India Travel Planner 2012 - (Page 8)

TOURING I-8 incredibleindia.org India known areas and they want to do something a little different.” The Darjeeling and Sikkim tour offers a great insight into Himalayan, Buddhist and city life in the northeast, where traditional monasteries and exceptional mountain scenery are on view in an area inhabited predominantly by gentle Buddhists and small settlements of tribal people. “But aside from that, the Himalayan Mountains, just from personal experience, are really compelling,” explains Captain. “This part of India is quite different from the rest of India, culturally—in terms of dress, customs and religion— and physically. It’s not an area where you’ll see the usual big mosques, temples, palaces and monuments. You don’t have any of that grandeur, because the grandeur is in the mountains themselves. “The other thing is Kolkata, which has really been overlooked, but has had somewhat of a revival. The Bengali people are totally different from the rest of India. The cafe society is where you ﬁnd everyone from students to businessmen to retired people, arguing vigorously about the politics of the day. But they’re writers and artists and there is that sort of cafe society like Paris in the ‘30s. There’s a lot to see, it’s hugely interesting and incredibly beautiful. There’s every reason to try and go.” The base price of this FIT package runs from $2,481 pp, land-only. On the Orissa & Chhattisgarh Unveiled program travelers visit Chhattisgarh in the relatively new breakaway state of Madhya Pradesh, home to a wealth of history, culture, tribal lands and staggering scenery. Clients stay in one of Chhattisgarh’s most elegant palaces and explore the beautiful Maikal Hills to see ancient temples and ruins, learning about the lesser-known tribal cultures of the area. Next, it’s on to the former kingdom of Kalinga in Orissa, a large, verdant state clinging to the coast of the Bay of Bengal. This area ﬂourished between the seventh and 15th centuries and offers sandy beaches, extraordinary beehive-shaped temples and mighty monuments. “Orrisa has so much history, you can’t not see it if you want to see a different part of India,” enthuses Captain. “It’s a very varied terrain. I sort of think of it more as the center, even though it’s on the east coast and a little more toward the south. Its beaches and coastline are absolutely stunning. We use Mayfair Because of India’s enormous size and diversity, tour operators to this exotic destination are developing and designing unique programs for travelers with an emphasis on exclusivity, juxtaposed against new lower-priced programs, and creating exciting vacation experiences that guarantee the kind of experiential travel modern-day clients crave. Luxury Elite Travel Collection—an IsramWorld company—has a unique 12-night program that starts with three nights in Delhi, followed by two nights each in Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur and back to Delhi for one night before returning home. All accommodations, however, guarantee what the company calls, “extraordinary and cosseted luxury,” with ultra-luxe stays at ﬁve-star Oberoi hotels and luxury tent camps, as well as ﬁve-star Taj Palace accommodations. Clients also have an escort-guide who will help plan the day at each destination and transport by chauffeur-driven limousine. Highlights include guests partaking in traditional high tea at Taj Khema in Delhi and a sunset carriage ride to the majestic Taj Mahal. They’ll explore the city of Jaipur, known for its wealth of princely palaces and forts, by elephant or jeep and experience a demonstration of henna painting, as well as visit a local Rajasthani family to get a glimpse of traditional daily life. There’s plenty of adventure, too, with an evening elephant safari led by a private mahout (elephant handler) through a forest scattered with ancient structures, and a cruise on Lake Pichola, plus a jeep excursion to a Bishnoi village to meet the locals, what the company calls, “…arguably the world’s ﬁrst ecologists,” as well as a “royal” lunch at a retreat favored by the Jodhpur royal family. It’s priced from $12,415 pp dbl with intra-India business class air. Greaves India has a variety of customdesigned programs throughout India, all of which are designed so travelers can maximize their experience and travel to many parts of the country few tour operators visit, including a couple of destinations in East India covered in two tour programs that are truly unique: the Darjeeling and Sikkim and Orissa & Chhattisgarh Unveiled. Anita Captain, co-owner of Greaves India, warns, however, “It’s not for the ﬁrst-time traveler. It’s for the client who’s already been to India and they’ve seen all the well- http://www.incredibleindia.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of India Travel Planner 2012

Quintessential India
Touring India
India by Rail & River
Wellness& Spiritual Travel
Heritage Highlights
Charming Stays
Fast Facts
Getting There & Around

India Travel Planner 2012