If you are a vacation regular, stuffing your bags and browsing for the hottest holiday deals are probably a regular summer ritual. If the only thing that’s stopping you this time around is a dreaded ‘been there done that’ feeling, here’s a bit of news flash.

Loads of activity holiday outfits and innovative tour operators are offering anything from a catalogue of destinations where popular Bollywood films have been shot to a bird’s eye view of your favourite city, perched up on a helicopter. The holiday packages are customised to the hilt and even have choices for backpackers who are ready to slum it out. So, go beyond the hills--beaches routine this season as we bring you a ready roster of vacations with a difference.

The Backpacker Co

In case you want to give planned itineraries a complete miss, The Backpacker Co should be your best bet. This travelling consultancy service helps you set a date with your favourite destinations without tour guides breathing down your neck.

There are detailed lists drawn up for patrons regarding accommodation, must-visits and road transfer facilities — all before the journey commences. “We don’t hand hold our patrons. After all, there’s nothing like making your own discoveries on a holiday,” says Yogi Shah, co-founder, The Backpacker Co.

And there’s more. Shah has just launched a trip across Europe titled ‘Backpack Europe with Suchna & Yogi’ spanning 11 days. For this package, founders of the customised travel service will ensure that you get to feast your eyes on the most quirky landmarks of the area and pub crawl to your heart’s content.

For instance, if you are driving across The Czech Republic, the church made of human bones at Kutna Hora tops the list of your must-visits.

Hot ticket!

The Backpack Europe Suchna & Yogi package price is Rs 1.05 lakh per person for the trip that starts in Prague and moves to the rest of Europe and Rs 1.59 lakh per person for one that starts in Athens.

Luxury holidays

Roadies have their prayers answered with this biking trip across Cathar country, (a district in France’s Languedoc region) that’s notable for the origin of a religious sect called The Cathars. The two-wheeler road extravaganza is organised by a Noida-based travel outfit called Paradiso and offers you the option of actually choosing your own make of Harley Davidson bike, once you reach Toulouse, a city in southwest France. Of course, you need to be at least 25 years of age, have a motorbike driver’s licence and have a minimum driving experience of five years.

Once you have your transport in place, an illustrated brochure of Cathar country, tourist hotspots and road maps and tourist vouchers to the booked accommodation is handed out before you hit the road.

Hot ticket!

‘The Roads of Cathar…on a Harley trip spans four days and three nights but the price is variable according to the number of people riding the bike and the type of Harley. For category A, where you pick up the Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 R, the cost is 1,225 Euros per person if riding single. In addition to this an extra charge of 170 Euros has to be paid for three-nights accommodation. Airfares, petrol for the bikes and lunch with the exception of one day, are not part of the package.

Airnetz

Travellers who are short of time but not on money can now grab a bird’s eye view of their favourite city in just an hour. Airnetz Aviation, a Mumbai-based flying facility has just launched their Mumbai Joyride Service where they offer stunning views of India’s financial capital in their new chopper Robinson 44. The chopper has a seating capacity of three people and can zip across two routes (Juhu Racecourse Colaba/ Elephanta Alibaug and Juhu along the sea coast to Boisar) that skirt the Arabian Sea.

And if water happens to be your calling, Airnetz also has yacht services around Mumbai’s Gateway of India on their luxury charter Larson Cabrio 350.

Hot ticket!

The Mumbai Joyride Service is priced at Rs 20,000 per head for an hour per person. The yacht ride costs the same though there’s an additional charge of Rs 15,000 for every subsequent hour.

Bollywood Tourism

IndiaHotelReview.com, an online travel portal, is helping film aficionados zip to the very destinations that have been immortalised on celluloid. One of the top draws here is a visit to Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum, which was introduced to the Indian movie enthusiast through the opening sequence of Slumdog Millionaire. So, hit the Jamal and Latika trail as your guide gives you all the dope of the film that made a clean sweep at The Oscars.

Hot ticket!

A great pick at IndiaHotelReview.com is a two nights and three days tour called ‘Masti ki Pathshala Jaipur’ priced at Rs 3,400 per person on twin sharing basis. This has on offer accommodation in a deluxe room, a visit to Nahargarh Fort where the popular number Masti ki Pathshala from Rang De Basanti was picturised and other regular tourist attractions. Road transfers are included but not airfares.