Suggested itinerariesWestern Himalaya ExploredEnjoy the full diversity of India's western Himalaya,taking in colonial history in Shimla, Tibetan cultureat Dharamsala, the Sikh's Golden Temple inAmritsar and a Hindu ceremony on the Ganges.Day 1Fly overnight to Delhi.Day 2Arrive in Delhi. Explore the Old City.Day 3Travel to Kalka by train and onthrough the mountains by toy train to Shimla.Day 4Take a walk around Shimla includinga visit to Christ Church on The Mall.Day 5Drive to Pragpur. Visit the local town of Garli to see a rural side ofIndian life.Day 6Drive to Dharamsala andMcLeodganj, home to the Dalai Lama.Day 7Visit the Norbulinka Institute whereTibetian skills and ways of life arepreserved. Visit the BuddhistMonastery.Day 8Drive to Amritsar. Take an afternoontrip to Waga Border to watch theborder closing ceremony.Day 9Visit the incredible Sikh GoldenTemple during the day and in theevening to see the putting to bedceremony of the holy book.Day 10Take the train to Haridwar andcontinue to Rishikesh.Day 11Explore the local area and watch the evening Aarti on the banks of the Ganges.Day 12Drive to Haridwar and catch the train back to Delhi, arriving late in the evening.Day 13Travel to the airport for your flight home.Stay longerThis itinerary can be extended with a few days in Rajasthan at the beginning or end of your trip.Alternatively a few days in Corbett National Parkcan be arranged.Adventurous HimalayaFor those wishing to have a more activeexperience of the foothills, this route could includerafting on the Ganges, game drives in CorbettNational Park and the chance to witness village lifein the remote Kumaon region.Day 1Fly overnight to Delhi.Day 2Arrive in Delhi. Explore the Old City. Day 3Take the morning train to Haridwarand in the evening watch the Aarti.Day 4Travel by road to Rishikesh. Raft onthe Ganges or explore rural villages.Day 5Continue by road to CorbettNational Park, enjoy an afternoonjeep safari.Day 6Morning elephant safari andafternoon jeep safari in Corbett.Day 7Continue by road to Almora andtake a walk to a local Kumaon village house.Day 8Walk to the next village house,enjoying the tranquil mountain paths.Day 9A final day walk and evening spent ina village house.Day 10Return to Almora by foot and roadto catch the overnight train fromKathgodam to Delhi.Day 11A final day in Delhi. Explore New Delhi.Day 12Travel to the airport for your flightback to the UK.Stay longerYou could extend this itinerary by spending threenights at 360° Leti to enjoy the stunning mountainviews, or combine it with a Rajasthan itinerary orelsewhere in North India.Tea and BuddhismThe northeastern Himalaya offer an opportunity to experience Nepali, Bhutanese and Tibetancultures, alongside spectacular mountain scenery.This itinerary takes in the highlights of Calcutta andthe foothills, starting with the bustling markets andgrand architecture of Calcutta before flying into thefoothills, exploring the Buddhist monasteries ofSikkim, the village life around Kalimpong andfinishing in Darjeeling.Day 1Fly overnight to Calcutta via Delhi.Day 2Arrive in Calcutta.Day 3Explore Calcutta's hidden gems on awalking tour.Day 4Fly from Calcutta to Bagdogra andtravel by road to Kalimpong.Day 5Take a walk through local villages andenjoy lunch in a local home.Day 6Travel from Kalimpong to Gangtok.Day 7Visit the Rumtek Monastery and theResearch Institute of Tibetology.Day 8Travel to Pelling to visit thePemayangste and Sangachoelingmonasteries.Day 9Drive to Darjeeling to explore theformer colonial hill station.Day 10A short drive to a tea estate to relaxand unwind.Day 11Relax and take walks through thesurrounding hills.Day 12Fly to Delhi from Bagdogra andspend the night in Delhi.Day 13Fly from Delhi to London, arriving the same afternoon.Stay longerThe northeastern Himalaya combines well with a boat trip along the Hooghly or through Assamon the Brahmaputra. It can also be combined with Nepal or Bhutan for a deeper exploration of Buddhism.www.audleytravel.com/himalaya ?01993 838 345 ?Indian Himalaya41Two young monks, DarjeelingCHINAINDIANEPALPAKISTANDharamsalaHaridwarRishikeshAmritsarShimlaPragpurDelhiAlmoraCHINAINDIANEPALHaridwarRishikeshCorbettNational ParkDelhiCalcuttaPellingGangtokKalimpongDarjeelingBagdograINDIANEPALBHUTANINDIA

covered in scrub; a legacy of the struggles of colonial powers battling for control ofvital water supplies and rich mineralresources. In contrast, in other areas lushforested hills descend through sleepy villagesto Goa's famous sandy beaches and theArabian Sea. The lack of infrastructure in central India's Deccan Plateau hasprevented large numbers of visitors fromreaching much of the region, but thisremoteness, we feel, only adds to its charm.With the cosmopolitan attractions ofMumbai, the majestic landscape of theDeccan Plateau and the laid-back way oflife in coastal Goa, this rich and diverseregion offers a captivating and rewardingexperience for those who would like to treada path less travelled.From the bustling metropolis ofMumbai (formerly Bombay) to remotecountryside villages, central India offersunrivalled diversity to the visitor. It ishome to some of the country's most strikingreligious monuments, remains of bothancient Hindu and Muslim kingdoms, andeven a number of Christian churches. Someparts of the region are barren, rocky and42Mumbai, Goa & Central India