MOUNTAINS

India and Nepal are home to the Himalayas (“abode of snow”). For the most dramatic mountain scenery you have to visit this mighty mountain range. Both Nepal and the Western Himalayas offer excellent treks and have good tourism infrastructure.
The eastern part of the Himalayas sees surprisingly few tourists but is well worth a visit for the high passes in Sikkim and the gorgeous tea plantations around Darjeeling not to mention Kolkata and the area surrounding this city full of history and heritage.
The Western Ghats of South India do not offer snow-peaks but are studded with green tea plantations and spice plantations. They are also home to many excellent wildlife sanctuaries and a wide variety of endemic bird-species..

A. Nepal
Kathmandu – Pokhara – Annapurna Trekking (6 days) – Rafting – Chitwan – Kathmandu
Duration: 17 days

B. Western Himalayas
Delhi – Shimla – Manali – Sarchu – Leh – Himalayas Trekking (3-4 days) – Leh – Srinagar (by flight) – Jammu – Dharamsala – Amritsar – Delhi
Duration: 22 days

C. West Bengal & Sikkim
Kolkata – Sunderbans Tiger Reserve – Kolkata - Boat Tour Kolkata to Farakka (4 days) – Kurseong – Steam Toy Train to Darjeeling – Pelling – Yuksom via Khecheopalri Lake – Hike to Tashiding (1 day) – Gangtok – Kalimpong – Kolkata
Duration: 22 days

D. Western Ghats
Bangalore – Mudumalai – Athur – Madurai – Munnar – Periyar – Kumarakom – Cochin – Thattekad & Athirampally – Wayanad – Mysore – Bangalore
Duration: 22 days

BEACHES

South India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives are home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Most of the following destinations are ideally booked as extensions to your stay in India.

A. Lakshadweep
This series of beautiful islands lies just off the coast of Kerala. You can get here by flight or by overnight boat from Cochin. The clear waters are excellent for diving and snorkelling and PADI courses are available. Accommodation is in luxury resorts.

B. Maldives
The Maldives are world famous for their beautiful pristine beaches. It is not far from India and a popular extension for travellers to Sri Lanka and/or India who want to end their holidays on some of the most paradisiacal beaches in the world! The Maldives offer great surf and excellent diving with lots of coral reefs. Accommodation is in luxury resorts.

C. Sri Lanka
The island formerly known as Lanka and Ceylon is home to some stunning beaches. South to East from Colombo:
- Mt Lavinia: conveniently close to Colombo and the airport.
- Unawatuna: a stunningly beautiful crescent shaped beach close to heritage city Galle. Good for diving.
- Midigama: for the best surf in the south.
- Mirissa: lovely beach and the best starting point for whale-watching trips. Good for snorkelling and not bad surf.
- Arugam Bay: has the best surf on the island – especially from April through September. Also good for visiting Buddhist temples, mangrove-forests and national parks nearby.
- Kalkudah Beach: your typical lazy paradise. You will not want to leave!
- Nilaveli: off the beaten track, this beach north of Trinconmale is the perfect example of a bounty beach!

Please see elsewhere on this page for more on Sri Lanka.

D. Andaman Islands
The isolated Andaman & Nicobar Islands officially belong to India but are closer to Myanmar and Thailand. Crystal clear water off quiet white beaches and good diving make this a superb getaway.
To get to the islands you will need to board a flight from Delhi or Kolkata but the easiest flight connection is from Chennai. The 3-days boat trip from Chennai to Port Blair is not recommended. Your entry point to the islands will be Port Blair which has some interesting historical sights to visit. The best beaches are to be found on Havelock Island. The Andamans are great for both surfing and diving and for working on your tan on a – as yet unspoiled - paradise beach.

E. Goa
Goa has enjoyed a reputation of being India’s prime beach destination since the 1960s and it is still going strong. Besides palm fringed beaches, Goa is also home to lots of Portuguese heritage and a few interesting wildlife reserves. The most popular beaches are in the north while the south witnesses a more low scale and laid back holiday experience.
From north to south:
- Anjuna: one of the longest running beach resort places in Goa, Anjuna is also home to the famous Anjuna Flea Market (Wednesday’s only).
- Baga & Calangute: is the party scene of Goa.
- Sinquerim: upmarket resort beach with the Aguada Fort nearby.
- Utorda: beautiful resort at a pretty beach.
- Palolem: in the far south, this stunning crescent shaped beach is Micha’s favourite.
- And more…

