with headlamps and expert local guides. After seeing the caves adventure lovers can take boat rides down the rivers and trek down the wildlife sanctuaries nearby.

Formed in the Cretaceous and Eocene period, the Manipur landmass cups many beautiful lakes, one of them being the Zeilad water body complex. Surrounded by dense foliage, the cool, clear, deep water runs along a wavy margin and is home to pythons! The lake is situated on high ground near the Barak River and Barak falls – seven stepped falls over sandstone rocks, a heavenly patchof land on earth! Locally these falls are known as ‘Ashaphum’ – the bridge of the deity of death. This area has a lot of tourist potential and is a place for the adventurous.

Sandakphu – ‘Height of the poison plant’,Bengal

Wild mountains, poisonous plants, paradise for the zealous trekker – this is Sandakphu in the Eastern Himalayas. It is the highest peak in West Bengal and of the Singalila Range. The snow capped mountains and fresh mountain air are a welcome change for people coming from cramped, over-polluted cities. Sandakphu is surrounded by the lofty, snowy peaks of Kanchenjunga, Everest, Lhotes, Makalu and others. The place looks like a veritable Garden of Eden in spring, with rhododendrons and magnolias in full bloom, complemented with more than 600 kinds of orchards.

The trek to Sandakphu starts from a place called Manebhanjan, which is a small village at about 7000 feet above the sea. The trek up Sandakphu is arduous, but worth the effort. The route passes through the Singalila national park, where one can catch sight of the rare Pangolins and Red Pandas.Once on top of the peak, the traveler is captivated by the beauty of the ancient; towering mountains and the interplay of light and shadows at sky-grazing heights. Go on and catch the setting sun at Sandakphu on a trek of a lifetime!

Chandipur, Orissa

Do you like magic? Well, if you want to see magic performed by nature, the place to visit is Chandipur-on-sea. This a place by the sea where the waters play hide and seek – they recede by up to 5 km at low tide and flow back again at high tide! Once the waters have receded, a firm, pebbled, drivable beach is revealed down which one can enjoy the thrill of chasing the truant sea. The beach is dotted with red crabs and lovely shells. One can also find starfish and other sea treasures. With Casaurina trees and ‘creepered’ dunes, the Chandipur beach is indeed pretty.

A place of peace, solitude, marvel and adventure, Chandipur-on-sea has something for everyone. Adventure sports like boating and parasailing are available by the sea at Chandipur. The waters are calm and wading in the sea is safe, even for children. This place is heaven for the seafood lover as prawns, crabs, and fish, deliciously cooked, are available cheap and a-plenty!

Vihigaon Falls – Western Ghats, Maharashtra

Is rappelling down a fast flowing waterfall your kind of holiday? Visit Vihigaon falls in Maharashtra and have the rappelling adventure of a lifetime! The Vihigaon Falls are steep monsoon-fed falls, crashing down 120 feet off a rocky edge. The hike down to the falls through the forest is amazing and the roar of the mammoth falls fills the heart with a desire to jump into the descending waters.

Rappelling down the Vihigaon Falls is a heavenly experience! With a rope tied to the body, suspended from an overhanging boulder, one has to bounce down the waterfall – it is simply exhilarating! For those first timers, there is really nothing to fear. Just hold onto the rope and ease yourself down the falls gently. Of course, do not forget to get yourself an expert guide and instructor. For those who are experts, The Vihigaon Falls definitely promise the excitement, thrill and enjoyment you are looking for.

Drass, Jammu and Kashmir

Care for a chilly holiday? Go to Drass, the second coldest inhabited place in the world. Little was known about Drass before 1999. The region gained recognition after the India-Pakistan Kargilwar. Ironically, war brought prosperity to Drass in its aftermath. The region was fortified by the Indian army; houses were built for the locals, and tourists started trickling in. Extending from the Zojila Pass – a formidable pass with frequent snowstorms – the Drass valley is the gateway to Ladakh. With cloud covered mountains, flower decked valleys and small villages scattered along the slopes, the Drass Valley offers a lot to the adventure tourist.

Drass is a small town and walking is the best way to explore it. It is the base camp for a trek to Suru Valley across the mountain range. Through Drass run trek routes and short cuts to villages and towns sprinkled across the mountains. Mountaineers and trekkers use Drass as a stopover to others places. But, Drass is a tourist destination in its own right, offering a ‘chill n thrill’ combo to the visitor.

Which adventure destination would you choose? Or do you have an adventure destination that we don’t know about, let us know in the comments section!

Anjali Nayyar

Anjali loves to read, philosophize, travel and spend time with her family. With a Masters in Sociology, Anjali ended up as a writer instead of a sociologist. She believes that writing is a channel through which one can express one's innermost self and express one's uniqueness, the gift of life, for all to savor.

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