After many years of traveling in India, we thought it would be wonderful to take friends on a journey to some of India's hidden gems. Visiting sights and places that are as absorbing and beautiful as anywhere in the world, but foolishly missed by many travelers. Exploring India with architecture and village culture in mind, moving with the joy and serendipity of independent travelers.

With this in mind, we began leading tours to rural India with overwhelming success. Our last tour proved to be a fantastic experience. For those on their first visit, it was an onslaught of intrigue and adventure and offered a truly provocative view of this engaging region. For us, it was a pleasure to share and re-explore India with the fresh eyes of first time visitors.

Travels in India

From the roaring madness of temple towns to the pristine silences of palace ruins, India will have an effect on you. It's unwise to only think of India in an historic sense, for its charm and interest also lie in the modern movements of art, film, literature, architecture, music and daily living. We've not based this journey on seeing as many 'famed' sights as possible, but on the experience of India. The sojourn spans village life, to ancient ruins, to fantastic markets filled with silks, fruits and flowers, to outrageous train rides, varied and delicious food, intricate Hindu temples and culminates in one of the world's most enthralling cities, Varanasi.

What's the Idea?

We will explore some true gems of India. The itinerary is simply places we take our friends. Our focus as guides is to provide exposure to the sights and culture of India, while keeping everyone healthy. The selection of places is an attempt to paint a picture of India from a traveler's perspective. We will visit places that most people on tour don't have the opportunity to explore, and of course visit major sites. We will move as independent travelers.

We will travel in comfort, stay in good quality hotels/guest houses and eat some wonderful food! We opt for charm and character over the star ratings. Overall food and lodging standards are high which is an important part in staying healthy.

India is best understood state by state. Prior to independence, it was a loose configuration of different cultures galvanized by the independence movement. Our journey will include visits to Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. It is possible to join us for a part of the journey.

Travel Itinerary

October 9-10: Fly USA to New Delhi. Night New Delhi

October 11-12: New Delhi/ Old Delhi. We will complete this tour during our visits at the beginning and end of the trip. As the capital of five empires, Delhi's sights are vast. In Old Delhi we will visit major architectural achievements including Lal Qila (The Red Fort) and the Jami Masjid (Friday mosque) while taking time to wander the bustling market streets. New Delhi sights include Humayan's Tomb and the shrine of Nizam-ud-din. Humayan's tomb is one of the oldest examples of Moghul architecture, precursor to the Taj Mahal. It's a building filled with raw energy, topped by giant domes, surrounded by linear gardens. We will then visit the neighborhood of Nizam-ud-din, the birthplace Quawali music. We will also visit the Jantar Mantar (built in 1725),a lunar and solar observatory (which looks like a post modern playground). The Jantar also has instruments used in predicting eclipses. Should time permit we will try and visit the Modern Art Museum, Hauz Khas Village and the Lodhi tombs and gardens. We will also visit some of the more obscure shopping areas such as Dilli Haat and Pragati Maidan.

October 13-14: Mandu. Train or fly to Indore and travel by private taxi to Mandu. Mandu, one of India's greatest sites, is a deserted hill top palace complex wrapped around a stunning canyon. The palaces, pools and gardens are scattered over rolling hills with a small village lining the main street. It is truly a magical place built by the some of the finest Afghan architects. (Shah Jahinger sent his architects to Mandu before constructing the Taj Mahal.) Buildings are mirrored in the pools as we stroll the day away in this tremendous landscape. Perhaps the most exotic (and relaxing) site on this tour. We will try to spend at least one night in the palace.

October 15: Travel to Maheswar. Mentioned in the ancient works of the Ramayana and Mahabrata, we will visit this exquisite fort and temple complex. The ramparts overlook three bathing ghats, which lead to the holy Narmada river. At sunset we will take small boats onto the river, viewing the complex from a distant. The overall atmosphere is quite serene and an excellent introduction to temple villages in India. Maheswar fort is also known for intricately carved doorways and the town, just outside the fort is a market area, famous for saris. If you've read Gita Mehta's, The River Sutra, this is where it all happens!

October 16: Travel to Omkareshwar. Tour of Omkareshwar, one of India's most sacred towns. Omkareshwar is a "Shiva city" with island temples dotting the holy Narmada river. The town is a major pilgrimage site filled with Sadhus (holy men), beggars and temple priests. The entire city is garnished with sand vendors who create pyramids of colored sand that line the walkways. Dead bodies are cremated along the banks and the collected ashes are sent sailing on lotus leafs, topped with candles down the river. A spectacular sight at night. Omkareshwar is in some ways a mini Varanasi and an incredible journey into Indian life. As lodging is sparse in Omkareshwar, we will probably return to spend the night in Indore. Indore is an affluent Indian city of around 1,000,000. inhabitants. There is an interesting fruit and clothing market and some of the best Tandoori Chicken on the Sub-Continent.

October 17: Sanchi. Continue by private taxi to Bhopal and on to Sanchi. Bhopal is an excellent mix of old and new India. A modern city filled with mosques, a bustling old town and exotic markets. After lunching in Bhopal, we move on to Sanchi, home of the most well noted Buddhist architecture in India, renowned for the Great Stupa. The complex is in a quiet village filled with religious structures, stupas, and vibrant sculptures.

