About India

Picturesque, breath-taking, vivid, eye-catching and mesmerizing – Munnar is one of the wonders of India. A hill-station located in Kerala, Munnar is a rediscovery of the age old connection of nature and mankind. A land where three rivers touch each other, a land which grows green in abundance, and a land that takes you to a beautiful world you do not wish to return from. Munnar has been a favrioute travel destination for many as it offers you sprawling green plantations of tea, coffee and cardamom, winding lanes and curvy roads, adventure trekking and all that you need at a good holiday destination.

This is also a great place for treks as Munnar has one of the highest peaks in South India called the Anamudi which towers over 2695 meters. Another reason that Munnar is famous for is the Neelakurinji, a flower that blooms every 12 years. The last bloom was in 2006, where the entire hillside appeared blue. As soon as you step into this paradise, the sweet fragrance of cinnamon, clove, peppercorns and nutmeg will captivate you.

Some of the popular places to visit are the Matupetty which is popular for its specialized dairy farming industry. It is also the ideal location for trekking. You can also visit the Kundala lake nearby with boating facilities being made available for the visitors. The lake is created by a small hydroelectric dam project which is surrounded by steep green hills and misty woods. It is indeed a beautiful site to stare at.

You can also visit the Rajamala and the Eravikulam National Park which has half the world population of the Nilgiri Tahr which is a rare species of a mountain goat. If you can looking for a secluded undisturbed place, you can visit Devikulam which is a small hill station Located in close proximity to Munnar. Devikulam has one of the best flora and fauna I have seen. It has green velvet lawns and pristine gentle waterfalls with cool mountain air blowing that will leave you nothing but spellbound.

Other places that you can visit are Potheamedu which is one of the major plantation hubs of Munnar and  Pallivasal where the first Hydro Electric project in Kerala is setup. You can also see Chithirapuram which is a small village with little cottages and bungalows.

You can reach Munnar by road from Ernakulam, Thekkady, Thiruvananthapuram, Palani and Coimbatore.  The nearest airport is Cochin and the nearest railway station is Aluva.  The best time to visit Munnar is between August and March. We advise you to book your stay in advance.

Matheran, which literally   means ‘forest on  top’, is a beautiful hill station located in Maharashtra (near Mumbai). The best part about this hill station is that there are no vehicles allowed here. Also, there are no concrete roads. Matheran lets you enjoy nature as it is. This place always gives you a feeling that you have lost your way into the woods. You feel you are travelling back in time. Pollution free, silent, pristine and full of fresh air, Matheran rejuvenates you like nothing else. Even after so many years, Matheran has continued to be a favorite weekend getaway for Mumbaikars and Punekars. This is because this place still has so many roads you can explore and  even more secluded places that you may be the first one to discover.

The Toy train is another attraction of Matheran that one takes to reach this place from Neral. After one gets down at Neral, which is the closest station for one to reach Matheran, you can take a toy train. The toy train, I bet, can be a plesant experiance for you as it takes you to Matheran through deep valleys and mountains. It is a site which most naure lovers and travel freaks long to see. However, it is advised that you book your toy train tickets in advance.

Once in Matheran, you can only see hand pulled rickshaws and horses. As you walk through the red mud kaccha roads, you are reminded of ancient times where there were no vehicles.

There are altogether 28 points, 2 lakes, 2 parks, 4 major worship places and a racecourse to visit in Matheran. However, rather than trying to see all the places hurriedly, one should enjoy the journey and the nature that surrounds you there.

One can also try valley crossing in Matheran – an adventure that will surely sweep you off your ground! Suspended on a harness, you begin from one mountain peak, literally cross the valley, enjoy the breath taking view of the deep valley and the lake beneath and reach the other mountain peak! A true adventure!

Also, do not forget to buy local specialities on your way back home – Kolhapuri chappals and chikkis to relish!

The word eco-tourism brings to your mind nature, recreation, environment etc. However, the word stands for more than that. Eco tourism stands for preserving and sustaining the natural resources that are available to man. It suggests that as a traveler, you are not just informed about the principles of a clean and green environment but supporting and practicing minimal nature destruction when on a travel. In short it means social responsibility of environment of a traveler and the travel service providers.

Eco-tourism focuses travel in places where the flora and fauna are the major attractions. These travel programs include activities that not only minimize the adverse effects of a typical tour but also encourage the traveler to add to the beauty of the place by cultivating or growing a few trees.

In a typical trek, for example, travel groups use disposable plastic containers, they litter the natural surrounding by throwing non degradable wastes around, they also cut some branches of trees and produce fire etc. All these activities harm the nature. Eco-tourism plans out activities in such a way that there is usage of natural products that are bio degradable and do not cause harm to the nature.

