North India budget holiday
| country: | India |
| location: | Rajasthan, Golden Triangle in India, Ranthambore |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2009: 22 Nov, 29 Nov, 13 Dec, 20 Dec, 27 Dec 2010: 10 Jan, 24 Jan, 7 Feb |
| price: | From £966 (15 days) excluding flights. We can arrange flights from the UK |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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the amazing things you'll be doing
From Dehli to Varanasi and back we visit the most impressive sights of north India on a trip which is perfect for the first time visitor.
Original and exciting activities such as a desert camel trek, a safari in the fabulous Ranthambore Tiger Sanctuary and a boat trip on the river Ganges all add to the experience.
Throughout North India travellers are continually reminded of the importance of respect for tradition, religious issues and the environment. We stay in simple local hotels, eat in locally owned restaurants and have endless opportunities for unique one-to-one style interactions with local people.
Original and exciting activities such as a desert camel trek, a safari in the fabulous Ranthambore Tiger Sanctuary and a boat trip on the river Ganges all add to the experience.
Throughout North India travellers are continually reminded of the importance of respect for tradition, religious issues and the environment. We stay in simple local hotels, eat in locally owned restaurants and have endless opportunities for unique one-to-one style interactions with local people.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Delhi. Afternoon tour of Delhi. |
| Day 2: | Shekhavati. Drive to the Shekhavati area of Rajasthan, renowned for its painted frescoes and ornate havelis (merchant’s houses). We spend the night in a heritage hotel. |
| Day 3: | Shekhavati. Walking tour of one of Shekhavati’s small towns followed by a camel ride to surrounding villages. Overnight in a heritage hotel. |
| Day 4: | Jaipur. Drive to Jaipur. Afternoon elephant ride to the splendid Amber Fort |
| Day 5: | Jaipur. Morning Jaipur city tour. Remainder of the day at leisure |
| Day 6: | Ranthambore. Drive to Ranthambore National Park where we take an afternoon game ride. |
| Day 7-8: | Karauli. Visit Ranthambore Fort then drive to Karauli where we stay in a Maharaja’s residence. There is the chance to visit the ramshackle Karauli city palace and the local bazaar |
| Day 9: | Bharatpur - Agra. Drive via the Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary at Bharatpur to the abandoned Moghul capital at Fatehpur Sikri. |
| Day 10: | Agra. Visit the awe inspiring Taj Mahal. Overnight sleeper train to Varanasi |
| Day 11: | Varanasi. Afternoon excursion to Sarnath. |
| Day 12: | Varanasi. Early morning boat trip on the Ganges followed by a city tour. Afternoon at leisure. |
| Day 13: | Varanasi. A free day to explore Varanasi, one of the most important pilgrimage sites in India. Overnight sleeper train to Delhi |
| Day 14: | Delhi. Arrive Delhi and transfer to hotel. Free day |
| Day 15: | Delhi. Tour ends |
travellers' tales
Our guide helped us organise a cycle rickshaw ride in Varanasi in the evening. Sharing the road with buses, lorries, cows, pedestrians, autorickshaws and all manner of humanity was insane but the best way to get a feel of an Indian city (more)
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places. highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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Throughout North India travellers are continually reminded of the importance of respect for tradition, religious issues and the environment. We stay in simple local hotels, eat in locally owned restaurants and have endless opportunities for unique one-to-one style interactions with local people. We operate a policy of fair tipping (administered through a tipping kitty), use local guides with whom our relationships are longstanding and employ a mix of foreign and local tour leaders who all receive the SAME wages for the same job.
The trip spends a night in Karauli, a small village rarely visited by other tourists. Our small group visit helps distribute revenue from tourism into this underdeveloped area without destroying its tradition. At Bharatpur we visit the Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary where we use Sikh guides, ornithologists and rickshaw drivers. We also spend an afternoon exploring Ranthambore National Park contributing through park fees to the protection of India's wildlife and natural heritage. The trip also has opportunities to ride camels, bicycles and elephants all of which are hired directly from local people. In Jaipur we support Balika Sadan, a girl's orphanage, which has around 30 young residents. Donations from travellers are matched by us and presented to the orphanage on an annual basis. Travellers are given information about the home and encouraged to donate left over currency and those who wish can take vital supplies and equipment for the girls. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |