It's funny how when you’re at 5,500 feet above sea level, looking down at matchbox houses from the edge of a cliff, you begin to wonder if by some insane stroke of bad luck, your fear of heights and fear of flying is suddenly going to manifest itself for the very first time. It’s funny how when you’re all buckled into a heavy red- and- white striped paraglider, waiting to run off the edge of that cliff, you’re humbled by the fact that two frail strips of ribbons, tied onto a stick that barely reaches your ankles, are going to decide when you’re going to jump off that cliff and glide away till the wind allows you to land down in Naukuchiatal.
Famous for its ‘ lake of nine corners,’ Naukuchiatal in Uttarakhand is where you should be if you’re looking for some exalting experiences, which don’t pinch your pocket and leave you wondering why you ever made the trip in the first place. Though classified as an extreme sport in the official books, paragliding is probably the most gentle of the cousins in a family of aerial adventures.
Once you’ve had a good paragliding experience and enjoyed the breathtaking view mid- flight on a clear day, you’ll be more than ready to get strapped into a parachute the next time around and jump off a moving plane or a chopper and go skydiving. But for starters, paragliding is the perfect first date — make the venue Naukuchiatal and you’re all set for a very packed and memorable weekend.
Drive down for five hours if you want to reach Naukuchiatal by road, or get yourself a ticket on Ranikhet Express if you prefer the steady swaying of Indian Railways.
Get off at Kathgodam and prepare to be welcomed by chirping birds and a horde of cab drivers wanting to drive you down to Naukuchiatal for a reasonable amount.
The drive takes about an hour, and it gives you a fine taste of what to expect on your trip — winding roadways, furry mountain dogs, Van Gogh- ian skies and air so fresh so you just want to bottle it up and take it home to Delhi.
Though there is no dearth of options of where to stay in Naukuchiatal, KMVN ( the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam) Tourist Rest House offers you a sweet deal — open the doors of your wooden- floored bedroom and the view is sure to take your breath away. The lake of nine corners, made famous by the belief that if you can see all the corners, you’ll attain nirvana, stretches out in front of you in all its pristine enchantment. Furthermore, since the rest house is built beside the lakeside, you can literally step into this view.
Enjoy the complimentary breakfast and hop onto the shikhara or go paddleboating.
For the more adventurous, pick up the roars and go kayaking across 175- feet deep, spring- water fed lake — let anyone of the resident boatmen know and they’ll be more than happy to hold your canoe as you jump into the lake and swim ashore, they’ll even topple it for you if you want.
Swimming in that beautiful lake, or just bobbing up and down in the cool water as the life jacket keeps you afloat alongside schools of fish. Add couple of non- poisonous water snakes to the picture, and you have the stuff adventure tales are made up off.
For paragliding, the rest house staff will arrange for a jeep to Pandegaon ( 4km uphill from Naukuchiatal) — that’s where you can have your paragliding adventure.
Don’t hesitate to reach out and pluck mulberries off the trees just after you finish your flight — it’s not every day that you can pluck off berries, or any fruit for that matter, once you’re back in the big city.
Hire another cab and choose from a host of places for the next leg of the trip — birdwatcher’s paradise Sattal, Bhimtal with the Mahabharata connection, the Corbett National Park, the scenic Kasauni, Almora and Ranikhet. Alternatively, you can also head to Nainital.
As you head up to Nainital, the shrubs and roomy trees turn into tall and graceful pines.
If you’ve had your fill of all the boating activities and Mall Road loitering that you can do, opt for the horse safari in Nainital that takes you through the jungles of the Corbett Park. The game here is to stay on your horse as he trots up and down steep jungle slopes — it may not sound scary, but you’ll remember it more than your paragliding adventure! Head back to Kathgodam or hop on a Volvo from Haldwani, the purple blotches on your mulberry- stained hands and the pine cones sticking out of your backpack will ensure your time on the road isn’t that easily forgotten.
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