Many Rivers to Cross – Ganges

Ah, the Ganges. The Guru-laden river made famous by the Beatles in the 1960s. A place full of Swamis and dead bodies – yes, and no. While the Ganges is still lined by centres for spiritual learning: whether ashrams, yoga schools, meditation retreats or spas, it’s also, in its higher reaches possible to raft down the river – it’s a good combination of a fairly easy trip in slow water which allows time to watch life along the banks, with some excellent rapids.

Well worth a visit are the suspension bridges of Lakshman Jhulla and Ram Jhulla - a picturesque area with wonderful views, waterfalls and secluded beaches along the river. Make sure you have a waterproof watch and camera, as you will find that many people (and some elephants) think it’s fun to splash the tourists.

This is a good area in which to hire a mountain bike, or even take your own, as some airlines will carry bikes for a very reasonable excess baggage fee. Having a bike allows you to get to some more inacessible areas. A wonderful place to visit is the Rajaji National Park, which offers elephant safaris and visits to Gujjar villages. The Gujjar people live a simple life tending to their buffalo in the forest and are one of the few India tribes to have resisted twenty-first century lifestyles. Some safari companies offer overnight stays with the Gujjar, but again, while this is a wonderful opportunity, make sure you have a mosquito net and water purification tablets – the villages are primitive and you don’t want to develop malaria or dysentry.

A little known but well worth finding location is the Corbett National Park, which is surrounded by lush mango orchards and farmland. This area is famous for its paddy fields where Basmati rice is grown and as a result, commonly seen wildlife includes wild elephant, langur monkeys, several types of deer and the elusive tiger.

Ganges photograph by jonrawlinson, used under a creative commons attribution licence

 

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