For all the adventurous souls who are planning for their next adventure thrill after the pandemic situation is over, here is a list of the most popular adventure destinations in India.
Adventure destinations in India
Rishikesh
| Best time to visit | October – March |
| Nearest airport | Jollygrant Airport (20 km) |
| Nearest Bus station | ISBT Rishikesh |
| Nearest railway station | Haridwar Railway Station (20 km) |
List of Adventure Sports in Rishikesh
- Kayaking
- White water rafting
- Camping
- Bunjee jumping
- Canyoning
- Hiking
- Village safari
How to get there
- Rishikesh is best connected with road, air, and rail network. Located at a distance of 265 km from Delhi, it’s one of the best and most famous yoga and adventure destinations in India.
- For group travelers from Delhi, the best option is to book a car or a taxi for Rishikesh.
- For travelers who are on a budget and prefer road routes, public transport like a bus is the best option. You can easily book an ordinary or a luxury bus from the Uttarakhand transport website.
- For travelers who prefer a train route, Shatabdi trains (Dehradun Express/ Janshatabdi/ Mussoorie Express) from Delhi to Haridwar are the best options. Once you reach Haridwar you can easily take a taxi or a local bus to Rishikesh which is just at a distance of 20 km from Haridwar railway station.
- Rishikesh is well connected with air as well through Jolly Grant Airport. Regular flights of Indigo, spice jet, Air India, Vistara operate from Jollygrant airport. Located at a distance of just 20 km from the city of Rishikesh it’s just a 20-minute drive to Rishikesh from the airport. Taxis and cars are readily available at the airport which makes the journey to Rishikesh even easier.
Hotels
Rishikesh is best in terms of budget-friendly hotels, Dharamshala, Ashrams, Camps, and luxury hotels. You can easily select amongst a wide range of staying options in the city, ranging from INR 1000-10000 per night as per your budget.
Solang valley
| Best time to visit | October – March |
| Nearest airport | Bhuntar (63 km) |
| Nearest Bus station | Manali (11 km) & Chandigarh |
| Nearest railway station | Pathankot (329 km) |
List of Adventure Sports in Solang valley
- Ropeway
- Skiing
- Quad Biking
- Camping
How to get there
- Being one of the most prominent adventure destinations in India, Solang Valley is best connected with roads.
- For travelers who have their own vehicle can drive to Manali from Delhi with a few breaks in between the journey. This whole journey extends up to a distance of 530 km which could take around 12-14 hours to complete.
- For travelers who are traveling through public transport like bus, there is no direct bus towards Solang valley. However, you can take a bus from Delhi to Manali (the distance between Manali to Delhi is around 530 km) and then another bus from Manali to Solang Valley (the distance between Manali to Solang valley is around 11 km).
- For group travelers from Delhi booking, a tempo traveler/ Innova car is a better option.
- For travelers who prefer the air route, Bhuntar airport is the closest to Solang at a distance of 63 km. From there you can take a taxi or car to Manali or Solang as per your choice.
- There is no direct train to Solang. Therefore travelers who want to visit Solang from Delhi via a train, have to board a train to Pathankot, then another train to Joginder Nagar and then book a taxi to Solang.
Hotels
Solang valley is located at a distance of 11 km from Manali. Staying options are available both in Manali as well as Solang. Most travelers prefer to stay in Manali and then take a taxi or excursion to Solang valley. Being one of the prominent adventure destinations in India both Manali and Solang are flooded with lots of staying options like hotels, lodges, homestays, and resorts ranging from INR 800 onwards. You can also hire a bike from Manali for Solang valley, Rohtang Pass, and many other nearby places.
Bir Billing
| Best time to visit | April – June & October – March |
| Nearest airport | Kangra Airport (67 km) |
| Nearest Bus station | Pathankot (142 km) |
| Nearest railway station | Pathankot (142 km) |
List of Adventure Sports in Bir Billing
- Paragliding
- Mountain Biking
- Cycling
How to get there
- Kangra/Gaggal airport is the nearest airport to Bir Billing, located at a distance of 67 km. This airport is connected to Delhi through frequent flight services.
- Bir Billing has no direct rail/train connectivity. The nearest major railway station to Bir Billing is Pathankot Railway station. From Pathankot, you can take a narrow-gauge train to Ahju, which is nearly 3 km from Bir Billing.
- For travelers who are on a budget and prefer road route to Bir Billing, public transport like bus are the best option. From Delhi, there are several options of ordinary to luxury buses for Bir Billing or it’s nearby.
- Travelers with their own vehicle can either of the two routes: Route 1: Delhi-Chandigarh-Kharad-Kiratpur-Una-Jawalazi-Kangra-Palampur-Bir (This journey covers a distance of 530 km). Route 2: Delhi-Chandigarh-Kharad-Kiratpur-Bilaspur-Mandi-Jogindernagar-Bir (This journey covers a distance of 520 km).
