New-age travellers are discovering a new thrill in offbeat road tours

If you want to do something different next time you go on a holiday, ditch train or air travel and opt for the adventure of a cycling, bike or jeep tour

Travel and tourism in India is increasingly turning experiential. Instead of visiting new cities and doing the rounds of historical monuments, young travellers try to satiate their wanderlust by going on trips to offbeat destinations. Cycling, bike, jeep and food tours are the rage these days among them, as they offer the triple benefits of leisure, physical activity, and sightseeing.  

Organisers of such tours have mapped out extensive networks of roads that take the traveller to the most far-flung and remote parts of the country. Depending on his preference, the traveller can choose to experience mountain roads or travel along coastlines. The choice of route must, of course, depend on the weather in that part of the country, during that part of the year.   

Cycling tours: Cycling tours are taking place all over the country, allowing both casual cyclists and hardcore enthusiasts to take on the challenge of unexplored roads and difficult terrains. Popular routes exist in every part of the country. The trip from Manali to Leh, which encompasses high mountain passes and expansive plains, and calls of negotiating sharp bends and fording streams, is a favourite. Other popular places for such tours are Meghalaya and Shillong in the north-east, Sikkim, Rajasthan, and Goa. 

May to September is the best time for a tour in Leh or in the north-east, while winter is the appropriate time for a trip in Rajasthan. 

Shorter cycling tours of two-five days cost between Rs 15,000 and Rs 40,000 per person. Longer tours of 10-15 days can set you back by Rs 60,000-110,000. These package tours include accommodation, meals, cycle, support vehicle and so on. 

Motorbike tours: A number of routes have caught the fancy of bikers. These include Himalayan routes, Kerala for its greenery, Rajasthan for its desert, and the coastal route to Pondicherry. One aspect common to all of them that they take the traveller through highly picturesque country. Some of the popular routes are Manali-Leh-Srinagar, Jaipur-Jodhpur-Jaisalmer, Jaipur-Udaipur, and Shillong-Cherrapunji-Dawki-Mawlynnong. 

The best time to visit Ladakh and Spiti Valley is between May and September. February to March is ideal for the West Coast tour as the weather is cool and humidity, low.

Bike tours are a little more expensive. The package cost ranges from Rs 30,000-80,000 for 5-10 days. Most of these packages include an Enfield motorbike with fuel, meals, accommodation, and pick-up and drop. 

Driving tours: Jeep safaris have gained popularity in recent times among travellers yearning for a feeling of adventure. Popular jeep safaris include going through the rainforests of Munnar and the deserts of Jaisalmer. 
 

Driving through wildlife sanctuaries is also popular. The jeep safari at Kaziranga National Park takes four days and costs Rs 15,000-30,000. The Manali-Ladakh tour lasts for 10 days and costs Rs 60,000-70,000. These tour packages include accommodation, meals, trip assistance, and backup vehicles. 

The Golden Triangle tour is another perennial favourite. It starts from Delhi, goes to Agra, and ends in Rajasthan. The return trip includes Jaipur.   

Culinary tours: Food and wine tours are popular all over the world. Earlier, Indians timed their trips abroad to coincide with famous food fests, where they could savour top-of-the line, often exotic, cuisines. Now food tours have taken off within the country as well. "Food tours are the fastest-growing experience category on travel booking sites, based on traveller spending. Spending rose 61 per cent in 2017 compared to the previous year," says Nikhil Ganju, country manager, TripAdvisor India. Globally, food tour bookings grew 57 per cent last year.

Food tour packages include food tours, cooking classes, tea tasting, wine tasting, photo tours, and sightseeing. People mostly go on these tours for food experiences—street food trails, spice market tours, farm-to-fork activities, and wine appreciation sessions. A primary goal of these tours is to allow you to taste the authentic food of that region, include street food. 

These tours last from five to 20 days. The package includes accommodation, travelling and all meals. A five-day trip could cost you Rs 10,000-15,000. 

Bookings for all these tours can be done on travel booking sites. The popular ones are TripAdvisor, Adventure Nation, Indiafoodtour, Mercury Himalayan Explorations, Countryside, Snow Leopard Adventures, and Thrillophilia. Most of these are recent start-ups that have gained popularity within a short period. These sites also allow travellers to compare various tours, activities and costs.