India

Discover the Bhutias (12 days)

A little girl and her reflection, Darap village, near Pelling, Sikkim

The Bhutias are the landowners and the aristicrats of Sikkim. Their ancestors migrated from Bhutan through Tibet.  Their culture is very much like Tibetan in that they practice Tibetan Buddhism, momos and noodles  are a large part of their daily diet and the women wear the long dress called Bhaku similar to the Tibetan chuba.  Men […]

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Trekking Zanskar (15 days)

Himalayan river along Padum Trek, Ladakh, India.

(Departures July & August) A trek through Zanskar is an exhilarating adventure.  Trek through lush barley fields, along roaring rivers and over hanging bridges.  Visit century old monasteries.  See the shepherds grazing their yaks and horses.  Meet monks and local villagers who travel on foot for days with their donkeys for supplies. Panoramic views from […]

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Royal India (7 days)

Travel like a Maharaja or Maharini when you board the Maharaja Express for a royal journey throughout India. The Maharaja Express replicates the same grandeur of from India’s pastand is India’s equivalent to the Orient Express of Europe. With passenger capacity of only 88, the Maharaja Express offers an unforgettable ride with a kaleidoscopic view […]

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Discover India’s Book Fairs (8 days)

Old books

Book Fairs held in Calcutta and Delhi each year are an unique experience for a lover of books. Calcutta’s annual book fair showcases the best of not just Indian publishers, but also booksellers, writers and bibliophiles from all corners of the globe. Visitors to the fair make their way in and out of the colorful stalls, […]

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Festival of Elephants (12 days)

India, Rajasthan, Elephant wall painting

North India during ‘festival’ takes on special meaning. Bursts of color, song, drums, trumpets, dance, elephants in regal garb, banners, fireworks, processions mark the season. Festivals of India portray a rich cultural heritage of the country and this tour is an example of these festivities at its finest. The Elephant Festival, held annually in Jaipur, […]

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Twain’s India (10 days)

Mark Twain

Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist who travelled the world and developed a deep affection for India.  He preferred travelling India by train.  “In other countries a long wait at the train station is a dull thing and tedious, but one has no right to have that […]

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Kipling’s India (11 days)

Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling is perhaps best well known for his tale of the Jungle Book, Kim and Gunga Din.   Kipling was born in Bombay in 1865. His family, as did many wealthier families, spent summers in the hill station of Shimla to avoid the heat of the plains. He later went to England and the United […]

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Tagore’s India (21 days)

Rabindranath Tagore

(Departure November – April) Rabindranath Tagore was born to one of the leading families of Kolkata regarded as a key influence during the Bengal Renaissance.  Rabindranath Tagore, the youngest son born in 1861, was the first Asian to win a Nobel Prize and was the most famous in the family. Rabindranath is best remembered in […]

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Spicy India (18 days)

Indian spices

Flavors, sweet and pungent, as diverse as India itself. The country’s cuisine differs greatly according to region. The North uses its spices whole while the South blends their spices in a paste with cooked onions and other ingredients.  The North relies on wheat and other grains while the South depends on rice.  A daily trip […]

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