We would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and invite you to visit us on STAND AP4 at the Times Destinations Holiday and Travel Show in Manchester at Event City on January 19-22 and in London at Earls Court on February 2-5 where we will be on stand AP 40.

Lynn is giving a talk called “ESSENCE OF INDIA” in which she will offer a whistle stop tour of India in some of her photographs. The talks will be on Thusday February 2nd at 3pm and on Sunday February 5 at 11am.

Please come along and enjoy the views!

We look forward to meeting you all at both shows.

There is a new wildlife show taking place in London on October 14th and 15th. We will be exhibiting at STAND 28 and would like to invite everybody who is interested in Indian wildlife to come and visit us for a chat.

LYNN STEWART, who is leading a Tigers and Taj Mahal by Moonlight tour beginning in late February,  will be at the stand to answer all your wildlife questions and anything regarding tigers,  Kanha and Bandhavgarh , the two parks we are visiting on our tour.

www.wildlifexpo.com

I would like to thank everybody who visited our stand at the Destinations Travel Show in Earls Court in February. Grateful thanks also to Pavneet  for her marvellous dancing and Bollywood workshop, to the Bollywood dancers on the World Stage and HUGE thanks to Palvi and Anjana who cooked up the MOST delicious onion bhajis.  I hope everybody who watched their cooking demonstration rushed home and pulled out their pots and pans! I will post up their recipes in Travel Diary.
However the biggest thanks from me goes to Elsie and Steve  2 of my guests who travelled with me last year and travelled from Scotland and Germany respectively to help me out over the 4 days. I couldn’t have done it without you! Living , breathing testimonials , they were a huge help.
On Friday night some other 2010 ESCAPE TO INDIA guests met us after the show and we went out for a meal at Masala Zone which was delicious. Next time we are taking Palvi to pass on her tips!  So thank you everyone, and to Jo for wearing her special scarf , hope to see you all again next year, hopefully with a few new faces to add to the ESCAPE TO INDIA posse!

We are delighted to announce the launch of a brand new  escorted tour for 2011, exclusive to ESCAPE TO INDIA.

The tour has been created to offer guests the chance to enjoy some of the experiences which make India “Indian.”  We will share in Diwali celebrations, witness morning prayers from a boat on the Ganges and evening prayers close to the priests. Go shopping in the city bazaars and peek behind closed doors. Sleep in a luxury tent and take a camel safari into the desert for a sundowner. LYNN STEWART will accompany the group. Come to STAND AP27 at Destinations London to discuss all the details with her and book your place, since spaces are limited. Or  EMAIL NOW  lynn@escapetoindia.co.uk .

A SPECIAL JOURNEY TO ENJOY THE DIWALI FESTIVAL AND THE PUSHKAR CAMEL FAIR October 25th to November 7th

From time immemorial, India has caught the imagination of travellers, drawn by its exotic colours, its diversity of culture, traditions and religion, its rich history and above all its enduring sense of mystery. This classical journey unravels some of the major influences which have shaped this remarkable region as we seek to capture the ESSENCE of INDIA.

 We begin in the historic capital Delhi and then take a flight to the shores of the sacred river Ganges to visit the holy city of Varanasi. We return to Delhi and then proceed to Agra to view the majestic Taj Mahal, the sandstone buildings at Fatehpur Sikri, the “Pink City” of Jaipur and the most colourful and famous festival in Rajasthan at Pushkar.

  Programme at a Glance:    Delhi- Varanasi- Agra- Jaipur- Pushkar- Delhi.
  Duration:                                       14 days.
  Highlights:                                    Diwali celebrations in Delhi,

                                                                   sunrise boat ride on the Ganges, 

                                                                   evening aarti in Varanasi , 

                                                                   sunset visit to the Taj Mahal, 

                                                                   a meander through the bazaars of Jaipur, 

                                                                   all the fun of the fair at the Pushkar Festival .

Day 01 / 25th October 2011            Depart U.K.
 

Day 02 / 26th October 2011            Arrive Delhi.

Arrive Delhi from UK. Garland welcome, assistance and transfer to pre-booked hotel. Rest of the day to relax. In the afternoon you could stroll in the park, do some shopping or visit a museum or two. The choice is yours!
                                                                                                   Overnight in hotel.
Day 03 / 27th October 2011            Delhi.

