Have you ever enjoyed a winter morning with snowflakes in your hair, chilly wind on your cheeks and a vast expanse of snow in front of your eyes-it makes for one of the most ethereal sights !
Many travel enthusiasts enjoy driving up the mountains to enjoy a few days amidst snow clad hills and thus, places like Manali, Leh, Rohtang and Gulamrg in India are packed with tourists coming from all over the world !
While winter time is a pleasant time to travel, the biting cold can make it a bit tricky to enjoy. There are a few things to plan beforehand for a perfect winter getaway and ensure that you are prepared for any and all emergencies :
Here’s a list of these travel essentials to check before you take the windy, winding road !
1. Get The Right Car !
A good, sturdy, well-functioning car makes it to the top of the list of these travel essentials. This is because hill roads are generally difficult to navigate through and in winter time, the same roads get slick with hail and snow.
Any trip up the mountains needs you to be prepared for contingencies and a solid car can help in more than one way. There are many car rental services which offer specific cars for mountain drives. Rent a car, preferably a 4X4 diesel SUV or a solid car like Innova, Bolero etc. for the trip and see if you need extra fittings like snow tires etc.
Rental self drive cars are a great way to travel in style, safety and comfort.
2. Layer Up !
Thermal wear is an essential for winter travel and they help absorb the warmth of layers and keep you cozy. So layer up, beginning with thermals and work your way out to sweaters and jackets. Jazz it up with colourful woolen scarves and caps ! Driving for long hours in winters can be harsh on your hand so make sure you wear gloves whenever taking a break to protect your hands from freezing !
Sweaters and jackets make for hefty luggage and there’s a tendency to forget them in places since it can get heavy lumping it around . That’s why we recommend getting cars on rent for travel so you always have a place to keep your jackets and other luggage and use it when necessary.
3. First Aid Kit, Medicines, Map and Flashlight
These necessary items are recommended for every trip, regardless of the weather.
Make sure you carry a first aid kit with bandages and antiseptics for cuts and wounds. Carry a separate pouch for medicines-for cold & fever, cough syrups, decongestant tablets, pain relief etc. and if you take any medication, a]ensure to stock extra for the trip.
Even though all our phones have GPS, carry a physical map of the place, for a general idea of direction. You don’t want to be stuck on a hill with no signal, just because you don’t know how to read a map !
There should always be a minimum of two torches or flashlights- one in your rental car and the other in your backpack !
All of these should easily fit in the glove compartment of your self drive rental car and keep you prepared for contingencies.
4. Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize !
The cold wind can be very hard on your rosy cheeks and skin, stripping it off essential oils and the winter sun can cause severe tanning and sunburn, even in winters.
Moisturizers and sunscreens are crucial necessities for any winter trip. Make sure to carry enough moisturizing creams, sunblock and lip balms or vaseline to last you throughout the trip and reapply after every two hours to keep your skin safe and happy.
5. Shoes to Shine !
Your regular shoes will get wet in the snow and you may catch a cold or worse, get frostbite. Get yourself a good pair of functional snowshoes or boots before your trip. Buy waterproof, snowproof, high-ankle, shoes or boots of a rugged variety for your trip.
Carry an extra pair as the hill roads can rough them out. Also carry enough pair of woolen socks to keep your feet toasty warm !
Winter Travel can get a lot easier when you hire a well grounded car from a verified car rental services. This is to keep you safe in unpredictable weather and have yourselves a sanctuary with extra space for your luggage !
Happy Winter !
