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Indians from all over the country leave for hill stations as soon as summer hits. For some in India, the cold winter season and snow is a reason to keep themselves indoors, others know how to unleash their adventurous self by partaking in winter sports in India especially the Northern Himalayan region of Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand at this time.
Check out some of the most popular winter sports in India:
Believe it or not, skiing is the most popular winter sport in India, which is visited by skiing enthusiasts from all around the world in huge numbers, every year. If you are a professional, you know the art but if you are an amateur, there are trainers and instructors, who would help you in learning how to ski on slopes, ranging from steep to not so steep. These Adult Gloves offer basic technical features for skiing and sledging. Padded gloves (100 g/sqm) with a brushed knit lining, they can even withstand temperatures between -5°C to temperature -10°C.
This warm and comfortable jacket is great for learning to ski in the best conditions. In addition to being warm, this jacket provides essential protection against the elements. While the Water-repellent outer fabric does not get waterlogged, the soft, warm collar guarantees protection and comfort.
Gulmarg, Manali, Auli, Uttarakhand and Sikkim are some of the most sought-after skiing locations in India.
Snowboarding is a winter sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow while standing on a board attached to a rider’s feet, using a special boot set onto a mounted binding. Sports like skateboarding, sledging, surfing and skiing inspired the development of snowboarding and now it’s one of the most famous winter activities.The most popular style of snowboarding is free-ride where one slides down from any kind of snow-clad landscape. Freestyle snowboarding is another type of snowboarding where one performs several tricks on man-made terrain.
Decathlon developed this snowboard to begin easily and progress, on and off-piste. It also has good grip and stability on the slopes, thanks to its standard camber and wooden core. A snowboard that is forgiving of edge errors thanks to soft torsional flex between the feet.
With this protective bag, you can carry 2 pairs of skis (up to 185cm) with their poles or 1 snowboard with its bindings. Adjust the size of the bag using the Roll Top system to ensure maximum comfort when carrying your equipment.
Ice skating is a sport in which people slide over a smooth ice surface on steel-bladed skates. Millions of people skate in those parts of the country where the winters are cold enough. When you are bundled up and warm, head to a flattened ice rink and try your hand (um, feet) at this sport. Remember, balance is key. Other than that, it is pretty much like roller skating and absolute fun.
This helmet has been designed to keep you comfy and safe on your skates, skateboard or scooter. When falling is all part and parcel of your sport, a helmet is more than just an accessory. It’s a must-have for intense rides.
Even an Ice Skating Carnival is organized here every year in January by the ice-skating Club of Shimla.
Trekking is another very popular winter activity in India that boasts of several winter trek trails. If you wish to scale and climb up to those snowy paths and peaks, you need to have high fitness levels, tolerance to biting cold and strong willpower. A pair of trekking pants are a staple when it comes to this physical activity. These Men’s Mountain Trekking Modular Trousers are 2-in-1 trousers that are developed so you can adapt easily to changes in weather. Cut in a breathable and quick-to-dry fabric, these comfortable trousers come with front and rear reinforcement zones which are water-repellent.
This Men's Synthetic Mountain Trekking Padded Jacket, thanks to its compact size, can fit anywhere so that you can keep yourself warm whenever you need it. Wadding made of 90% recycled polyester, this padded jacket is easy to machine wash and dries quickly.
Also known as dog-sledging, sledging or sledging involves sitting on a wooden sledge and sliding down a snow trail, where the person comes across twists, turns and bumps. Some people also lie down on their stomachs to make the process easier and then slide down. Rohtang, Nathatop, Auli and Gulmarg are some of the popular snow sledging destinations here. The Snow Shoes For Men are perfect for occasional hikes. Ideal for walking on packed snow, Warm and waterproof, they are developed with a snow contact rubber sole to ensure better grip, progress with confidence on your hikes in packed snow.
Perfect for packed snow, these warm boots are easy to get on thanks to their wide opening and the adjustment Velcro. Waterproof and breathable membrane for keeping your feet dry, they can withstand -2°C to -14°C of temperature.
