A 13-day-long island adventure with Getoffurass

Life is like my jewellery box. Some days I wear the same ol’ things, but on other days I dig deeper and discover a total charmer of a necklace that I’d completely forgotten I owned.

Like the brilliant emeralds and turquoises of the Andamans. I’ve always known they’re there, but the magical (and recession-friendly) trip planned by the team at www.getoffurass.com made me look hurriedly for that ruby-pink knapsack. What makes it a must-do is that this is no pre-planned-pre-cooked-family-getaway, it’s a journey into the most exotic and mysterious parts of this verdant archipelago in a 13-day-long experience researched and recce’d by a bunch of guys just as fun-loving as me.

The trip will kick off at a research base where hiking, canoeing and camping on islands with researchers will be the main highlight. The rest of the journey will take me through unexplored, tourist-free areas, ending up at the highest point (Saddle Peak). Here we will explore uninhabited islands and visit limestone caves. National Geographic will look like Cartoon Network after this, I have a feeling. The team will be led by local people throughout to ensure a first-hand experience of the place and stories that a travel guide would miss.

I’m reaching for the big bag, the tiny binoculars, the long stick, the old boots, and getting set for a jewel of a trip. You?

Getoffurass’s Andamans trip. Departure date: March 13. Duration: 12-13 days (itinerary is subject to ferry time-tables and permits). Cost: Rs 31,200, inclusive of food, stay and travel within the island. Contact: Robin +91 9980785225 or Santosh +91 9845442224. Website: www.getoffurass.com. Email contact@getoffurass.com for a detailed itinerary.