Winter's almost here and I can't wait to head out on rides. The thing about riding in winters is that there's very little moisture to deal with, the weather remains cool, there's hardly any rain to deal with even so no matter what riding gear you're in, you'll be very comfortable. I find winters to be the most relaxing time to ride in a year compared to the extremely hot summers in India and to the extremely moist and wet monsoons. Across India, there are plenty of destinations you can ride to but below are the top 5 destinations, I'm looking forward to visit to:
1. Munnar:
This is a very pretty hill station in the Idduki district of Kerala. Located at an altitude of about 5000 feet in the western ghats, this green place is surrounded with sanctuaries and national parks from almost all the sides. Almost every nature activity like trekking, photography, bird watching, etc can be performed here as a large variety of Flora and Fauna can be found around the hill station, especially in the winter. As a result, I would only suggest this place to somebody who is willing to spend at least two to three days in the region as there's a lot to see and cherish. During peak winter, the temperature drops below 10 degrees centigrade hence warm clothes are a must to carry!
2. Jodhpur- Jaisalmer:
I'm sure that an experience of tenting in the desert is something that one would definitely want to experience, especially in the winters when it gets extremely cold and windy. An overnighter at Jodhpur and then a 6 hour ride to Jaisalmer would be on of the most wonderful, cold experiences you'll have in a literally deserted area. One could also take a camel or a Jeep safari, deep into the desert. There are plenty of stay options available in Jaisalmer in the form of tented accommodations- hard and soft tents in the desert. On the other hand in Jaisalmer city, one may find lodges and hotels to stay. But, since winter is a booming touristy season in Rajasthan, you may expect the rates to be very high!
3. Rann of Kutch:
I'm sure the white desert in Gujarat is on every biker's wish list. The white salt flat turns into a favorable winter destination in winter as the 'Rann Utsav' festival happens alongside that displays the local culture and tradition of Kutch. The ride itself in a scenic and one may find quite a lot of wildlife in the form of wild asses and migratory birds in the region. Just like Rajasthan, the stay option around the white desert may be too expensive at the time of winter so I'm definitely going to carry my tent on the ride, probably you should too. Apart from the Rann, there are other places in Gujarat that are worth experiencing in the winter like Gir Lion sanctuary, Velavadar black buck sanctuary and old cities like Porbandar, Junagadh and Diu- Daman.
4. Manali- Kasol:
Himachal Pradesh is one of the best places to ride in India. If you speak of Himachal, another name that pops up automatically is Manali. I've been to Kasol and Manali during the monsoon when it was pretty cold but I always wanted to ride there in the winter too. There are plenty of stay option available around the region. You'll find plenty of snow in the region so one must be careful while executing the curves in the ghat region. From temples, the Parvathi river to peaks like Rohtang, there's plenty to see around. In addition, one can also ride up to the nearby Solang valley to experience paragliding and quad biking. Kasol could have a trance festival going on during the period, an experience that one must take back at least once!
5. Shillong- Kaziranga National Park:
Also known as the adobe of clouds, Shillong is the capital town and hill station of the state of Meghalaya that lies at an altitude of 4900 feet above sea level. The temperature remains moderate in winter but not too cold. There are various peaks and waterfalls around the town that offer spectacular views. The Flora and Fauna too are rare and cater to species habituated to the North east region of India. I think for a beautiful place like Shillong, at least 2 nights and 2 days is a must to stay and experience the region. One can then ride to Kaziranga national park in Assam that is 6 hours (about 300 kms) away from Shillong.
Kaziranga National Park is known for its elephant Safaris that taken one into the thick Jungle where even Jeeps are not able to tread. Of course, Jeep Safaris are available but they only follow a selected path. One can spot the Indian Rhino, Royal Bengal Tiger, various rare species of birds, Elephants and many more wild animals. The forest is covered with fog when one takes the early morning Safari, which only makes the beautiful land of Kaziranga much more magical.
There are many, many more places to ride to in winters but to me, these are the ones that have grabbed my attention for now. One must keep in mind to not litter when riding to such beautiful places, so please dispose trash responsibly! Happy winter riding!
