India is blessed with great mountain ranges. Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim are home to some fascinating and difficult mountains.

Trekking

The vast mountain ranges of India are some of the most stunning and fascinating areas of the world to visit. As they are often not linked by roads, they can also be the most inaccessible and tricky places to get to. The best is to explore them is by trekking across these picturesque valleys.

Trekking involves moving from one valley to another by crossing high mountain passes. The hilly terrain of India offers some magnificent and action-packed trekking routes. There is boundless potential for trekking expeditions in the vast landscape of the Indian Himalayas and the Karakorams. Uttaranchal, Himachal Pardesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim, Nilgiri Hills, Ghats of Maharashtra have some spectacular treks which have become quite popular due to their incredible scenic beauty.

Skiing

Welcome to the world of skiing. If you haven't tried your hand at skiing then you absolutely must. During the last decade the sport of skiing has really picked up in India. The biggest reason for that is the discovery of excellent locales and easy access to the latest ski equipment. The facilities are world class and the ski slopes are of international standards Some of the best ski locales in India are the Gharwal Hills, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and the north eastern parts of India which have become the favorite ski hideouts of adventure sports lovers. The government organizations listed below offer certificate courses in skiing.

Rock Climbing

Participants climb up or across natural rock formations or man-made rock walls with the goal of reaching the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route. The climber makes use of his hands to hold his weight as well as to provide balance.

Rock climbing is a physically and mentally demanding sport, one that often tests a climber's strength, endurance, agility, and balance along with his or her mental control. It can be dangerous and knowledge of proper climbing techniques and usage of specialised climbing equipment is crucial for the safe completion of routes.

Places like Badami (Karnataka), Humpi (Karnataka), Ramanagara (Karnataka), rock formations near Manali (Himachal Pradesh), rock formations near Uttarkashi (Uttaranchal) are fabulous for natural rock climbing.

Angling

India has a coastline of more than 3000 km and an estimated 55,000 km of lakes, streams, rivers, tributaries and reservoirs, making it an ideal destination for angling. Fishing has come up in a big way due to a sustained effort put in by Department of Fisheries of various states. Avid anglers in western countries have started realising the kind of potential India has in the field of fishing.

For me fishing is an art that requires the finesse of a master painter and the skill of a ballet dancer. You are up against a very smart adversary on its home turf. Skills that you have accumulated over a period of time and patience are the two most important tools that can help you in a successful fishing expedition.

India has become a famous destination for Masheer and Brown/Rainbow trout. People from around the world come to India to test their mettle against these prized creatures of the marine world. Some great places for fresh water angling are the Ramganga River near Jim Corbett National Park, Alaknanada and Ganges near Rishikesh, Giri near Nahan in Himachal Pradesh, Cauvery near Coorg, Thrithan River near Kullu, Lidder in Jammu & Kashmir. If you want to try out sea fishing the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands are the places to go to. There are a good variety of game fish off the coasts of India like Barracuda, Mullet, Perch, Tuna, Marlin, Blue Marlin, Sail Fish and Sear. So, cast your lure and see what you get. Caution: As this is a sport always follow the rule of catch and release.

Paragliding

Man has always been fascinated by the notion of free flight - to soar high in the clouds like a bird. It has captured the imagination of mankind since eternity. You will find mention of flying people and animals in ancient mythology which testifies the extent to which it has enamored us. We have come a long way since the days of Otto Lillienthal who made his first glide on wings like a bat. He had the courage and conviction to follow and achieve his dream of free flight and today he is known as he father of aviation. Because of people like him and many more passionate pioneers we can now enjoy free flight sports like paragliding and hand-gliding. There are a number of sites across India that have been developed as paragliding and hand-gliding destinations. Bir/Billing and Solang in Himachal Pradesh, Dakpathar in Uttranchal, Kamshet in Maharashtra are some great places to experience paragliding.

Scuba Diving

Scuba diving offers you the opportunity to see what life is like below the water in lakes, and oceans. India's vast coastline with crystal clear waters and pristine shores offer a tremendous opportunity for scuba diving enthusiasts. You will experience some of the most fascinating scuba diving and snorkeling destinations that will leave you spellbound.

Get your fill of scuba diving and snorkeling by visiting Andaman and Nicobar in the Bay of Bengal and the Lakshadweep group of islands in the Arabian Sea. Apart from these well known hangouts, there are abundant sites which can be explored to get a unique experience of adventure sports or to put it more aptly, water sports.

White Water Rafting / Kayaking

Rafting is a challenging recreational activity using an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on white water or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers. The development of this activity in India as a adventure sport has become popular since the mid-1990.

An abundance of mountain rivers makes India a world class destination for whitewater rafting. It is a sport for those fascinated by nature and a desire to be a part of it. The gush of the rapids, the tantalizing swirls, lashing of water against the raft and the adrenaline pumping through your body is what river rafting is all about.

Some of the rivers where rafting is possible in India are Ganges (Rishikesh), Indus (Leh),Tista (Sikkim), Beas (Kullu), Tons near Mori village in Uttaranchal, Sutlej in Himachal Pradesh. Please check with the tourism department of the state that you visit for certified dive and white water rafting instructors.

Note to Parents: Apprehensive parents please do not look at adventure sports with dread. Encourage your children to explore India's vast, magnificent and splendid outdoors. The energy, curiosity and excitement of young mind needs to be channeled, to keep them from falling prey to a million temptations and detrimental pursuits, which they barely can avoid, if from no other cause than from sheer boredom. Adventure sports are also a great way to keep fit both in body and mind. Let them, therefore, become bold explorers, caretakers of our pristine natural beauty… men and women of substance.