Today we drive to Old Delhi. Shah Jahan founded the city of Shahjanabad, now referred to as Old Delhi, in 1648. The famous Red Fort in the heart of Old Delhi was once the most opulent fort of the Mughal Empire and it boasts the Diwan-I-Am, Hall of Private Audience. Opposite the fort is the Jama Masjid, one of the largest mosques in the world, built by Shah Jahan to dominate his city, we also visit the bustling bazaar of Chandni Chowk.                                                                                                                                                                             Overnight in hotel.
 

Day 04/ 28th October 2011            Delhi- Varanasi ( FLY)

After early breakfast transfer to the airport for flight to the sacred city of Varanasi. Afternoon free or take an optional excursion, a cultural heritage walk through the back alleyways of the City, exploring behind closed doors!  Attend the evening Aarti Ceremony on the  Ganges.                                                                                                                                                                       

                                                     Overnight in hotel.
 

Day 05 / 29th October 2011             Varanasi

After breakfast take an excursion to Sarnath about 15 kms away. It is one of Buddhism’s major centres in India. When Buddha had gained enlightenment at Bodhgaya, the Buddha came to the deer park at Sarnath and delivered his first sermon. Later to Varanasi. Afternoon sightseeing of Varanasi, including World famous Benaras Hindu University, Tulsi Manas temple and Bharat Mata temple. Evening free.         �
                                                                                                   Overnight in hotel.
Day 06 / 30th October 2011            Varanasi – Delhi ( FLY) .

Early morning sunrise boat ride in river Ganges, with walk back through streets.  Return to hotel for breakfast. Afternoon transfer to airport fly back to Delhi. (ETD 13.40 hrs ETA 15.00 Hrs).
                                                                                                    Overnight in hotel.
Day 07 / 31st October 2011             Delhi – Agra  

After breakfast drive to Agra (220kms / 4 hours), on arrival transfer to hotel. Afternoon visit to Red Fort. Akbar began work on Agra Fort in 1565, with additions to the citadel  made through to the time of Akbar’s grandson, Shah Jahan (King of the World). The fort has fine views of the Taj across the River Yamuna, and consists of Deewani – Aam (hall of public ordinances) and Deewan- Khass (the hall of Private ordinances), it also has a nice grape garden and beautiful fountains. Later, guided tour of the Taj Mahal, built as a monument of eternal love by Shah Jahan to his bride Mumtaz. The Taj Mahal looks amazingly graceful from almost any angle. It was built over a period of 20 years by 20000 laborers and craftsmen.  Evening free to relax.
                                                                                                   Overnight in hotel.

Day 08 / 01st November  2011      Agra – Jaipur     

Early morning visit to see the Taj Mahal from across the Yamuna River. Later, back to hotel and after breakfast drive to Jaipur  (about 240kms/ 05-06hrs.) En route visit Fatehpur Sikri the Ghost city of Mughals. After lunch at Bharatpur drive on to Jaipur. On arrival, check into the hotel and relax.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Overnight in hotel

Day 09 / 02nd November 2011        Jaipur

This morning we drive to nearby Amber, ascending by elephant (subject to availability) to see the 16th century hilltop fortress palace and its richly decorated apartments. Amber was the ancient Rajput capital and its fort palace was begun by Raja Man Singh and used by the Rajputs as their stronghold until Sawai Jai Singh II moved to the newly created city of Jaipur. We will visit the palace and its many intricate chambers and hallways, which have breathtaking views of the Jal Mahal (Water palace) below.  In the afternoon we visit the City Palace, still inhabited by Jai Singh’s descendants. It is a superb fusion of  Rajput and Mughal architecture. A city within a city, it includes the Govind Deo Temple, the Jantar Mantar astronomical observatory and the Maharaja’s museum with his personal collection of  weaponary, miniature paintings,  royal attire and jewellery. On the periphery of the Palace stands the Hawa Mahal, the Palace of Winds, an elaborate pink sandstone façade behind which the ladies of the court used to watch the daily goings on in the street below.
                                                                                                 Overnight in hotel.
Day 10 / 03rd November 2011           Jaipur – Pushkar

After breakfast we drive to Pushkar (about 145 kms/3 hrs). Check into camp and in the late afternoon visit the only Brahma  temple  in the world and Pushkar Lake.  Wander through the streets enjoying the festival atmosphere.                                                                                                       Overnight in Camp                                                                                                                  

 Day 11 / 04th November 2011       Pushkar 

After breakfast enjoy Pushkar Camel Fair. Day at leisure.             Overnight in Camp.

