India
From the Himalayas in the north, through the deserts of Rajasthan and the jungles of Madyha Pradesh, down to the tropical coastline of the Indian Ocean, India is a hugely diverse place. It is also a country overflowing with incredible historic sites, cultural experiences and wonderful wildlife. Easy to see why people rarely visit this remarkable country only once.
Sri Lanka
Set in the Indian ocean just to the southeast of India, Sri Lanka is a substantial tropical island with remarkable ancient Buddhist sites, extensive colonial history, a surprising amount of good quality safari areas, excellent marine sports and a remarkable range of high quality accommodation options.
Nepal
Set in the Himalayas to the north of India, Nepal is an extremely mountainous country, best known for its exceptional trekking routes around Everest and Annapurna, centred on the characterful capital of Kathmandu and with a string of tiger safari reserves on its southern borders.
Bhutan
Set in the Himalayas to the northeast of India, Bhutan is a remote mountainous country, best known for its deeply-ingrained Buddhist culture, historic monasteries, colourful festivals, warm welcoming people, wonderful and diverse scenery, a wide range of outdoor activities and a surprisingly broad range of accommodation, including some really high quality lodges.
Maldives
Set in the Indian Ocean, around 600 km southwest of the tip of India, the Maldives is a vast collection of gorgeous coral atolls, home to around 150 resorts, some of which are amongst the very best in the world.
Everest
Set in the east of Nepal, the Everest Range is the most popular trekking area in the country, with a good range of comfortable hotels at every stop and a selection of trekking routes that varies from six to seventeen nights, some including the renowned Everest Base Camp.
Annapurna
Set in the west of Nepal, the Annapurna Range is the second most popular trekking area in the country after Everest, offering the greatest range of routes, landscapes and cultural interaction. Treks range from five to seventeen nights, notably including some comfortable shorter options.
Malaysia
Malaysia covers the Malay Peninsula and the northern section of Borneo, combining modern infrastructure with extensive areas of preserved rainforest and coastline. For safari, Malaysian Borneo in the states of Sabah and Sarawak is the main focus, offering some of the richest and most accessible safari in Asia. The region supports wild orangutans, pygmy elephants, proboscis monkeys, and exceptional birdlife.
Delhi
Set in the northwest of India, Delhi is a vast and sprawling city, a ragtag collage of thousands of years of successive empires and a major powerhouse of the modern economy. Although there is plenty of local colour, most international visitors treat the place as little more than a transit stop on the way to more exotic and less hectic locations. A major base for luxury trains.
Udaipur
Set in the Rajasthan province of northwest India, Udaipur is a famously pretty city, centred around seven lakes and featuring a very impressive collection of palaces, including the iconic Taj Lake Palace Hotel. An unusually good area for walking, mountain-biking and horse-riding and with some fantastic forts in the vicinity.
Galle
Set on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka, Galle (pronounced ‘gorl’) is an historic port, centred on an impressive Portuguese, Dutch and British fort, a lovely place to explore and with some really authentic accommodation options.
Borneo
Malaysian Borneo, made up of the states of Sabah and Sarawak and protects some of Asia’s most wildlife-rich rainforest. It remains one of the best places in the world to see orangutans in their natural habitat, along with pygmy elephants, proboscis monkeys, and hornbills.
Yala
Set in the southeast corner of Sri Lanka, Yala is the largest and best-known national park in the country, famously home to elephants, leopards and sloth bears, as well as having some decent beaches. The area also has a surprisingly good range of safari accommodation.
Jodhpur
Set in the Rajasthan province of northwest India, Jodhpur is a large and historic city, which is centred around one of the largest and most impressive forts in the country. The adjacent walled city contains a mazy network of famously blue-coloured lanes and alleyways, as well as a large traditional market.
Nuwara Eliya
Set in the mountainous centre of Sri Lanka, Nuwara Eliya is the centre of the tea-producing region known as Tea Country, a famous British colonial retreat which is commonly referred to as ‘Little England’, renowned for elegant homestay bungalows out amongst the various tea plantations.
Paro
Set in western Bhutan, Paro is the most westerly of the five main valleys that most commonly feature in trips, the location of the main airport and more heavily inhabited than more easterly areas, it is home to the renowned Tiger’s Nest Monastery, with excellent hiking trails and a wide range of accommodation options.
Mumbai
Set on the northwest coast of India, Mumbai (Bombay) is a vast and sprawling metropolis, long-since expanded beyond the limits of the grand British colonial port and now an incredible, cosmopolitan, glorious and shocking concentration of humanity. A challenging but truly fascinating place to explore. A major base for luxury trains.
Ladakh
Set high in the Himalayas in the far northeast of India, Ladakh is a hidden mountain kingdom. Known colloquially as Little Tibet, this remarkable region is packed with dramatic scenery, picturesque Buddhist monasteries and wonderfully welcoming people. It’s also the place to go in search of elusive snow leopards.
Thimphu
Set in western Bhutan, Thimphu is the capital of the country, a relatively modest little place with a reasonably intimate atmosphere and some strong cultural aspects, but which tends to feature relatively fleetingly in most trips.
Colombo
Set on the west coast of Sri Lanka, Colombo is the capital city and by far the largest urban area on the island. A mix of historic architecture and contemporary living, this vibrant place is certainly worth including in your trip if you want to get to know modern Sri Lanka.
