• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

By Root 2345 0

Steppes East Ltd. (www.steppeseast.co.uk) is another reputable option; it lets you conveniently create your personal itinerary online. Other Himalayan trekking outfits are Aquaterra Adventures (www.treknraft.com), Mountain Travel/Sobek (www.mtsobek.com), and Adventure Center (www.adventurecenter.com); the latter two also have general adventure expeditions. Another interesting homegrown Indian adventure specialist company is 18 Days (www.18days.in), which organizes a variety of treks (some of which are for women only) and river adventures, most of which happen in the Himalayas; all their trips typically last 18 days, but they offer shorter versions for those with less time.

CYCLING TOURS Kerala Adventures (www.keralaadventure.com) arranges bicycle tours in South India, designed to enable you to get under the skin of the local culture; besides traveling along back roads and country byways, you’ll mingle and interact with local people, have the opportunity to stay in regular homes (or in tented camps), and dine at family tables.

ON HORSE, ELEPHANT, OR CAMEL BACK Wilderness Travel (www.wildernesstravel.com) specializes in Rajasthan camel safaris and elephant expeditions. Equine Adventures organizes riding vacations in Rajasthan (www.equineadventures.co.uk). In the Himalayas, Nitin Gupta of Dusty Trail Adventures (http://dustytrail.in) designs superb high-altitude horseback trails.

WILDLIFE, BIRDING & BUTTERFLY VACATIONS Wildlife enthusiasts can check on the numerous options for group bird- and wildlife-watching trips from Naturetrek (www.naturetrek.co.uk). For small, high-end, exotic bird-watching tours of India, look no further than Victor Emanuel Nature Tours (www.ventbird.com), based in Austin, Texas; the tours are usually sold out as soon as they come online. Victor often includes the “Palace on Wheels,” a weeklong journey through Rajasthan (including Agra) in a luxury train (for standard Palace on Wheels tours, see “Getting Around,” earlier in this chapter), and there are wildlife trips to more exotic corners of India, such as Assam. In South India, highly recommended tour and travel operator Kerala Adventures (www.keralaadventure.com) organizes all kinds of specialist vacations with naturalists and guides specially trained to take wildlife, birding, and butterfly enthusiasts’ interests into account. In fact, Kerala Adventures is the operator that many specialist operators use to create their itineraries, merely adding their commission to what Kerala Adventures quotes. So dealing directly with Kerala Adventures will save you money. You can enjoy a trip dedicated purely to nature, or combine a wildlife/birding tour with other kinds of activities and general sightseeing.

DIVING For diving adventures in Lakshadweep, take a look at the packages offered at www.diveworldwide.com.

HERITAGE & WEDDING TOURS Travel writer Dagmar von Harryegg is based in Australia but is passionate about India, particularly the desert states of Rajasthan and Gujarat, where she has developed an extensive network of contacts and friends, from elephant mahouts to reclusive princes. She offers personally tailored special-interest trips (anything from yoga or bird-watching to Bollywood and/or classical dance lessons) for a maximum of eight travelers—preferably friends, thereby ensuring a flexible timetable “cruising in wonderfully old-fashioned Ambassador limousines with overnight stays in off-the-beaten-track destinations.” She also arranges large Hindi-style traditional weddings for couples looking for a really memorable nuptial celebration. Most trips take off in Delhi and can include a visit to the Taj Mahal. For information, contact Dagmar at dagmarvh@tpg.com.au.

MOTORBIKE SAFARIS Motorbike safaris are increasingly popular; if you can handle the fabulous Enfield motorbike, get in touch with Shepherds Realms Camps & Adventures (C-8/8115, Shepherd’s House, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi; 011/2649-2849 or 98-1871-2970; www.asiasafari.com), operated by ex-army captain, Raj Kumar; he’s not the suave sort, but provides an excellent service for his bike tours