Immortalized in the stories of Jim Corbett and Rudyard Kipling, huge dark shadows of a great fighter have lurked, in the deep waters of the mighty rivers of the Indian subcontinents. The Mahseer, found only in India, is the toughest fresh water fighting fish in the world. Weighing over a hundred pounds, four varieties inhabit the Indian river waters: the Golden Mahseer, the Silver Mahseer, the Silver Grey Mahseer and the Black Mahseer.

Today, in India, the sport of angling is combined with conservation. As per the existing Indian protection laws, the fish is allowed to be caught, but must be released within a stipulated time period. The average time taken to land a Mahseer is in ratio to its weight--5 minutes to 5 lbs. With just enough time to record its weight, and preserve your moment of glory with the prize catch of film, before the fish is revived-you have to be really quick or else it could just end up as one of those fishy stories of, "the great one that got away."

Trout fishing in the rivers and ice-fed mountain streams is a great sport. You may put your wits against the wily trout--both brown and rainbow--and catch the excitement of hooking a rainbow. Solitude seekers can spend hours in quiet contemplation, of the beauty around.

The fast flowing clear water streams and high altitude lakes of the upper Himalayas are excellent for trout fishing. The challenge and thrill of an encounter with the Mahseer attracts anglers from all over the world. It offers a holiday with a fish, which not only rules the Indian waters like the tiger does the jungle, but also fights the way, no one can.

The fast flowing clear water streams and high altitude lakes of the upper Himalayas are excellent for trout fishing. The challenge and thrill of an encounter with the Mahseer attracts anglers from all over the world. It offers a holiday with a fish, which not only rules the Indian waters like the tiger does the jungle, but also fights the way, no one can.

NECESSARY EQUIPMENTS

Rods, Line, Hooks, Spoons, Reel, and Line are the most important and basic fishing accessories required. For clothing, you need to have light brown or green light cotton shirts and shorts. In the winters you definitely need warm clothes. Slip-ons / loafers are recommended, as they take to water well, protect the toes, and are easy to remove for clearing sand. For night, you will certainly need to have a small torch.

How about a flying visit in the sky, like a bird with your wings opened up and floating with the force of the air? Come to the ultimate adventure, the adventure of flying free, without any hindrance, the excitement of freedom, the freedom to fly. Come and glide, you little boy! 

Para-gliding is the latest aero sport to take the world by storm. The origin of the sport dates back to 1940s when an aviation pioneer, Dr. Francis Rogalo constructed his flexible Delta Kite and filed a patent for it. But it was not until the early 1980s that parachutes were foot launched regularly from hills. Since then, this sport has been rapidly expanding. Thousands of people all over the world have found this sport convenient, sheer fun and a safe medium of soaring in the air. A para-glider is different from a hang-glider or a parachute in the sense that it is much lighter than a hang-glider, much easier to open up, takes little time, and the additional advantage that you do not need to jump from a helicopter or airplane to enjoy the glide in the sky. What you need is some basic training and the will to achieve success.

A hang-glider is quite heavy (almost 55 kg in weight), bulky, and much complicated object. It takes around 2 hours to open the glider and almost the same time to pack it. The technicalities are more complex than, say, a para-glider and the risks more. But, then, what is in adventure if some element of risk is not involved? This is the only reason that this game is still quite popular despite so many new versions coming out. The joy of flying in the sky just like a bird is unparalleled and enormous.

A parasail is a parachute attached to some moving transportation medium like a four-wheel drive or a motorboat. The parachute goes up in the air when the transport medium gets moving and the person attached with it takes three or four quick steps and then in the air. The sheer joy of soaring in the sky hundreds of feet above and not much need of training has made this game immensely popular. It has been a family joyride for a long time.

TYPE

Para-gliding, parasailing, and hang-gliding are different types of aero sports.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Physical fitness is of utmost importance to participate in this game though importance of mental fitness cannot be denied. People who have high/low blood pressure and are overweight are advised not to participate in high-altitude games and sports.

Mountaineering as a sport has a history as old as the history of the evolution of human race itself. Mountaineering started when the need was felt for people who could climb difficult heights and terrains to meet people across the border, to trade, or to conquer new territories. In the course of time, man developed new modes of transportation and communication and venturing out on these difficult routes were not needed. Nevertheless, what remained was his nature to take risks and getting pleasure in conquering something totally unknown and unexplored. This inner urge to take up challenges has led man to do things that are quite daring.