F. Kerala
“God’s Own Country” is home to several stunning palm shaded beaches. The most popular beaches are in the south of the state but the north has some relatively unknown gems.
From north to south:
- Bekal: this may well be the most beautiful coastal place in all of Kerala but it is often overlooked. From Bekal Fort you can enjoy a view of several beaches with the backwaters right behind it. Simply stunning.
- Kannur (Cannanore): just north of this 500.000 inhabitants strong city you will find a few stunning secluded beaches.
- Cherai Beach: just a half hour north of Cochin on Vypeen Island, this place has the Arabian Sea on one side and the backwaters on the other. It’s also a good beach to explore Cochin from.
- Varkala Beach: a more laid-back alternative to Kovalam, Varkala has become very popular and has some good mid-range accommodation. The beach down from the reddish greenish cliff must be one of the most picturesque beaches of India if not the most. Several backwater trips are possible nearby.
- Kovalam: long term favourite close to Trivandrum (Tiruvanathapuram) airport. Kovalam has a few beautiful beaches close to each other and is home to several excellent Ayurvedic Retreats.

The most comfortable and enjoyable way to see a vast country like India is by luxury train. The Palace on Wheels tour – which takes you through Rajasthan – is well known and has often featured in documentaries. Lesser known but not less impressive are the other Luxury Train tours through other parts of India. Moreover, for the Luxury Trains in South India you can also opt to book only a part of the itinerary. Sit back, relax and observe beautiful India from the comfort of your deluxe train!

A. Palace on Wheels Delhi - Jaipur - Sawai Madhopur - Chittaurgarh - Udaipur - Jaisalmer - Jodhpur - Bharatpur - Agra – Delhi
Duration: 7 nights / 8 days

B. Royal Rajasthan on Wheels
Delhi - Jodhpur - Udaipur - Chittorgarh - Sawai Madhopur - Jaipur - Khajuraho - Varanasi - Agra – Delhi
Duration: 7 nights / 8 days

C. Pride of the South
Bangalore - Kabini - Srirangapatnam - Mysore - Sravanabelagola - Belur & Halebid - Hampi - Badami - Pattadkal – Goa
Duration: 7 nights / 8 days (you can also book per night)

D. The Deccan Odyssey
Mumbai - Sindhudurg - Goa - Kolhapur - Aurangabad - Chandrapur - Ajanta Caves - Nasik – Mumbai
Duration: 7 nights / 8 days (you can also book per night)

E. Splendour of the South Bangalore - Chennai - Pondicherry - Thanjavur - Madurai - Thiruvananthapuram - Alleppey - Kochi - Bangalore
Duration: 7 nights / 8 days (you can also book per night)

Nights are spent on the train in spacious rooms with all the amenities you would expect from top end accommodation. All food and (guided) excursions are included. Prices start from $ 440 (USD) per person per night.

Micha has been travelling in India almost perpetually since 2003. During his travels he discovered his own favourite places, many of which are off the beaten track. The following tours strike the perfect balance between highlights you do not want to miss and places off the beaten track which will give you a better understanding of the India unspoilt by tourism. These tours are the favourites of both some of our guests and of Micha himself:

A. Kerala Plus
– Cochin Airport to Champakulam - in a non-touristy part of the Backwaters
– Athirapally - stunning waterfalls
– Munnar - tea!
– Thekkady - spices and much more
– Athur - Tamil countryside
– Madurai - holiest temple of South India
– Rameshvaram - blessed by God Rama
– Kuttralam - waterfalls
– via Padmanabhapuram Palace to Varkala Beach
– Backwaters - the quiet waters around Kollam
– Cochin
Duration: 20 days
Recommended: the Lakshadweep extension.
The group tour of February 2014 is a shorter, adapted version of this tour. See above for more.

B. North & South Kerala
Calicut – Neeleshwar (for Bekal Fort & Beach and Northern Backwaters) – Kannur (for St Angelo Fort and a Theyyam performance) – Kalpetta (for Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary) – Thrissur (for Guruvayoor and a tour through, or course at, the traditional arts university Kerala Kalamandalam) – Athirapally (for waterfalls) – Munnar (for tea plantations) – Thekkady (for spices and much more) – Kanjirapally (stay at the ancestral house of local rulers in a rubber plantation) – Backwaters (around Kollam) – Varkala Beach – Champakulam (stay at a home-stay in a non-touristy part of the Backwaters) – Cochin
Duration: 20 days
Recommended: the Maldives extension!

