’Might as well Jump....
Go ahead and Jump !... ‘’
Though Van Halen sang these words metaphorically, let's take it literally and say the same on world jump day. For those who missed the world jump day, which was on July 20, here is our pick of some of the top destinations in India that serve jumping sports.
1. Bungee jumping
a. Rishikesh : Rishikesh has the highest bungee jumping spot in India with a height of 83m and is the only destination with a fixed platform to jump from, which is a cantilever structure that extends out over a cliff to give the amazing height.
b. Bangalore, Karnataka: This one is for the more adventurous souls out there, with no fixed platforms, the jump has to be made from a 25m platform which is suspended from a 40m high crane.
c. Lonavala: Sandwiched right in between Mumbai and Pune, Lonavala is the perfect location which offers the safest jumping experience in India from a height of 45m.
2. Skydiving
a. Mysore, Karnataka: Located just a few hours from Bangalore, Mysore is fast becoming the top destination for skydiving in the country. Nestled at the Chamundi hills in Mysore, the camp offers options ranging from tandem jumps to accelerated free falls, after professional training for 2-3 days.
b. Dhana, Madhya Pradesh: The first ever skydiving camp in India was set up in Dhana, a picturesque town next to Bhopal which offers a 4000 ft freefall as you gaze at the beautiful landscape below.
c. Deesa, Gujarat: The beautiful lake city is one of the best locations to skydive in the country, offering all three jumps and the Indian Parachuting Federation hosts several camps throughout the year.
3. Paragliding
a. Bir Billing: With a total of 11 locations in Himachal Pradesh, the state is India's home for paragliding. But this tiny village is the world's second best site for paragliding with a paragliding journey that will last 30 minutes.
b. Kamshet: For the people of Mumbai, the Tower hills offer a brilliant view of the box-shaped houses of the Kamshet village below and offers a paragliding experience of a lifetime.
c. Mussoorie: Like every other widely visited hill station, Mussoorie too offers paragliding, with the start off point at Lake Mussoorie and can fly all the way till Dehradun up to a height of 2300m above sea level.
4. Cliff diving
a. Pondicherry: This fantastic cliff diving spot discovered by adventure seekers 20kms to the north of the little town of Pondicherry, is a rock quarry with lots of high cliffs and really deep waters of 200ft.
b. St Mary's Island, Karnataka: Located off the coast of Karnataka, the Pentagon lava cliffs which are a part of the island offers the best scenic and raw, authentic experience of cliff diving.
c. Hampi, Karnataka: The UNESCO world heritage site is now the go to offbeat destination in the country. With boulders and lakes and rivers everywhere, it is an ideal location for cliff diving as many locals and adventure seekers have found out. Hippie island as it's aptly called is one of the popular spots, but again there is no professional set-up to guide first timers.
Word of caution - All the adrenalin high apart, make sure that you indulge in these thrills with the right vendors who focus on safety and use the high-quality equipment. Also, ensure that you are physically and mentally ready to take the step. These basic elements apart, all I can say is 'jump'