From band camps and movie nights under the stars, to learning more about the migratory birds, a variety of camps are being organised by local tour and adventure groups around the city. “Even though it’s not impossible to camp out during the summers, it is just a much more pleasant activity for the winters, and we can have campfires and barbecues,” explains Sharat Raj, founder of Eightydegree Adventures. “We have insulated tents, so the cold is never a problem, especially if you are camping around Mumbai, which doesn’t get that cold anyway,” he adds. For Yogesh Chhavan, who guides DCP Adventures’ bird photography trips, winter is the perfect time for spotting migratory birds in Matheran. “During the winter months, the streams in Matheran are mostly dried up, and it is along these streams that the birds roost for the winter,” he explains
A feathery adventure
Yogesh’s Matheran bird safari will not just cover the birds of the winter season, but also a number of reptiles, spiders and other nighttime critters. “We will be arriving on Saturday afternoon and will go out in search of birds. Then, in the evening, we will have go looking for snakes and spiders that inhabit this area,” he elaborates. When asked about the safety measures, Yogesh says that he is an expert at spotting which snakes are poisonous and which are not. “I will be able to guide them as to which snakes to stay away from and which it is safe to go close to. I have done an extensive study on Matheran and even wrote a book on the place. So, I know every nook and cranny,” he says.
DCP’s bird expedition will take place on December 3, at Matheran. Contact: 61818464
Music and merrymaking
A camping activity, which takes place between the months of October and March, is the perfect retreat for music lovers. Vikrant Chheda, founder of Whitecollar Hippie, organisers of the campout says that the concept has grown over the last three seasons. “For our first season, we would simply camp out under the stars in small groups. Last year, we started bringing in a couple of in-house bands to perform, so that the focus on music would be more. This time round, we’ve got a bunch of indie artistes who come and perform every weekend. We have a movie screening night on Friday and then on Saturdays, there is a jam session with a bunch of bands,” says Vikrant, adding that well-known faces in the Mumbai indie scene like Spud in the Box, Nicolet and Tejas Menon have come to perform at these campouts.
The Whitecollar Hippie Band Camp takes place every weekend between October and March. Contact: 9930260747
Bhandardhara camp
Christmas special campout
Sharat and his team are, in fact, planning to take advantage of the weather and the low water levels to host a night of camping on an island near the Bhandardhara falls. He hopes to make this a a Christmas eve celebration of a different kind. “We are going to get to Bhandardhara at around 4 pm. Then we’ll take a boat-ride to the island on the river, which is where we set up camp. We’ll have Christmassy games and a cake and we’ll cook together around the fire,” says Sharat, adding that half the fun in camping is doing things yourself. “That’s why we ask our campers to set up their own tents, help set up the campsite and cook together,” he explains.
The Christmas Eve campout will take place on December 24, 5 pm onwards at Bhandardhara. Contact: 9773595039/ 8446547614
