Best Local Road Trips To Take This Monsoon

Celebrate the art of slow travel in the rains-especially on holiday and as an antidote to the frenetic pace of our everyday lives. From the desolate beaches of the Konkan to the jungles of Madhya Pradesh and going off the beaten track in Rajasthan, here are the best local road trips to take this monsoon.

- SHIKHA SETHI

NEED TO KNOW

130 km, 3 hours, most of it on NH 85-if you visit Bera Safari Lodge en route, you add 100 km and three hours of driving time to your trip.

THE ROUTE: Udaipur-Bera-Ranakpur-Raipur-Chanod

WHY YOU SHOULD GO: In India, a lot can change over 200 kilometres-food, costume, language, geography, and even the climate. This drive gives you the opportunity to get off the beaten track and the monsoon post-July means the Aravallis turn an emerald green thanks to the endemic dhok tree. Make all the recommended stops and you can spot leopards in the wild, unwind at a jazz bar, visit historic Jain temples, and experience a slice of rural Rajasthan life in Chanod. Also, you haven't experienced petrichor until you've smelled the earth after the first rains hit the parched lands of Rajasthan.

WHAT TO EXPECT: Start your journey at Premkunj, a boutique homestay about 45 minutes away from the airport. Enjoy the local sights and sounds; the property also suggests a fabulous food trail that's a must-do.

Next, head to Bera Safari Lodge, which reopens on 15 July, from where you can go on a wildlife safari the highest chances of a leopard sighting are in winter, but they do occur throughout the year and also visit the Jawai dam. The large reservoir is home to many species of migratory and residential birds and provides incredible sightings of species like the sarus crane, osprey, pelican, bar-headed goose, and pipit.