Packaged holidays have come a long way in recent years. Sensitive to travellers’ dislike of group living, many companies now organise tailor-made tours for the individual. They also specialise in certain areas of India such as the Golden Triangle, Rajasthan, Kerala, Goa, Pilgrim’s Trail and the Himalaya. It’s true that if you go on a package, however special, you don’t have the flexibility of the solo traveller, and some people do not feel they have gained the flavour or the true atmosphere of India from air-conditioned buses and hotels. Nevertheless, if you have limited time, and perhaps a little extra cash, and if you don’t cope well with the anxieties and sheer hard work that inevitably accompany the organisation of your own trip to India, such a deal is probably best for you—as a introduction to the country, at least. Your nearest India Tourist Office will supply a comprehensive (unbiased) list of tour operators covering India from all countries. The companies given below offer specialist and tailor-made tours.
UK Tour Operators
Abercrombie & Kent Ltd, Sloane Square House, Holbein Place, London SW1 8NS (tel 071-730 9600; fax 071-730 9376) Bales Tours, Bales House, Junction Rd, Dorking, Surrey RH4 3HB (tel 0306 885923). Escorted tours (Himalayan, trekking, wildlife and top-market) from £735. Butterfield’s Tours, Burton Fleming, Driffield Y025 OPQ (tel 026 287 230). Adventure and train holidays.
Coromandel Tours, operated by Andrew Brock Travel Ltd, 10 Barley Mow Passage, London W4 4PH (tel 081-995 3642; fax 081-742 1066; tlx 94193369). Private car tours of Rajasthan and southern India of between 15 and 17 days £1604 to £1716. Cox and Kings Travel Ltd, St James Court, Buckingham Gate, London SW1 (tel 071-931 9106; fax 071-630 6038; tlx 23378). Runs a popular range of tours, including Forts and Palaces of Rajputana (17 days, around £2000), ‘Southern Trader ‘(18 days, around £2000) and ‘Indian Experience'(9 days, around £1100). Wildlife and adventure tours are also available.
Cygnus Wildlife Holidays, 57 Fore St, Kingsbridge, Devon TQ7 1P6 (tel 0548 856178; fax 0548 857537). Bird-watching and wildlife holidays.
Dragoman Adventure Travel, Camp Green, Kenton Road, Debenham, Suffolk 1P14 6LA (tel 0728 861133; fax 0728 861127; tlx 987009 DRAGOM). Overland adventure trips. Encounter Overland, 267 Old Brompton Road, London SW5 9JA (tel 071-370 6951; fax 071-244 9737). Adventure holidays, camel treks.
Equinox Travel, 12 Beauchamp Place, London SW3 1NQ (tel 071-584 2244; fax 071-225 3894). Fishing and boating trips, wildlife and trekking tours, festival holidays. Exodus, 9 Weir Road, London SW12 OLT (tel 081-675 5550; fax 081-673 0779; tlx 8951700 EXODUS G). Walking and trekking holidays to unusual areas such as Garhwal, Bhutan and Sikkim.
Explor Asia Ltd, 13 Chapter St, London SW1 (tel 071-630 7102; fax 071-630 0355; tix 266774 EXPLOR G). Wildlife safaris (e.g. Tigertops), Himalayan river-rafting, trekking, mountain-climbing, trout-fishing, etc., also walkabouts of Rajasthan, south India and Nepal. Marketing office for the Ladakh Sarai outside Leh, and for the Corbett Jungle Lodge outside the Corbett National Park.
Himalayan Kingdoms, 20 The Mall, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4DR (tel 0272 237163). In association with Abercrombie & Kent’s Indian offices, organises treks and tours into the Himalayan areas and the neighbouring countries of Bhutan and Nepal.Jasmin Tours, 23 High Street, Chalfont St Peter, Bucks SL9 9QE (tel 0753 889577; fax 0753 886678). Long-haul specialists; archaeology tours.
Journeys, High Holborn House, 52-54 High Holborn, London WC1V 6RL (tel 071-405 5099; fax 071-404 5023). A new company established in 1992 with offices in Bombay and New Delhi. Organises special interest tours and trips ‘off the beaten track’. Kuoni Travel Ltd, Kuoni House, Dorking, Surrey RH5 4AZ (tel 0306-740888; fax 0306 884609). Largest UK operator to India. Two options: top-bracket Kuoni Worldwide range (expensive); Kuoni 3 range (economy). Speciality is their ‘Palaces of India’ tour, 16 nights, £1298.
Naturetrek, Chautara, Bighton, Nr Alresford, Hants SO 24 9RB (tel 0962 733051; fax 0962 733368). Wildlife reserves and National Parks (e.g.19-day tour of the National Parks of southern India £2190, with extension to Andaman Islands £790. Pettitt’s India, 14 Lonsdale Gardens, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 GNU (tel 0892- 515966; fax 0892 515966). Good, cheap tailor-made holidays for the independent traveller.
Pleasureseekers, 52 Haymarket, London SW1 4RP (tel 071-930 3803; fax 071-930 6331). Customised holidays for the traveller who wishes to journey alone or with a single companion. Itineraries on and off the beaten track. An 11-day tour of ‘Classical India’, beginning and ending in Delhi, costs £579 per person, assuming two sharing a twin room. You can mix and match your own price-labelled component diversions and excursions. Prices are inclusive of guide, chauffeur-driven car (when journeys are too short for air travel), and breakfast.
Renaissance Cruises, 11 Quadrant Arcade, Regent Street, London W1R5PB (tel 071-287 9040; fax 071-434 1410). Quality yachts carrying 100 passengers. Trailfinders Travel Centre, 42-50 Earls Court Rd, London W8 6EJ (tel 071-938 3366; fax 071-937 9294). A clearing-house for the best, most economical tours to India (and other countries), both luxury and budget. Will advise on the best current bets. The Travel Alternative, 27 Park End Street, Oxford OX CHU (tel 0865 791636; fax 0865 791732; tlx 83201 BIZCOM G). Crafts and textile tours of northern India (about £2000 for 17 days; optional excursion into Gujarat).
Woodcock Travel, Worldways House, Park House Lane, Sheffield S9 HWY (tel 0742 561666; fax 0742 722700). Photography holidays.
US Tour Operators
Because British tours tend to be much cheaper, although not necessarily better than American tours, the US traveller would do well to send off for some UK brochures to compare prices before making a booking. Flying into London to connect with a UK tour could still make economic sense.
Abercrombie and Kent Int. Inc., 1520 Kensington Road, Oak Brook IL 60521 (tel 708
954 4758).
Adventure Center, 1311 63rd Stret, Suite 200, Emeryville, CA 94608 (tel 510 654 1879; fax 510 654 4200). Provides a general ’round-the-world itinerary’ service, and can
advise on tours at the most favourable current rates.
InnerAsia Expeditions Inc., 2627 Lombard St, San Francisco 94123 (tel 415-922 0448; fax 415-346 5535; tlx 278716 TIGER UR).
Journeyworid International Ltd, 19 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019 (tel 212 752 8308).
Mountain Travel-SOBEK, 6420 Fairmount Avenue, El Cerrito, CA 94530 (tel 510 527 8100; fax 510 525 7710). Tours of Distinction, Room 706, 141 East 44th Street, New York, NY 10017 (tel 212 661 4680).
