Holidays to Rajasthan have become such an iconic destination within India established over several decades of increasing tourism, that it would be hard to believe that any corner of it remains unknown or unvisited. And yet this fabulously colourful and unique province – almost the size of France – still harbours a fantastic range of little known delights. In the north-eastern corner of the state for example, is one of the most stunningly located fortresses a mere 2 hours cross-country from Ranthambhore and connected to it by a forest corridor. Less than 2 hours from the famed fort of Jodhpur is one of the most exquisite and historically important forts of India with its own splendid heritage hotel hosting a world festival of Sufi music and a very traditional cattle fair that is still barely known to visitors. And away from the rigidly regulated safaris of Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve is a wild landscape still inhabited by leopards, hyena, sloth bear, blackbuck antelope and colourful semi-nomadic shepherds that is a world away from the frenetic cities that anchor the Rajasthani tourism circuit. Surveying the world from the ramparts of one of the great forts overlooking the Chambal River, with nary a tourist in sight one would be hard put to believe that anybody had ever heard of Rajasthan.

Holidays to Rajasthan with IndianExplorations.com

With some of the most magnificent forests, wildlife and landscapes on Earth surrounded by azure seas, Borneo is one of the great holiday destinations on earth. Holidays to Borneo can encompass the cultural – especially in Sarawak in and around the historic capital of Kuching and the Dayak Longhouses in the interior to the magnificent wealth of biodiversity in the ancient rainforests of the Danum Valley; the untouched wilderness of the Maliau Basin and the jagged mountains around Mt. Kinabalu with giant pitcher plants that can digest a small rodent to the bizarrely beautiful Rafflesias – the largest flowers in the world! This is the land of orangutans and pygmy elephants; giant crocodiles and 8 species of colourful hornbills; of mysterious Sumatran Rhinos, endemic Proboscis monkeys and graceful gibbons. And the islands in the Sulu Sea offer some of the best diving, snorkelling and relaxing in the world with the joy of nesting turtles being seen throughout the year. Holidays to Borneo offer some of the fun, enjoyable and educational holidays on offer in all of Asia!

Holidays to Borneo with IndianExplorations.com

Rajasthan can be daunting if you are a first-time traveller to this region and you want more than just a “Golden Triangle holiday”. How to plan such a holiday? How to avoid the pitfalls or mass market tourism? How to make sure the holiday is of the right quality? How to engender sufficient intellectual stimulation? The answer, of course, lies not only in expert advice but, perhaps even more crucial to the success and enjoyment of a holiday of this calibre (which, by default, becomes an exploration as opposed to just a holiday), is being certain that one is staying with – and being informed by – the correct people. This means basing oneself at interesting, beautiful, personable and sometimes eccentric properties and being guided through India’s many delights by a person at each location who is totally cognisant of what one is trying to achieve. The fact that this person may also be slightly eccentric is at least immaterial and more often a bonus, but the crucial criterion here is that knowledge of this intricate, gorgeous, region of India should be imparted with humour, intelligence and élan!

Tikli Bottom near Delhi – Luxury North India Rajasthan With IndianExplorations.com

For it is these idiosyncratic aspects of India that make a luxury Rajasthan (or a luxury North India/Rajasthan) holiday so appealing. Here lies the vibrant and colourful heartland of the great kingdoms ruled by Emperors and the Maharajas! Here lies the Taj Mahal and other gems of Mughal and Rajput architecture side by side with desert countryside and nomadic cultures. Here are rich colours, ornate opulent palaces and gorgeous Royal tented camps. Here, too, the colourful festivals of Pushkar and Nagaur. Here one can ride camels through the Thar desert or magnificent Marwari horses, meet local villagers, stay in beautiful havellis and dine with the noble owners before leaving more as friends than visitors. This is the essence of such a holiday: meeting and staying with a local Maharajah, getting briefly immersed in local affairs of note or politics, being in the countryside away from mainstream tourism watching the harvest or experiencing still-magnificent fauna. This is the Rajasthan which is so much more than the so-called Golden Triangle.

