Go wild, Karnataka invites adventure enthusiasts

Bengaluru: This year’s Karnataka tourism’s theme is ‘Year of the wild’ and state has lined up projects not just for wildlife enthusiasts, but even for those keen on trekking, mountaineering and other adventure sports.

“Year of the wild is not just about wildlife. I want to promote the wild side of life,” said Mr Kharge, the youngest member of the state cabinet.

The tourism department has come up with some novel events, which would set the pulse racing for adventure enthusiasts.

“We will launch bouldering, a form of rock climbing for adventure lovers, in Hampi. It will be a competition, where a person finds their own routes as they climb up, and marks them along the way. There will also be a world championship. This will be ready for public, by March,” Mr Kharge

Following the trend of adrenaline pinching activities, a triathlon will be organized in Nandi Hills.

“People can engage in running up Nandi hills, along with rock climbing and cycling. We are working on launching other eco-adventure sports as well. There will be surfing in Malpe beach, sky diving and other aero sports in Mysuru, river rafting in Dandeli,” he added.

While nine out of 17 eco trails for trekking have already been launched, the others are a work in progress.

“The ones we have started are for 8-10 km. The upcoming ones require more endurance and will be for 15-20 km. We are working on the permissions as well, for example, for a trail that would go through a tiger reserve. Each trail is unique,” Kharge explained, adding that the purpose of starting these is to have authorised, curated trails, in coordination with the forest department.

According to the tourism department, people fall prey to illegal treks available online, which are unauthorised and result in frequent deaths. These trails will be organised by the government and also help people understand the importance of conservation.

Apart from the new additions, promoting existing tourist spots which are lesser known is also a priority.

“Sharavati camp, valley and river tourism and the five jungle camps are also important tourist spots that are relatively unheard of and need promotion," Kharge said.

In a few months, all the tourist trails and adventures will open up tourism to a large section of adventure seekers and nature lovers.