The marvellous scenery, thrilling adventure spots and the varied Geographical and climatic options in India are a welcome attraction to every adventure sports lover from the world over.

The mighty Himalayan Mountains, filled with the world’s most spectacular valleys, verdant green woods, gurgling rivers and magnificent cascades present awe-inspiring opportunities to trekkers, hikers and water-sport adventurers.

Whilst the stunning Southern hilly Western Ghats of the South, wild jungles of Gir in the East, Sunderbans in the West and Bandipur in the South, are home to the most sought after jungle safaris, some of the most popular adventure treks which are accessible, challenging and offer amazing views of Nature’s bounties are listed here with accompanying facts and data. Every adventure traveller would find them certainly alluring!

LIST OF TOP 5 MOST POPULAR TREKS IN INDIA:

KUMARA PARVATA TREK:

Located in the Pushpagiri range of the Western Ghats, at an altitude of 1712Metres (5616 feet, 9.575 inches), the second highest peak in Coorg, in the state of Karnataka. Girdled by lush green vegetation and abundant Nature, a green canopy of woody ambience takes us to an entirely new world. The trek begins from Bangalore. After about 6 and a half hours drive, you reach Coorg. You could begin the trek at Coorg early in the morning. Travel advice would be to carry a light lunch pack along, as it would take a good eight and a half hours of trekking to reach the peak. There are no food outlets anywhere between Bhatramane and Beedahalli. On reaching the summit, enchanting views await you. Make sure that you reach the base camp by 7.30 pm in the evening, at the latest. Spend the night at the base camp.  The next day, as you embark on your return journey back to Bangalore, you could visit the nearby water-fall and a place called ‘Kukke’, which is a legendary temple town devoted to Lord Subramanya. It would take about four and a half hours duration from the KP base camp to reach Bangalore. The best time for trekking to the Kumara Parvata would be between the months of October and January. An absolutely exciting trek awaits you in the cradle of Western Ghats!

Image Source By Debashish Mishra (Flickr)

HAMPTA PASS – CHANDRATAAL TREK:

The Hampta Pass-Chandrataal trek, is a popular adventure trail amidst the thick, woody terrain, green valleys, babbling brooks and rocky mountains of the scenic state of Himachal Pradesh. The trek is a moderately challenging one. The best suited time of the year to undertake this trek is between the months of May and September. The trek team must travel to Manali. A 45 minute drive from Manali would take you to Chikha via Jobra. You could camp at chikha overnight. You must begin your trek from Chikha to reach Bhalu ka ghera, which takes about 4 to 5 hours and further towards the Hampta Pass, located at an altitude of 4270 Metres (14009 feet, 2.237 inches). Once you cross the Hampta pass, you could stay at Shea Gahru overnight. You would take 6 to 7 hours to reach Shea Gahru from Hampta Pass. Proceed to Chatru from Shea Gahru. From here, you have to drive down to the Chndrataal lake, situated at 4300 Metres (14, 107 feet, 7.33 inches). It would take 2 to 2 and a half hours for you to reach Chandrataal lake from Shea Gahru. The placid, serene ‘Moonlake’ as it is known, is a trekker’s delight.  After an overnight stay by the Chadrataal lake, proceed with a 3 to 4 hour trek upto the Kunzum pass, which is at a distance of 122Kilometres (75.8 miles) from Manali. You could drive back to Manali from Kunzum Pass. The drive back would take 5 to 6 hours.  The trek to Hampta pass-Chandrataal lake would take about 5 days in all. The turquoise blue, placid Chandrataal lake is a sight to behold. The Himalayan landscape offers quaint, glorious views all along. Grasslands speckled by wild flowers, thick green woods, lofty snow-capped mountain ranges and gushing streams make this a trekker’s dream destination!

 Image Source By Adventurescape.in               

  Image Source By Gokul K (Flickr)

TADA FALLS, CHITTOOR, ANDHRA PRADESH:

The Tada Falls, also known as the Ubbalamadagu Falls, is located in the Chitthoor district of Andhra Pradesh. This place is about 80 kilometres (49.71 miles) from Chennai, certainly an ideal weekend getaway from the scorching summer heat.The base/starting point of this trek begins at the forest, near the mouth of a refreshing stream. The road leading to the base camp is a well-laid biking stretch. The ideal time for this trek would be between the months of October and March. Scores of birds migrate during these few months. Bird-watching is an added attraction of trekkers to this place.First, reach Tada village from Chennai, which is just around 92km, a 2 hour drive. To reach Tada falls, you have to pass through the Varadiahpalem village. This village is about 2km from the Tada falls. The trek route from the base camp is laden with rugged path ways, forests and boulders. It is very important to carry a first aid kit, necessary snacks and drinking water for your trek journey.Taking a guide along from the Varadiah Palem village would be very wise along this trek journey. The Tada Falls is located in the Kaambakam forest also known as Sidduliah Kona.Once you reach the Lord Siva temple, crossing the stream is a challenge as slippery boulders have to be crossed over to further continue the trek. Once you reach the largest rock formation, the Tada Falls is only 2kilometres (1.243 miles) away from here.You are advised to return from your trek by 4pm in the evening here. The sweeping views of the green ranges girdling the Tada Falls are a great attraction. Enjoy a cool and pleasant boat ride on the pristine waters of the lake. The Pulicat lake is a 27km drive from Tada. This is a splendid place to visit too.The Sulurpeta railway station is the nearest train station. This is located close to Sriharikota. You can make a return journey to Chennai via the sullurpeta train station. A gorgeous cascade, pathways decked up in Nature’s colourful hues and swift streams are the significant hallmarks of this unique trek! 

Image By Michael Fernando ( Flickr)

CHEMBRA PEAK TREK, KERALA:

The chembra peak lies in an awesomely spectacular setting, filled with miles and miles of green forest canopies, magnificent sparkling cascades, a pleasant climate and you are treated to sweeping views of Kerala’s charming lake districts of Kozhikode, Malappuram and the Nilgiris. The Chembra peak is located in Waynad and is a ‘must trek’ destination for every keen adventurer.An amazing fact about the Chembra peak is that it meets the Nilgiri hills in Tamil nadu and also the Vallaimala in Kozhikode.The trek begins at Meppady tea gardens upto the Chembra peak. The Chembra peak trek could be rated as easy to moderate.You can stay at Kalpetta or Meppadi, which is around 20km from Chembra.The total distance to Chembra peak is about 3.5 Kilometres ( 2.175 miles). It takes 2 to 3 hours for a one way trek upto the Chembra peak. The entire trek itinerary could be presented as:Bangalore – Mysore – Nanjangud – Gundlupet – Sulthan Bathery – Kalpetta – Meppadi – Chembra.A significant fact is that the treks to the Chembra peak are allowed only upto the heart-shaped lake. Taking a guide along is a must to this place. Also, camping during the trek is prohibited on this trek. Hence, trekkers must return after 5pm. Trekking is also not allowed after 2 pm. The most suited time for the trek is between 7AM and 2 PM.Permisssion is required to go ahead with the trek . This could be acquired from the ‘Thirunelli forest guest house’ (Also referred to as the VSS office). Trek advisory suggestions include carrying all necessary trek gear, jackets and suitable footwear to brave the hilly terrain.An exciting trek adventure in the most breathtaking environs of the Western ghats, the Chembra trek is rated highly on the safety and the scenic list of adventure trails in Indi

Image By Suman Bukka ( Flickr)