Rock climbing has been on rise in terms of popularity over the past couple of years. The opportunity to go on an off-track travel adventure and the very nature of the sport which brings you closer to nature’s poetic beauty has made it a popular choice amongst youngsters. And, India being a vast country with diverse climatic conditions, offers plethora of attractive rock climbing destinations which can be visited virtually throughout the year. Here, are the best rock climbing hotspots

  1. Parvati Valley:

The Parvati Valley situated in Himachal Pradesh runs eastward from the confluence of Parvati River with River Beas to the Kullu district. The valley with snow swept mountains and scenic green landscapes is a perfect choice for those seeking adrenaline boost in the lap of the nature. The valley surrounded by three mountains with abundant rocky outcrops and alpine vegetation offer abundant adventure sport opportunities. The professional tour operators generally run trekking tours in April to June.

  1. Shey Rock:

Situated in Jammu and Kashmir, to the north side of Shey town and around 20 minutes from Leh, Shey rock is a popular rock climbing hotspot. The Shey rock is popular for the unique and great rock formation which is ideal for the novices as well as experienced rock climbers. It has the majestic views of the snow swept Himalayas and the surrounding vistas. The rock climbing operations are run in summer and is usually overloaded with adventure sports enthusiasts.

  1. Hampi:

Hampi, which is situated around 350 kms from Bangalore is a world renowned UNESCO world heritage site and features scattered ruins of monuments from the Vijayanagara era. The terrain is entirely made up of red sandstone rock formations and has countless unexplored boulders which attract hordes of domestic as well as foreign tourists. The best period for the rock climbing adventures in Hampi is winter. The popular adventure gear manufacturer Wildcraft offers guide advice along with numerous travel operators who run trekking tours.

  1. SAR Pass:

SAR pass situated in Himachal Pradesh is a hotspot for rappelling and mountaineering adventures. The SAR pass has one of the most beautiful and hardest trek route. The trek services to the SAR pass are provided by the Youth Hostel Association of India. The batches of 40-50 students is dispatched every day from May 1 to 31 May. The trek starts from Kasol which has become the hippy and bohemian lifestyle capital of India. The rocky mountains in the region offers plethora of opportunities for independent adventurers as well.

  1. Madhugiri:

Madhugiri is situated in Tumkur town in Karnataka. Also, known as Maddagiri is famous for the second largest monolith rock in Asia. The fort which was constructed by the local chieftain in the late sixteenth century is located on the top of the hillock and the ruins of it, gives a nostalgic charm to the rock climbing activity. The steep slopes and the giant boulders present challenging obstacles, which makes the activity even more exhilarating.

Article by Shahid Ali

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