Northern India and Nepal guided tour

Planet

Carbon reduction

On this trip we will travel across Northern India and into Nepal using a combination of a group mini-bus and rail travel. No internal flights are included within this trip despite some long journeys as we are committed to limiting our carbon emissions and also provide a more immersive experience for our customers who will journey through small towns and villages, interact with locals during their comfort breaks and put money into the smaller more rural locations when purchasing meals, drinks and souvenirs throughout the land travel.
We utilise shared transport to reduce emissions and include an overnight train to reduce the requirement for a long transfer by road where possible. ?

A vegetarian diet is common in India and Nepal, especially in the mountains where eating meat is not generally recommended due to hygiene concerns and a lack of refrigeration facilities. The staple diet is dal baht, which comes in various forms but generally includes lentil dal, vegetable curry, and rice, and offered at all restaurant and hotel meals for the guests. Vegan can also be sourced but for some meals can be limited due to the use of egg and cheese with some curries and breads. In Nepal, the staple diet is dal baht, which comes in various forms but generally includes lentil dal, vegetable curry, and rice so both vegetarian and vegan friendly. 100% of meals are provided in locally-owned restaurants using locally sourced food.

Environment and wildlife

By traveling in a small group, led by a local guide, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
On this trip, we visit national heritage sites including Taj Mahal, Amber Fort, Red Fort, Sarnath, Lumbini, Chitwan National Park, Pashupatinath and Bodnath. The entrance fees included generates income, which is used for the upkeep and development of these important monuments and nature parks. Which, if any, environmental or wildlife NGOs operating in this country do you donate to? Bonus: do any relate to threatened or endangered species? We support the TOFTigers’ campaign to protect biodiversity and restore habitats across India and Nepal’s national parks through the wise use of sustainable tourism and we work with TOFT approved accommodation in Chitwan National Park. They are very much active in the protection of Tigers in both India and Nepal.

We encourage customers to leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you. Plastic waste reduction: Please bring your own re-usable water bottle on this trip; filtered water will be provided where tap water is not drinkable.
In Chitwan National Park, all groups are accompanied by experienced naturalist guides from the local communities including the indigenous Tharu community from the area.

People

Local economy

100% are locally own properties on this trip. This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels and restaurants, the emphasis on eating locally produced food, and by supporting other local enterprises. The hotels we stay in are dedicated to hiring local staff, this benefits the surrounding community by providing employment opportunities and income alternatives where they may be otherwise hard to come by. Our local partners share a commitment to projects that benefit their communities. This tour encourages guests to visit local cafes and restaurants and use markets to purchase traditional crafts. Local experiences include: Kinari Bazzar, Delhi, on long drives between Varanasi and Lumbini, the group will drive through and stop for comfort breaks at various small villages, purchasing snacks and drinks for the locals.

Employment, inclusivity and diversity

At each location we stop in, we employ local guides from the specific area for better insight to the location and local culture. We also work with indigenous community members in Chitwan National Park for Naturalists, accommodation staff and evening engagement for local dances. In general the local wages are all above minimum requirements based on the national standards and we also encourage customers to tip staff for excellent service to supplement their income. This trip LGBTQ+ friendly.