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The great adventure
THRILLER If you want your children to learn about nature and gain confidence, send them to an adventure camp. From paragliding to snorkelling, there are many safe, exciting choices This summer vacation, your children can choose from a variety of adventure activities. Whether it’s snorkelling in the Konkan, an overnight camp in the Sahyadris or rappelling down a small cliff, there are several options to choose from.
If rising childhood obesity is any indi- cation, there has never been a greater need for children to get involved in out- door activities. According to the National Family Health Survey (2008), 7 per cent of those in the 6-18 years age group in urban India are obese. Besides physical exertion, adventure activities inculcate a sense of inde- pendence and hone leadership skills.
“When children are at home, they are completely taken care of,“ said paedia- trician P. Vaidyanathan. “But when they are outdoors, they develop a sense of ownership about their possessions. Invariably, someone falls and gets hurt, so they learn to cope with various cir- cumstances.“ Adventure activities such as rock climbing or waterfall rappelling also allow them to develop greater confi- dence in themselves. “The first time my children tried waterfall rappelling, they were a little unsure,“ said Vignesh Manjeshwar (41), managing director of a logistics company who, along with his wife, accompanied his two children to a day-long adventure camp in the Kondana Caves earlier this month. “But by the second time, they started to take pleasure in the exertion.“
Manjeshwar said the camp, which included trekking, a night walk and val- ley crossing, encouraged his daughter Divija (10) and son Hansin (9) to take small risks. “We protect our children when they are growing up, but expect them to be adventurous as adults,“ he said.
Instead, take your pick from a list of adventure sports.
TAKE YOUR PICK
KAYAKING, WATER SKIING Who: H2O Water Complex, Girgaum Chowpatty What: 4-day kayaking course, 7-day water-skiing course (15 minutes/session) Contact: Rajiv Bhatia (kayak- ing), 9920088873; Pradeep Pathade (water skiing), 9870071632 Cost: Rs 3,000 for kayaking, Rs 5,000 for water skiing CAMPING
Who: Jidnyaasa Trust What: Dhamal Shibir: Two- day camp at Titwala (April 19- 21). Activities include air gun shooting, nature trails and star-gazing. Age group: 10 to 12. Sahas Shibir: Two-day camp in Badlapur (April 2629). Activities include rock climbing, rappelling, river crossing. Age group: 11 to 15 Contact: Surendra Dighe, 25403857 Cost: Rs 2,000 (Dhamal), Rs 2,750 (Sahas) PAINTBALL
Who: XZone Paintball, Fun Republic, Andheri (W) What: Paintball range in car park. All days, 1-8 pm. Contact: Rushabh Shah, 9892503722. www.xzone.in Cost: Rs 400 for 30 minutes PARAGLIDING
Who: Temple Pilots What: Two-day workshop at Kamshet every weekend. Age group: 10 to 16 Contact: Shriya, 9970053359, www.templepilots.com Cost: Rs 6,500 Who: Space Apple
What: Paragliding, parasail- ing in Virar. Age group: 5+ Contact: Samson D’Silva, 9822499281 Cost: Rs 2,000 HIKING, RIVER CROSSING, RAPPELLING
Who: Campfire India What: Rappelling, rock climbing, valley crossing, hiking in the Sahyadris, river rafting on the Kundalika. Contact: Arun Sawant, 9869474343 Cost: Rs 2,500 upwards Who: Escapades India
What: River rafting on the Kundalika, camps in Matheran from May 2 to 4. Age group: 7 to 12 years Contact: Parag Gandi, 9820277797 Cost: Rs 3,500 Who: Jungle Lore
What: River rafting, rap- pelling, rock climbing, jungle camps in Yeoor, hiking in the Sahyadris. Kayaking, rifle shooting and river rafting camp on April 10 and 11. Age group: 14+ Contact: Kaustubh Upadhye, 9987126233 Cost: Rs 3,000 Who: Trek Mates India
What: Treks in Maharashtra, to neighbouring states Contact: 9987757665 Cost: Rs 300 to Rs 3,000 Who: Wide Aware
What: River rafting on the Kundalika, waterfall rap- pelling at Kondana Caves, rock climbing, trekking Contact: Vidyut Kale, 9892469127 Cost: Rs 1,000 to Rs 9,000 SNORKELLING
Who: MTDC What: Snorkelling, scuba div- ing at Tarkarli beach, Malvan When: October to May Contact: Visit www.maha– rashtratourism.gov.in to book online. Contact MTDC resort in Tarkarli for group bookings and discounts. Cost: Rs 300 for 1.5 hours WHAT’S ON OFFER