- Bir Billing is 68 km from Gaggal airport, 50 km from Dharamshala, 180 km from Manali, 200 km from Shimla, 280 km from Chandigarh, 550 km from Delhi.
Hotels
Being a prominent mountain adventure destination in India there are multiple staying options of hotels in Bir Billing ranging from INR 1000-10,000.
Manali
| Best time to visit | April-June & October-March |
| Nearest airport | Bhuntar (63 km) |
| Nearest Bus station | Manali (1 km) & Chandigarh (300 km) |
| Nearest railway station | Chandigarh (300 km) |
List of Adventure Sports in Manali
- Trekking
- Biking
- White water rafting
How to get there
- Manali is best connected with a road with a scenic driveway.
- For travelers who are driving to Manali from Delhi, through their own vehicle, can take NH-44, which goes through Delhi-Panipat-Karnal-Kurukshetra-Ambala-Chandigarh-Mandi-Naggar-Manali. The journey between Manali to Delhi is around 535 km.
- For travelers who are traveling through public transport, there are several ordinary and luxury buses available from Delhi, for every budget. The minimum time taken by bus to reach Manali is about 12 hours.
- For group travelers, it’s better to book a tempo traveler/ Innova car from Delhi to Manali.
- The fastest way to reach Manali is the flight/air route. The nearest airport to Manali is Kullu Airport which is at a distance of 50 km from Manali. Taxis and cars are readily available from the airport to reach your desired location in Manali.
- For travelers who want to cover the distance between Manali to Delhi by train can take an Express train from Delhi to Chandigarh or Kalka. From where you can easily take cabs or buses towards Manali. The distance between Manali to Chandigarh is 298 km.
Hotels
Manali is one of the most popular adventure destinations in India with hundreds of staying options. From Boutique hotels, lodges, homestays, cottages, and luxury resorts, there are plenty of comfortable hotels for every budget starting from 1500-10,000.
Leh
| Best time to visit | April – September |
| Nearest airport | Leh Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport ( 2 km) |
| Nearest Bus station | LBOC Leh |
| Nearest railway station | Jammu (700 km) |
List of Adventure Sports in Leh
- Biking
- Trekking
How to get there
- Leh is best connected with road and flight options.
- If you are traveling to Leh the best way is through Manali in Himachal Pradesh. The distance between Leh to Manali is around 430 km.
- Once you reach Manali you can either rent a bike to Leh for about INR 500 -1000 per day cost or you can take a direct bus (both ordinary and luxury buses) by HPTDC to Leh.
- A biking trip to Leh from Manali can take up to 2 days to reach Leh. Night stay can be done in Keylong, which has plenty of staying options.
- For a bus trip to Leh from Manali, the fare could be around INR 2900.
- Another option to reach Leh is via flight. Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport in Leh is not only connected with the major airports in India like Delhi but also receives flight services from other major cities of India like Delhi, Mumbai, Srinagar, Jammu, and Kolkata.
- Flight service from Delhi can take up to 1 and half hours to reach Leh from where you can easily hire a taxi to reach your destination.
Hotels
Leh is a high-altitude destination situated at an altitude of around 11562 ft. So if you are coming to Leh plan your trip for at least 4- 5 Nights, then only you can enjoy Leh completely. Being a high-altitude adventure destination of India, it can take up some time for most people to acclimatize. For staying in Leh, there are multiple hotel options for every budget ranging from INR 1500 onwards.
Jaisalmer
| Best time to visit | October – March |
| Nearest airport | Jaisalmer airport |
| Nearest Bus station | Jaisalmer city bus station |
| Nearest railway station | Jaisalmer railway station |
List of Adventure Sports in Jaisalmer
- Offroad Biking/ Jeeps
- Desert Camping
- Desert Safari
- Dune Bashing
- Quad Biking
How to get there
- Jaisalmer is best connected with road and railways, with its own major railway station in the city of Jaisalmer.
- If you are traveling on a budget the best way to reach Jaisalmer is by train. Some of the train services that operate between Delhi to Jaisalmer are Mandor express, Ranikhet Express, Howrah-Jaisalmer SF Express, Ramnagar-Jaisalmer Express, and many others.
- If you are looking for a flight option you can take a flight to Jodhpur from Delhi or Mumbai. After getting down at Jodhpur you can either take a taxi or regular bus service to Jaisalmer (280 km).
- Bus Services – There are no direct bus services to Jaisalmer from Metropolitan cities like Delhi or Mumbai. However, you can take the bus services to Jaisalmer from Jaipur/ Jodhpur/Udaipur.
Hotels
Jaisalmer is amongst one of the most prominent winter adventure destinations of India. Being a desert adventure destination one can find multiple options of hotels, Lodges, Homestays, Hotels, and Hostels in Jaisalmer city ranging from INR 1000 onwards.
For travelers who are looking for an extreme desert adventure, desert camp staying is a better option. You can opt for one night stay in a desert camp where you can enjoy stargazing with a beautiful view of the night sky in the mystic sand dunes of Jaisalmer.
