Uttarakhand’s tourism sector has started to reopen gradually.
One of the key aspects that is set to play a major role in the revival is adventure tourism, as pointed out by Dilip Jawalkar, secretary, Uttarakhand Tourism.
Located in northern India, Uttarakhand serves as an ideal destination for adventure buffs.
Those looking to visit the state for some adrenaline-pumping activities, Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB) recommends the following:
White Water River Rafting in Rishikesh: Tourists can either plan for half to one day trip or four to a five-day trip, depending on their choice of rapids. One can also opt to stay in the picturesque river rafting camps set up along riverside and beaches.
Best time to visit: From mid-September to December and from early March to May.
Water Sports in Tehri Lake: The lake plays host to a number of exciting water sports activities, including boating, jet speed boat ride, water skiing, zorbing and banana boat ride among others.
Best time to visit: Summer months of April to June.
Trekking: Popular trekking destinations are Kagbhusandi trek, Chandrashila trek, Deoria Tal trek, Roopkund trek, Valley of Flowers trek and Pindari Glacier to name a few.
Best time to visit: Varies from trek to trek, but ideally one should avoid the monsoon season due to risk of landslides.
Bungee Jumping in Rishikesh: Conveniently situated in Mohan Chatti in Rishikesh, Jumpin Heights is the highest bungee jumping spot in the country.
Best time to visit: Any time of the year, though it is advisable to avoid it in monsoon.
Wildlife Safari: Corbett and Rajaji National Parks are known for wildlife safaris. These safaris are done in several zones by means of authorised jeeps and on elephant back.
Best time to visit: From November to February.
Other adventure activities include skiing and paragliding. The Auli Ski Resort offers good facilities for skiing and paragliding can be done at Naukuchiatal, Bhimtal and Pithoragarh.
Elaborating on the measures taken to boost tourism, Jawalkar said:
“UTDB has been coming up with several schemes during the revival period to support various sectors in the tourism industry.
“To ease the travel of visitors coming to Uttarakhand, we have removed all kinds of movement restrictions for tourists having the mandatory Covid-19 negative test report. Such people are allowed to enter the state and stay in a hotel for any number of days they want.
“We are also planning to deploy tourist facilitation counters at all important state borders and provide an on-the-spot testing facility to visitors not carrying the Covid-19 negative test reports.”