C. South Karnataka & North Kerala
– Bangalore
– Hassan: Sravanabelagola, Belur, Halebid
– Madikeri: capital of stunning Coorg; Tibetan Settlements of Bylakuppe
– Mysore: heritage hotel in royal city
– Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
– Neeleshwar: Bekal Fort & Beach and Northern Backwaters
– Kannur: St Angelo Fort and a Theyyam performance
– Thrissur: Guruvayoor and a tour through, or course at, the traditional arts university Kerala Kalamandalam
– Athirapally: impressive waterfalls
– Cherai Beach:Cochin
Duration: 20 days (a shorter version is possible)
Recommended: have this tour connect to the Kerala Plus Group Tour (see above)!

D. North India Less Travelled
Delhi – Amritsar – Shekhawati – Jaipur – Bundi – Udaipur – overnight train to Jhansi and on to Orchha – Alipura – Khajuraho –Chitrakut – Allahabad – Varanasi – Delhi
Duration: 23 days

From October 2012 onwards Indian Rose Tours also organizes itineraries on the paradisiacal island formerly known as Ceylon. Traveling through this stunning country you’ll understand why the word “serendipity” comes from the Arab word traders gifted this island. Micha has been to Sri Lanka many times and knows the country well.

A. Highlights of Sri Lanka
Negombo – Anuradhapura – Nilaveli (Trinconmale) – Sigiriya (plus Polonnaruwa / Minneriya National Park / Dambulla) – Kandy – Nuwara Eliya – Bandarawela – Hambantota (via Ella; for Yala National Park) – Unawatuna or Mirissa (plus Galle / Whale Watching) – Mt Lavinia (plus Colombo)
Duration: 21 Days

B. Serendipitous Beaches (plus the Maldives)
Mt Lavinia (plus Colombo) – Unawatuna (plus Galle / Whale Watching) – Yala National Park - Kalkudah Beach – Nilaveli (Trinconmale) – Kandy – Negombo – Male (Maldives) – Agatti Island - Male
Duration: 21 days

C. Golden Triangle
Colombo – Anuradhapura – Sigiriya (plus Polonnaruwa / Dambulla) – Kandy – Negombo
Duration: 10 days

We can also organize other itineraries. Sri Lanka can be easily combined with the Maldives and/or with South India.

Indian Rose Tours can also organize tours with a special theme:

A. Bicycle Tour Kerala
Cochin – Munnar (by car; plus trekking) – Thekkady - Champakulam – Backwaters – Kollam (plus fishing) – Varkala Beach
Duration: 14 days
Cycling trips in other parts of India can also be arranged.

B. Bird Watching Tour
Cochin – Thattekad – Munnar – Athur – Thekkady – Champakulam or Kumarakom – Backwaters – Cochin
Duration: 14 days
Bird Watching tours in other parts of India can also be arranged.

C. Wildlife Tour
Delhi – Corbett Tiger Reserve – Agra – Keoladeo Ghana National Park (Birds) – Jaipur - Ranthambore National Park –Orchha – Khajuraho (plus Panna National Park) – Bandhavgarh National Park – Kanha National Park – Pench Tiger Reserve – Nagpur flight to Mumbai or Delhi
Duration: 22 days
It is also possible to create a shorter version of this tour. Wildlife Tours in other parts of India can also be arranged.

D. Yoga & Meditation
Good places for yoga and meditation in India are:
Tiruvannamalai / Pondicherry / Varkala / Mysore / Rishikesh / Goa / Dharamsala / Varanasi / and more….

E. Ayurveda
Ayurveda (knowledge or science of life) is a millennia old medicinal system geared towards restoring the balance within. The herbal massage is an integral part of this. Kerala is home to all the ingredients of the Ayurvedic oils, up to 300 different herbs, and the Ayurvedic massage is a part of every Malayali (inhabitants of Kerala) life.
We especially recommend Kovalam / Varkala / Kumarakom / Alleppey / Cochin / Palakkad / Bilathikulam (near) Calicut - where the best Ayurvedic resorts are located.

F. Other examples of themed itineraries we provide are:
Culinary Tours / Shopping Paradise India / Tea & Coffee / Festival Tours / Homestays / Cultural Exchange / Honeymoon / Family & Kids / Ganges Cruise / Activity Tours