Travel as a whole is changing as the need for new experiences grow. Gone are the days when a simple coach tour around the highlights of the destination were in demand. These days, travellers want a lot more as the number of unique experiences possible in the country grow. 

(TRAVPR.COM) INDIA - April 9th, 2013 - Travel as a whole is changing as the need for new experiences grow. Gone are the days when a simple coach tour around the highlights of the destination were in demand. These days, travellers want a lot more as the number of unique experiences possible in the country grow. The traveller of today wants to get his hands dirty, wants to experience something new, wants to go where other people may not have gone, wants to get lost. 

Indian Outskirts plans to cater to this new breed of travellers through its new portfolio of adventures and wildlife journeys. While some of these journeys explore places that are not yet on the tourist map, others explore existing hotspots in a new way. But the basic premise of all journeys is to help travellers experience life in a way that cannot be explored by just seeing monuments. The journeys so designed mainly fall under 5 categories:

Trekking: The trekking journeys take travellers walking into the valley of Zanskar for easy hikes along the river and to see how yak milk cheese is made and dried in the sun. A winter trek is also done on the frozen river which has been an ancient trade route for the villagers in the Zanskar valley. These new treks also take the traveller to the mountains of the Great Himalayan National Park to see a plethora of wildlife and birds. These journeys also take an unconventional route around the Kanchenjunga base camp with routes leading guests to turqoise blue lakes and over beautiful juniper-covered ridges. We also travel down South to see a different type of vegetation and mistyness that Southern hill stations bring. Coming back to the Himalayas, we look at old British towns in the hills of Kumaon. These work as lodge treks like the tea house treks in Nepal.

Cycling: The countries comprising of the subcontinent have long been explored by chauffer driven vehicles. But the spirit of the region lies more on the backcountry roads than the highways. A very cultural adventure, cycling helps traveller be one with the people as they explore quaint local processes or indulge in some fresh local food. Whether guests travel around the backwaters of Kerala, the beautiful havelis of Rajasthan or the mountains of Spiti, cycling provides for a joy that motorised travel can only dream of. The journeys in Kerala follow the bird sanctuary of Thattekad, the rubber plantations of Neriyamangalam, the tea estates of Vagamon, the spice plantations of Thekkady and finally, the backwaters and coast of Alleppey before settling down at Marari for a few days at the beach.

Motorcycling: The Enfield has played a role in many legendary stories. While other bikes are generally used for the daily commute, Enfield riders prefer to ride the endless roads that connect them to their destinations. En route they feel the atmosphere, the freshness of snow, snacks at local places and stories that others may not know. Indian Outskirts' journeys on the Royal Enfield take people up the mountains and then, from the source of the river Ganges to the place where it meets the sea. The landscape changes as bikers travel down the mountain to the plains of Varanasi and then onwards to the mangrove forests of the Sunderbans. En route are numerous forts, religious rituals, relaxing days on fishermen boats and a lot more. Zen couldnt get better.

Self Drives: Every time a person sees Indian roads, they wonder how people can drive through them. Driving for a traveller to India is a risk – and one that only the bravest take. But what if we told you of roads where driving is a pleasure ? Or grand mountains that could be conquered by your 4x4 ? When one looks at the advantages once the fear of the roads is conquered, one realises that roadtrips are indeed quite awesome concepts. There are very few places left in the world where the landscape changes every 100km. There are very few places left which can boast of all that your heart desires. Driving is a pleasure once fear is conquered and for this reason, Indian Outskirts promotes self drives to a huge extent.

These journeys are designed for the traveller who does not expect the ordinary. This is for travellers who prefer an experience of a lifetime. This is for those who look at a place and say. “So what's new.” Well, this is new.

###