In India, mountaineering as a sport came with the Europeans in the 18th century. That was a time when entire Europe was experiencing a new phase. New regions were being explored, won, and native peoples were being made to become civilized. This zeal of adventurism found its ultimate fruition in the Himalayas-lofty, extremely difficult to conquer, and challenging enough to send a man back to his mother's womb. But, being men, these challenges were accepted and there began a tussle between men's ambitions and nature's reluctance. New heights were conquered, new routes were discovered, many lives lost, but the mission was accomplished. Today, almost all the major peaks are conquered and even general people have started taking mountaineering as a serious hobby.

For starters, India offers a wide spectrum of options for mountaineering as well as other related sports. Peaks and trekking routes are classified and maps are available for the interested travelers. Many institutes provide basic and advanced level courses in mountaineering and other related sports. All the equipment is locally available and other support resources can be found here.

TYPE

Mountaineering is a high-altitude sport.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Persons with high/low blood pressure and are overweight are advised not to participate in high-altitude games and sports. Some of the institutes like the Directorate of Mountaineering & Allied Sports, Himachal Pradesh do not allow people of ages below 18 and above 48 years to participate in their basic and advanced level adventure programs.

BEST TIME

The summer months are ideal for the mountains. Trekking in the lower Himalayas and climbing in the higher ranges are possible through May to mid-October. The month of July is avoidable in Himachal and Uttar Pradesh as there is heavy rain and landslides during this month.

Trekking has remained men's passion from the day he took his first step on the earth. He always ventured out of home and his natural surroundings to explore something new, a world that was not known to him. It is astonishing to learn that the human race migrated from one continent to another when there were no means of communication, no helping hands, and most of them who left their home to a world unknown could never return back.
In some ways, the Indians were one of the most avid trekking tribes in the Copper Age when they explored new regions coming from Central Asia to northern Indian plains, and from there to the Indian Peninsula. Some of the legendry trekkers of Indian mythology like Indra (or Purundara as he is called in Rig Veda), Maharishi Agastya (the first Aryan to cross the Vindhyas), and the wandering God Narada will always be remembered. Shankaracharya was another great trekker of ancient times. He established four centers of Hinduism in the all the four corners of India. One of them was Badrinath in Garhwal Himalayas, and until today, it remains one of the most famous trekking routes in India.

More than anything else, trekking gained popularity in India due to religion. The loftiness and beauty of the Himalayas made our forefathers believe that if there is any place where gods can reside, it is the Himalayas. This led to the establishment of many religious centers in the hills, the result of which is that even today thousands of devotees cross various hurdles to reach these places.

Professional trekking began in India with the coming of English people who found the climate of the hills quite similar to those in their own country and decided to establish hill stations in the Himalayas and other mountain ranges in India. These hill stations acted as the base points from where new trek routes were explored and documented for the future generation trekkers. From those formative years, many changes have taken place. Greater number of people from all hues, ages, and income groups are participating in this sport. Many good institutes are providing professional help to persons not very much familiar with the conditions of these places and methods to cross the hurdles.

TYPE

Trekking is a mountain sport.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Not much physical requirement is necessary for low-altitude trekking and nature walks. However, for high-altitude trekking, the physical requirements are almost the same as for mountaineering and climbing. People with high/low blood pressure or who are overweight are advised not to participate in high-altitude games and sports. People below 16 years and above 60 years are also discouraged from participating in this sport.

BEST TIME

February/March are the best months for low-altitude trekking in the Himalayas. For high-altitude trekking, the best months are April/May. The months of July and August receive heavy rainfall and, therefore, these months are not recommended for the amateur trekkers. The best months for trekking in the Western Ghats are from December to April when the weather is clear and lush greenery surrounds the region.

The sheer joie de vivre inspired by one's first successful slide down a ski slope defies description. Once limited to a privileged few, the adrenalin-producing pastime of skiing has been brought within the range of the common man now. For the purist, there is unsullied, powdery snow. For the accomplished and ego-conscious, there are punishing runs. For wobbly beginners and confident intermediates, there are easy slopes and understanding instructors who soon inspire dreams of Olympic glory.

With a first run to buoy one under the belt, there follows a succession of blissful days. Each day brings a fresh challenge to conquer and relish when you are at any skiing resort. Mastering the twists and turns and jumps of skiing, completing a longer ski run, and achieving faster speed are all part of this process. Every winter in the Indian Himalayas the slopes are warmed by the excited cries and laughter of entrants being introduced to the joys of winter sports: the magic of the wind rushing past as you whiz down a slope of skis, or the sheer pleasure of gliding gracefully, artistically cutting figures of eight in the snow.