Immerse yourself in Rajasthan, do it in style, and enjoy a wonderful, eclectic, intelligent and satisfying Rajasthan holiday.

The meadow is heavy with morning mist and the Sun just edging over the dark mass of Bamhnidadar plateau, is a hazy red ball. All around us the jungle and grassland is alive with the frantic yelping alarm calls of spotted deer and the deeper calls of the rare and endemic swamp deer. We strain our eyes in the twilit dawn with barely contained excitement, hoping to spot the tiger that is the cause of all this loud anxiety. We know he is a large male for his tracks are etched sharp and fresh in the dust of the forest track we are on and they are large with square pads and thick stubby toes. Our expert naturalist guide points to where they disappear into the grass and whispers that this is a new male in this territory.

Bengal Tiger Safari with IndianExplorations.com

A large swamp deer stag with a magnificent spread of multi-tined antlers festooned with ragged grass, is looking intently into a dense tall patch of grass where the tiger has veered off the track into the meadow. The calling has died away and we feel disappointment setting in. But our guide nods to himself and drives. We think he has given up but he is experienced and cunning and drives a few hundred yards round a shallow bend where he stops instructing us to look behind us and stay absolutely still. And suddenly in the brightening morning light, padding masterfully towards us is the tiger. A Bengal tiger safari is operated by Indian Explorations mainly in Central India and the Himalayan foothills using eco-audited comfortable and personalised camps with expert guides.

The famed beach resort Neeleshwar Hermitage has recently added another exclusive product to their portfolio. The Lotus – a gorgeous, luxury Kerala houseboat that would set sail not very far from the Hermitage and will give you the opportunity to explore the North Kerala backwaters. Guests have the option of boarding the houseboat either from Sultan Canal (outside Kannur) or from Neeleshwar. For those arriving at Calicut airport or coming up from Kochi, we suggest you board it at Sultan Canal and reach The Hermitage refreshed and relaxed after a cruise of 1 or 2 nights. The Lotus is a superb replica of a traditional Kerala houseboat. Each of the two bedrooms has solid teak floors, light and airy with cheerful colours.  Both the roooms have a large glass observation window to experience the tranquil Malabar backwaters.

We at Indian Explorations can not only offer 2 or 4 day cruises in this luxury Kerala houseboat based on wellness or we can also create bespoke sailings to and from the resort as per your liking.

Luxury Kerala Houseboat with IndianExplorations.com

Walking is undoubtedly one of the best ways of exploring or enjoying a place and Kerala is no exception. Not very far from Periyar Tiger Reserve is a beautiful plantation called Paradisa that is very well looked after by its owner Simon that can offer a great setting for Kerala walking holidays. The retreat offers several deluxe rooms and a cottage too. All rooms have traditional wooden structures and interiors with all modern amenities and en suite facilities. Most of the rooms have verandah’s that offer spectacular views of the Cardomom Hills. It’s a superb place for families as the kids will not only be able to enjoy the pool and take short walks through the plantation to see the cultivation and harvesting of coffee, cardamom, cloves and pepper but Simon can also arrange bespoke walks away from the retreat with picnic lunches.

