ContentsIntroduction2-5Indiaintroduction6-7Rajasthan8-25RuralRajasthan14-15Forts& Palaces22-23Calcutta&theEast26-31IndianHimalaya32-41Trekking&villagewalks38Mumbai,Goa&CentralIndia42-49Trains&railjourneys48TamilNadu&Karnataka50-61Kerala62-75Homestays68-69WildlifeinIndia76-83SriLanka84-97TheMaldives98-103Nepal104-111Walking&trekkinginNepal108-109Bhutan112-119Tibet120-122Usefulinformation123Tailor-made journeysThe beauty of tailor-made travel is that every tripis unique. Whether you want to stay in simple orluxurious accommodation, have great guides onhand or explore under your own steam, travel forone week or five, we can create a trip to matchyour tastes and budget. We can also design tripsfor a special occasion, where added touches canchange an adventurous journey into a spectacularhoneymoon, anniversary or birthday celebration.Your trip can be tailored to suit your particularinterests, such as wildlife, photography or diving,and we have the specialist knowledge to match.Throughout the brochure you will find suggesteditineraries and some of our favourite places tostay. These are included purely to offer inspirationand give you a flavour of what is possible, as eachjourney is created individually to give you theopportunity to experience a destination in exactly the way you choose.Specialist knowledgeOur Indian Subcontinent specialists have alltravelled extensively throughout the region and inmany cases lived there, so you can rely on theirextensive first-hand knowledge. They regularlyreturn to see the accommodation, meet ourguides - many of whom are firm friends -experience all the excursions and activities, andkeep up-to-date with local developments. Theypride themselves on having an honest 'tell it howit is' approach to planning your trip and, as well astheir own extensive knowledge, are able to drawon the considerable collective experience of theircolleagues. We believe this approach is unique toAudley and the only way we can genuinely offeryou a tailor-made service.Financial securityAll travel arrangements in this brochure thatinclude a flight are ATOL protected by the CivilAviation Authority. Our ATOL number is 4817.Please see our booking conditions for moreinformation. If your arrangements do not includeany flights from the UK they are protected by aseparate financial scheme, for further detailsplease visit www.audleytravel.com/protectIntroducing AudleyAfter developing a real passion for travel in the early 1990s Craig Burkinshaw founded Audley, or Asian Journeys as we were then called. Craig wanted to make it possible forothers to share the same experiences and, from these small beginnings, the company was born.Audley offered a new type of travel - individual journeys, designed to match the traveller'sinterests, tastes and budget, created with an absolute commitment to quality, authenticity and a passion for travel. Today Audley is one of the UK's most highly regarded specialist touroperators, providing tailor-made trips throughout Asia, Africa, the Middle East, LatinAmerica, Australasia, Antarctica and the Arctic, Canada and Alaska.Planning your tripOnce you have some ideas for your trip, or if youjust want some general guidance, call one of ourIndian Subcontinent specialists on 01993 838 300.They can offer advice and discuss your plans withyou, before creating a detailed itinerary, which will be forwarded to you together with maps,accommodation information, colour photographsand a price. Your specialist can then continue torefine the plans until you are completely satisfied.They will be on hand from the start of theplanning process to your return home and arealways available to answer questions and offersound advice.

PeopleThe Indian Subcontinent is thought to be home to over two thousand ethnic groups, with populations ranging from hundreds ofmillions down to small tribes. Over the years the vast Subcontinent has seen numerousinvaders including the Turks, Pashtuns andMughals, and their influences are evident in manyof the prevalent cultures, beliefs, traditions andvalues. Tibeto-Burman people are found innortheast Asia, Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet; thereare many Tamil people in the south Indian stateof Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka; whilst in Keralathere is a large population of Syrian-Christians.The Subcontinent is a true melting pot ofdifferent cultures.HistoryThe first village communities developed around10,000 years ago on the Indus Plains. Since thensuccessive waves of settlers have arrived andmoved throughout the region, bringing with themgoods to trade, armies to conquer territory, andnew languages and cultures. The region's historyhas been one of cautious progress towardsunification, with autonomous Hindu states,annexation and colonial rule all adding to thestory along the way. Having been independentsince 1947, modern India now graces the world stage and is a global economy to bereckoned with.ReligionHinduism is the main religion in both India andNepal, whereas Buddhism is practiced by up tothree-quarters of the Bhutanese population.There is probably no country in the Subcontinentwhose culture is influenced so much by religion asBhutan, where most day-to-day life is ruled by thediscipline of Buddhism. This is also the mainreligion found in Sri Lanka, with most of itsfollowers being Theravada Buddhists, consideredto be closest to the earliest forms of Buddhism.Hinduism is by far the most dominant faith inIndia, practiced throughout the country. India isalso home to a wide range of other religions,reflected in the impressive Jama Masjid Mosque inDelhi, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the mostsignificant shrine of the Sikhs, and the churches inGoa and Kerala.FestivalsThe Indian Subcontinent is famous for itsabundance of festivals, each one more colourfuland vibrant than the next. The most well knownare Diwali, also known as The Festival of Lights, in celebration of the victory of good over evil;and Holi, which is celebrated by people throwing coloured powder and water at eachother. The main festivals in Bhutan are known as 'Tsechus', which are annual religiousceremonies in the form of colourful and vibrantdances. The Kandy Esala Perahera is Sri Lanka'smain festival, famous for the colourfully adornedelephant, energetic Kandyan dancers, whip-crackers and fireball acrobats who all join theprocession through the streets of Kandy. Gaijatrais one of the most popular festivals in Nepal,during which cows are paraded through thestreets of Kathmandu to commemorate the lossof loved ones that year. 4Mother and daughterRoyal Bengal tigerA festival in BhutanAudley in the Indian SubcontinentIt's hard to imagine a more diverse region than the Indian Subcontinent. From the astonishing, sprawling cities that balance centuries of tradition with cutting edge foraysinto the technological age to the most remote, beautiful scenery imaginable. The Himalayaform the roof of the world while the Maldives lie flush against the lapping ocean. Bhutan,Nepal and Sri Lanka add to the mix while India itself remains a wildly varied nation of a billion plus people. Houseboat, Kerala