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Rajasthan desert adventure

COUNTRY:
India
LOCATION:
Golden Triangle in India, Rajasthan, Ranthambore
HOLIDAY TYPE:
A small group adventure
DEPARTURES:
2012: 10 Feb, 9 Mar, 6 Apr, 28 Sep, 19 Oct, 26 Oct, 18 Nov, 21 Dec, 27 Dec
2013: 18 Jan, 8 Feb, 15 Feb, 8 Mar, 22 Mar, 29 Mar
PRICE:
From £1419 - £1919 (13 days) including UK flights
MORE INFO:
From £799 - £939 excluding flights. Single supplement £200.
VOUCHERS:
Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday
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Rajasthan desert adventure
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Rajasthan desert adventure

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 this holiday makes a difference

UK office
It all starts at home so we have first worked on reducing our carbon footprint in our UK offices. Through energy conservation measures and recycling policies in place, we are proud to be actively reducing the waste produced and our impact on the environment. We support various projects all over the world to try and give something back to the places we visit.

Leaders & local suppliers
This trip employs local leaders and staff through all aspects of the trip. Our leaders, already committed to Responsible Tourism, have received training and get additional refresher training on a regular basis. We use predominantly locally owned and run accommodation on this trip. Many local restaurants and shops are also used to purchase items throughout this trip which benefits the local community. We also visit Ranthambore National Park to help its long-term survival and the wildlife and it is vital that the people who live in the surrounding area benefit from its existence. The park entry fee paid at Ranthambore is used for the maintenance of the Park and Tiger conservation programs.

Group size
We operate small group tours that have a low impact on the communities we visit and we always ensure our operations do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people. This allows us to stay in unique and characterful accommodation that would not have benefitted from tourism due to their limited size.


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Story of the holiday provider

This tour operator was the first to get access to China over 30 years ago and the first to take a truck to Everest Base Camp on the Tibetan side. They have since expanded into 91 countries. Their product is driven by their clients because they listen to feedback and have to constantly evolve to provide a greater experience and better value. The exclusive centres they use have been grown organically and are often owned by ex-leaders. The holidays remain innovative, though you will now be travelling in a Mercedes 16-seater sprinter coach rather than a rusty old Bedford overland truck.

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Holiday provider no: 55

Rajasthan desert adventure
Rajasthan desert adventure
Rajasthan desert adventure

Rajasthan desert adventure

Reviewed 13 Jan 2009 by Monica Filkova3 star rating

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


All visits to Rajastani palaces, forts and havelis were a fantastic experience, especially since the city guides were really good and very excited to tell us all about it. The Taj Mahal is certainly a highlight, but my top experience was visiting the living and breathing city within the walls of Jaisalmer fort. Other highlights for me included the miniature painting school in Udaipur, the carpet and block printing workshop in Jaipur, the observatory in Jaipur and the makrana marble workshop in Agra. The artisans make truly beautiful things! And they always have given the beauty of the palaces.

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


Choose a tour which minimises road travel as roads are poor and travel times are 2-3 times longer than what you'd expect. At least some of the longer journeys should be with an overnight sleeper train or a flight (eg Jaipur-Agra). Go after mid November if you don't like hot weather - the first week of our tour (1st week in Nov) was unusually hot with temperatures close to 40C!

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


Yes, as hotels and restaurants were local, but on the road there are only very over-priced restaurants (only for tourists) and if possible alternatives should be used both in favour of the tourist and the wider local community. Also, we were taken to quite a few workshops or middlemen who work with local artisans via cooperatives, but it would have been good to have more time to spend in markets and spread our custom a bite wider, although any attempt to do that was necessarily hampered by the pushiness of the vendors which makes it very difficult to look and consider a purchase.

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


Rajasthan, Agra and Delhi are definitely the best place to go for a first visit to India and offer many beautiful sights. The tour has good coverage of the state (as many tours don't go all the way to Jaisalmer), but was very fast-paced with lots of long drives which certainly detracts from the enjoyment factor.
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Holiday Reviews

We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!

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Rajasthan desert adventure
Rajasthan desert adventure
Rajasthan desert adventure
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