Saiyami Kher recently travelled to Italy to shoot a documentary on bikepacking. The actor got to explore the area around Lake Garda in northern Italy. “It was one of the best experiences of my life,” exclaims the 31-year-old, whose trip lasted seven days.

But, it wasn’t all fun and games. “I wish I had prepped more, it was not easy. I have cycled on road bikes because of my Ironman (triathlon) training, but those were flat. This was different because of the climbs we had to do. I had an indoor bike trainer at home and also practised on the slopes of Pali Hill (Mumbai),” she says and goes to on to list a few more challenges she faced:

“On one day, it was hot and on another, we encountered a hailstorm. We had to climb 2000m on the day we did the Tremalzo Pass! But it was worth it.”

Through her bikepacking documentary, which actor-TV host Rannvijay Singha was also a part of, Kher hopes to inspire others. “It is the best way to discover a place!” the Faadu (2022) actor shares.

An adrenaline junkie, Kher — who is also a certified diver — now looks forward to learning more skills: “I learnt how to surf last year and want to better that skill. I also want to learn snowboarding.”