Adventure holiday in India, Wildlife & Moghul Cities

On this trip: We use a local agent, restaurants and family hotels. This and Indian staff means that money generated stays within the country. Our visit to Shekhawati reinforces in the local community the need to preserve their cultural heritage (havelis). Our policy of staying in locally owned accommodation, having local guides and group leaders and using transport owned and operated by local people wherever possible is continued in India. Our small groups (maximum of 16 people) have a minimal impact on the fragile environment. All tour guides are responsible for ensuring that the guests understand the nature of the environment that they are in and minimise the impact that they may have.

We have also developed a programme of school visits with our local agent in India. These schools are government funded but would benefit greatly from additional support. You will have the opportunity to visit a school during your stay in Ranthambore. If you would like to offer your assistance by taking a gift they would be delighted to receive the following; clothes (remember Indian children are smaller than those in the UK), exercise books, schoolbags, pencils and crayons, erasers and similar stationary. Although you can take things out with you, goods are available cheaply locally and your Group Leader will be able to advise on where to buy things. Please note that during school holidays or religious festivals the schools may be closed.

Covering 411 square kilometres of deciduous forest, Ranthambore National Park offers a rare glimpse of India’s natural vegetation. Despite the good work of the conservationists, unfortunately the tigers are still under threat from hunting and poaching. Wildlife experts think that between 1800 and 2500 tigers exist in the wild in India, and numbers are said to stand at between 15 and 25 in Ranthambore (depending on which statistics you believe). Sightings on our trips have been consistent over the past couple of seasons but, while there is a reasonable chance of seeing tiger, obviously it cannot be guaranteed. The most important thing is to keep visiting the parks so the local population see they CAN make an income out of tourism; without tigers, there would be no tourists and thus no money.

Our Responsible Travel Code: Clients who travel with us will automatically receive a copy of our Responsible Travel leaflet. This contains details and advice on how you can make a positive difference when you travel. If you would like a copy in advance of travel please contact us.

Charity Partnerships: We work in partnership with Plan International. Plan works with some of the world’s poorest communities where three out of four children die before the age of five. We also support Friends of Conservation – an international charity committed to working with local people to develop a balance between their needs and the wildlife with which they share the natural habitat and ecosystems.

Carbon Balancing: Global warming is a real issue and is a direct result of your travel. We have teamed up with Climate Care to give you the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions from your flight. You’ll be asked upon booking if you want to donate – with set amounts from £5. As a company we offset the carbon emissions from all staff travel in full.

Our Foundation: We’ve highlighted a few of the ways in which we offer our support, financially or otherwise, and now you can, too. We have set up our own foundation, which will administer funds donated by you. A small donation of £1 per person will be taken when booking a holiday and that money will be put to good use by one of our carefully selected projects. If you don’t want to make the donation, just tell us when you book.