54India, Sri Lanka & the Himalayas - IndiaBook now at imaginative-traveller.com or call 01728 885561ITINERARY...Day 1 DelhiFree day to explore Delhi.Day 2 Bagdogra and Darjeeling Fly from Delhi to Bagdogra, joinour jeeps and start the stunning drive into the Darjeeling mountains.We pass through small villages and towns, following the toy trainwhose tracks we drive on and stopping at a traditional"roadhouse/station" for chai, coffee and cakes with great views. InDarjeeling we stay in a charming, small secluded guesthouse run bya local family. It is perfectly located away from the noise, but only ashort walk from the central square with stunning views over thevalleys to the mountains beyond. Days 3-4 DarjeelingA city tourand a half day toy train trip along the most spectacular bit of therailway. Days 5-8 Karmi Farm HomestayAfter breakfast we leavefor our homestay at Karmi Farm and meet up with our host,Andrew Fulger, the grandson of the local Rajah. The next three daysare spent on guided treks around the nearby hills, visiting localcommunities, Buddhist monasteries, schools, farms and perhapswatching a football or netball match in a high forest clearing. Oneday we will hike into the cloud forest and another day trek downinto the rice paddies. We will drink tea and eat cake, make toast onthe 'Darjeeling AGA', and sip gin and tonics as the sun sets on thestunning hillsides that surround us on all sides. Andrew is a perfecthost and his knowledge of the area is intimate. In the evenings wesit around his dining room table and eat the fine food made bySanje, the Gurka cook. Days 9-10 Pelling (Sikkim)We now leaveDarjeeling and drive higher into the mountains into Sikkim on ahair-raisingly spectacular drive to the foot of Mt. Kanchenjunga andthe elegant splendour of Mount Pandim Hotel in Pelling. This is anold Rajah's palace and the hotel is as much an experience as theviews themselves. We will explore a very beautiful local monastery.Days 11-12 CalcuttaGoodbye serenity, hello chaos and colour.Calcutta is awesome, a city once visited, never forgotten, India at itsmost Indian. We will enjoy a city tour from our city centre hotel.Day 13 CalcuttaTour ends.Darjeeling,Sikkim and CalcuttaUncovered13 days, Delhi to CalcuttaNEWCode IDCThe Sikkimeseand Gurka peoplearound Karmi Farmmade my stay here oneof my best ever travelexperiences. Staying atthe regal MountPandim Hotel underKanchenjunga is oneof life's real luxuries,which then reallycontrasts with thebuzz and chaos ofCalcutta. Liddy says...''''.Wake up to stunning Himalayan vistas inDarjeeling and Sikkim.Enjoy exhilarating mountain walks from your doorstep.Relax in the unique welcoming atmosphereof Karmi Farm.Soak up the colonial ambience of the exquisite Mount Pandim Hotel.Explore chaotic Delhi and CalcuttaTour highlightsPlusTravellerStartFinish201204 Nov -16 Nov02 Dec -14 Dec201331 Mar -12 Apr28 Apr -10 May03 Nov - 15 Nov 01Dec - 13 DecACCOMMODATIONColonial mountain hotel (2 nts), guest house (3 nts),hotel (3 nts), farm homestay (4 nts) MEALS12 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, 4 Dinners TRANSPORTJeep, planeGROUPSIZEMaximum 14Tour price from£1,160ppSee website for detailsITINERARY... Day 1 KochiSightseeing. Days 2-3 MunnarVisittea plantations. Days 4-5 ThekkadySafari in Periyar WildlifeReserve. Days 6-7 Kerala BackwatersHouseboat cruise.Days 8-9 MararikulamEnjoy the beach. Day 10 KolkataSightseeing. Days 11-12 DarjeelingSightseeing.Days 13-14 KurseongToy train and explore area.This trip cost £1,895 per person(excluding international flightsbut including domestic Indian flights) based on two peopletravelling. Recently I really enjoyed putting together a fascinating tour of India for acouple who wanted to see some of the places that are missed off most touristitineraries. They wanted to start in the south so we included a night on a houseboat in the Kerala backwaters as well as some hiking in a particularly beautifulnational park. They then wanted to head to the mountainous far north-east ofIndia, a world away from the lush green landscapes of Kerala, to finish up in thespectacular area around Darjeeling.Jany King - Tailor-made consultant''''All itineraries are tailor-made; prices will depend on season, group size, accommodation etc.For a tailor-made itinerary please contactour specialist team on 01728 885575£598ppFlight ex London fromDon't forget we can also offer flights,travel insurance, extra accommodationand airport transfers!

