Like a thali plate*, your trip to India with Kismet Journeys offers numerous options and countless variations. We customize the itinerary to satisfy your group's particular tastes: which destinations, at what pace, for how long and for which dates. The choices are yours to make.**
*Thali plate: an Indian meal with contents varying from one region to another.
** Please note that trips in the spring and fall are planned to coincide with Diwali and Holi, two major Indian festivals, so be prepared for lights, color, and celebration!
Arts
and Culture
From bhangra to Bollywood, from the carved temples of Khajuraho
to miniature Mughal paintings, India's art can be both devoutly
venerable and refreshingly modern. Whirling dervishes at
Sufi shrines, Bharatnatyam performances in local venues,
and delightful nomadic tribal crafts throughout the country—the
choices are plentiful.
Forts and Palaces
The
Taj Mahal, Red Fort, and Qutub Minar are known worldwide for
their massive scale, intricate details, and enduring power.
Equally moving are less famous works of architecture and design:
the sinuous curves of the Lotus Temple, the colorful carvings
adorning south Indian mandirs, and the resplendent Mehrangarh
Fort.
Sacred and Spiritual
The sounds of India express its spiritual core: the chanting
of monks on the banks of the holy Ganga, the call to prayer
reverberating from the minarets, the simple ringing of a
bell at a roadside shrine. Silence also evokes a sense of
the sacred: ancient caves dedicated to contemplation, ashrams
in the Himalayan foothills for meditation. Your trip to India
offers opportunities to observe and, if you choose, to participate
in the sacred experience.
Shopping
India is arguably the shopping mecca of the world---and for
good reason. From bazaars bustling with vendors hawking their
bangles, to high fashion boutiques displaying silk saris,
pashmina shawls, and hand crafted art, India offers a unique
shopping experience. Sip chai with the storeowners. Try your
hand at bargaining using the Hindi words you'll learn as
we make our way around the country.
Wildlife
The rich diversity of India's flora and fauna reflects the
country's enormous range of climate and topography. Bird
sanctuaries host huge breeding colonies of birds that migrate
annually from Siberia and China. Safaris through wildlife
refuges offer sightings of the one-horned Indian rhinoceros,
leopard, elephant, and if you're lucky, a tiger.
But maybe you prefer nature in its
more domesticated garb. Then watch the camel races at Pushkar
Camel Festival, or ride an elephant up to the majestic Amer
Fort. And almost anywhere you go, be on the look-out for scampering
monkeys that try to snatch the hat right off your head.
