It garnered
admiration as the place for spiritual rejuvenation but with time Rishikesh is
turning out to be a must visit place for adventure buffs. White river rafting
in the frigid waters of the Ganges entices tourists from around the world, braver
souls, however, also aim to experience the thrill of bungee jumping as
Rishikesh boasts of the highest (83m) bungee jumping facility in India with
Jumpin Heights.
Rishikesh
is nearly 230 km away from New Delhi and by road it would take nearly 6 hours
by bus to reach there. As mentioned in the Haridwar post, my journey had begun from Kashmere Gate, Delhi after which I took a 'spiritual' halt at Haridwar and then reached Rishikesh. Even the bus stand at
Rishikesh is so well located that as soon as you arrive, you are beholder to
the stunning vistas of the verdant mountains surrounding it. From there you
have to take an auto (which usually run on sharing basis and ask for INR 10 to
drop you to the rafting agents’ site).
You
need not worry of your safety during rafting as all service providers have
similar facilities and it’s better to ask a couple of agents in the area to
choose the best deal. I have now done rafting at Rishikesh twice, once for INR
300 and once for INR 500 (disadvantage of going on a crowded day) for the 18 km
route. Rafting boat would need 10 people and the guide. The agent takes you to another
of their offices where you can keep your baggage and change your clothes, if
you need. Once the required number is achieved, everyone is stuffed in an SUV and
taken to Shivpuri, the point from where the 18 km long rafting originates (you
may also choose rafting options of other lengths but 18 km is sufficient in my
view).
You
are asked to keep your mobile, wallets, cameras and anything you don’t want to
get wet while rafting in a water-proof bag that’s carried along on the boat. In
no time, you will be on the boat, your heart pounding for the journey ahead. Supported
with life jacket, helmet & the paddle to row the boat and emulating the
typical slogans and watchwords that the guide hollers; you embark on the ride
of your life.
Rowing
through foaming water and gurgling rapids makes you feel animated, especially
when you can’t swim (like me). The first contact with the splashing Ganges river
on your face in the terrifying rapids sends adrenaline running across your
body. The effect is almost intoxicating; you only want more of it. It’s even
more fun when you blindly jump in the river and feel the chill of river. That’s
the time when you can ask your guide or another co-passenger who’s afraid of
plunging in the river to take your photos and save some memories.
The
boat makes a stop on the way to a cliff jumping site wherein people can eat
noodles and other stuff. If they choose not to make the pitstop the journey is
almost over, with a couple more rapids to go. This 2-3 hour adventure is enough
to sap all your energy. Soaked in water and feeling cold, you should dry
yourselves and reach the office of the agent to take your baggage and clothes
back.
Feeling
famished, I looked for good meals around. Finding many options, I devoured the
food; roamed around the city for some more time and took the bus to New Delhi
again. While I was taking memories with me, this memory is not to be held on to;
it definitely needs to be relived.
