The cruise industry has seen a growth of 40 per cent this year compared to last year but even that is passe for the Indian traveller looking for more than just a few meals at the captain's table. As Sunil Gupta, head of Leisure Travels, Thomas Cook, where Indian bookings to Europe have tripled in the last two years, says, "The most popular outbound destination is Europe, but now opportunities in Australia and New Zealand are going through the roof."

THE RIVER WILD

Perhaps you're adventurous but lack the budget to back your spirit. Now, you can do more than live in hope. Prepare yourself at the Sea Explorer's Institute in Kolkata which organises a month-long course in kayaking in the Ganga. You (usually above 14 years) will have to know how to swim. After some preliminary lessons on tides and currents, you can take kayaks into the river (for four days a week) to combat the swift-flowing waters. The month-long programme eventually leads to exciting expeditions like kayaking 300 nautical miles down the Ganga from the Farakka barrage to the Sunderbans.
Budget: Rs 425 per person for a month.

Cover Story

BUSY LITTLE BODIES It was an adventure all right. For the first time in her life, 11-year-old Ruchi Sheth spent five days on her own, away from her parents. But it wasn't the nightmare she feared it would be. Horse riding, camp fires and tubloads of wild fun made for a dream holiday. Back in Mumbai, Sheth is already looking forward to another summer adventure camp at Mahabaleshwar in Tamil Nadu next year. "I prefer this kind of challenging holiday to a hotel stay," she says. Sheth is not the only one. All across metropolitan India, children are exploring options their parents never had: from ballet and clay modelling to digital art and aero-modelling, the list is endless. Catering to these activities are institutes that have sprouted up in every nook and cranny, garages, self-proclaimed academies, even illegal lots. UNDILUTED FUN: Mushrooming of professional organisers has helped promote camping For many, these have become year-long, after-school haunts, for others these are pursuits to look forward to during the long summer vacations. Adil Sethi, a veteran of workshops, should know. The 10-year-old Delhiite has attended several such recreational activities, ranging from a theatre workshop with Sanjana Kapoor to making the best of waste at the India Habitat Centre. The lipstick holder he made from a used toothpaste box continues to adorn his mother's dressing table. The growth of professional camp organisers has also helped. Mumbai's Jaanavi Chowhan, 10, is having the time of her life at Marunji, a village on the outskirts of Pune, where one such camp is being organised. As part of the nature-oriented holiday, she's participating in exciting outdoor adventures. What's more, learning about different tribes is helping her with her history lessons. Dalip Singh, 11, agrees. He has not only signed up for the school camp but also workshops on skating and computer animation. "I'm very curious and there's so much to learn," he says. Learning experience notwithstanding, the bottom line is trying it all once. And enjoying it too. -Shuchi Sinha and Natasha Israni

CAMPING IN SANGLA

For up to six months every year, heavy snow renders this Himachal Pradesh valley out of reach. Sangla more than makes up for this aloofness during the rest of the year with its luscious greens, torrential rivers, craggy Himalayan folds, mountains and to-die-for pure air. While there are a couple of hotels here, for an unusual experience, think of staying at the Banjara camps.
Budget: Rs 1,500 for a tent for one day.

FOLLOW THE MONKS

Sikkim is more than just the state Indira Gandhi annexed. It's dotted with hundreds of picturesque monasteries and you could trek to 10 of the best-known, including Rumtek, seat of the Karmapa. Night halts are at villages en route, so don't expect electricity and running water.
Budget: Rs 1,250-Rs 1,500 per person per day for a five-six day hike.

GO FISHING

Want a big catch? Stay in tents at fishing camps on the banks of the Cauvery river in Karnataka and you might just succeed in landing the great mahseer fish. Two hours away from Bangalore city, these camps make for an ideal wilderness retreat even for the non-fishing folk. Options include Bheemeshwari, Galibore and Doddamakali.
Budget: 1,250 per day for a non-fishing tourist and Rs 1,900 for a fishing traveller.

TRACK TRIBALS

Familiar with the sometimes irritating western perception of India as a tribal land but unfamiliar with the source of this perception? Some agencies now offer a Verrier Elwin experience in Orissa. The nine night-10 day Tribal Orissa package includes Desia Kondh tribal villages, a spot of hiking in the Niyamagiri hills, visits to tribal markets and temples, even museum.
Budget: Rs 3,300-3,500 per person per night.

-with Malini Goyal and Labonita Ghosh