Trekking Forts

Swarn Dhaba | Chandigarh | India  Swarn Dhaba is the place to be to savour authentic dhaba - style mutton curry. It can be visited in Sector 30 C. Their menu is quite simple: it states what combination of food are served along with half and full - portion rates.  Mutton Curry  Although th…

BOOK NOW, PAY LATER  Planning a trip later this year, but feel the need for a credit line to book hotel rooms? Say 'aloha' to Agoda.com's ' book now, pay later ' scheme. All you need is a valid credit card. Pick your hotel, fill in your card details, and look for the t…

COUCHSURFING AROUND THE WORLD It's touted as the poor man's Airbnb. Basically, this is your opportunity to crash with a local in one of 100000 cities while you are totally skint. You need to sign up for a profile couchsurfing.org, and do your own homework without the benefit of a …

KERALA HOMESTAYS For all its proletarian connections, Kerala isn't a particularly inexpensive state to visit. However, 'God's own country' is so eternally fascinating and endearingly beautiful that visitors don't particularly mind forking out a premium. The state is re…

A DAY AT DAKSHINACHITRA  A day is usually not enough at DakshinaChitra. Quite apart from original and restored homes from the four southern states housing themed displays of objects as diverse as lamps and nut-crackers, folk dances, puppetry, art exhibitions and documentaries by distingui…

MAKAIBARI HOMESTAYS | KURSEONG | DARJEELING HILLS    Set in the Darjeeling hills near Kurseong, Makaibari is one of the world's most famous tea estates. Now you can enjoy it's charm and its surrounding forests through the homestay network ( 2,000 Rs for doubles;  volmakaibari.blog…

CORACLE RIDE ON THE TUNGABHADRA AT HAMPI  Especially if you go in the off-season, the Tungabhadra's almost primordial setting as it flows past the abandoned, boulder-strewn ruins of Hampi will sweep you away in a sigh. A coracle ride down this exquisite vista should be on any discerni…

LUXE FAMILY HOSTELS  Dorms are not just for backpackers nowadays, and hostels can be family-friendly too. We like the Generator brand ( from 1150 Rs a bed;  generatorhostels.com  ), in London, Barcelona, Hamburg, Dublin, Venice and Copenhagen. Many YHA hostels (  yha.org.uk  ) are family-…

SNOW LEOPARD CONSERVANCY  The growing pressures of tourism in Ladakh and the loss of habitat lead the region's totemic animal, the snow leopard, into conflict with human settlements. SLC uses various measures to minimise this conflict. One of their most effective programs is the exten…

JUMP INTO THE BAY OF BENGAL  The Chennai Trekking Club, a non-profit that does much else besides trekking, organizes excursions into the sea off Kovalam, about mid-way on the East Coast Road from Chennai to Mahabalipuram. Groups of eight are handed life jackets and put on fishing boats th…

EATING OUT IN DARJEELING  The Queen of the Hills may have frayed a bit, but it's still great for views, culture and cuisine. Darjeeling is a fantastic place to eat cheap. Restaurants like Keventer's ( 0354-2254026; meat platter, English breakfast; meal for two 1000 Rs ) and Glenar…

COMMUNITY-BASED TREKKING IN THE HIMALAYA Trekking in the Himalaya is expensive, but it isn't as costly to head out to the more remote parts of the mountains in India as it is in, say, Nepal and Bhutan. Especially in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, there are many trekking operators w…

BINSAR KMVN REST HOUSE Binsar, of course, has one of the most beautiful forest in the middle Himalaya. However, in an area known for expensive boutique bungalows, there is one gem of a budget accommodation: Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam's forest guest house ( from 4,800 Rs doubles;  kmvn.…

NILGIRI MOUNTAINS TREK | OOTY | INDIA  Eight groups are off on a weeklong trek of the Nilgiris, starting from the base camp in Ooty, covering the scenic route to Pykara Falls and Mudumalai, primarily organised with the intention of introducing yong folk to the joys of hiking the Nilgiris …

RESTAURANT WEEK IN NEWYORK   Visit New York during the NYC Restaurant Week, held over one week in winter and one in summer ( the precise week to be announced later; check website ) , when participating restaurants offer half-price three course lunches ( 2000 Rs ) and dinners ( 3200 Rs ). …

SOUTH INDIA AND GOA ON A BUDGET Shoestring (  shoestring.com  ) is a fun travel operator that organises interesting trips around the world on a, yep shoestring. One of their month-long itineraries in India caught our eye. A southern India holiday, it kicks off in Mamallapuram, takes in Ma…

CHATTAI YOGA BEACH HUTS, GOA  Finding budget accommodation ( that's also safe ) in Goa is somewhat more difficult than taking a stroll on the beach. But if you're lucky ( or if you book well in advance ), you might find yourself in the Yoga huts in Cola. Perched on a green hill ov…

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10 BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN JAIPUR  The Pink City, barely a five-hour drive away from Delhi, offers great weekend options. Escape the city on a Friday afternoon, stay in the simple but comfortable Tara Niwas ( from 1350 Rs; taraniwas.in ). Gorge on the food at the hotel, or try local delic…

