Paths Less Trodden: Three New India Travel Itineraries
We have developed three new itineraries covering areas of India that receive relatively little attention – the Deccan Plateau, Punjab and West Bengal. All three are rich in gloriously crumbling ruins that are special yet so devoid of other visitors you’ll feel like you are the first to discover them.
The Deccan Plateau is a large area of south India that includes parts of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka. The region is criss-crossed by numerous historical territorial boundaries where Mughal invaders from the north and Hindu empires from the south clashed, leading to what is today a fascinating and remarkably rich patchwork of historical monuments of varied provenance. Starting in Hyderabad and finishing in Bangalore, this trip features several of the country’s most remarkable yet rarely visited historical monuments such as Gol Gumbaz and Badami.
This is an ideal trip for Indian Jones ‘wannabes’ and lovers of back road travel.
Punjab is the ‘bread basket’ of North India, one of its wealthiest states and home of the Sikh religion, Amritsar and the amazing Golden Temple. The itinerary features a luxury farm stay (yes, it sounds like a contradiction), where you can experience the rhythm of life in the villages and countryside of Punjab, and takes in Amritsar and a number of lessen known historical and religious sites throughout the state. Punjab’s proximity to Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh (ie the Himalayan range) make this itinerary an ideal one to fold into a longer tour of the northwest and far north of the country.
West Bengal is one of India’s richest states in terms of history and culture. Starting in Kolkata – one of the great Indian cities, rarely given enough time and often misconceived – and continuing northward through a number of significant cultural and historical sites such as Shantiniketan – the long time home of Rabindranath Tagore – and the stunning Raj and Mughal era buildings of Murshidabad, the itinerary takes you on into the tea country of the Lower Himalaya before finishing with a couple days at the famous hill-station of Darjeeling. This is an ideal trip for travellers who would like to understand more about a part of India that’s played an important role in the cultural and historical life of the country.
