Night tourism: Replace your insomnia with a passion for night travel

Travelling today is not just packing your bags and heading off to discover a new place. Travelling today has evolved to be a process which starts ahead of you actually reaching your destination. From planning your trip to making sure you strike off all the activities on your bucket list or explore the unknown, there is a lot to do. Since, travellers are amending their ways, the industry too is offering them great services and ideas to experience locations under different lens. One such emerging trend in the travelling scenario is Night tourism or Noctourism. Perfect for a lifestyle which believes in staying awake during the night and sleeping it off in the mornings, night tourism entails activities that can be done during the night. The simplest examples of this type of tourism include night safaris, star-gazing, night trekking and more. India is catching up with this new trend and here’s all you can do in this diverse country. 

What does Night Tourism mean and how to experience it in India?

You may wonder that you have always been travelling at night to some place or the other and how is it different from night tourism, then. Factually speaking, night tourism has always been a part of the travelling fabric, but the difference lies in it being more structured today. The consciousness also gives rise to the planning and availability of more experiences for the travellers. Here’s what night tourism entails and where you can explore it.

Night Safari: The first thing that comes to mind in such cases is the thrill of exploring a jungle at night. Guided by expert forest men, night safari is quite prevalent in Satpura National Park, Pench Tiger Reserve and Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh. You may also spot some rare species in Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand and Nagarhole National Park in Karnataka.  

Stargazing: While India misses the beautiful bands of the Northern Lights, it still holds witness to some of the most amazing sights of the Milky Way. Check out the barren landscapes of Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, the desserts of Rajasthan to see the beautiful stars. Spot your zodiacs too, if you are lucky.

Shop the nights away: Whether you bargain at the curio shop or forget the world as you feel the Galawati kebab melting in your mouth, visiting the night markets are important to catch the local flavour of a destination. Some popular ones are Chowpatty  Night Food Market in Ahmedabad, Lucknow street food markets, Hyderabad markets, and Arpora Saturday Night Market in Goa.

Walk it out: If you love walking, then put on your walking gears and start your night trek. Always opt for a guided tour or a group trek. Discover the beauty of Nature that usually escapes the eye during daylight. The Rajmachi trek in Maharashtra, Nandi hills in Karnataka and Triund in Himachal Pradesh are a good way to start your night trek journey.  

Cultural Festivals / Performances: Deep in the desserts of Rajasthan, the sands come alive under the skies with bonfire and local performers. Similarly, there are many festivals like the Khajuraho Dance Festival in Madhya Pradesh or live performances by the beach in Goa that are not to be missed. In fact, the very popular Dashaswamedha Ghat arati in Varanasi is also part of night tourism.

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