Auli
| Best time to visit | December – January |
| Nearest airport | Jollygrant airport (275 km) |
| Nearest railway station | Haridwar Railway station (295 km) |
List of Adventure Sports in Auli
- Skiing
- Trekking
How to get there
- Auli is best connected with the road at about 268 km from Rishikesh.
- If you are taking a train route, you can reach Haridwar via Shatabdi from Delhi. After reaching Haridwar you can easily take a taxi or regular bus service to Joshimath and then cable ropeway to Auli.
- When traveling in a group that too, on a budget, it is best to go by train from Delhi to Haridwar and then a cab/taxi/bus service towards Joshimath. From Delhi, you can take Dehradun Shatabdi and Mussoorie Express trains towards Haridwar.
- There are also direct bus services from Delhi to Joshimath which you can easily book through https://www.utconline.uk.gov.in/. After getting down at Joshimath you can go directly to Auli via cable car ropeway.
- Auli is directly connected with the road. Haridwar Railway station is the nearest railway station to Auli located at a distance of 295 km.
- Auli is not connected with flight service directly. Although you can easily avail flight services to Auli via Dehradun. The nearest domestic airport to Auli is Jollygrant Airport of Dehradun, with multiple flights options of Indigo, Spice jet, Air India, and Vistara. Once you reach JollyGrant Airport, many taxi and bus services are readily available towards Auli.
Hotels
Auli is amongst one of the most popular adventure destinations in India with numerous skiing resorts and lodges for better-staying facilities amidst the Himalayas. The staying options in Auli include lodges, resorts, hotels, and camps, ranging from 1500 to 5500 per night.
Meghalaya
| Best time to visit | April – June & October – March |
| Nearest airport | Umroi Airport (35 km from Shillong) |
| Nearest railway station | Guwahati railway station (92 km from Umroi Airport) |
List of Adventure Sports in Meghalaya
- River Canyoning
- Golfing
- Archery
- Rafting
- Mountain biking
- Water rappelling
- Cave exploration
How to reach
- The state of Meghalaya consists of one airport (domestic airport) at around a distance of 35 km from Shillong (Shillong is the capital city of Meghalaya). The airport is popularly known as “Umroi airport” or “Shillong airport” with flight services like Indigo, Air India, and many others flights operating from here.
- Taxis and buses are easily accessible here, which can take you wherever you need to visit in Meghalaya.
- The Gopinath Bordoloi Airport in Guwahati, Assam (which is 128 kilometers from Shillong) is another option for getting to Meghalaya. Many people opt for shared cabs to their destination from this airport.
- The closest and one of the major railway stations to Meghalaya is the Guwahati railway station at a distance of 92 km from Shillong.
- When it comes to road transportation to Meghalaya, the state of Meghalaya is well connected to various cities both within the state as well as neighboring states with 6 major national highways. Among those, the route of NH40 highway connects Guwahati to Shillong.
Hotels
Being one of the best adventure destinations in India, Meghalaya has plenty of staying options from hotels to lodges. However prominent accommodation options could be majorly found in cities.
Goa
| Best time to visit | October – March |
| Nearest airport | Dabolim International airport (25 km) |
| Nearest railway station | Madgaon Railway Station
Vasco De Gama Railway Station |
List of Adventure Sports in Goa
- Windsurfing
- Parasailing
- Water scooter
- Jet Ski
- Rafting
- Boat cruise in River Mandovi
- Kayaking
- Biking
- Water skiing
- ATV biking
- Hiking
- Camping
How to get there
- Located at a distance of 585 km from Mumbai, Goa is well connected with all three roads, air, and rail networks.
- For travelers who are on a budget, the best option to travel to Goa is by train. From Delhi, you can easily take Nizamuddin Goa Express towards Goa. From Mumbai, there are 7 trains running between Goa and Mumbai. The major railway stations of Goa are Madgaon and Vasco De Gama which are connected to almost all the major cities of India.
- You can also opt for regular as well luxury bus services from Mumbai, Pune, and Bangalore.
- Being one of the major tourist destinations of India, Goa is well connected with air route services, with regular international and domestic flights operating from here. The Dabolim Airport of Goa, located at a distance of 25 km from Panaji operates for both international and domestic tourists.
Hotels
Being one of the most prominent beach adventure destinations in India, Goa has a wide range of staying options from shacks, hostels, lodges, boutique hotels, villas, homestays depending on the budget.
For people who are looking for perfect nightlife, beaches, and Night Clubs, North Goa is the best place to stay.
If you are looking for nice peaceful beaches go for accommodation in South Goa.
Goa has a long coastal line for which you will need a ride to go from one place to the other. The taxi is an easy option but could be more expensive and time-consuming at times. The best way to explore Goa is on a bike or scooter. Therefore the best way to explore Goa is to hire or rent a bike or scooter and take it anywhere. Plus you can hire a bike from anywhere in Goa.
Important: If you are a foreign tourist in Goa you would be requiring an International driving license otherwise you will be caught up in a fine.