10 BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN BANARAS  One of India's oldest and most spiritual cities is absolutely stunning in the soft winter light that suffuses the ghats and the alleys of Banaras. It is always a low-cost place to visit, with most ghat-side hotels and homestays going for under 1000 …

6 Reasons You Should be Talking About Marina Beach A long strain of coastal delight, golden sand, good surf and a glimmering clean blue sea, This in a nutshell, is Marina beach. This beach is collected among one of the longest beaches in Asia. Its 12 km long strain was made beautiful by…

PONDICHERY CAFE | BANDRA KURLA COMPLEX | MUMBAI This one is especially for the gastronome who can't make up their mind. From Indonesian to Thai to Indian, you name it, Pondichery Cafe has it all. The Tandoori Paneer Shaslik - a true desi delight - is unbeatable. Crusty on the outside …

KHAO PIYO DELUXE DHABA | CHANDIGARH  In Sector 26, the Khao Piyo Deluxe Dhaba is truly living up to its name: it's a dhaba style restaurant with all the trappings of a modern eatery. Enjoy butter chicken as much as biryani and pizza. The decor is inspired by traditional dhabas found i…

Why Kanyakumari Will Change Your Life ?  At the southernmost tip of India , where the Arabian Sea , the Indian Ocean, and the Bay of Bengal meet, lies Kanyakumari, an important pilgrimage site. Two rocks reach out of the ocean.  Kanyakumari  One of these is Sri Padaparai, where the foo…

13 Reasons You Should Be Talking About Bagdogra  Beyond its perceived purpose as the launch pad into Sikkim and other Northeast Indian territories, Bagdogra is a traveller's paradise that is waiting to be rediscovered. Bagdogra  All too often, we forget that a toddler lurks within us.…

19 Facts About Kovalam Beach That Will Impress Your Friends This coastal heaven in Kerala shot to international prominence in the 1970s as a hippie stopover on the way to Sri Lanka, and part of that alternative spirit lives on in Kovalam's surfing culture. With rocky outcrops that kee…

What Wikipedia Can't Tell You About Rann of Kutch? From far away, the Rann of Kutch is a blanket of white that embark to stretch to the horizon and beyond. But a closer look will reveal the colours hidden in between, of the reflected skies, of life in Gujarat's deserts, of the man…

ZIRO | ARUNACHAL PRADESH | HOW ZIRO ARUNACHAL PRADESH CAN HELP YOU LIVE A BETTER LIFE                                                                                               Arunachal Pradesh  Picture a valley dip in vibrant green, flanked by rolling hills, and covered in pine and b…

Tungareshwar Jungle Trek | Mumbai | Maharashtra  In the North Konkan, near Mumbai, near the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway, is a very beautiful hill of Tungareshwar. There is a dirt road through the dense forest to reach this mountain. Continuing on the left, you can see the river Tungareshwar …

Dudhsagar Falls | Goa  To locals and regular visitors, Goa is the prettiest when it rains. While the beaches are bereft of the touristy shacks, the water is cleaner and the sands less crowded. The forested hinterland comes to life with numerous waterfalls cutting through the green. One of…

Naneghat Caves Trek  I went to Naneghat Caves Trek on 01 January 2017 with my college friends Rakesh, Kaustubh and Mukesh. On 01 January Mukesh is having his birthday also. We planned for Naneghat Caves Trek 05 days before the trekking day. On 01 January 2017 I woke up early in the mornin…

Ananthagiri Hills Trek A mere 90 km away from the bustling metropolis of Hyderabad lies a group of hills, lush with green forest cover. Musi River and several small rivulets run through Ananthagiri Hills, which are believed to be one of the earliest habited areas in the South. Anantha…

Karnala Bird Sanctuary Trek  I went to Karnala Bird Sanctuary Trek on 18 December 2020 with my childhood friends Jeetu, Neeraj and Sanjya. Every year we all friends plan one trek. This was year end of 2020 so from last 15 days we all friends were planning to go some where for the trip and…

Karwar Beach This oft-ignored neighbour of Goa offers a serene getaway sans the usual touristy hubbub. A small beach town that can be explored on foot, Karwars coastline consists of several pristine beaches such as Binaga, Devbagh and Majali. Some of these even offer adventurous activ…

Kanheri Caves Trek  I went to Kanheri Caves Trek on 10 May 2007 with my job friends Ganesh Satdive and Shaveen Pillai. At that time I was working in Omnia BPO. We were working for Indian Airlines process. We were getting very bored by our routine office work. So we were thinking that wh…

Polo Forest Trek  Bestride the Gujarat - Rajasthan border, Vijaynagar Forest, better known as Polo Forest, is endowed with green hills and serene jungles that are best explored during monsoon. Harnav River, running through the forest, adds to its beauty. There are around 275 species of…

Andaman & Nicobar Island Ringent with unending swathes of mangroves and rainforests, the Andamans pride themselves on their immaculate, unblemished beaches. It also accommodate many a cultural and historical sight - commences your journey at Cellular Jail in Port Blair, and revel i…

Day Trips from Sydney Australia You Must Try Australia flourishes amongst the most beautiful countries in the world. So, there is no doubt that Australia has a great demand among numerous visitors. Sydney surpasses all the other attractions of Australia becoming the pioneer of Austral…