To see the majestic splendour and experience the cultural richness of the land and the people of the Eastern Himalayas, a visit to the beautiful colonial hill station of Darjeeling and the stunning environs of Sikkim – a must for a wonderfully rewarding holiday. Your tour of some of India’s most stunning Himalayan enclaves begins from the historic city of Calcutta, once the erstwhile capital of the Raj in India and popularly known as the City of Joy, home of the legendary Mother Teresa in modern times. A drive up to Darjeeling offers you a banquet of splendid panoramas of a landscape rich in wildlife and botanical delights. In Darjeeling enjoy the mesmerising views of Mt Khanchendzonga, the world’s third highest peak and watch the sunrise from Tiger Hill. Savour the colonial elements of nostalgia amongst the tea plantations and flower filled gardens and red roofed bungalows, before saying goodbye to the UNESCO Heritage Toy Train and moving into the Teesta River Gorge for a fabulous drive to Gangtok, capital of Sikkim. The drive up to the snowy reaches of Tsomgo Lake offers a captivating vision of a remote and beautiful region, now carefully opened to tourism. The journey back to the gorge, and up the winding road to Kalimpong is a memorable one. Enjoy those lovely mountain views, monasteries and tea plantations all along.
EXPERIENCES AVAILABLE:
Cycling
- Mountain biking in Darjeeling
Gastronomy
- Bengali Cooking Experience in Calcutta
Spiritual
- Private Puja (worship) ceremony in Kali Temple of Calcutta
Adventure
- White Water Rafting on River Teesta
This tour blends the best of India’s art, culture and spirituality. Your tour will begin in Delhi, the Capital City of independent India which rewards the determined sightseer with more than a thousand monuments. Continue your journey to discover Pink City Jaipur made up of forts and palaces and bustling bazaars. Jaipur is a fascinating destination, giving one the chance to experience India from ancient to modern in one fell swoop. Next, you will travel to Agra to discover the wonder that is the Taj Mahal. Discover the extraordinary sculptures of the Khajuraho Temples before travelling to Varanasi, a city as old as Babylon and Nineveh. Uncover the mysteries of the Hindu faith amidst the burning ghats, antique temples and heritage of crafts amongst its twisting bazaar streets filled with legendary Indian silks and brocades. Your final destination will be Mumbai, the country’s financial capital and centre of business, fashion and film-making. Mumbai’s intensity is almost contagious – outlandish fashion and mind-boggling traffic, glistening skyscrapers and slums, bars and restaurants, mayhem and order, ancient bazaars and swish malls, loud temples and rare moments of tranquillity.
EXPERIENCES AVAILABLE:
Cycling
- Explore the lanes of Old Delhi on a morning cycling tour
Private Access / Exclusive Exploration
- Tour of the private quarters of the City Palace in Jaipur
Gastronomy
- Cooking demonstration and meal with a local family in Delhi or Jaipur
- Street food walk in Delhi or Jaipur
Spiritual
- Private Puja (worship) ceremony on the river ghats for prosperity and well-being
Textiles
- Block Printing Workshop in Jaipur
- Visit weaver’s village in Varanasi
Adventure
- Wildlife – Tiger Safari in Panna National Park, near Khajuraho
Community Service
- Visit an NGO in Delhi
- Visit the SHEROES café in Agra that employs acid attack survivors
- Visit the wildlife SOS Elephant rescue centre in Agra
This tour offers you an excellent opportunity to learn some of the treasured recipes of popular Indian dishes. Cooked as per recipes handed down from generation to generation. Join your hosts in hands-down cooking demonstrations held especially in your honor in their splendid heritage homes. India’s fabulous wealth of culinary delights is culled from her regional traditions and the cosmopolitan influences of contemporary times. Discover this splendid repository of food and beverage favorites that have seduced the taste buds of visitors from around the globe. En route stay at Luxury Camps, Heritage Homes, and Boutique Hotels to learn all about India’s great culinary traditions
This tour blends the best of India’s art and culture taking you through some of the most popular destinations in North and South India. You will tour the capital city Delhi which rewards the determined sightseer with more than a thousand monuments, before travelling to Agra to visit the stunning Taj Mahal. Continue your journey to discover the proud and valorous regal splendour of Rajasthan amongst its magnificent forts and palaces, mansions and landscaped estates. Visit one of India’s premier Tiger parks – Ranthambore. This tour enables you to go on the trail of the majestic Royal Bengal Tiger in one of its prettiest refuge. From there experience Ramathra which offers one a chance to experience the great outdoors and ‘village India ‘ at its best, combined with a little fort lifestyle and exceptional Rajput hospitality – a rural idyll; a birdwatcher’s paradise; a nature lover’s dream. Next enjoy the Pink city of Jaipur before flying off to the south India. Experience the charms of God’s own country – with its back waters, simple people and picturesque natural beauty. Heading out from historic port town of Cochin to the backwaters of Kerala and spend a leisurely afternoon cruising in the traditional Kettuvallom house boats, along the waterways that form a dense network in Alleppey. End your journey at the picturesque fishing village Mararikulam, staying in a beach resort with palm fringed beaches, the ultimate destination for relaxation.