Pushkar Fair       Pushkar Fair is the world’s largest camel fair, held in the holy town of Pushkar in Rajasthan. This Camel Fair, a festival of sound and colour, is held annually on the banks of Lake Pushkar. Nestling on the edge of the desert, this small place transforms itself from a peaceful, rural community, into a vast tented village with a lively, colourful and noisy market place. Competitions such as the “Matka Phod”, “moustache”, and “bridal competition” are the main attractions of this fair, which attract thousands of tourists. A highlight of one’s holiday in India, the festival hosts around 50,000 camels, which are sold, decorated, shaved and raced. Bet you never knew a camel could look so good!

Day 12 / 05th November 2011       Pushkar

After breakfast enjoy the camp, revisit the Fair or meander around Pushkar yourself.
                                                                                                    Overnight  in Camp.
Day 13 / 06th November 2011       Pushkar – Ajmer – Delhi ( Train).

After breakfast drive to Ajmer (about 01 hr) and see the city before boarding train for Delhi  ( ETD 15.50 hrs ETA 22.40 hrs). On arrival check in to hotel.  Overnight in  hotel.

Day 14 / 07th November 2011       UK – Delhi ( Fly)

After breakfast transfer to international airport to board flight back home..

escape to india destinations 2010

ESCAPE TO INDIA
We are pleased to announce that we will be exhibiting again at the Times Destinations Holiday and Travel Show in London on
FEBRUARY 3rd – 6th 2011
Earls Court
Stand AP 27
Please visit us to chat about India and all the fascinating things you can see and do. Elsie MacKechnie has travelled with us twice this year and will be happy to share her stories and adventures with you.

Day 1   Depart Delhi and drive to Agra.   Visit  Agra Fort and the Taj Mahal at sunset.

Day 2   Drive to Jaipur visiting the deserted city of  Fatehpur Sikri en route.

Day 3   Morning elephant ride at Amber Fort.  Afternoon sightseeing with English speaking local guide.

Day 4   Return to Delhi by car.   Lunch at a hilltop fort and chance to relax before flying home.

This brief 3 night trip is designed to give you a taste of India and shows there is more to India than the frantic pace of Delhi. You will visit two other major cities in North India, Agra and Jaipur and our English speaking guides will escort you around the sites explaining their history to you.  From the comfort of your chauffeur driven air conditioned car you can glimpse rural India and if anything interesting catches your eye to photograph or simply to watch, he can stop for a while and let you enjoy the scenery. India at YOUR pace.

No visit to India is complete without seeing the Taj Mahal. We will explain the story behind the monument and then let you sit back in the gardens and enjoy the sun set, bathing it in shades of apricot and oyster pink.

As you drive through the countryside take time to wander through the deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri and listen to the story of its rise and fall as the former capital of the Mughal Empire.

The bazaars of Jaipur buzz with activity and you can take an escorted walk through them to savour the colours and razzmatazz of India, maybe testing out your haggling skills along the way.  Take an elephant ride up to the Amber Fort and marvel at the beautiful mirrored ceilings and mosaics in the Palace apartments.

Round off your Indian adventure with a delicious lunch in a hill top fort hotel as you head back for the airport.  Hopefully this taste will make you want to return to sample a few more Indian delights.

TOUR PRICE:       £355 pp  in Heritage properties. 

                                  £445 pp in modern 4 star luxury hotels.

Cost Includes:       3 nights twin sharing accommodation on bed and breakfast basis.

                          All transfers, sightseeing tours and overland journeys by AC Tata Indigo car.

                           Local English speaking guide during sightseeing in Agra and Jaipur.

AND….

If you feel a little more adventurous we can offer you a flight in a hot air balloon over paddy fields and fields of wheat outside Jaipur.  Or take an elephant ride into the sunset and have a candlelit dinner under the stars amidst the Aravali hills.  You won’t believe India can be so peaceful or secluded!  Dine like a Maharaja in his sumptuous palace in the hills and  sleep in his townhouse within the Jaipur city walls, with frescoes on the walls and stained glass windows casting a kaleidoscope of colours on the floor.  If you have a few more days to spend, why not have the ultimate thrill.  Search for the elusive big cat and have a few nights on tiger safari…..

Adrenaline and romantic thrills are a little extra, but well worth it on your trip of a lifetime….

We would like to thank everybody who visited our stand at the Destinations Show at Earls Court in February. It was a great success and it was good to meet so many people and chat about India.