By: Ssaajan Manoj Jogia
1. Munnar: This is a very pretty hill station in the Idduki district of Kerala. Located at an altitude of about 5000 feet in the western ghats, this green place is surrounded with sanctuaries and national parks from almost all the sides. Almost every nature activity like trekking, photography, bird watching, etc can be performed here as a large variety of Flora and Fauna can be found around the hill station, especially in the winter. As a result, I would only suggest this place to somebody who is willing to spend at least two to three days in the region as there's a lot to see and cherish. During peak winter, the temperature drops below 10 degrees centigrade hence warm clothes are a must to carry!
*** Picture Courtesy- Wikipedia.org
2. Jodhpur- Jaisalmer:
I'm sure that an experience of tenting in the desert is something that one would definitely want to experience, especially in the winters when it gets extremely cold and windy. An overnighter at Jodhpur and then a 6 hour ride to Jaisalmer would be on of the most wonderful, cold experiences you'll have in a literally deserted area. One could also take a camel or a Jeep safari, deep into the desert. There are plenty of stay options available in Jaisalmer in the form of tented accommodations- hard and soft tents in the desert. On the other hand in Jaisalmer city, one may find lodges and hotels to stay. But, since winter is a booming touristy season in Rajasthan, you may expect the rates to be very high!
3. Rann of Kutch: I'm sure the white desert in Gujarat is on every biker's wish list. The white salt flat turns into a favorable winter destination in winter as the 'Rann Utsav' festival happens alongside that displays the local culture and tradition of Kutch. The ride itself in a scenic and one may find quite a lot of wildlife in the form of wild asses and migratory birds in the region. Just like Rajasthan, the stay option around the white desert may be too expensive at the time of winter so I'm definitely going to carry my tent on the ride, probably you should too. Apart from the Rann, there are other places in Gujarat that are worth experiencing in the winter like Gir Lion sanctuary, Velavadar black buck sanctuary and old cities like Porbandar, Junagadh and Diu- Daman.
*** Picture courtesy- Gujarat Tourism
4. Manali- Kasol:
Himachal Pradesh is one of the best places to ride in India. If you speak of Himachal, another name that pops up automatically is Manali. I've been to Kasol and Manali during the monsoon when it was pretty cold but I always wanted to ride there in the winter too. There are plenty of stay option available around the region. You'll find plenty of snow in the region so one must be careful while executing the curves in the ghat region. From temples, the Parvathi river to peaks like Rohtang, there's plenty to see around. In addition, one can also ride up to the nearby Solang valley to experience paragliding and quad biking. Kasol could have a trance festival going on during the period, an experience that one must take back at least once!
*** Picture courtesy- holidify.com
5. Shillong- Kaziranga National Park:
Also known as the adobe of clouds, Shillong is the capital town and hill station of the state of Meghalaya that lies at an altitude of 4900 feet above sea level. The temperature remains moderate in winter but not too cold. There are various peaks and waterfalls around the town that offer spectacular views. The Flora and Fauna too are rare and cater to species habituated to the North east region of India. I think for a beautiful place like Shillong, at least 2 nights and 2 days is a must to stay and experience the region. One can then ride to Kaziranga national park in Assam that is 6 hours (about 300 kms) away from Shillong.
Kaziranga National Park is known for its elephant Safaris that taken one into the thick Jungle where even Jeeps are not able to tread. Of course, Jeep Safaris are available but they only follow a selected path. One can spot the Indian Rhino, Royal Bengal Tiger, various rare species of birds, Elephants and many more wild animals. The forest is covered with fog when one takes the early morning Safari, which only makes the beautiful land of Kaziranga much more magical.
*** Picture Courtesy- Assamforest.in
There are many, many more places to ride to in winters but to me, these are the ones that have grabbed my attention for now. One must keep in mind to not litter when riding to such beautiful places, so please dispose trash responsibly! Happy winter riding!
By: Ssaajan Manoj Jogia