Combining two activities on an adventure trip is what I like to call a value-for-time deal. And, for those who are hard-pressed for time, an offer to taste two adventure sports in the span of eight days is a godsend. So here’s a short trekking-cum-rafting outing in the hills of Uttarakhand next month (March 11 to 18). You have plenty of time to plan for it as well as prepare physically for the exertion of an adventure vacation by ensuring enough sleep, an adequate diet and a generous amount of walking or jogging.

In the Himalayan foothills, mid-March is when the short Indian spring starts and it is the best time for both trekking and rafting. The days are cool enough for the sun to feel pleasantly warm on your back while walking or in the raft. And, after sunset, the temperature quickly drops low enough for city-dwellers to enjoy the chill of the outdoors as you sit out on a sandy beach, enjoy a piping hot dinner straight from the stove and sleep in a cosy tent inside a snug and warm sleeping bag.

The Chopta/Chandrashila trek route is blessed with beautiful landscape — alpine meadows, high-altitude lakes, coniferous forests and the ice-cream cones of lofty Himalayan peaks in the distance — while being moderately strenuous. A few stretches are graded as demanding but, since you will be walking with just a light daypack, there is nothing too difficult for a person of average fitness.

The walk begins from Ukhimath, a pilgrimage centre, which is a typical Himalayan small town-yet-village with a winding road leading up to it through narrow, forested valleys. Starting the hike from this roadhead, you will walk past Deoria Tal (a truly picturesque tal or lake with the mighty Chaukhamba massif in the backdrop) and then Chopta and Tungnath before climbing to the summit of Chandrashila (3950 m). Part of the hike lies through a sanctuary for musk deer but it is a shy, elusive creature and you will get to see its habitat though not the animal itself which was mercilessly hunted down for musk and is now on the endangered list.

You will camp beside Deoria Tal and in the scenic meadows of Chopta, but the truly priceless experience will come after you set foot atop Chandrashila. In a 270-degree panorama, you will see the peaks of Chaukhamba, Kedarnath, Nanda Devi and Trishul, among others. These are not only mountains revered in Hindu mythology but also in the folklore of Indian mountaineering.

On the return journey, you will trek part of the way — till Kaudiala. This is the put-in point for the rafting leg of the trip. You will paddle your way down in a raft from here to Rishikesh, encountering thrilling rapids of up to Grade IV on the Ganga. This is the more adventurous section of the trip. You will paddle the raft, providing the momentum to the craft while the river guide sitting at the back will use his expertise and experience to steer it safely. This will be enjoyably tiring and, in the evenings, you will look forward to washing up, putting on clean and warm camp clothes, and biding your time in a relaxed fashion until it is time for dinner and sleep. Contact Team 4 Adventure at +91-11-41014735 and +919818995928.