I would like to thank Jenny Liu from Kingfisher Airlines who spent 2 days with us. Our prize draw attracted 321 entries including entries from the website and we are delighted to announce the winners;

• 2 Free flights to India: Mrs B PARMAR, Luton
• Golden Triangle Holiday for 2: Ms C THOMPSON, Peckham, London
• CGH Earth 4 nights accommodation: Mr E HOWARD, Crawley, West Sussex
• 7 nights for the price of 3: Mr D MAIN, Shepperton

CONGRATULATIONS to you all!

Enter a FREE draw for the chance to win some exciting prizes with ESCAPE TO INDIA and enjoy the trip of a lifetime on a holiday in India. You could also win a five day stay in the Golden Triangle, four nights luxury accommodation including a night on a houseboat in Kerala or seven nights at the Neeleshwar Hermitage at a beach resort in North Kerala.

Win FREE Economy air tickets to India

Top prize FREE Economy air tickets courtesy of Flying from UK to India, in KINGFISHER AIRLINES conjunction with a holiday designed and organised by ESCAPE to INDIA.

PLUS a chance to win these other fantastic prizes……..

• 5 day Golden Triangle Holiday for two

• 4 nights luxury accommodation including 1 night on a houseboat in Kerala, courtesy of CGHEARTH.

• 7 nights for the price of 3 at NEELESHWAR HERMITAGE a luxury boutique beach resort in NorthKerala.

All accommodation must be taken as part of a holiday organised by ESCAPE to INDIA.

See Us At The Times Destinations 2010

Apply online by filling in the contact form marking it as “Prize Draw” or come and see us at

The Times Destinations: The Holiday and Travel Show 2010 at Earls Court in London on February 4th -7th on STAND AP 45.

Or

At The Holiday and Travel Show at the SECC in Glasgow on February 12-14th

Complete a form and pop it in the box.

Entries close on February 28th with the winners announced online on March 5th.

Terms and Conditions apply  see below for details.

First Prize is a return flight for 2 people, Kingfisher  class, London to Mumbai and one onward flight to a choice of 65 domestic cities, courtesy of Kingfisher Airlines , valid for 1 year, subject to availability, excluding peak season and school holidays. This offer is to be used IN CONJUNCTION with ESCAPE TO INDIA Ltd which will design and organise the land based portion of your holiday within India .

Runners Up prizes are as follows:

• Five Day Golden Triangle Holiday, organised by ESCAPE TO INDIA/TCI. Accommodation is a mix of 4 star and heritage properties on a bed and breakfast only basis. An  air conditioned Toyota Innova car will be complimentary for all transfers, sightseeing tours and excursions.  Prize must be taken between July 1st and September 15th 2010

• Four Night luxury accommodation in selected properties , courtesy of CGH EARTH Hotel Group  on a bed and breakfast basis including 1 night on your own houseboat on full board basis. This prize includes a harbour sunset cruise from Brunton Boatyard in Cochin, Kerala. Prize must be taken between May 1st and September 30th 2010.

• Seven Nights for the price of 3 at the Neeleshwar Hermitage  in North Kerala on a room only basis. Prize must be taken from March 5th to September 30th 2010

All accommodation must be taken IN CONJUNCTION with a holiday organised by ESCAPE TO INDIA.

• The prizes must be accepted as offered.
• There is no cash alternative and applicants must be over the age of 18 years.
• It is a condition of entry that all rules are accepted as final and that the competitor abides by these rules.
• Deadline for the entries is February 28th 2010, with the winners picked at random on March 1st 2010. The winners will be notified by email or phone and the winners will be announced on the website by March 5th 2010.
• The prize does not include travel insurance and any overseas departure taxes/ taxes where payable are the responsibility of the winners.
• It is the responsibility of the prizewinners to ensure they have a valid passport and travel insurance and obtain any necessary vaccinations and visas for their trip.
• Escape to India Ltd. may wish to contact you by post, email or telephone with information and offers and for market research purposes. If you prefer NOT to be contacted for the purposes outlined please specify on contact form.

ESCAPE to INDIA will be exhibiting at the TIMES Destinations Travel Show at London Earls Court on February 4th -7th 2010.

Our stand is AP45 in the Asia Pacific section close to the Wanderlust Photo of the Year stand and Asia and Pacific Sensations stage.

Come and chat with Lynn or Isabel about all things Indian and we can give you some ideas on how to chase the British winter blues away and escape to some Indian colour.