Grand tour of India

Planet

Transport:
On this trip we use as much public transport (busses and trains) as possible. We take several over night trains for example from Delhi to Varanasi and Varanasi to Agra, this allows you to see great views, travel the local way and also keep your footprint low. At every destination our main activities will use walking as - our main method of transport. For example our Varanasi Old Town tour is done on foot. These walking trips will provide you with light exercise - looking after your well being, while also reducing the carbon footprint on the planet - looking after the planet’s well being!

Accommodation:
On this tour, we stay in hostels and spend 1 night camping in the desert. The camping in the desert evening is particularly great as you will see a beautiful sunset and sunrise, discover traditional Indian food, all the while keeping your carbon footprint at a minimum as you'll be using minimum resources.

Wildlife:
We visit a Monkey Temple on this trip. Just before we visit the park we have our Adventure Leader will speak to you to emphasise that there should be no flash photography, that you should not feed the monkeys and that you should not disturb or scare the monkeys. We want our travelers to see the amazing monkeys as there is much we can learn from them but at the same time we want to make sure everyone is respectful of them so that the monkeys do not feel threatened in any way.

Top Tips:
We suggest packing a reusable water bottle to ensure you have water on hand at all times and help minimise the trail of plastic left behind as much as possible. We do not advise to drink tap water but if there are refill points we highly encourage our travelers use this. We also recommend packing as light as possible, to help keep your carbon footprint low.

People

Local tour guides:
We use native and bilingual guides. By using local tour guides we help support the local people and provide employment opportunities.

Local accommodation:
All of the places we stay in are locally run. Whilst staying in the hostels such as Zostel in Varanasi, Agra and Jaipur, we encourage our travelers to use local services on offer in or around the hostels, this way your money goes straight into the local community and economy.

Local experiences:
You’ll learn about the local cuisine if you choose to have dinner at the Gurdwara and in the desert and our Adventure Leader will always be happy to give you recommendations for traditional restaurants. The Ganga Aarti in Varanasi is also a fantastic way to experience the Hindu culture of India as it gives an insight into the religion and beliefs of the country.

As a sign of respect, we think that it is important for travelers to learn a few key words or phrases in the native language, so we offer classes to learn Hindi and about the local culture.

All of our customers’ interactions are with local suppliers, and we promote integration between travelers and local people through our “unmissable” included activities and our optional activities, and opportunities for authentic cultural immersion.

Our Adventure Leaders are trained in ensuring that customers are aware of local customs and traditions, educating them on when it is appropriate to take photos and/or videos.