EXPERIENCES AVAILABLE:
Cycling
- Explore the lanes of Old Delhi on a morning cycling tour
- Explore on cycles the country side in the vicinity of Cochin
Private Access / Exclusive exploration
- Tour of the private quarters of the City Palace in Jaipur
Gastronomy
- Cooking demonstration and meal with a local family in Delhi or Jaipur.
- Street food walk in Delhi or Jaipur
- Cooking demonstration of Syrian Christian cuisine with Nimmy Paul in Cochin
Textiles
- Block Printing workshop in Jaipur
Walking tours
- Walking tour of the Jew Town in Cochin
Community Service:
- Visit an NGO in Delhi
- Visit the SHEROES café in Agra that employs acid attack survivors
- Visit the wildlife SOS Elephant rescue centre in Agra
India is pre-dominantly an agricultural country and agriculture in India is as diverse as the country is. On this tour we take showcase the agricultural practices in Rajasthan, the desert state of India. We will showcase not only the ways of the farmers and traditional and modern agricultural practices across varied landscape, but also the sustainable practices being adopted by the farmers today. This tour will be a heady unforgettable experience of India’s rural landscape and how it is evolving with time. It involves carefully planned study tours to various farms, interactions with the local farmers, an opportunity to indulge in farming practices as well as an opportunity to explore the historical landmarks. You will be staying in heritage hotels that have an old world charm, or in luxury homestays in rural setting run by some of the most hospitable families you will come across. Your hosts are of noble descent and have an extensive understanding of the area and will be happy to accompany you on rural safaris and farm walks.
EXPERIENCES AVAILABLE:
Cycling
- Explore the villages around Udaipur on a rural cycling expedition.
Private Access / Exclusive exploration
- Experience Mehrangarh Fort by night on an exclusive tour with the curator himself
- Tour of the private quarters of the City Palace in Jaipur
Walking tours
- Early morning walking tour of the old town of Udaipur to witness the city wake up, Old City Walk of Jaipur
Textiles
- Block Printing workshop in Jaipur
This tour is designed for those interested in textiles, tribes and photography. We travel in West Indian beginning in Ahmedabad, travelling west to Dwarka and then onwards to Bhuj, exploring the rich textiles traditions of the Kutch and Gujarat regions. The participants will have ample opportunity to study and discuss a broad range of contemporary and historic textiles including silk and cotton saris, mirror embroidery, ikat, tie-dye, wood block printing, and vegetable dyeing. Meet directly with artisans in their workshops. The itinerary is designed for modest travel, a mix of heritage hotels and lodges in order to make the trip cost low and to travel in a way that reflects the lifestyles of local people.
EXPERIENCES AVAILABLE:
Walking tours
Early morning walking tour of the old town in Ahmedabad
During the course of this extraordinary journey, the riders become a part of the breath-taking landscape, almost ‘at one’ with the surroundings, and get to see historical monuments and scenery which might be missed on a more conventional Safari. Add to this, the expertly schooled horses and professional guiding, you will have the Safari of a lifetime.
Your journey begins in the cosmopolitan city of Mumbai – commercial, financial and trade capital of the country. Then you will fly to Aurangabad and visit the superb caves at Ajanta and Ellora. We visit India’s wine growing region, Nasik. Stay at Sula Beyond – India’s first vineyard resort. At the end we stay at central India’s incredible fort Ahilya. “What’s that sound?†you think to yourself as you hear the chanting upon entering Ahilya Fort. As you step out onto the balcony of your room, it grows clearer. It’s one of the gardeners intoning, “Ram Sita Ram…Ram Sita Ram…â€, a chant that continues to be in the background during your stay at this beautiful heritage resort.
This active tour in packed with adventure offers you the thrill of coming face to face with untouched cultures as well as wilderness regions of great natural beauty. You will travel to central India’s three famous national parks having diverse wildlife, landscapes and tribal communities which make it a fascinating region to cycle through forested corridor which serve as a refuge to dispersing wildlife across the parks. Also on offer will be night safaris, walking in the buffer forests and canoe safaris.
You will also visit Agra to marvel at the wonder that is the Taj Mahal.
EXPERIENCES AVAILABLE:
Gastronomy
- Farm to Table hands on cooking demonstration with in-house chef at the lodge in Pench
India is a land of diverse culture, geography, flora and fauna. Some of the rarest species of animals and birds find their home, in the central regions of the country. This tour weaves through two of India’s best tiger parks. It offers exclusive chances to see the best of the Indian wildlife, closely, in its natural habitat. We cycle through the very jungles of Seoni mentioned in the Jungle Book. Apart from the wildlife, the tour provides distinctive opportunity to experience rural life in India and meet with local people who live in harmony with wildlife. The soul of India lives in its villages, 60 percent of the population still lives in villages of India! Our route will be mostly through the forests that serves as a corridor for Tigers to disperse between national parks.
EXPERIENCES AVAILABLE:
Gastronomy
- Farm to Table hands on cooking demonstration with inhouse chef at the lodge in Pench
