Gujarat vacations, Asiatic Lions, Blackbuck & Wild Asses

COUNTRY:
India
LOCATION:
Gujarat
DEPARTURES:
This trip can be tailormade throughout the year and can be adapted to suit your requirements. The best time to travel is October to June
PRICE:
From £860 (9 days) excluding flights
MORE INFO:
Price is per person based on a minimum of 4 people. Or from US $1400 per person based on a minimum of 2
OFFERS:
Special Offer: 10% off on any departure from May to July! Please contact us for further details or to book!
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Gujarat vacations, Asiatic Lions, Blackbuck & Wild Asses

Gujarat vacations, Asiatic Lions, Blackbuck & Wild Asses

Traveling with a local operator
This vacation is operated by a company based in the vacation destination and they will be able to provide expert local knowledge. They will be able to tailor make your vacation to suit your requirements not only concerning the dates of travel but also typically the standard of accommodation, and thus price. It is rare for local operators to be able to help with the booking of your flights.

How this vacation makes a difference

This particular trip is a unique in its own way as the destinations being covered in this tour are all in remote areas where the real source of income is from tourism industry. We are using only heritage, palaces & the jungle lodges owned by the local community. These old heritage buildings have now converted into hotels, so tourism helps conserve the architecture helps the locals in getting good jobs. All the accommodation which we are using have local staff.

All our accommodations are eco friendly and have used the local material & handicrafts. Our accommodations are equipped with energy saving lights, solar hot water systems & ground water recharge system. We will be using through out local guides who are now trained in their field and will certainly make a difference in this trip. We use only local transport throughout in this trip. The drivers and guides are very well paid and helps a lot in the upliftment of the local economy.

When we are on safari guests are advised to bring back waste to their accommodation. We stick to the trails and advise not to harm the local flora & fauna. All the guests are briefed before entering the park not to get down from their respective vehicles. Smoking is strictly banned while on safari. We are supporting an NGO called Jagriti who supports and helps the poor orphan children in giving them shelter and education. An amount of £5 per person will go this institution.

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Gujarat vacations, Asiatic Lions, Blackbuck & Wild Asses

Reviewed 15 May 2009 by Ed King5 star rating

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?


Staying in the Jalore Wildlife sanctuary. A fantastic initiative where wildlife areas are managed on a private basis, offering genuine protection and a chance for animals to thrive in India. In a country with enormous pressures on it's reserves, this is something to be truly applauded. We saw a wide range of wildlife including Asian Steppe cats, Hyenas and beautiful buck and were closely on the trail of an elusive female leopard and her cub.

2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?


After March the temperature in the desert rises sharply. Go on the night safaris and do not be afraid to ask for anything. Ravindra will tailor the trip to your wishes.

3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?


Yes, employment to locals and also not only protecting a habitat but actually improving it.

4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?


Fantastic, the mix of adventure with luxury was amazing and the team tried very hard to meet our wishes. It is said all too often how unique somewhere is or a trip is, but in 20 years of travel to India we have never been to such a mix of unique wildlife spots with wonderful palace and fort like accommodation. The level of service was never less than first class. Really recommended and true luxury deserve every success with their initiative to protect India's wildlife on such a scale. Well done.

Reviewed 30 Jun 2009 by Lesley Prout4 star rating

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?


Perhaps the sightings of leopards and wolves as well as the Asiatic lions, wild asses and blackbuck promised. But also being just about the only Europeans in the area we felt a lot closer to the local population including the tribal people.

2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?


We went in June, immediately pre-monsoon, when it is very hot. This is not a problem if you manage it by taking early morning and late afternoon safaris and holing up during the hottest period. Although the bird population is lower then, the mammals are easier to spot near waterholes or with reduced foliage. We had an outstanding driver (Mr Deepsingh) and the personal service meant that we could request specific add-ons or diversions: the Harrappan city of Lothal (a mere 2,500 BC) and the Calico Museum at Amedabad were spectacular. Do your research before you go. Think about adding an extra day in Amedabad as we did. Remember that Gujurat is dry (alcohol) and the cuisine is largely vegetarian (excellent).

3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?


There are no chain hotels in Sasan Gir or the Rann of Kutch so all staff are local and of course this goes for the park drivers and trackers. Rann Riders was exemplary in its integration with the nine different communities in the nearby village. In both places the construction and operation was low impact.

4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?


It was exceptionally enjoyable with excellent support from the operator who were not only able to tailor the programme to our specific requirements but also to react swiftly and creatively to unexpected circumstances - in our case the unscheduled closure of the Blackbuck Sanctuary (we still got in!).
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Vacation Reviews

We invite every traveler who books a vacation via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the vacations they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same vacation can have different views!

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