Nepal &India19 days, ex KathmanduCode GINIThe Roadto Delhi14 days, ex KathmanduCode GIRD55India, Sri Lanka & the Himalayas - India, NepalIf you want hustleand bustle, you'll findit in the throngingstreets of Kathmandu,Delhi and Jaipur. If youwant spirituality, youwill love the boat rideon the holy Ganges. Ifnature is your thing,search for wildlife fromthe back of anelephant or dug-outcanoe in Chitwan. Thistrip has everything.Liddy says...''''A fabulous tripthat encompasses thebest of Nepal andNorthern India. Iparticularly love thetime spent in NimajBagh and Tordi Garh,two little visitedvillages far off thebeaten track.Liddy says...''''ITINERARY... Days 1-2 KathmanduArrive in Kathmandu. Thefollowing day we visit the giant Buddhist stupa at Bodhnath, andthe city's most sacred Hindu site, Pashupatinath. Days 3-4 ChitwanNational ParkWe travel to Chitwan and spend the next dayexploring the jungle on elephant back or in a dugout canoe insearch of exotic wildlife, including Indian rhinoceros and the elusiveBengal tiger. Day 5 LumbiniA final opportunity for a jungle safaribefore we drive to Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, wherewe spend the night in a charming jungle lodge. Days 6-8 VaranasiHead to Varanasi, where pilgrims flock to bathe in the holy waters.An early morning boat ride on the sacred Ganges River enables us towitness the thousands who come to pray, wash and cremate theirdead. Day 9 Agra - Taj MahalWe arrive early in the morning atAgra, home of India's most famous site - the majestic Taj Mahal.Day 10 Tordi GarhA small, traditional and friendly village that seesfew tourists, Tordi Garh is set amongst several old temples and acrumbling fort. We stay overnight in the town's 16th century palace.Days 11-12 JaipurExplore the Amber Fort and later visit the CityPalace, the beautiful Palace of the Winds and the bazaars andbackstreets of the Old City. Days 13-14 DelhiDrive to Delhi andexplore Chandni Chowk, Delhi's oldest market. Our trip ends Day 14.For trip notes, availability and more, enter the trip code at imaginative-traveller.comACCOMMODATIONHotel (10 nts), jungle lodge (2 nts),overnight sleeper train (1 nt) MEALSNo mealsTRANSPORTBus, boat, cycle rickshaw, elephant, sleeper train, taxiGROUPSIZEMaximum 16StartFinish201207 Jan-20 Jan14 Jan-27 Jan21 Jan-03 Feb28 Jan-10 Feb04 Feb-17 Feb11 Feb-24 Feb18 Feb-02 Mar25 Feb-09 Mar03 Mar-16 Mar10 Mar-23 Mar17 Mar-30 Mar24 Mar-06 Apr31 Mar-13 Apr07 Apr-20 Apr14 Apr-27 Apr21 Apr-04 May28 Apr-11 May05 May-18 May12 May-25 May19 May-01 Jun26 May-08 Jun02 Jun-15 Jun09 Jun-22 Jun16 Jun-29 Jun23 Jun-06 Jul30 Jun-13 Jul07 Jul-20 Jul14 Jul-27 Jul21 Jul-03 Aug28 Jul-10 Aug04 Aug-17 Aug11 Aug-24 Aug18 Aug-31 Aug25 Aug-07 Sep01 Sep-14 Sep08 Sep-21 Sep15 Sep-28 Sep22 Sep-05 Oct29 Sep-12 Oct06 Oct-19 Oct13 Oct-26 Oct20 Oct-02 Nov27 Oct-09 Nov03 Nov-16 Nov10 Nov-23 Nov17 Nov-30 Nov24 Nov-07 Dec01 Dec-14 Dec08 Dec-21 Dec15 Dec-28 Dec22 Dec-04 Jan29 Dec-11 Jan201305 Jan-18 Jan12 Jan-25 Jan19 Jan-01 Feb26 Jan-08 Feb02 Feb-15 Feb09 Feb-22 Feb16 Feb-01 Mar23 