HIKING
A trek is the most engaging, yet easy way to get close nature. The Sahyadris lend themselves to treks that range from easy to moderately difficult. “Children meet lots of dif- ferent people,“ said Vikram Singh of Trek Mates India. “This helps the shy ones shed their inhibitions.“ KAYAKING
It involves a small kayak manned by a single person using a double-bladed paddle. “It keeps children fit and brings them closer to nature,“ said Rajiv Bhatia, instructor at Girgaum Chowpatty’s H2O Water Sports Complex. “There are two-seater kayaks, too, so it’s great for team-build- ing as well.“ Children as young as eight can learn the sport provided they know how to swim. Wear a life jacket, ensure there are trained lifeguards around. OVERNIGHT CAMPING
Tasks range from rock climbing and rappelling to pitching your own tent, cooking and cleaning. “Children are brought out of their comfort zones,“ said Surendra Dighe, manag- ing trustee of Jidnyasa Trust that organises camps. Enroll your child only with experienced organisers who conduct activities all-year round. PARAGLIDING
While paragliding courses are nor- mally for those over the age of emple Pilots, a Mumbai- and 16, Temple Pilots, a Mumbai- and Pune-based firm, organises a two-day Young Eagles Workshop every week- end at Kamshet for kids aged 10 to 16. Children learn paragliding, get famil- iar with the equipment and take a tandem flight with an instructor. Aly Furniturewala (15), a Pune student who got his first taste of paragliding two months ago, said: “Everybody should try it. It’s a bit scary at first, but you quickly get over that.“ If Kamshet seems far away, try Space Apple in Virar. RAPPELLING
The groups that organise the trips provide the gear. All you have to wear thick clothing that will predo is wear thick clothing that will pre- vent you from getting cut. Sunzita Mande went rappelling with her son Mishkin (10) at Vihi, near Mumbai. “Mishkin was terrified at the peak, but the instructors calmed him down and he enjoyed the expe- rience,“ she said. RIVER CROSSING
It involves going from one bank of a river to the other, parallel to th water, using a rope tied across. “It helps chil- dren stay alert,“ said Parag Gandhi, founder of adventure group Escapades India. RIVER RAFTING
Usually, raftin involves eigh people in an ai filled raft. The sport involves coordination with your group and is a good way to build upper body strength. On rel- atively calm waters, it is possible for teenagers above the age of 15 to go rafting under supervision. “It’s a great team builder,“ said Kaustubh Upadhye, co-owner of Jungle Lore Activities. “If done early on, it instills in children an instinct to depend on themselves in times of danger, and helps them think on their feet.“ ROCK CLIMBING
Since it requires some training and specialised equipment, rock climbing is not recommended for those younger than 8. But for older children, it’s a great way to build con- fidence and make friends. “Rock climbing is about going beyond your boundaries and meeting chal- lenges,“ said Vidyut and Raghavendra Kale, co-founders of adventure travel company Wide Aware. Urvi Turakhiya (38), who took her daughter Chandni (6) and son Shrey (10) for a session, said they enjoyed the challenge. “I don’t want my children to go to a mall to pass their time,“ she said. SNORKELLING
If your child is not much of a swimmer but would like to get acquainted with marine wonders, snorkelling is the right way to begin. It involves swimming close to the surface of a body of water — usually the sea — using a diving mask, a breathing tube called the snorkel and fins on the feet. Even chil- dren as young as 6 or 7 can try it. You can try snorkelling at Tarkarli in Sindhudurg. “You can find exotic sea life, like forests of sargassum algae and butterfly fish,“ said Dr Sarang Kulkarni, director of Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation’s adventure sports department. WATER SKIING
It involves skimming along the water’s surface on a pair of water skis and holding on to a rope attached to a motorboat. Ashish Parikh (47), a chartered accountant, started both his children, Shreya (14) and Vedant (12), on water skiing when they were about 9. He said it made them “men- tally and physically stronger“. |