Over the years, I have chronicled a bunch of places and experiences that I will remember for the rest of my life. This doesn’t mean that this is an all-encompassing list, but each place is unique. They are all in India as that was the intention, except for one in Bhutan. And it isn’t in any particular order. Enjoy.
So here are my 10 absolute favourite travel experiences:
1. Head to Cherrapunji Holiday Resort. You can actually skip the typical haunts at Cherrapunji. Charrapunji Holiday Resort is NOT a resort (yes, they might just have gotten the name wrong) It’s not a hotel and it’s not a home stay — actually, I don’t know what you can call it! Perched on the top of a hill with one of the most amazing views I have ever come across and run by a husband and wife team, this place is an experience in itself. Trek down the fascinating living root bridges, mingle with the people from the village and sip on chai overlooking the magnificent mountains.
2. Track the tigers in MP. Come mid-October and a season for exploration begins here. If you want a safari in the popular or a beautiful zone, you need to book a good month or two in advance. The thick monsoon greens, early morning chills and the chances of seeing a tiger walking out of the mist are priceless experiences. Chitvan Jungle Lodge at Kanha is a great place to make your base. It is comfortable and not too expensive, people are warm and the food is very good. If you feel like splurging, then spend one night at the Taj Banjaar Tola at Kanha and live in tents by the Banjaar River. I personally preferred Kanha, but this tigress in the pictures is from Bandhavgarh. She was a beauty.
3. Swoon at the Taj Mahal at night. Picture the scene. Just 50 people huddled together in the cold night air, it’s pitch dark, the stars are out and there in front of you, stands the Taj Mahal gently shimmering in the moonlight. If you wish to go, do book the tour for a full moon night. Book your hotel, send them a scanned copy of your passport and they’ll book the tour for you. More details on the ASI website. Just ensure that these dates do not clash with a lunar eclipse . Another tip is that you should book for a later viewing so that the moon has risen higher into the sky.
4. Village-hop with Grassroutes (http://www.grassroutes.co.in/) in Maharashtra. Stay in tents, visit village homes for meals and go for small hikes. Experience rural life and local food. I got to pluck and eat fresh jamun after a hike, eat hot puranpoli at the pretty Heera Bai’s house and gorge on her special dal with the dagadachi tadka. Grassroutes offers visits to three villages in Maharashtra and you’ll come back with interesting stories. And eyes much wider. Go greet the hand that feeds you. Go on.
5. Trek in the Himalayas. I wish I had done more, and hope I do so one day. I only completed a 10 day trek in the Himalayaa and it would go down as one of my best experiences ever. I think I was the closest I have ever been to nature, the most silence I have ever experienced along with the joys of just walking. We walked upto 14000 feet at an ancient pass at the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas. I still have very vivid memories of that trek. For those who do not like trekking, even a trip in the hills while staying at places that celebrate nature should be good.
6. Live in an organic farm. Visit Rainforest Retreat (http://www.rainforestours.com/) and book your lodge today in the tropical rainforests of the Western Ghats of Kodagu (Coorg) district in southern Karnataka to meet scientists turned farmers. They researched more than 15 varieties of the cardamom plant and found the one that the pests like the least and grow that now! And if you visit their farms you will think they are jungles and not really farms. The crop grows in bits and patches under the canopy of old trees that have always stood their ground. In their own words, ”We cater to environmentally conscious travellers who want to experience a harmonious existence with nature. Surrounded by rolling hills and densely forested valleys, this is a naturalist’s paradise waiting to be discovered. Experience the true meaning of biodiversity as you explore remote idyllic valleys and tropical forests or learn how coffee, cardamom, pepper, vanilla are sustainably cultivated under the shade of rainforest trees. We also offer some of the finest trekking and birding in Southern India.”
7. Go off the radar at Spiti, Himachal Pradesh. Go in October, towards the end of season when it is even quieter and there are no tourists milling around. The passes begin to close towards the end of October; though the exact date changes every year as it’s dependent on when winter sets in. Sneak in from Manali as Rohtang pass closes earlier and leave from Shimla. Spiti is one bumpy drive over non-existent roads, with pristine blue skies, against the arid grey landscape and sharp rocks. You’ll get stuck in traffic jams caused by landslides and end with boxes of crisp and juicy Kinnaur apples in Sangla. The mobile network is sporadic, so I chose to switch off my phone. The silence was brilliant.
8. Stay at Maranat Mana (http://www.maranatmana.com/). The website will tell you that,” Maranat Mana is a traditional Namboothiri Illam (Kerala Brahmin House-hold)which is situated in central Kerala at the foothills of the Western Ghats. Maranat Mana is one of the last imposing structures with “pathinaru kettu”(four courtyards )built in the traditional Kerala architectural style and vastushastra tradition, occupying a plinth area of 1 acre. Sitting pretty on an 8 acre plot filled with coconut, cashew, mango, jackfruit,nutmeg, vanilla and medicinal plants, it is home to a family of more than 30 members” This was probably one of my best homestay experiences. It could be because we stayed there for Onam. It could be because it was one of my first homestay experiences. It could just be because it’s just beyond a description because you live in the restored granaries and interact with the family that lives in a 150 year old mansion.
9. In Bhutan, visit Uma by Como: This is a 29-room resort with an enviable location in the Paro Valley. Of all the luxury travel experiences I have had (albeit limited), this was probably the most beautiful place. The personal care products they give are divine and you will want to steal as much as you can. Bhutan itself is a must do. It manages to have the starkness of Spiti and yet is beautifully green as it’s much lower down in altitude. And you get it all there — it’s still a monarchy, you can have an active holiday or choose to relax and live at a spa. The people are really warm and the entire place is gorgeous! Your journey begins when the captain of your flight says, “and that, ladies and gentlemen, is the Mount Everest.”
10. Paraglide at Kamshet: I am not an adventure or adrenaline driven person. I wouldn’t want to bungee jump or skydive. But paragliding, is akin to meditating and I say that with utmost seriousness and sincerity. I will never forget my first flight- my heart pounding in my ears. The running to the end of the cliff, the take-off followed by silence. Floating high above the earth with everything just reduced to a speck far below. You are not hurtling to the ground, gravity is not tugging at the strings, you are like a kite — gliding, floating. It’s calming, relaxing and with those breathtaking views, you couldn’t ask for more. Kamshet, near Pune, is a great way to begin your love affair with gliding high above the clouds. I went with http://www.flynirvana.com/.
Bhavani is a traveler by choice, photographer by interest and writer by desire. She crafts tours at Audiocompass.In and blogs at merrytogoaround.com.
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