8/12/2019 Offbeat summer getaways in India

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M ygrandmothershouse inHyderabad is myfavouritesummer getaway.There is awinding road thatleads up to thehouse, which ison a hill! Its likevisitingwonderland aplace full ofchildhoodme mo ries,unconditional

love and

great food!

Aditi RaoHydari,actress

SUNDAY I JANU-

4 PAGE S, A SUPPLEMENT

OF SUNDAY TIMES OF INDIA

M AY 25, 2014

whatthey said

Its not what you

say out of your

mouth that

determines your

life, its what you

w hisper to

yourself that has

the most pow er

Robert T Kiyosaki,

motivational speaker

It is a great thing

to start life with a

small number of

really good

books, which are

your very ow n

Arthur Conan

Doyle, Scottish writer

The essence of

being human

is that one

does not seek

perfection

George Orwell,

English novelist

BIRD W ATCHING AT MALSHEJ GHATNestled in the Western Ghats, this mountain pass transforms

into a verdant green paradise after the onset of the rains. Its misty

hills are home to numerous waterfalls and

offer picture-perfect trails for trekking

and hiking. During the monsoon,

the Ghat becomes a seasonal home

for pink European flamingos,

which flock to the Pimplagaon-

Joga Dam every year. It is also a bio-

diversity hotspot, so watch out for

various kinds of flora and fauna. The

only accommodation here is the gov-

ernment-run guest house that may not of-

fer much in terms of amenities, but makes up with

its stunning views from its spectacular location on top of the hill.

How to get there: Malshej Ghat is 154 km away from Mumbai and

86 km away from Kalyan (the nearest railway station). By road, you

can travel via Thane-Kalyan-Saralgaon- Vaishakhare.

Caution: The area is notorious for landslides. So, get an update on

the road conditions before you leave.

During summer, I love visiting Nepal.The countryhas a lovely climate and vast expanse of flora andfauna. Its a must-visit place for wildlifeenthusiasts.You can watch animals like tigers,leopards, one-horned rhino, river dolphins and

crocodiles enjoying their natural habitat.The overall experience is very serene.Ifyoure visiting Nepal, you must go to theChitwan National Park, which is a worldheritage property

Yusuf Pathan, cricketer

FAR MS TAY IN COONOORLike riding horses and listening to country mu-

sic? This is for all those cowboys-and-cow-

girls-at-heart who want a slice of the

rustic, laidback life ensconced

in a genuine tea estate in

Coonoor. Sequestered amid

the lush Nilgiris, these es-

tates offer guests the

chance to pick tea leaves

(or oranges!), sip local

blends like a connoisseur, go

on horse rides, and then re-

treat into plush heritage cottages

for a sundowner or two. Epicures can

take short courses in organic cheese making. And

when youve had your fill of the isolation, theres al-

ways an option of making a beeline for Ooty, which

is a hop-skip-and-jump away from Coonoor.

How to get there: Coonoor is 71 km from Coimbatore

(the closest airport) and connected by the Nilgiri

Mountain Railway.

travel plannerSUMMERSPECIAL

Come summer, and the mountains

beckon with crisp air, breathtak-

ing views and a gentler pace of

life. This vision of bucolic bliss is rudely

decimated by the reality of traffic snarls

and throngs of similar-minded visitors

who flock to t he hills every year.This year,

avoid the tourist juggernaut and escape to

less-frequented locales that are not yet un-

der the radar of summer vacationers.

Whether youre an adrenaline junkie or a

gastronome, a culture buff or an ardent

bird-watcher,t hese four unspoilt destina-

tions are an ideal foil to the summer heat,

and the madding crowd.

PARAGLIDING AT BIR - BILLINGThe rolling hills and valley meadows surrounding the villages of Bir and Billing paint a

picture of pastoral idyll. The view is enticing but whats likely to hold your attention far

more are the countless paragliders soaring on the thermals. This region in Himachal

Pradesh is considered to be one of the finest paragliding destinations in the world a claim

buttressed by a 2,290-metre-high take-off point facing a vast plain. Wide-eyed flyers can

soak in 360-degree views of snow-kissed Himalayas and p icture-

perfect tea estates below. The best months for paragliding

are March to the first week of June, October and Novem-

ber. You dont need to know how to fly: just hop on to

a tandem glider along with an expert and enjoy the

flight. If youre keen to learn the sport, enrol in the

week-long course for beginners. Bir has adequate

accommodation for visitors. There are fascinat-

ing monasteries and meditation centres to explore.

How to get there: The hamlet is a little over 500 km

away from Delhi and around 80 km from Dharamsala.

W atch pink flamingos, ride a horse, paraglide or seek a

sanctuary in one of the oldest monasteries in the world.

This summer, head to these less-frequented destinations that

are an ideal foil to the sweltering heat

M O NASTERY CIRCUIT IN

TAW AN GTucked away in the north-western edge of Arunachal

Pradesh, near the Bhutanese and Tibetan border, Tawang is

a heady brew of scenic beauty, Buddhist heritage and vi-

brant culture. Perched on a mountain, the town is encircled

by peaks and a river gorge. The crowning glory is the citadel-

like Tawang Monastery, built in the mid-17th century, and

considered to be one of the largest in the world. Lavishly

embellished with murals, the monastery houses an eight-

metre-high golden statue of the Buddha in the prayer hall,

and ancient manuscripts in its library. Other monasteries to

put on your itinerary include the Urgelling, Khinmey and

Taktsang Gompas. Couple the monastery visits with an out-

door jaunt to the picturesque Sangetser Tso (lake), which

was re-named Madhuri Lake after Hindi film actress Mad-

huri Dixit shot a song for the film Koyla there.

How to get there: The nearest airport at Tezpur is a

beautiful drive of 360 km, while the closest railway sta-

tion at Guwahati is 532 km away. To visit, domestic

tourists require an Inner Line Permit and foreign visi-

tors need a Protected Area Permit.

sonam.joshi@timesinternet.in

4 offbeat sum mer getaways

When in Tawang visitthe 17th century TawangMonastery one of thelargest in the world

MICHALWLOCH

/THINKSTOCK

DANIELRAO/THINKSTOCK

JAROSLAV

FRANK/THINKSTOCK

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