The weatherman may be advising to stay indoors this summer but there are many hard core nature lovers who choose to stay out day and night in the woods. With the popular hill stations also sizzling at eight degrees above normal, people are seeking refuge in the the forests. What can be better than giving up the virtual lives on Facebook and Whatsapp and tucking yourself under a thin tarpaulin amidst the jingle of a waterfall or the call of wild animals and wake up to the songs of birds and the smell of the grass and feel like Bear Grylls? Jungle camping is not just an experience but a lifestyle in itself, says Sam Sharma, who runs theoutdoors.co.in. “Bugged by city life, people are flocking to the woods on weekends, living out of backpacks, surviving on berries, fruits and nuts and exploring the terrain on foot.” Trained under Global Outdoors, Australia, he specialises in organising ethical trekking and camping in the wilderness. “Camping is all about respecting nature, being and feeling one with it and understanding living in the wild for a day or two and not just visiting. It's about learning to be a good guest in the home of animals, respecting the hosts – the tribal, the trees and the water bodies and being a responsible traveller,” says Sam who undertakes solo camping expeditions across India. “Ethical camping is still a budding concept in India, though for the past two years I have been facilitating for like-minded groups of people,” he says. “It's done with proper permission from the forest department and/or private estates and requires high levels of sensitivity towards nature that you don’t even throw a banana peel in the jungle. It involves teaching how to cook while camping, how to do waste-management, water-management, how to walk inside the forest with minimum impact or disturbance and abstaining from fishing or hunting. Most importantly, being aware of the risks and dangers of camping in the wild and being prepared for it.” “To camp in the wild is like going to a school of a different kind,” says Ramanathan Mohandoss, a botanist and camp leader who runs Trek-King. “The idea is to not leave behind anything in the forest, except your footprints or take back anything either except your experience. People learn to be sensitive towards the flora and fauna and know about them without causing disturbance. On our trekking trails, we carry a garbage bag and collect litter thrown by tourists. It's more like a forest clean up drive.” Camping enthusiast and dentist Rajanna Venkatraman says that camping in the jungle makes him feel grounded and connected to his roots. “I see the forest as the place where our ancestors came from. We all belong to the wild and it's an opportunity to briefly connect with your past. I usually go camping in the places where even the trees, grass and bushes are wild.” Yamini Padmanabhan, a home-maker who signs up for jungle camps periodically, says, “I emerge as a new person after camping every time. It's an escape from time, people and the city you live in. It relieves you from the routine, the past and the present and makes you enjoy every moment to the fullest.” For 50-year-old Chartered Accountant Selvam from Pondicherry, camping brings him face to face with his fears. “The first time I did it, I was apprehensive of insect bites in the tents and the nipping cold. After completing a two-hour trek and two days of staying in the tent, I felt accomplished and young at heart.” Adventure camping is also catching up these days, says Sam. “Adventure activities like zip lining, rock climbing, abseiling or rappelling, rafting and kayaking make people realise their potential. As a facilitator, my job is to encourage people to get outdoors, shed inhibitions, explore more and discover the wild side to their personalities.” Another undisputed feature of jungle camping is encounters with wild animals. Narrating an experience, Sam says, “Once I was camping alone near the Avalanche lake in Ooty. I woke up early morning in the hope of seeing animals coming to drink water at the lake, put my camera on tripod and was waiting when a sambar deer came very close to me. Both the animal and I observed restraint and the moment was enjoyable and unforgettable.” “We have had animals walk through our camp sites but if you observe discipline and respect forest and wildlife, you walk trouble-free,” he adds. Scaling the peaks Kodaikanal -- There are interesting trails around Kodaikanal in the Palani Hills. Some of them are:Paliyar Parai, an easy trek that takes you to a tribal hamlet surrounded by pre-historic dolmens Trek from Kumabakarai falls to Vellagavi tribal village, Periyakulam to Kookal lake, Berijam to Munnar that's popularly known as Escape Route. Munnar -- Take the trek from Kurangani falls to Kolukkumalai Tea estate, Meesapulimala trail that's a steep four-hour trek that offers a breathtaking view of the Bodi reserve forest. Lose yourself in the thick mist at the Chokkarmudi peak, the third highest peak in the munnar hills, that can be reached by an arduous trek from Camp Road, Munnar. Camping sites Jungle camping is done in buffer zones around forests or in private estates with prior permission. Kodaikanal -- Camp on the rolling meadows of Mannavanur or live with the tribals at the remote Kavunji village. Exprience the tranquility of camping inside private estates at Perumalmalai, Vazhaigiri, Elephant Valley and Anjuveedu. Munnar -- Camp amidst the shrubby tea gardens of Devikulam, on the grassy dunes of Bodhaimedu that offers a view of the Idukki dam or in the carrot farms of Vattavada. Therkumalai near Courtallam, Chundipara falls near Shencottah, Nagalapuram near Chennai, Sharavati River camp and Ombathugudde trail in Karnataka and Venkateshwara National Park in Andhra Pradesh are other places to find trekking trails and campsites. Ooty -- Silent Valley near Ooty, Hidden Valley and Seaca in Avalanche and Glenmorgan villages offer camping and trekking facilities.

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