Sri Lanka small group tour with added comfort

Planet and people

The very ethos of our style of travel is responsible; small groups on fully escorted tours, experiencing the very best of a region, a culture and a landscape, with a friendly local hand guiding the way. Our itineraries are designed to give our travellers real life experiences without compromising the part of the world through which we are journeying, to travel responsibly is at the heart of our commitment as a global tour operator.

Discover the delights of Northern India, from bustling cities to tranquil sanctuaries. On this tour through the highlights of Rajasthan, travellers will discover India through its people, food, cultural sites and scenery, on a trip designed to ensure that every step of the way the cultural and environmental impact of the trip is kept to a minimum, whilst maximising the positive economic outcome for the region.

We work closely with our team in India on all aspects of this holiday. Planning with local partners ‘on the ground’ gives us a strong foundation for designing tours that allow you to travel like a local. You’ll stay in independently owned properties, reflective of the regions surroundings. The heritage properties we stay in have often been owned by generations of the same family, often with fascinating backstories waiting to be discovered. You will eat where the locals eat, in smaller, usually family run restaurants, ideal for discovering local specialities at reasonable prices and be accompanied throughout by an English speaking local group leader, a great source of information of things to do and places to explore in your free time.

All these elements of the tour combine to provide our travellers with genuine travel experiences of India, in addition to ensuring that the funds generated by our visit are directed into the local economies, rather than towards bigger, multinational businesses.

Throughout this trip, travellers will be encouraged to support business, bringing a further economic boost to smaller, independent traders. Explore the markets of Jodhpur and Jaisalmer or hop on a cycle rickshaw to discover the Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary, every little element will make a difference to someone.

All our travellers are encouraged throughout the trip to respect local cultures and sensibilities, which are fairly conservative throughout India. Whether visiting the Taj Mahal in Agra, arguably one of the most famous buildings on Earth, or the Sheeshganj Gurudwara (Sikh Temple) in Delhi you will be expected to dress and act appropriately to the sites being visited and behave in keeping with local customs. If you are unsure about something, your group leader will be on hand to help with any questions you might have and give guidance if required.

There is plenty of opportunity for local interaction on this itinerary, a great opportunity coming on the occasions where we are travelling on public transport from the train journey between Delhi and Agra to the local buses that we take to Fatehpur Sikri and between Mandawa and Bikaner. Not only is public transport a more environmentally sound transport option than many of the alternatives, it’s a brilliant way to watch the countryside pass, and also say hi to some of your fellow commuters!

As a company we are very aware of the negative effect carbon emissions have on our environment and as such operate a carbon neutral policy; offsetting the ground emissions of all our passengers on all our trips. On this journey through India’s Rajasthan region that equates to 338kgs of carbon offset per passenger, per departure.

Throughout your trip you will also be encouraged to take steps to ensure that your journey is as environmentally responsible as possible. Your group leader will be on hand to assist with the appropriate disposal of rubbish en route, recycling wherever possible and we encourage all our travellers to use refillable water bottles with water purification tablets rather than purchasing regular small supplies of bottled water.

The sale of bottled water contributes to an enormous environmental problem around the world. In addition to the water in the bottles, the production of a 1 litre plastic bottle takes 2 litres of water and 200ml of oil. A large proportion of the bottles then end up in limited landfill or discarded in waterways and natural environments.