INDIA
Exotic and full of extreme contrasts, India offers travellers the type of life-enriching experiences that few other destinations can offer, says Stuart Forster
INDIA Enriching
F
or UK travellers India continues to be viewed as an exotic destination, and, thanks to marked regional variations
in its landscape, climate, history and culture, offers an array of different holiday ‘types’ and experiences. And it’s in the medium-distance bracket
of long haul destinations: from London, New Delhi can be reached in eight-and- a-half hours, while to Mumbai it is around nine hours. For fi rst-time visitors the Golden Triangle
– of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur – has a strong allure due to its colourful heritage and impressive architecture, which includes the Taj Mahal. The northern state of Rajasthan
Pictured, clockwise from top: Elephant in Mysore; Munnar Tea Plantation, Kerala; Indian lady cooking.
remains popular due to highlights like Ranthambore National Park (a good location to spot tigers) and attractive cities like Jodhpur and Udaipur.
Gujarat is also a good suggestion for wildlife lovers and those looking to get under the skin of India’s culture. Elsewhere, Sasan Gir National Park is the last place wild Asiatic lions can be viewed, while Ahmedabad is home to the Satyagraha Ashram, dedicated to Gandhi’s life, and is especially vibrant in January during the kite festival. Travellers should be made well aware that journeys within India can be quite long but rewarding. “The country really lends itself well to a multi-centre holiday, with the opportunity to combine different experiences – beach, culture, wildlife, heritage – in one trip, and we have seen an increase in the number
of enquiries from clients looking to do just this,” says Nick Watson, Product Manager at Hayes and Jarvis, which offers a Classic Rajasthan and Kerala tour. House boat tours on the placid Kerala backwaters bring a cruise element to holidays and combine very well with a relaxing stay at a spa offering holistic Ayurvedic treatments. “The best time to visit India is from
October to March, but if you can travel from May to September the prices are low,” recommends Krishnakoli Ghosh, Leisure Sales Consultant at Wexas Travel. “The Oberois and the Tajs do a summer sale and you’ll pay a fourth of the cost of the season.”
The summer is also a good time to
explore the Himalayas and destinations such as Darjeeling. India has much for culturally
www.sellinglonghaul.com
July/August 2013 45
SXC & ADASSEL
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