1. Ice Trekking If you want to look at it from the point of view of just trekking, it is pretty simple. But the element of adventure in it comes from the fact that the trekking takes place here on frozen snow. One of the famous ice trekking location in India is Ladakh. In winter the Zanskar River freezes, and trekkers take this route to complete the Chadar trek. The trek is basically a connecting route between the villages of Zanskar Valley and the Chilling town of Ladakh. The name comes from the Indian word ‘chadar’ meaning blanket and it implies the blanket of ice and snow that covers the route during this time. While the region of Ladakh is full of colours during summer, in winter it remains cut off from the rest of the world due to heavy snowfall.
2. Camping on snow clad hills Trekkers and mountaineers will find this activity quite an interesting one during winter when the foothills of the Himalayas in the mountainous Indian states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, northern part of West Bengal and Sikkim are covered in a thick layer of snow. These are the most favourite trekking destinations of Indian trekkers. In the mountain issues of Touriosity there have been numerous articles in the past about this activity.
3. Ski Mountaineering Ski mountaineering (in short skimo) combines skiing and mountaineering and the persons taking part must have expertise in both the disciplines. In ski mountaineering the climbers essentially climb the mountains in the way the mountaineers do. And depending upon the steepness of the mountain they descend on skis. This activity is practiced both as a competitive sport and a recreational activity. Touriosity’s July 2014 issue published an article about a ski-mountaineering expedition to a mountain in the Kamchatka range in Russia.
4. Dog sledding Dog sleds as a means of transport have been in existence for thousands of years. Historically hunters used the sleighs to go hunting. In areas covered permanently with snow like Alaska, Greenland, northern parts of Scandinavia and Russia, dog sledding has been the only means of transport for centuries until the snowmobiles were invented and brought to use. Today both coexist with each other. While for the inhabitants of these places, snowmobiles act as the day to day transport, dog sledding is more touristy and have been rather commercialised in these regions for attracting tourist revenue. During a visit to any of these places, one must ensure to have the unique experience.
5. Snowshoeing Walking in snow is very difficult because the foot seems to sink on the snow. The snowshoe was invented in order to make walking on snow easier. Snowshoes are somewhat like normal shoes but very big in size. The large size of the shoe ensures that the weight of a person is distributed over a larger area and hence, does his foot do not sink. Today, beyond just walking on snow, it has evolved as a form of hiking too. While originally these shoes were made from hide and wood, the designs have evolved over the centuries. At present there are many companies producing sturdy snowshoes that have become popular in recreational snowshoeing in snow covered tourist destinations of the world.
6. Ice swimming This has been a popular activity in colder countries. Ice swimming essentially involves swimming in the frozen water by breaking the ice or swimming in a waterbody that does not get frozen. Swimming in water with a temperacture lower than 5 degrees is also often referred to as ice swimming. It is said to be a good exercise with more calories being lost in it than in traditional swimming. This winter activity is becoming increasingly popular around the world and there are many ice swimming competitions also. However, spending too much time in ice-cold or freezing water can be very bad for health as well.
7. Kayaking in Polar regions Kayaking is a very good way of exploring the rugged shorelines of the polar regions with snow-capped mountains in the background, unique ice formations and icebergs. It not only helps one keep warm and working out (losing loads of calories) in the chilled weather, because of being a totally soundless activity, it also affords the opportunity of sighting the arctic and antarctic wildlife like Polar bears, walruses, penguins, sea lions and more. Kayaks come in different sizes; there are single kayaks, double kayaks as well as much bigger ones that can sit up to 14 people. Beginners should definitely avoid single kayaks, as well as double kayaks, unless the other person is a kayaking expert. But kayaking is subject to weather and water conditions.
8. Zodiac cruising Zodiacs are sturdy inflatable rafts filled with pressurised gas that are used by cruise ships all around the world for transferring luggages or passengers to the shores. In cruises to Antarctica or the Arctic region, they become all the more important. Most of these cruises provide zodiac cruises to its passengers for taking them up close to icebergs, and to other areas that are accessible only to small boats, or to view wildlife, to transfer passengers and their luggages to the shores and so on. Unlike when one is in the ship, in a zodiac he is in the ocean level and the cruise provides a much better view of all that the polar regions have to offer.