In India, there is a great scope for eco-tourism but there is a lot of diversity of natural surroundings which needs to be preserved. There are a lot of tour operators that have special eco tours for nature enthusiasts and travelers interested in doing activities like these.

One of the most exciting and most thrilling adventures is paragliding. It makes you experience what flying is. Thanks to so many adventure groups and travel agencies, paragliding is a sport that has gained tremendous popularity in India in so many tourist centers. Paragliding uses thermals as the driving force and with the right weather conditions; you can fly in the air for upto three hours. One can fly upto three thousand meters and paragliding takes place around gentle hills. For those who are wondering the difference between paragliding and parasailing, there isn’t much. It is just that parasailing is done with parachute tied to a moving vehicle and you are flying above sea.

Some of the important paragliding centers in India are:

Himachal Pradesh: The bald peak of Billing, above the Buddhist monastery of Bir in Kangra, is a perfect site for paragliding.  There are many adventure sport organizations in Himachal that conduct these adventure sports like paragliding, rock climbing, rappelling, river rafting etc.

Uttaranchal has a unique topography and this is what makes it an excellent site for paragliding. The area of Garhwal is an excellent destination. Rajasthan: The vast open barren land in Rajasthan offers great gliding opportunities. Special strips of land are exclusively made available for paragliding. Some of the famous centers for the same are Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bikaner and Kota. Maharashtra: The western Ghat hill range in Maharashtra is apt for paragliding.  Paragliding is famous in centers around Mumbai and Pune because of the population it attracts. Delhi: Sohna which is about 40 kms. from Delhi is coming up in a big way for paragliding. Goa beaches like Vagator and Kalangut offer parasailing trips for Rs. 500 per person for fifteen minutes. Not just that, there are a lot of training programmes that the Himachal tourism conducts at various points in the year. There are a lot of adventure sport organizations that conduct these courses.

Located in the extreme North Eastern End of India, Nagaland is a beautiful vibrant state. It is bounded by Myanmar in the East; Assam in the West; Arunachal Pradesh and a part of Assam in the North with Manipur in the south. In terms of culture, food, dance, dressing, music, language Nagaland has a distinctive characteristic of its own. It offers rich traditional and cultural heritage. The State of Nagaland was formally inaugurated on December 1st, 1963, as the 16th State of the Indian Union.

Nagaland is often referred to as the Switzerland of the East. It has picturesque landscapes, beautiful sunrise and sunsets, lush flora and fauna and so much more. Nagaland is a state of folklore. Music is an integral part of the life of people living in this state. The folklore is passed down from generation to generation. Poetic love songs, tragic love stories or the modern music, people in Nagaland have great respect for music. The tribes living in the remote corners of Nagaland have their inherent tradition of music.

Nagaland is also an ideal place for adventure. It is a place for trekking, rock climbing, jungle camping etc. Nagaland offers limitless exploration possibilities in its rain forests. Certain tribes in Nagaland dress in traditional attire which includes elephant tusk armlets, hornbill’s feathers, multi colored spears, head gear made of finely woven bamboo. This attire signifies acts of courage and valor. Many tribes and sub-tribes that live in this exotic abode can be easily distinguished by the colourful and intricately designed costumes, accessories and beads that they wear. Many people may not be aware of this but Nagaland is an affluent fashion station of the East.

India really offers some fine places to visit one of it being Lakshadweep. Exotic coral reefs, beautiful green islands, clean beaches are what makes Lakshadweep a great travel destination. Conserving the ecology and culture of Lakshadweep, only some islands have been opened up for tourism and they are:  Kavaratti which is Lakshadweep’s best-developed island. It is famous for its fifty-two mosques which have beautiful carved ceilings and walls. Kalpeni, another island has one of the largest lagoons in Lakshadweep and is popular for its coral reefs. Minicoy, yet another island of Lakshadweep, is one that is of the largest and Southern-most islands in that area. It has dense coconut forests and its specialty is the unique language, dress and food. Other islands include Kadmat which is an ideal location for water sports, Bangaram which is known for its blue green waters, and uninhabited islands of Tirmakara, Parali-I and Parali-II that are nothing but a feast to the eye in terms of its flora and fauna. These beautiful islands with cool sand running under your feet as you take a stroll by the beach side will mesmerize you.

Lakshadweep has a tropical climate and there is a considerable amount of rain as well. Light cotton clothes are sufficient throughout the year. Lakshadweep’s airport is located in Agatti. Accommodation is available on the islands of Minicoy, Agatti, Kavaratti, Kalpeni, and Kadmat. These islands have tourist huts that you can stay in.  You can opt for one or two twin-bedded rooms that have attached baths. There are many types of tourist packages that are available to suit your convenience. If you want to avail ship-based packages, October to May is the best time to visit.

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