One of the many events that Mahindra Adventure hosts is the Special Escape which offers participants a chance to explore the off-the-beaten-path regions of popular tourist destinations, as well as the opportunity to soak in their culture and heritage.
The week long Authentic Goa Special Escape staged in the monsoons traverses regions of Goa that are off the regular tourist map. It isn’t a guided tour but is run to the Time Speed Distance rally format traversing from south to north Goa with white-water rafting adventures and off-roading thrown in. It is open to all Mahindra vehicles but only the Thar was allowed (and could) go through the hard core off-road sections that peppered the route. I found myself in the mighty Thar, a raw, rugged and purely
functional SUV which still retains the ageless charm of the MM540. The 247Nm of pure turning force, proven Borgwarner 4×4 transfer case and a short wheelbase design is what gets the Thar to perform phenomenal off-road antics. It traverses off-road terrain like a mountain goat. Leave it in first gear and 4-low ratio and it could probably climb a wall! On the menu was also a visit to the picturesque Fort Cabo de Rama overlooking a vast azure expanse of sea. While breakfast and dinner was at the luxurious Kenilworth Resort and Spa, lunches were a chance to experience lip-smacking rustic Goan cuisine. All the activities on the Escape agenda follow the Mahindra Adventure formula for participants to let their hair down. Theme parties in the evenings, shopping at local markets and leisure time at the beach, all mean that no one misses out on that quintessential susegaad or laidback ambience Goa is known for.
The Authentic Goa Special Escape gave participants the opportunity to experience Goa in ways the average tourist on a standard itinerary just cannot. And at just Rs 15,000 per head, the Mahindra Adventure package is worth every penny.