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Vijay Chadda Chief Operating Officer, BTI-Sita, India answers your queries...

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1. I want to go for a holiday to the Rocky Mountains and the only travel option I found is the Rocky Mountaineer Railtours which is very expensive. Are there any bus tours that I could book myself on?

Zubin Colaco, Bangalore

The Rocky Mountaineer Railtours also offers coach tours that are clubbed with rail tours. Their website www.rockymountaineer.com has options for the rail and drive vacations in the 'Select Vacation' option.

However, please note that there are no individual bus tours available for this sector. The Greyhound coaches do operate in North America with an extension to Canada with purchase of separate sector tickets.

2. I want to learn skiing. Are there any ski resorts that offer training in India?

Tapan Shah, Mumbai

Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) conducts skiing courses in Auli, Uttaranchal with special provisions for day tourists. Training courses are conducted in modules of a week and 14 days. Training in modern skiing techniques is provided by qualified instructors from Skiing & Tourist Resorts (Auli) and Indian Institute of Skiing & Mountaineering (Gulmarg). The seven-day course is a non-certificate course and has a total of 25 seats. These courses are conducted in January, February and March.

You can contact them at:

GMVN Tourist Information Centre
Shail Vihar, Haridwar Bye Pass Road,
Rishikesh - 249201
Tel: 0135 - 2431793, 2432648, 2430799, 2430357(R), Fax: 0135 - 2430372
Email: yatra@gmvnl.com

4. I plan to go for a rafting expedition to Rishikesh with my friends. Is it better to look for rafting organisers once we reach there or book them before we leave? How much would companies that offer rafting packages charge?

Risha Nair, Mumbai

It is always better to pre-book rafting packages since it takes care of all transfers, hotels and rafting expeditions before you reach. A minimum of 2N/ 3D package will include accommodation with all meals, campfire, rafting equipment and professional river guides. Activities like jungle trek, body surfing, cliff jumps, etc. are also covered. EHolidays.Com, which is recognised by the Ministry of Tourism, Govt of India, also offers packages.

5. My cousins and I have heard about monsoon treks and hikes to the Sahyadris and would like to go on one? What precautions should we take as far as water-borne diseases are concerned?

Narottam Dang, Mumbai

Countryside Outdoor arranges weekend getaways to forts, Buddhist caves, waterfalls and placid lakes in the Sahyadris (Western Ghats). Besides hikes and camps, it also focuses on activities like rock climbing, bird watching, photography and orienteering. While on tour, we suggest you carry chlorine tablets for water purification, drink boiled water and thoroughly wash vegetables with potassium permanganate before consumption.

6. I love wildlife and enjoy visiting nature reserves. North-East seems to be an exciting option and would like to know the major sanctuaries one can visit. How much would a week-long holiday cost?

Pratap Motera, Chandigarh

There are various wildlife sanctuaries in Assam like Kaziranga National Park, Manas (on the foothills of Bhutan) and Nameri National Park. In Meghalaya, there is the Balpakram National Park, Nokrek Biosphere and Siju caves. The cost of stay will be approximately Rs.6,500 per double occupancy per night, inclusive of all meals.

For these kind of packages, one needs to tailor-make an itinerary and the costs are advised accordingly.