Explore intriguing India with High Places
High Places began in India in 1987-88, and since then has gradually widened its destinations to include Africa, Asia, Latin America, The Far North, New Zealand and Europe. However, the company’s heart still belongs to the intriguing country, and High Places is always eager for more people to experience India’s wide-arid lakes, plunging rocky gorges and magnificent mountain kingdoms, plus its intensity of colours, smells, tastes and hospitable locals.
Next year (2017) has also been proclaimed a UK-India Year of Culture, with a programme of events to celebrate the countries’ cultural ties. To mark this pairing, two centuries of Indian print (held by the British library) will be accessible to anyone around the globe, Madame Tussauds will feature its popular Bollywood waxworks in a brand-new museum in New Delhi and, two of Britain’s most iconic texts will tour India: the first collection of Shakespeare’s plays and the 1225 edition of the Magna Carta.
To make the most of these ties, and to introduce more travellers to India, High Places has created a brand-new photography tour of Rajasthan, plus two new treks to its adventurous Indian portfolio So, what are you waiting for?
NEW: Photography tour of Rajasthan, north-west India
With its magnificent palaces and historic forts, bustling markets, sacred temples and tranquil lakes (not to mention golden sunrises) Rajasthan – bordering Pakistan in north-west India – is a photographer’s paradise. And the brand-new Indian Photography Odyssey helps keen snappers capture the incredible sights of Rajasthan. Throughout the tour, professional photographer, Chloe Hall (who trained at the London College of Printing) will be on hand to help participants get to grips with their cameras, and offer useful hints and tips. The 15-day tour, from 5-19 November 2016, is priced from £2,350 pp and includes 13 nights’ accommodation (two sharing), all meals, photographic tuition with Chloe Hall, local English-speaking guide, entrance fees, domestic flights and transfers. International flights extra.
NEW: Keep on trekking in Ladakh, Northern Himalayan Region
Walk through the land of Bactrian Camels, sand dunes and beautiful monasteries in the Nubra Valley (which acts as a green oasis between Himalaya and Karakoram) before flying to Srinagar, located in the heart of the Kashmir valley at an altitude of 1,730 metres. En route, enjoy the panoramic views from the Tsemo Monastery and Lasmero Pass (5,400 metres), visit Gurpuk Gompa monastery (home to approximately 30 monks) and Diskit monastery (the oldest, and largest Buddhist monastery in the Nubra Valley) and stay on a traditional houseboat on the reflective Dal Lake in Srinagar. The 17-day tour, from 12-28 August 2016, is priced from £1,198 pp and includes 16 nights’ accommodation (two sharing), all meals during the trek and breakfasts, local English-speaking guide, domestic flights and transfers. International flights extra.
NEW: Follow the ancient paths in Zanskar, Northern Himalayan Region
Journey across the Indian Himalayas, through the remote and ancient kingdoms of Ladakh and Zanskar, using trading routes and old pathways used by the Gaddi shepherds. After acclimatising in Leh, the capital of Ladakh, travel along the Leh-Manali highway to the south of Zanskar valley, before beginning the hike. Climb to Sengge La (4,700 metres) in the heart of Zanskar, trek to the Lingshed monastery (one of the oldest monasteries in Ladakh), and drive across the Rothang Pass – a historic trade route between the people on either side of Pir Panjal, and one of the world’s most challenging and spectacular roads – to Manali, before finishing the trip in Delhi. The 23-day tour, from 26 August to 17 September 2016, is priced from £1,098 pp and includes 19 nights’ accommodation (two sharing), all meals during the trek and breakfasts, local English-speaking guide, domestic flights and transfers. International flights extra.
Discover the highlights of north India
Explore the north of India, with its blend of multiple cultures, diverse languages and religions. Visit The Golden Temple Amritsar, which is not only the religious place of the Sikhs, but a symbol of human brotherhood and equality too. Explore McLeod Ganj, the residence of His Holiness the Dalia Lama, and the site of the Tibetan exile community’s main temple. Meet the multi-faceted communities living on the banks of the Ganges, India’s holiest river, and stop off at the magnificent Taj Mahal. Built between 1631 and 1648, the marble-white mausoleum standing in Agra, is one of the New7Wonders of the world. The 10-day tour, from 21-30 October or 11-20 November 2016, is priced from £498 pp and includes five nights’ accommodation (two sharing), breakfast every day, local English-speaking guide, domestic flights and transfers. International flights extra.
Bike, hike and boat around Kerala, south India
Shaped by its layered and diverse landscapes, from the palm-fringed beaches and fragrant tea estates, to the cardamom-scented hills and varied wildlife, Kerala offers visitors multiple experiences. Make the most of this exciting state on hikes, bike rides and boats for a memorable time. Explore the lush Western Ghats, a 1,000-mile stretch of mountains from Gurjurat in the north west to Kerala, home to more than 5,000 species of flowering plants and teaming with mammals and birds. Cycle along the high red laterite cliffs of Varkala, a coastal town and municipality in Thiruvananthapuram district, and float down the backwaters alongside Chengannur, stopping at the magnificent Chengannur Mahadeva Temple, a prominent sanctuary dedicated to Shiva. The 15-day tour, from 12-26 November 2016 or 18 December 2016 to 1 January 2017, costs from £1,158 pp and includes 11 nights’ accommodation (two sharing), most meals, local English-speaking guide and domestic transfers. International flights extra.
For more information, or to speak to an expert, visit High Places on www.highplaces.co.uk or call 01143520060.
