Guess what our New Year Resolution is? To get more of you out there, doing adventures, trying new sports for the first time, and to make sure that you enjoy it enough that you come back for more! These EPIC trips are the your best adventure travel this year and will thrill you and give you memories to last a lifetime!
If you choose to add any of these TOP 5 ADVENTURES to your 2020 To-Do list, The Great Next will be more than happy to help you make sure it’s finally crossed off.
Let’s start from No 5 and work our way to the No 1 most epic adventure you can do this year!
Number 5: Go hot air ballooning over the Pink City (Jaipur, Rajasthan)
That childhood dream of flying like a bird isn’t too hard to achieve. Hot air ballooning in India relatively new, but is fast becoming one of the most best adventure sports in India. It is currently (as of Jan 2020) only open in Jaipur and Goa, but we’re hoping to see it re-open soon in Lonavala and other locations.
Hot air ballooning is a one-of-a-kind experience – you’ll feel the peace of floating through the clouds as birds fly past and also enjoy the buzz of seeing the sprawling landscapes from 2000 feet above.
What actually happens during hot air ballooning? You’ll start with a short safety briefing from your pilot, and then you’ll clamber in. The basket is quite big and can fit 8-10 people, but there’s no room for seating. Wear comfortable sneakers and carry a sweater and cap because it can get quite cold as you rise higher. Once the basket is filled up, the pilot releases the ropes holding it down, and the inflated balloon begins to rise. It pulls you gently but firmly into the open sky, where you’ll be spending the next 45-60 minutes.
From your vantage point, you’ll be able to see the gorgeous city and architecture of Jaipur below. You’ll see royal palaces, ancient forts, and lakes. This is one of the few extraordinary adventures that you can do without any prior training or experience, also making it perfect for those who wish to take their family, children, or partners along for their escapades.
Approximate cost: INR 10,000 to 15,000 per person
Find out more about hot air ballooning in Jaipur.
Find out more about hot air ballooning in Goa.
Want to fly, but don’t want to spend so much? Try out Tandem Paragliding in India?
Number 4: Scuba diving to a shipwreck in Bali (Indonesia)
The mighty USAT Liberty, a US cargo ship from WWII lies beneath the waves in Bali. This captivating shipwreck, now encrusted with a rainbow of corals and teeming with rare marine life, is located just 9 meters below the surface of the water, and is part of a beautiful underwater world.
The gentle water and mild currents make it perfect for a dive. You’ll walk into the water from the shore of Tulamben, and will enter the world of the rare pygmy seahorses, jackfish, bumphead parrotfish and king barracudas. Swim with them around the iconic shipwreck and look at the doorways and corridors that now only fish can roam. The wreck is silent and peaceful, and seems like it is from another world, and you’ll remember the feeling of swimming around over the tops of the decks.
To be able to dive at this spectacular site, you must be a certified Open Water diver. If you’re not, there’s plenty of time to do a scuba course in India and earn your PADI certificate. You could do your scuba diving course in the Andamans, which is always amongst our top itineraries of best adventure travel in India!
Approximate cost: INR 9300 onwards, for two Fun Dives (certified divers only)
Find out more about wreck diving in Bali.
Go scuba diving in Andamans, even if you can’t swim.
Number 3: A motorbike odyssey in Ladakh (Manali to Ladakh)
Motorbiking in Ladakh is on the bucket list of every passionate biker and for good reason! There’s not much that can match the feeling of riding on mountain roads in the Himalayas, in landscapes like this.
One of the most popular routes is from Manali to Leh. You start in the green valleys of Himachal, and ride past sky-piercing mountains covered in snow, watch as melted glaciers flow alongside your route and see the drastic changes in your landscapes as you go from city to city. You’ll spend nights in tents and hotels, catching up on some much-needed rest after hours of thundering through the mountains.
The highlights of your trip will be the exhilarating ride through Khardung La pass, the dream destination of any rider, and the showstopping Pangong Lake. If you’re looking for a trip that shows you a truly unique side of our country, this route is at the top of our list for best adventure travel in India.
Approximate cost: INR 30,000 onwards
Find out more about motorbiking trips in Ladakh.
Find other motorbiking trips in India.
Number 2: The unique Chadar trek (Ladakh)
While most treks take you through rolling mountains and expansive plains, there is only one that takes you right on top of a glassy, frozen river in an icy desert over 11,000 feet above! The Chadar trek ranks very high for our list of best adventure travel in India.
On the Chadar trek, you’ll see sights that sounded real only in myths and legends, right from waterfalls frozen in mid-flow to deep, dark gorges that are a result of the wild river changing its course over centuries. No morning here is the same; some days you’ll wake up in a cave, and some days you’ll see a new landscape everyday, because the river has cracked and re-frozen in new forms overnight (you might just hear that sound piercing through the dark silence of the night!). As you spend days in the frigid valley, you’ll see a winter landscape that no other place in India can reveal.
If you and your boots are convinced that this is the ultimate 2020 adventure for you, everything that you need to know about this trek can be found on our blog along with a handy packing list. If not, maybe you should read our blog of the Top 5 Reasons Why You’ll Love the Chadar Trek.
Approximate cost: INR 20,000 and upwards, per person
Find out more about the Chadar trek in Ladakh.
See other adventures in Ladakh.
And finally, here’s our NUMBER ONE ADVENTURE for 2020!
The Everest Base Camp Trek
Although the Everest Base Camp trek is one of the most difficult treks that one can do without any special mountaineering equipment or experience, it is also one of the most rewarding.
On this incredible 2-week journey, you’ll trek to the South Base Camp of the Everest, a place where you’ll find mountaineers shooting prayers and charging up before conquering the greatest feat known to mankind. As overwhelming as reaching the base camp is, the journey is what makes this trek so close to many adventurers’ hearts.
You’ll watch the sun painting the mighty Everest in its golden light from the 18,000-foot high Mt. Kalapatthar. You’ll spend days trekking through the Himalayas as you witness the terrain transform from blooming greens to sprawling browns to pristine whites as you climb higher and higher. You’ll pray at famous monasteries and visit markets at heights you’ve never imagined. You’ll meet fellow Everesters from around the globe gushing about their experiences as you spend nights together in local teahouses. You’ll do all of this and more with the world’s tallest peak serving as a constant backdrop!
It is important to note that all trekkers to the EBC must have some experience with high altitude trekking, going above 10,000 feet and trekking for long stretches of time. If you don’t, there’s no need to worry – you have months to rake up the miles and these exciting treks to help you with it.
Approximate cost: INR 75,000 onwards for 14 days, from Kathmandu
This is our To-Do list for the best adventure travel in 2020. But if you’re looking for easier adventures – weekend camping around your city, short day treks for your weekend, fun holidays with some adventure activities – we have plenty of those! Check out The Great Next website, chat with us on Facebook, or send us a private message on Instagram!
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