Feb-08 Mar02 Mar-15 Mar09 Mar-22 Mar16 Mar-29 Mar23 Mar-05 Apr30 Mar-12 Apr06 Apr-19 Apr13 Apr-26 Apr20 Apr-03 May27 Apr-10 May04 May-17 May11 May-24 May18 May-31 May25 May-07 Jun01 Jun-14 Jun08 Jun-21 Jun15 Jun-28 Jun.Contrast exotic Kathmandu with bustling Delhi.Search for tiger by elephant-back and canoe in Chitwan.Witness the colourful pilgrimage ceremonies in Varanasi.Experience Rajasthan at the mighty city of Jaipur and in rural villages.View the legendaryTaj MahalTour highlightsACCOMMODATIONHotel (14 nts), jungle lodge (2 nts),sleeper train (2 nts) MEALSNo mealsTRANSPORTBoat, bus, elephant, jeep, sleeper train, taxi, auto rickshawGROUPSIZEMaximum 16StartFinish201207 Jan-25 Jan21 Jan-08 Feb04 Feb-22 Feb18 Feb-07 Mar03 Mar-21 Mar17 Mar-04 Apr31 Mar-18 Apr14 Apr-02 May28 Apr-16 May12 May-30 May26 May-13 Jun09 Jun-27 Jun23 Jun-11 Jul07 Jul-25 Jul21 Jul-08 Aug04 Aug-22 Aug18 Aug-05 Sep01 Sep-19 Sep15 Sep-03 Oct29 Sep-17 Oct13 Oct-31 Oct27 Oct-14 Nov10 Nov-28 Nov24 Nov-12 Dec08 Dec-26 Dec22 Dec-09 Jan201305 Jan-23 Jan19 Jan-06 Feb02 Feb-20 Feb16 Feb-06 Mar02 Mar-20 Mar16 Mar-03 Apr30 Mar-17 Apr13 Apr-01 May27 Apr-15 May11 May-29 May25 May-12 Jun08 Jun-26 Jun.Take an elephant-back safari in search of tiger in Chitwan Naitonal Park.Enjoy a boat ride alongthe Ganges from the holy city of Varanasi.Visit Jodhpur, Jaipur, Udaipur and the incredible Taj Mahal.Experience off the beaten track Rajasthan at small, friendly, rural villages.Contrast the narrow lanes of Kathmandu with the sprawling streets of DelhiTour highlightsITINERARY... Days 1-2 KathmanduExplore Kathmandu by autorickshaws, visiting the giant Buddhist stupa at Bodhnath andPashupatinath. Days 3-4 Chitwan National ParkWe travel toChitwan and explore the jungle on elephant-back, in search of rhinoand tiger. Day 5 LumbiniDrive to Lumbini, the birthplace ofBuddha. Overnight in a charming jungle camp. Days 6-8 VaranasiHead to Varanasi. An early morning boat ride on the Gangesenables us to witness the thousands who come to pray, bathe andcremate their dead. Day 9 Agra - Taj MahalVisit the majestic TajMahal. Day 10 Tordi GarhExperience this unique rural villagewhich sees very few tourists. Overnight in the local 16th centurypalace. Days 11-12 JaipurVisit the Amber Fort, the Old City andthe Palace of the Winds. Day 13 Nimaj BaghTravel by local bus tothe traditional village of Nimaj Bagh. Days 14-15 JodhpurWetravel by local jeep to Jodhpur. Days 16-17 UdaipurKnown as the'Venice of the East', this romantic city is full of temples, palaces andhavelis, all centering around a beautiful lake. Take the overnighttrain to Delhi. Days 18-19 DelhiWe arrive in Delhi and visitChandni Chowk and Connaught Place. Our trip ends on Day 19.£745pp£560ppTour (paid in advance)$300ppLocal Payment (paid locally in US$)So what will it cost me?Based on current exchange rates£589ppFlight ex London from£1,066pp£850ppTour (paid in advance)$350ppLocal Payment (paid locally in US$)So what will it cost me?Based on current exchange rates£589ppFlight ex London fromPlusTravellerPlusTraveller