October 18-20: Travel to Orchha. A town of exceptionally well preserved palaces and temples, Orchha is a wonderful blend of classic palace sights and relaxing village life. Amidst the old is a modern Hindu temple where we will observe villagers coming to Orchha for marriages. ( These are huge processions with elephants, marching bands and villagers from neighboring regions.) The lodging in Orchha is perhaps the most interesting on the journey, where we choose to stay in the Royal Palace or newly built first class cottages which line the Betwa river. Orchha quickly became the favorite spot on our 1995 tour.

October 21-24: Varanasi. First class train to Varanasi. Also known as Benares and Kashi, Varanasi, "the Eternal City" or "City of Light" is one of India's holiest sites and one of the most interesting places in the world. It has been the center of learning for over 2000 years. It is a "wild" city filled with pilgrims, priests, cows and villagers standing by the bathing ghats on the Ganges. Many upper caste Hindus are cremated along the Ganges, you'll be ducking and dodging cows on narrow alleyways as we make our way toward the holy river.. Varanasi is a thriving market town, known for silk. It's streets are vibrantly lined with saris, fruits, vegetables, and temple offerings.

Varanasi's sights include many ghats (series of river-side steps), which lead up to towering temples overlooking the Ganges. We will visit the Golden Temple with it's 3/4 of a ton of gold plating and the famed Durga or Monkey Temple. We encourage you to read about the places of our journey, but Varanasi in particular.

October 25-26: Agra. Fly to Agra, visit the Taj Mahal. We first visit the famous Taj Mahal at sunset, viewing the changing colors as the day falls on the Deccan Plateau. Prior to visiting the Taj, we tour the perfectly preserved city of Fatehpur Sikri (1570). The city is a true ghost town, mosques and palaces in excellent condition, built by Akbar at the height of Moghul rule. Perhaps the finest ancient city in India. The next morning we will get a sunrise view of the Taj before traveling on to Delhi.

October 27: Delhi. Shopping and touring in Delhi. Delhi has an emporium from every state in India with top quality crafts, rugs, paintings, etc. We will also visit Pragati Maidan where villagers are hired to make tribal crafts for retail sale.

October 28-29: Return to USA.

Note: Unforeseen circumstances may alter our itinerary.

Very Brief Facts About India
Upon receipt of your application, you will receive additional information with regards to health, visas, immunizations, etc. We also encourage you to talk to us about your personal interests, so we may steer you to enjoyable pre-trip research.

History
India gained independence from the British in 1947. Prior to 1947, the region extending from Pakistan to Burma was part of the British Empire. India's history is vast and varies greatly from north to south. Most dominant influences are from Persia, Moghul Muslims, Buddhist empires, Great Britain and current western society. Two excellent books on Indian history are Percival Spear's, A History of India, Vol. II and the colorful, A Concise History of India. by Francis Watson.

Climate
India's weather is dominated by two monsoon seasons. Late fall means clear and relatively cool weather in central India.

Food
India offers an outrageous variety of food for both the vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Spices are used to enhance basic rice and vegetables to create an entire gastronomic experience. Often these spices are considered 'hot" by Western standards, but once you become accustomed to the subtleties, this food becomes irresistible. For those who still find the food too spicy, the local folk are happy to prepare foods more palatable to Western tastes. Some of the best food is found on street corners, bus stands and train stations. Markets provide the usual fare of luscious fruits (bananas, papayas, pineapples, lychee, jack fruit, durian fruit, etc.), vegetables and spices. The most common drink is a milky sweet tea called chai. Chai is drunk throughout the day and is the common denominator in this diverse country. We will explore a wide variety of food, optimizing experience and health.

Language
India has 15 national languages. Most citizens learn their local language first, then Hindi or English. English is the most widely spoken language in India. Learning some Hindu will be useful and rewarding.

Religion
India is primarily a Hindu country with great religious diversity. India's religions include: Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Jainism, Sikhism, Judaism, Zarostrianism, Christianity and a large number of tribal religions.

Literature
India's riches have provided an wonderful stomping ground for writers. Non-native authors include: Rudyard Kipling, Salman Rushdie, E.M.Forster and Alexander Frater. Some outstanding native authors include, Amitav Ghosh, Arundhati Roy , Gita Mehta, Kushwant Singh, Anita Desai, Anees Jung and R.K Narayan. For Indian architecture: Phaidon's, History of Architecture in India, by Christopher Tadgell, is an excellent resource. Diana Eck's Banaras, City of Light is a fascinating read. Also to note are works by Octavio Paz and Ved Mehta's, A Portrait of India. The fall 1997 edition of Granta is devoted to India. (Also see New Yorker and National Geographic, Spring 97)

Film
The most popular film maker is Oscar winning Satyajit Ray, best known for his series Pather Panchal. His films have an amazing ephemeral quality to them and are quite moving and poignant.

Land Costs Include

Trip cancellation insurance - highly recommended

Top of Page	Guides & Staff	What's New	Home
Burleson's Director Statement		Poisk Oxygen Systems