9. Cross-country skiing This is a type of skiing whereby skiers use their locomotion to move across snow-covered mountainous terrains. Two ski poles are used in addition to the skis to push the snow with the arms in order to help gain speed. This is in fact, the original form of skiing that came into existence some 5,000 years ago in Scandinavia as a mode of travel. From there it travelled to all the snow-covered regions of the world including northern Europe, Canada, Russia and Greenland. Today, cross-country skiing is both a competitive sport and a recreational activity. In regions with permanent snow cover, this is one of the tourist attractions too.
10. Paragliding over snowy mountains Paragliding is one of the most popular adventure activities not only in India but world over. A paraglider is like a free-flying kite which is either foot-launched or tow-launched into flight to become a glider aircraft. The paraglider is securely attached to the harness of the fabric which opens up and acquires its actual shape when suspended in the air. They may be of different shapes and in tourist places like beaches mostly the round one is commonly seen. There are many popular paragliding destinations in India where tour agencies provide these services. However, paragliding is also a hobby for many and there are people who undertake cross-country paragliding after taking necessary permissions. In our May 2013 issue there was an article on paragliding over snow-capped mountains of Central Asia.
11. Frozen waterfall climbing This is an important activity for mountaineers and rock climbers who undertake it for the purpose of training. The activity is extremely difficult for the regular tourists. In winter, the water in a waterfall freezes giving rise to icicles which are extremely hard. Sometimes the ice starts melting with the sun and climbing can get very dangerous during these times. So those taking part in this extreme sports must be cautious. In India ice climbing is very new and Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh are two places that can offer In this issue there is a detailed article on frozen waterfall climbing in Austria and Switzerland.
12. Sledding on frozen river Small wooden sleds, for the use of a single person, to slide down the frozen hills and slopes, was used as a transport many centuries back. Today there are more sophisticated snowmobiles. But in remote locations, the locals, especially the children, still play with the traditional wooden sleds. One such place you can get hold of a traditional sled is Mongolia. In case if you are visiting the country in winter, don’t miss the opportunity of bringing the child in you out.
13. Mountaineering Mountaineering is one of the most favourite adventure activities worldwide. While tourism and mountaineering do not exactly go hand in hand, because hardcore mountaineers are not interested in tourist attractions and travel enthusiasts do not generally take all the pain to climb mountains. But of course if you love adventure sports, mountaineering will attract you. It is a sport of attaining heights and can do wonders in boosting confidence in self. But for mountaineering, one must be in great physical health. Touriosity has so far published 9 issues themed on Mountains and all of those had great articles on mountaineering expeditions.
14. Glacier trekking or glacier hiking This adventure activity is increasingly becoming popular with adventure aficionades around the world. In every continent, except Australia, there are glaciers. Some countries are promoting this activity. This picture is from glacier trekking expedition in Himachal Pradesh published in Touriosity in May 2013 issue. While some glaciers may be easier to cross, like this one, there are others that require special equipment and gear like crampons, suspenders, ice axes, helmets and so on. The most popular glaciers for hiking are those in the Glacier National Park in Canada and US border, Alaska, Argentina, Switzerland and Iceland. Glacier hiking often forms part of mountaineering expedition but in these famous glacier locations, adventure enthusiasts come especially to do glacier hiking only.
15. Flying over snow-capped mountains Although no physical activity is involved in this one like all others in this list, it is an amazing experience nonetheless. There are many flight journeys around the world that take you on a flight over numerous snow-capped peaks like a dream, but a unique mountain viewing flight journey in Nepal needs special mention. One of the most unforgettable experiences in the world comes from this 50-minute mountain flight journey that takes you on a dream ride over snow-capped mountain peaks of the Himalayas. The flight is operated by Buddha Air and Yeti Airlines and it is an early morning flight from Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport. From your seat in the aircraft you can see the Himalayan peaks of Gaurishankar, Cho Oyu, Machhapuchhre, Karyolung, and Mount Everest.
16. Playing Ice hockey As a sport ice hockey is hugely popular in Europe and North America. It is the national sport of Latvia and the national winter sport of Canada. But it will not be wrong to say that this winter game is played in almost every country where there is good amount of snowfall resulting in freezing of lakes and rivers. This image is from Mongolia where children are seen playing ice hockey with basic handmade gears. Tourists who visit such places in winter may like to try their ice hockey skills as well.