Probably the most difficult and adventurous winter sport, Ice climbing in India is an activity that involves a lot of courage while climbing up ice walls in subzero temperature but for adventure enthusiasts, this experience is worthwhile. Though it looks the same as rock climbing the skill required is pretty high and the challenge of climbing up on slippery ice walls cannot be explained easily in words. This helmet has been developed for climbers and mountaineers of all levels, adults and children. It is very hard-wearing and perfect for clubs. Strong and versatile, the ABS shell construction protects the helmet from everyday scratches.
Lightweight high-performance ice axe perfect for glacier trekking. With its steel blade, this ice axe provides excellent anchoring in hard snow and ice, the chinstrap length requires just one adjustment.
Mountain Climbing or traditional rock climbing is a physically demanding sport that requires fitness and agility. While it has many more difficult variants too, the traditional format focuses on the physical intensity of the journey itself. Traditional climbing requires technical knowledge of climbing anchors and skill in making them. Sport climbing requires little technical knowledge of equipment.These mountaineering harnesses give you the highest level of comfort and versatility, wherever you climb with them. Thanks to wide, very dense EVA foam pads, they provide excellent weight distribution giving you maximum comfort.
Developed for climbers and mountaineers of all levels, adults and children, this climbing and mountaineering helmet is strong and versatile. The 14 air vents in the helmet ensure a good level of ventilation keeping it cool for you.
Ice hockey has been gaining a lot of popularity amongst winter sports enthusiasts for quite some time now. Many ice hockey turfs are coming- up at higher altitudes in India. Though only professional ice hockey players can access most of these turfs, tourists can always visit these places and try their hands at this activity.
While there are a handful of indoor ice hockey rinks all across the country, Shimla, Ladakh and Kashmir are the best destinations in India for ice hockey enthusiasts.
If you are one of those who love exploring unknown horizons, winters in India have to offer unending opportunities to allure the travel bug hiding inside you.
With its glittering snowy slopes and fresh clean environment, Auli in Uttarakhand is one of the most favourite destinations for snow and ski lovers. The slopes of Auli are at an altitude of 2500 to 3000 m which provides an excellent medium for all your skiing excursions.
The Auli carnival is one of the festivals which are undertaken by the state tourism ministry to both attract tourists and bring Uttarakhand as a favourite tourist destination in India.
When it comes to the wide range of Kufri adventure sports, the options are quite extensive. Given that the town runs on the spur of tourism, it isn’t surprising that they have gone and included activities to attract the attention span of more tourists over time. From trekking to Heli-skiing, the number of adventure opportunities in Kufri is immense.
The ideal time for skiing at this place is from November to February. These months witness a beautiful white sheet of snow, enhancing the scenic beauty to heights.
A famous valley in Manali, Solang Nala conducts winter games like snow skating, skiing, paragliding and more.
Solang valley has a ropeway and ski centre as well. The ropeway (gondola) takes tourists from the main ground to Fatru, about 1km above, from where a panoramic view of the entire valley can be seen. A trek to Patalsu peak also starts from Solang via Solang village. This trek is quite popular among tourists.
The Laka glacier trek starts from Mcleodganj. The snowline trek from Dharamshala is very close. After walking only 13 kilometres you reach the snowline at Laka Glacier during the summertime. Start your trek from Triund along the glacial moraine to reach the snowline, from where you will have a glorious view of the Dhauladhar range. Walk down to the Laka Glacier and enjoy the snowy mountain, click pictures of the entire scene.
The Nanda Devi East Trek starts from the beautiful town of Munsiyari and the route ascends the Gori Ganga river gorge which separates the Nanda Devi group from the beautiful peaks of the Panch Chuli group.
This trek allows you to visit some of the remotest parts of the Himalayas in the footsteps of some great Himalayan explorers with the bonus of seeing well-known peaks like Nanda Devi East and Nanda Devi from a distance of as little as 3 km.
Along with the above-mentioned ones, ice fishing, snow cycling, snow football and snowball are some of the other winter sports activities in India. Decathlon is the one-stop destination for all your quality sports and travel goods. We promise to accompany you to all your adventures in the form of gears for a more than satisfactory experience.
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