How would you feel if you could discover an ancient temple in the heart of Bengaluru – or a delightful Mughal-era zardozi maker in the by-lanes of old Delhi, all from – wait for it – the perch of a bicycle?
With increasing popularity of cycling as a fitness and leisure activity, travel companies around the country have introduced special bicycle tours to experience your city like never before.
The Popularity of Cycling Tours
On a bicycle, you experience everything at a slower pace as opposed to a car, in which you sometimes just zip by some of the most beautiful sites.Tejaswini Gopalaswamy, co-founder, Bengaluru-based travel company, Unventured
Holding the unique post of Chief “Awesomiser” (!), Gopalaswamy co-founded the outfit with Gurudeep Ramakrishna in 2014 and has conducted cycling tours not just within Bengaluru but in Hampi, Kerala, Goa, Sikkim, Bhutan and Manali-Leh.
The idea is not just to help locals rediscover places that they had relegated to their childhood memories but to also help the travellers – who come to the city for business trips – connect with the city.
Yet another such initiative is DelhiByCycle, started by Dutchman Jack Leenaars in 2009. It began with his own quest to get to know the city differently and he took off on a cycle to explore the back lanes of old Delhi.
Everyone is in such a hurry to get to point B from point A that they forget the tiny lanes in between.Jack Leenaars, founder of DelhiByCycle
However, he maintains that with more and more cycling clubs coming up, there is increasing demand for such tours that help you get more intimate with your city.
“It takes me months of exploring to create an interesting three-hour-long trail. I make sure that it has a tea break and a local food experience,” says Leenaars, who shuttles between Goa and Delhi to run the company and has also designed cycle tours in Lucknow in partnership with the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department.
Of Birds at Twilight and Old Havelis
One of the most interesting trails designed by him is the Yamuna tour, which starts from the little lanes crisscrossing Shahjahanabad and takes you to the quiet river bank at Nigambodh Ghat. It even features a boat ride along the shore and brings you face to face with migratory birds circling the waters.
And how about entering a time capsule with the Haveli tour and entering the Delhi of the 17th century? While some havelis featured in the tour are crumbling down, there are others that are still home to descendants of emirs and artists.
Most of the cycling tours in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru start in the early hours of the morning, when the cities are just waking up from deep slumber – thus allowing you to travel without traffic. For instance, Reality Tours & Travel introduces you to a south Mumbai that you’ll never have seen before – the early morning loading and unloading of fish at the Sassoon Dock (while interacting with members of the Koli community), or a visit to Bombay Panjrapole, a 176-year-old infirmary that looks after 350 cows.
At Unventured, the focus is on exploring the flavours of Bengaluru’s rich history and architecture. So, you can embark on a “South Bangalore” tour that takes you to the city of the Cholas, with a glimpse of a 7th century temple that many don’t even know exists.
Cycle Tours are Also About Food and Memories
Then there is 15-km long “Bangalore Colonial Church” trail that offers a glimpse of 17th century cathedrals, military churches and Gothic architecture, accompanied with tales of Winston Churchill’s time in the city.
Food is a very important part of all our trails, with thindi, or breakfast, being a major highlight. For instance, we got the ladies church committee at St Andrew’s Church to cook up a meal for us from the small recipe book that they have maintained over the years. Now, how many people have had such an experience?!Tejaswini Gopalaswamy
You can also get to know about the city’s art scene in half a day as the “Art, Brew and Shop” tour takes you to a Government Art Gallery. This is followed by a visit to the local brewery, where you are treated to a session with the brewmaster and a sampling of the brew.
The travel companies ensure a group size of not more than 9-12 to ensure safety and security of the cyclists.
Also, the tour guides are certified by organisations such as the National Outdoor Leadership School to administer emergency medical aid.
Being on a cycle offers you the privilege to take little galis and weave your way through villages. There is no better way to interact with the locals.Tejaswini Gopalaswamy
(Avantika Bhuyan is a freelance journalist who loves to uncover the invisible India hiding in nooks and crannies across the country.)
(This travel season The Quint reposts this piece from our archives, originally published on 24 January 2016.)
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