Skiing, like any other high-altitude adventure sports in India, is a contribution of the Europeans. The summers in north India have always been unpleasant, more so for the Europeans who were mostly from the cold countries. To save themselves from this oppressive heat, they went to the Himalayas, not too far from major centers in north India. Many hill stations were established, the prominent among them being Shimla, Manali, Mussoorie, and Nainital. These places served not only as the home away from home for them but also as the center where they could participate in recreational activities like skiing and trekking. Some of these places still have the best skiing slopes in the country. Affluent Indians started participating in this sport even before independence. After independence, with the efforts of adventure sport bodies, local youths were encouraged to participate in this sport. They took to it enthusiastically and later helped in training hordes of tourists coming from other parts of the county and even abroad.

Today, skiing is quite popular in the hill stations of North India and new facilities have added up to make it more popular among the masses.

TYPE

Skiing is a winter sport.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

All that is required for skiing is good health. To be on the safer side, you should not have any heart problem, high or low blood pressure, and should not be an expectant mother. More than anything else, it is the state of mind at the time of indulging in skiing and your challenging spirit that is tested.

BEST TIME

The best time for skiing in the Indian Himalayas is December to March. This is the season when the region receives the maximum snowfall. However, since the temperature always hovers in the vicinity of 0ºC, warm clothes are required to save oneself from this extreme condition.

It is not quite easy to define rock climbing, but it is not difficult too. Anyone who claims to be a rock climber has his own version of the game. Rock climbing for some is to challenge their spirits and explore new heights, to give a fillip to their unbounded imaginations; for others, it is a way telling the world that he/she has finally arrived. For many of the professional rock climbers, it is not a sport. Can you call a mission to moon a sport or pastime? If not, then why should rock climbing be called a sports is the argument. For them, rock climbing is an adventure of the greatest magnitude; it is a fight against self, against the elements, and the ultimate goal is to reach the summit and return back alive.

Rock climbing is a test of strength, concentration and coordination as well as skill and technique. A climber learns from experience that the mountain must not be taken for granted. It can be rough and antagonistic to those who venture to come to grips with it. Nevertheless, as a sport, climbing continues to offer a thrill and challenge that is compulsive.

In India, rock climbing, as most other adventure sports, is a relatively new sport. However, in a short span of time, it has become the most popular adventure sport. Because of the good distribution of great climbing rocks throughout India, coupled the element of excitement involved, rock climbing has become the sport to participate in for the young and the old alike.

TYPE

Rock climbing is a mountain-based adventure sports.

Modern rock climbers generally use three different styles of climbing: free climbing, aid climbing and a combination of free and aid climbing. There is yet another type of climbing called face climbing, which involves climbing against the face of a rock.

FREE CLIMBING

A free climber depends totally on his skills, self-confidence, and footwork to accomplish his target. He does not need the help of any technical instrument except for safety.

AID CLIMBING

Aid climbing involves the use of instrument to reach the summit. Aid climbing was started when the need was felt to use equipments for climbing rocks that were too difficult to climb without any external help.

FREE AND AID CLIMBING

Most of the modern climbing revolves around this method. Pre-placing bolts and other protection is a part of this type of climbing process. Basic free climbing techniques are the precondition to advance climbing, and it is imperative for the beginners to have expertise in both free as well as aid climbing techniques.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Physical requirements for rock climbing can differ from person to person. In fact, it is your state of mind that decides your physical capabilities more than anything else. Increasing levels of difficulty may require greater level of physical fitness and greater flexibility in your body than under a lesser difficulty level. Nevertheless, there are some minimum health requirements that must be met before you set out for rock climbing. A few of these are: 1) you should not be an expectant mother; 2) you should not have high blood pressure or any heart problems; and 3) if you have permanent physical disabilities, you will have to work harder.

BEST TIME

Rock climbing can be undertaken throughout the year. India is a vast country and different parts of the country have different climatic conditions. Although you can practice rock climbing in most parts of the country, the fact remains that the Himalayan region provides the best rock-climbing challenges to the professional. The ideal months to practice this sport in the Himalayas are from April to June. In Delhi, however, the winter months are better than the rest of the year because this is the time when you can combine rock climbing with the pleasure of sightseeing. The weather in South India is ideal for rock climbing throughout the year.