India culture & wildlife holiday

COUNTRY:
India
HOLIDAY TYPE:
A small group adventure
DEPARTURES:
CHECK AVAILABILITY2013: 18 Oct, 15 Nov
PRICE:
From £1929 - £1959 (15 days ) including UK flights
MORE INFO:
From £1169 excluding flights.
VOUCHERS:
Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday
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India culture & wildlife holiday

India culture & wildlife holiday

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.

How India culture & wildlife holiday makes a difference

On this trip: Our groups will be led throughout by a professional local Group Leader giving our travellers a real, genuine insight into local tradition, history and culture. All aspects of the itinerary are designed and arranged by a locally based agent in conjunction with our UK office. Groups stay in locally owned hotels and support the economy of the areas we are travelling through by dining in small, independent restaurants and buying supplies from local traders. All of this means that more of the money generated by this trip stays within the country and more specifically, the areas visited. The entrance fees paid to visit the National Parks contributes towards conservation of these fantastic wildlife habitats.

We have also developed a programme of school visits with our local agent in India. These schools are government funded but benefit greatly from additional support. Groups will have the opportunity to visit a school during the stay in Kanha.

Our Responsible Travel Code: Clients who travel with us will automatically receive a copy of our Responsible Travel leaflet. This contains details and advice on how you can make a positive difference when you travel. If you would like a copy in advance of travel please contact us.

Charity Partnerships: We work in partnership with Plan International. Plan works with some of the world’s poorest communities where three out of four children die before the age of five. We also support Friends of Conservation – an international charity committed to working with local people to develop a balance between their needs and the wildlife with which they share the natural habitat and ecosystems. Other charities that we work closely with include Born Free Foundation and The Travel Foundation, a UK charity that has been established to promote responsible travel practices throughout the whole of the travel industry.

Carbon Balancing: Global warming is a real issue and is a direct result of your travel. We have teamed up with Climate Care to give you the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions from your flight. You’ll be asked upon booking if you want to donate – with set amounts from £5. As a company we offset the carbon emissions from all staff travel in full.

Our Foundation: We’ve highlighted a few of the ways in which we offer our support, financially or otherwise, and now you can, too. We have set up our own foundation, which will administer funds donated by you. A small donation of £1 per person will be taken when booking a holiday and that money will be put to good use by one of our carefully selected projects. If you don’t want to make the donation, just tell us when you book.

India culture & wildlife holiday

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How we choose the provider of India culture & wildlife holiday

How we choose providers

India culture & wildlife holiday

Reviewed 01 Jan 2013 by Mary-Laure Bollini5 star rating

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?


To see the tiger and the sloth bear.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


Take warm clothes, the morning drives were so cold in December!!! and ask for 2 blankets each (one for the shoulders, one for the legs) be flexible and patient, the trains were delayed because of the fog, there are a few long drives on bumpy roads, but it was a wonderful experience and the guide did everything to make us comfortable.

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?


Yes, the parks employ local guides and drivers, they have fixed number of cars for each section of the park.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?


I had a wonderful time, it is a good mix of wildlife/culture, the food was great and the group ambiance was perfect. Ved, our guide, made us feel special and managed to make all our wishes come true. He shared his knowledge on the animals and birds but also on Indian culture, contractidations, wonders and his own family life.

Reviewed 27 Mar 2012 by Christine Payne4 star rating

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?


Seeing 3 tigers & a leopard at Ranthambore National Park.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


It is a brilliant tour but involves a great deal of travelling - not all of it comfortable!

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?


Not sure.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?


Fantastic.

Reviewed 08 Dec 2011 by Michael Ho4 star rating

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?


Seeing the Bengal Tigers and other wildlife.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


Do it. Leave your Western expectations and standards back home and have a
great time.

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?


Some what.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?


A very nice and memorable vacation made especially good by our EXCELLENT
guide, Kamaal Uddin. He is simply an all around good and funny guy.

Reviewed 03 Jan 2011 by Jane Munro2 star rating

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?


Dawn in the National Parks, Kahna especially.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


Be prepared for early starts EVERY day (not just the few suggested on tour operator’s website); we began after 8.30 on only 2 of the 15 days. Also, frequent long journeys by SUV and trains (generally delayed). Your guide will tell you on arrival that you have come on a 'bootcamp': he is not kidding (though it would have been good if the tour operator had believed him, and made it clear in its information about the tour).

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?


Inevitably, tourism brings funding to any region. Hard to see that travelling by jeep/SUV minimized impact to the already horrific problems of pollution in the country (Delhi and Agra, especially).

Read the operator's response here:

The trip has a full itinerary with many early starts, designed to make the most of the days. Early starts are essential to avoid the heat later in the day and to maximise chances of viewing wildlife. Although we advertise this as a busy trip, we regret if the early starts were not made clear on the trip notes.

We would agree that pollution is on the increase in India due to rapid development in the cities. We include rail journeys on our itineraries where possible, however, the use of road vehicles is unavoidable for a good part of this particular itinerary.

Reviewed 08 Nov 2010 by Clare Douglas4 star rating

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?


Visiting the Taj Mahal and seeing the contrast of Indian cities, villages, coasts and wildlife.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


Women need to think about wearing 3/4 or full length trousers and tops that cover their shoulders. Also, when changing money ask for some 10 or 20 rupees notes/coins as 500 rupee notes are difficult to spend. Don't forget high factor sun screen, especially for children. Use local guides as their knowledge can really help your holiday experience.

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?


Yes, we used local restaurants and visited local shops. Train journeys helped reduce petrol use.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?


An excellent holiday which we'll remember for a long time.
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Holiday Reviews

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Date Prices (Adult,pp) Basis Status  
18 Oct 2013 £ 1959 inc UK flights 5 spaces left Click here to enquire about or book the 18 Oct 2013 departure
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