17. Snow Trekking Many Indian adventure lovers wait for winter to set in so that the mountain trails of the Himalayas are covered in a thick blanket of snow. Trekking on these white landscape is a dream of many travellers and trekkers. For those who would like to take part in a trek like this, here’s the list of the most popular snowtreks in the country: Nag Tibba Trek (Uttarakhand), Kedarkantha Trek (Uttarakhand), Chopta, Tunganatha and Chandrashila Trek (Uttarakhand), Brahmatal Trek (Uttarakhand), Har ki Dun trek (Uttarakhand), Goeche La and Dzongri La Trek (Sikkim) and Sandakphu Trek (West Bengal).
18. Iceberg viewing Iceberg tourism is an important revenue earning industry in many parts of the world. As glaciers shrink and ice caps break due to climate change, the economy earns tourism revenue. Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada are making the best out of the melting of glaciers in the form of iceberg tourism. However, this has not been free from controversy. Apart from Canada, travellers may also see giant icebergs in their natural settings in Antarctica and the Arctic region.
19. Horse carts, sledges and racing on ice Horse cart racing, horse sledges and horse racing on ice are popular in many parts of the world. In Sartai, Lithuania, for more than 220 years in a row, an annual horse cart race has been held in February. The event brings in spectators in tens of thousands and participants in hundreds. The venue of the race is the frozen Sartai Lake. The lake is situated in the Rokiškis and Zarasai municipalities in northeastern Lithuania. Of all the lakes in the country, it has the largest shoreline. Similarly, the Ice Festival of Mongolia sees horse sleigh racing every year on the frozen Khövsgöl Lake. It is an ancient lake located on the northern border of Mongolia with Russia and is only 200 km from Lake Baikal. These two lakes are said to be sisters, Khövsgöl being the younger of them. St. Moritz in Switzerland has been hosting the White Turf International Horse Race on Ice every year since 1907 and the event attracts thousands of visitors and participants from all over the world every year. This is also an event that is not to be missed.
20. Taming/riding a reindeer Reindeer, a semi-domesticated animal, is the true icon of northern Scandinavia. Reindeer sleighs, unlike most sleds, are not a result of tourism, they have been the traditional mode of transport of the indigenous Sami populace. So while visiting the region one must not miss the chance of taming or feeding a reindeer in a reindeer farm or riding a reindeer sleigh, like Santa Claus. These experiences are common in the Finnish Lappland, Tromso in the northernmost part of Norway and Jukkasjärvi in the northernmost part of Sweden.
21. Visiting Penguin colonies Although penguins are found in many countries of the world, a mention of this unique creature brings visuals of Antarctica in mind. This southernmost continent of the world has the largest population of penguins in the world, including the exclusive home of the largest penguin species. If not for anything else, it is worth visiting Antarctica just for the sake of seeing the penguins in their unique natural habitat.
22. Ice-skating on frozen waterbodies Lakes, rivers and other water bodies in many countries freeze during the peak of winter thereby opening up more tourism avenues. Some of the most popular destinations for ice skating on frozen waterbodies are: the lakes and canals of Stockholm, the canals of Amsterdam, the Amstel River in Amsterdam, the Vecht River in Utrecht in the Netherlands, the Baltic Sea Lake, Assiniboine River in Winnipeg, Canada, the Placer River in Alaska, Canada, the Lake Louise in Banff National Park in Canada and so on. It must be remembered that this activity can be dangerous if proper precaution is not taken. The ice may be thin and incapable of bearing the body weight. So one must start skating only after ensuring that the frozen surface is sturdy enough to carry the body weight.
23. Snowmobiling A snowmobile is a motorized vehicle designed to run on the snow. It is also called variously as motor sled, snowscooter, motor sled, skimobile or snowmachine. It is used both for travel assistance and recreation. Like scooters or bikes these vehicles do not require any tracks to run. This is one of the greatest inventions of the past century. It can provide access to otherwise inaccessible areas. In most of the destinations of northern Scandinavia, Greenland, Siberia and Alaska which have a thick cover of snow in winter, snowmobiling provides an excellent way of seeing the beautiful landscapes as well as commuting between places. However, the open seating area is exposed to extremely chilled gush of air and hence one must wear sufficient protective winter clothes before embarking on a ride.
24. Wildlife viewing The permanently snow-covered regions of the world, in the northern Arctic region and the southern Antarctic region thrive in unique faunal variety that are not to be found elsewhere. A must do activity during a visit to these places is to embark on a wildlife sighting trip. In antarctica Penguins, Seals and whales are the biggest attraction, while in the Arctic region, the best sights are of polar bears, Arctic foxes and walruses.
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