Destination Guide: The Himalayas – Adventure Sports Holidays
If you like your holiday to be packed with adrenaline highs then the Himalayas are a veritable playground, and must-do destination. Here’s where to go and what to do to make the most of an adventure sports holiday.
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Mountain Biking
The Manali-Leh Highway offers mountain bike enthusiasts an incredible opportunity to soak up scenery. It takes at least eight days to travel the entire highway, you may want to allow more time to spend a bit longer at each rest stop on the way to Leh. When to book: July to September.
Pony Trekking
These sure-footed creatures make light work for anyone looking to trek the world’s highest mountain range. A trek to the Lost Kingdom of Mustang takes around 11 to 16 days, and will offer an off-the-beaten-track cultural adventure of a lifetime. Best time for pony trekking: spring and autumn when slopes are free of mud and snow.
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Rafting
Nepal is considered one of the best places in the world for white water rafting. Not only are the rivers long, the water is clean and the scenery jaw-droppingly beautiful be it mountain or jungle. Pokhara is a great place to base yourself for a single-day white water rafting trip on the Seti River. For a longer experience, say 10 days, get yourself to one of the remotest parts of Western Nepal and on to the Karnali River and paddle it all the way to Bardia National Park. When NOT to go: June to August is Monsoon season making some rivers too dangerous to raft, and others only for the most experienced of white water rafters.
Top Tip: Get adventure sports travel insurance! Our Wintersport and Ski Travel Insurance offers specialist cover for a huge range of sports and activities. An accident or injury no matter how small on an adventure sports break can be financially and emotionally devastating. We can offer policies that offer peace of mind when you need it most, but hopefully you won’t need it at all!
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Heli Skiing
Head to Himachal Pradesh in India to really connect with the Himalayan peaks with a spot of Heli Skiing. Here you’ll find drops up to 5,000 metres, surrounded by 7000m peaks, and terminating in cedar forest after an adrenaline-boosting glide down the ridge lines. The nature of the terrain means these trips are only suited to intermediate to expert skiers. Best time to go: January to March.
Trekking
Trekking to Everest Base Camp is on just about everyone’s adventure bucket list. It’s generally a 14 day adventure trekking around five hours a day in difficult terrain and takes place in the Khumbu Region in Nepal, which will require getting a flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, weather permitting of course! For those who fancy something a little less challenging, the Annapurna trailhead in the Annapurna Region is a great place to start a trekking adventure on foot. Best time to trek: March-May or October-December.
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Rock Climbing
If you are heading to the highest mountain range in the world, rock climbing might be on your agenda! Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Hattiban are the places to head for vertical adventures. Best time to go: March to May and September to December.
Paragliding
Bir-Billing in Himachel Pradesh, India is one of the most popular spots for paragliding in the Himalayas thanks to the topography creating steady thermals – don’t let that fool you into any sense of security though! Take it past the ridgeline, accidentally or otherwise and you’ll be contending with a very different beast. Best time to go: March through June – but it can get very busy, maybe not what you want in the sky! It is worth noting that Bir Billing is open all year except July and August when monsoons stop play.
Don’t forget your adventure sports travel insurance! Our Wintersport and Ski Travel Insurance offers specialist cover for a huge range of sports and activities.
