Monsoon travel tempts Hyderabadis

HYDERABAD: With the monsoon setting in, many young Hyderabadis are packing their bags and heading out of the city.
While Mizoram, Sikkim and Meghalaya remain the most sought after destinations for scenic treks, Himachal Pradesh is also gaining traction, with a plethora of water sports such as river rafting on offer.
“I have been going on monsoon adventure trips to Uttarakhand since the last two years and this year I will be joining a group of eight from Hyderabad for a jeep tour on SUVs from Himachal Pradesh through Leh-Ladakh, with Sikkim as out ending point.It's a dream for adventure enthusiasts like me," said Faizal Ali, an entrepreneur.
With it raining monsoon packages and with airfares being slashed substantially, Hyderabadis are increasingly exploring cost effective options.
Speaking about traveling duing the monsoon, Neelu Singh, CEO and director of travel website Ezeego1, said, “Contrary to the belief that monsoon is not the ideal time to travel, people are taking trips during monsoon more than ever. Our customers from Hyderabad have been booking a lot of holiday packages during monsoons.“
While Ooty, Kodaikanal, Pondicherry and Coorg remain all-time favourites, Kerala's monsoon paradises such as Kovalam, Munnar, Thekkady and Alleppey, are also getting booked fast, say experts. “Many people visit Leh-Ladakh for trekking which is the best during July and August. Araku Valley, Ananthagiri Hills and Nagari Hills are some of the popular monsoon getaways in the state,“ she added.
“Youngsters are up for adventure and want to trek at forts, go river rafting and visit waterfalls, all of which can be done over two to three days. Night camping, forests trails and rafting that can be best enjoyed in the rain,“ added Singh.
Promximity to nature, wildlife and historic places are among considerations while planning monsoon travel, experts say. “Short monsoon getaways are in much demand with Hyderabadis. People are travelling to places like Chikmagalur, Kodaikanal, Wayanad, Panchgani, Bandipur, Munnar and Mysore to make the most of this season," said Karan Anand, head (relationships), Cox & Kings. “We have observed families and youngsters opting for our Instant Holiday packages with an average stay period of three to four days. Guntur, Nagarjunasagar, Srisailam are also some of the monsoon destinations close to Hyderabad that can be considered for a quick two-day trip,“ he added.
Meanwhile, with the weather getting better in Canada and other European destinations, many people are exploring going abroad too. “Hotels cost nearly 50 per cent less at this time as the peak season has ended. I have nearly 30 people travelling to these destinations in the next two months," said Rashid Ali, from Hyderabad Tours and Travels.