Kerala Walking Holidays with IndianExplorations.com

Thousands of tourists visit Central India which is home to some of the best tiger reserves in India.  I was not just fortunate to visit most of them but was able to stay and meet some wonderful luxury Indian safari tiger lodges there too.  One that always comes to my mind is Flame of the Forest which is near the Kisli Gate at the Kanha Tiger Reserve.  The lodge offers access not just to the Kisli Zone or the famous Kanha meadows but also to the less visited Sarhi Zone that till recent times didn’t offer great tiger sightings. On my last visit to this lovely lodge, Karan the owner of Flame of the Forest took me to Sarhi and I couldn’t believe myself when we had one of the most spectacular tiger sighting.  Having visited and stayed at several other lodges I can certainly say that your wilderness experience depends on where you stay and the naturalist standards. This is pure common sense but many tourists fall into the trap of lodges that are more like resorts with 40 cottages and a swimming pool, music and theme dinners. Such lodges are usually run by managers and the founders don’t give enough thought while employing naturalists and therefore as one would expect the experience is poor.  Karan has been instrumental in taking people to new areas of the park when they have been opened to the park as he believes that even if one doesn’t see tigers, you would hardly see other jeeps and that in itself is a superb feeling.  What is even better is that such areas aren’t explored and therefore it’s far more rewarding as far as the jungle experience is concerned. With the new park rules in places there are lesser number of jeeps allowed from the Mukki gate which is the other side of the park and therefore you certainly have better chances of visiting the park if you stay at lodges like the Flame of the Forest which is not very far from the Kisli Gate. At Flame of the Forest, Karan’s wife Isa looks after the guests when they are at the lodge and makes sure they get delicious food and are comfortable in their cottages that have been tastefully designed by her.  If there is a special occasion Isa would surprise guests by decorating the courtyard of their cottage with hundreds of oil lamps followed by a private candle lit dinner. I must say that the couple is extremely passionate about what they do and we at Indian Explorations therefore love to send guests to them.  Do give us a call as we would love to share such experiences and many more with you if you are thinking of visiting India.

Luxury Indian Safari Tiger Lodges with IndianExplorations.com

Nepal luxury holidays are still something of a rarity but over the past few years there has been a steady increase of some truly sensational hotels and lodges. Of course defining a luxury holiday in Nepal can be an interesting exercise. For many just the opportunity to peer out from a tent flap at a Himalayan panorama comprising 8000 metre+ giants is luxury enough. For others it means the same panorama but from the comfort of a beautiful room, soft bed, great food, service and ambience. If the latter is your thing, then Nepal could just be the right place for your next vacation. We have been arranging gorgeous tailormade luxury holidays to Nepal for the last 23 years and with specialists from Nepal, we are the perfect people to talk to!

Nepal Luxury Holidays with IndianExplorations.com

Swinging out of a blue sky, coming in to land at Kathmandu on a clear winter’s day with the northern skyline fanged by iconic peaks and Everest lurking in the background, has to be one of the most sensational approaches into any airport in the world. Holidays in Nepal tend to start well. This is such a compact but geographically diverse country that one can really pack in the experiences – high culture and art in the Kathmandu valley, some of the greatest mountain walking and climbing in the world, white water rafting, looking for wildlife from elephant back, lotus eating in the most delicious mountain lodges with peaks like Annapurna seemingly within touching distance and ending up at one of the greatest heritage hotels in the subcontinent. 

Holidays in Nepal with IndianExplorations.com

The meadow is heavy with morning mist and the Sun just edging over the dark mass of Bamhnidadar plateau, is a hazy red ball. All around us the jungle and grassland is alive with the frantic yelping alarm calls of spotted deer and the deeper calls of the rare and endemic swamp deer. We strain our eyes in the twilit dawn with barely contained excitement, hoping to spot the tiger that is the cause of all this loud anxiety. We know he is a large male for his tracks are etched sharp and fresh in the dust of the forest track we are on and they are large with square pads and thick stubby toes. Our expert naturalist guide points to where they disappear into the grass and whispers that this is a new male in this territory. A large swamp deer stag with a magnificent spread of multi-tined antlers festooned with ragged grass, is looking intently into a dense tall patch of grass where the tiger has veered off the track into the meadow. The calling has died away and we feel disappointment setting in. But our guide nods to himself and drives. We think he has given up but he is experienced and cunning and drives a few hundred yards round a shallow bend where he stops instructing us to look behind us and stay absolutely still. And suddenly in the brightening morning light, padding masterfully towards us is the tiger. A Bengal tiger safari is operated by Indian Explorations mainly in Central India and the Himalayan foothills using eco-audited comfortable and personalised camps with expert guides.

Bengal Tiger Safari with IndianExplorations.com