Cycling Across India: How Fitness and Travel Go Hand-in-Hand

Cycling is not just a hobby, it is one of the best rejuvenation activities. The sport has a lot of health benefits; it obviously improves your physical wellbeing along with taking care of your mental health. And if you are someone who loves travelling, cycling would really help you introspect while travelling through some scenic routes across India. A perfect much-needed ‘me-time’.

Today, we are going to tell you about some of the destinations that offer the perfect route for cycling:

This cycling route would cover destinations like Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. This route covers beautiful lush green valleys of the Western Ghats, dense forests and tea estates. It also has picturesque landscapes around Ooty, which is known for its rolling hills, blooming flowers like orchids, and the evergreen shola forests. This area has a crisp, cool climate, making it a perfect destination for cycling.

This place is widely known for its high-altitude cycling routes. One can go cycling from Manali to Leh and also go through passes like Baralacha La, Tanglang La, and Khardung La. The terrain here is rugged but has beauty with towering peaks and remote Himalayan towns. This destination is perfect for cycling as it offers you scenic beauty—snow-capped peaks with clear blue skies. Cycling here would help you develop better high-altitude endurance and strength.

One can try monsoon cycling here in Pune and in the Pune–Mahabaleshwar region. This route would cover Mulshi Dam Road, Tamhini Ghat, Lavasa Ghat, Sinhagad Valley, and Panshet, which becomes lush green during rains. This place has great scenic beauty with the monsoon waterfalls, mist, and winding hillside roads that keep you captivated. While going on the route from Pune to Mahabaleshwar, travellers can enjoy strawberry fields, go to viewpoints like Wilson's Point, Arthur’s Seat, and Lingmala Waterfall as well.

Mainly, the Kaas Plateau is covered by hiking, but one can also cycle to the Satara plateau, where one can also explore the lateritic plateau. If you go cycling during the monsoon time, then one might witness the 150 varieties of endemic flowers such as orchids, the insectivorous Drosera indica, and the seasonal Karvy shrub, which blooms once every seven years. While cycling here, one can enjoy the scenery here too without getting tired.

This location has some road loops that go through rural scenery. One can start from Mhasoba Mandir, where they might face light traffic, but the terrain around is quite pleasant. This can be a good start for people who are not experienced with cycling and those who want to explore the culture and scenery more closely.

One can go cycling from Kochi to Munnar, which is almost 130 km away. One goes through the Western Ghats, where they will find the tea estates filled with greenery, spice and cardamom plantations, and lush green hills. Apart from the hills and the plantations, there are waterfalls here too that are so mesmerising. Cycling within Munnar is also possible. It is recommended to cycle around the green areas such as the Madupatty tea estate.