If you ever happened to bump into me at my house, you would probably find me watching TLC, NDTV Good Times or any other travel-related channel or programme on the TV. The reason being, I just love to travel. I utilise the smallest little break I get from work, and head out. I was lucky enough to go to a school, which organised trips and outings regularly, and I took many of these opportunities to go places I had never been to. And believe me; it was worth it every time. I haven’t been to any international destination yet, but who needs such places when your own country has so much. Mountains, forests, sea, lakes, rivers, desert…what can you not find here?

And I don’t really need to dwell on the fact that the diversity of people you see here is mind boggling. New places, new scenes, new people and new experiences make me want to go out again, the moment I return from a trip. So, “Don’t wait for the grass to grow”, plan a trip and “Just do it.” When you come back, be sure to share your stories and of course, pictures! Now, enjoying your tour is obviously the most important thing, but so is to stay fit while travelling. Many people, who travel a lot, either fall sick often or gain weight, due to change in climate and place, and different eating habits and patterns.

Known as a soft adventure today, hiking is as old as humanity itself. In the past, people hiked miles and miles in search of food, shelter and new settlements. In this process many new lands were discovered and popular hiking trails established. Now we go hiking for leisure and thrill and the world is full of some wonderful hiking trails. Adventure Nation  has prepared a list of some of the most amazing ones:

  1. Inca Trail, PeruCrossed by 1000s every year, this ancient trail was laid out by the Incas. It leads up to Machu Picchu winding up and down the mountains.

    Machu Picchu in the Inca Trail
    Machu Picchu in the Inca Trail

  2. Kungsleden, Sweden – Kungsleden (the “The King’s Trail”) is a 100 miles inside the Arctic Circle. It’s a 275 – mile trail and one of the greatest wildernesses in Western Europe.

    The King’s trail, Sweden

  3. Grand Canyon Hike, Arizona– This hike offers the best natural architecture one could ever come across along with billions of years’ worth of geology.

    Grand Canyon, Arizona
    Grand Canyon, Arizona

  4. The Hot Spring Route, Iceland– From Landmannalaugar to Thorsmork in the South of Iceland, this 4 day hike has rivers, lakes, mountains and glaciers in its scope.

    Iceland
    Hot Springs, Iceland

  5. Fitz Roy Trek, Patagonia, Argentina – Fitz Roy Massif is an iconic ridge that makes for an amazing hike taking one from glaciers to forests to waterfalls!

Uttarakhand literally translates to the abode of the Gods. It is considered a paradise for trekkers, adventure buffs and nature lovers. Whether one is an experienced trekker or a first timer, there is a trek for everyone.

For all those who love the beauty and tranquility of the mountains and crave to reach new heights of adventure, here is Adventure Nation’s pick of the best Himalayan treks in Uttarakhand:

Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib Trek – Duration – 06 days
The base camp for this trek is at the small village of Ghangariya which is located by the river Lakshman Ganga. The Valley of Flowers is approximately 5 kms from this village. There is also the famous Govind Ghat that got its name from the time Sikh Guru Guru Gobind Singh meditated here. A steep trek from Ghangariya leads one to the heavenly Hemkund Lake that stays frozen for almost 8 months in a year. Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara and Lakshman Temple are built on the banks of this lake. This trek is particularly popular for the variety of flowers one gets to witness in the valley.

Valley of Flowers

Valley of Flowers
Image Credits: bharatrawat641.blogspot.in

Har Ki Doon Trek  – Duration – 08 days
Considered a haven for bird watchers and nature lovers, Har Ki Doon trek gives one a great opportunity to explore the remotest parts of the Garhwal Himalayas. The base camp for this trek is Sankri which is about 37 kms from the highest camp on this trek. Har Ki Doon literally means the Valley of Lord Krishna and is surrounded by dense forests of pine, deodar and conifer. It is believed that the Pandavas camped here on their final journey.

If you’ve got itchy feet and are raring to go in the New Year, head to the picturesque hill city of Lavasa (near Pune, Maharashtra), set amid the verdant expanses of the Sahyadri range, and test yourself to the fullest in the Lavasa Hill Run. There will be no more invigorating way to get 2014 under way!

Mountain running
Mountain running

Located in the Zanskar Valley, the Chadar Frozen River trek offers a unique trekking experience and makes the wish list of every trekking enthusiast. This trek is definitely not for a novice, and even for seasoned trekkers, who have experience of many Himalayan treks; this trek is nothing like they have seen before. The hardly habitable environment of the ‘Chadar’ has all the makings of an extremely challenging trek – one which dares a trekker to test his/her attitude and tolerance while providing some of the best visuals imaginable. On Chadar trek, the only constant is the freezing cold, with temperatures dropping to 30 degrees below zero at times. Dressing sensibly is of vital importance. It is difficult to accurately predict the environments at the Zanskar frozen river trek; but here is a general outline of what to expect on this winter trek:

Chadar Frozen River Trek
Chadar Frozen River Trek

1. Best time to go –
Chadar literally means sheet and in this case a sheet of Frozen River. January to February is the time when the upper layer of the river gets hard and trekkers can walk gently on it.

Skiing is one activity that requires a lot of lower body strength and preparation. So before you set out to Ski, there are a few important things you should keep in mind that will help you enjoy your time on the slopes.

Here are some tips, straight from our Gurus, for a great Skiing experience:

Tip 1
Tip 2
Tip 3

Mountaineering or Mountain Climbing is one of the most popular adventure sports/activities in India and many other countries. While a lot of people wish to climb high peeks, they tend to ignore the basics.

We have compiled a list of top 7 tips from our Gurus, that will help you understand mountaineering better and what goes into a successful climb. Here goes –

Tip 1 – Research
Tip 2 – Get fit
Tip 3 – Acquire the gear