Uttarakhand
Set in the north of India, Uttarakhand is an extremely scenic province of dramatic Himalayan landscapes, with beautiful remote villages and lovely local people. A popular trekking area, but an even better place for more subtle and engaging cultural experiences. Also the location of ‘The Gateway to God’, where the River Ganges emerges from the mountains.
Punakha
Set in western Bhutan, Punakha is the middle of the five main valleys that most commonly feature in trips, much lower in altitude and having a considerably warmer climate, with some fascinating history and culture, great options for hiking, biking and rafting, as well as an excellent range of accommodation options.
Jaipur
Set in the Rajasthan province of northwest India, Jaipur is a large city which contains a wealth of historic buildings (including the renowned Amber Fort), as well as an impressive artisan tradition and lively street scene. A very popular stop on the famous Golden Triangle route, along with Delhi and Agra.
Kandy
Set in the centre of Sri Lanka, Kandy is the second largest city in the country, but one which is very scenic, relatively intimate and easy to explore, particularly noted for the extremely holy Temple of Buddha’s Tooth and the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens.
Bumthang
Set in central Bhutan, Bumthang is the most easterly of the five main valleys that most commonly feature in trips, noticeably more remote and at higher altitude, with some gorgeous scenery, impressive architecture, particularly interesting culture, abundant festivals and some great accommodation options.
Sigiriya
Set in northcentral Sri Lanka, Sigiriya is an iconic hilltop fortress. Other attractions in this area include the rock temples of Dambulla and the ruins of the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. It’s a fascinating area, which is home to some really good accommodation options.
Kerala
Set on the southwestern Malabar Coast of India, Kerala is a distinctly tropical region, fronted by palm-lined beaches and historic forts, backed by romantic backwaters, high-altitude tea plantations and forested mountains replete with elephants and tigers. Unfortunately its appeal is tempered by a hardcore climate and a serious shortage of interesting accommodation options.
Jaisalmer
Set in the Rajasthan province of northwest India, Jaisalmer is a remote desert town which is centred on a wonderful sandstone fort, one of the most attractive in the country and a major pilgrimage centre for the Jain religion. The surrounding Thar Desert can be explored by camel.
Bentota
Set on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka, Bentota is a pleasantly quiet beachfront area that can slide nicely into the start or end of a trip, with a handful of decent accommodation options, some interesting architectural connections and some good river kayaking.
Tangalle
Set on the south coast of Sri Lanka, Tangalle is a pleasant fishing port, lined either side with some lovely beaches, which feature an unusual mix of accommodation from intimate boutique guesthouses to enormous beach hotels and a major golf resort.
Ranthambore
Set in the Rajasthan province of northern India, Ranthambore is an iconic national park, best known for its lovely scenery, romantic ruins and impressive Bengal tigers, as well as a wide range of other wildlife. The reserve is easily combined with the popular locations like Agra, Jaipur and Udaipur.
Goa
Set on the west coast of India, Goa is an historic Portuguese enclave, which rose to prominence as a hippy hangout during the 1960s. Although that particular party has been going on a little too long now, the area remains a popular beach location, with a decent range of large and reasonably high quality resort hotels.
Kanha
Set in the Madhya Pradesh province of central India, Kanha is one of India’s largest national parks. Best known as the location of ‘The Jungle Book’, it is home to a good population of Bengal tigers, as well as a wide range of other wildlife. The reserve is usually combined with others in the region, including Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Pench and Satpur.
Guwahati
Set in the Assam region in the far northeast of India, Guwahati is ‘The Gateway to North East India’, home to the main airport, providing access to riverboat cruises on the Brahmaputra River and the renowned Kaziranga National Park.
Chitwan
Set on the southern plains of Nepal, Chitwan National Park is the most-visited safari area in the country, with animals including Bengal tigers, Asian elephants, one-horned rhinos and Indian leopards. A pretty place, but with elusive tigers and a distinct shortage of high quality lodges.
Kathmandu
Set in the central valley of Nepal, Kathmandu is the historic capital of this legendary mountain kingdom, now a busy major international city, but retaining a sense of its considerable history. Set at a good altitude to start your acclimatisation, it commonly serves as a first stop in many itineraries and has a good range of hotel options.
Kinabatangan
The Kinabatangan River is Sabah’s longest river and one of the most reliable areas in Southeast Asia for observing wildlife. Flowing 560 kilometres from the central highlands to the Sulu Sea, its lower floodplain supports a dense concentration of animals drawn to oxbow lakes, tributaries, and forested riverbanks.
Varanasi
Set in the Uttar Pradesh province of northeast India, Varanasi is an ancient and very holy city, where Hindu pilgrims come to die. An absolutely fascinating place, best known for the epic but challenging sight of funeral pyres alongside the River Ganges.
Gangtey
Set in central Bhutan, Gangtey is the second most easterly of the five main valleys that most commonly feature in trips, at higher altitude, centred on an impressive monastery, with some pleasant rural scenery, black-necked cranes, lovely hiking and some great accommodation options.
Darjeeling
Set in the Sikkim province of northeast India, Darjeeling is an historic mountain town, which served as the summer capital of the British Raj and remains a major centre for high quality tea production. The area is largely Buddhist and there are some wonderful opportunities to explore this gentle culture.
Gulabpura
Set in the Rajasthan province of northwest India, Gulabpura is a rural area that lies between Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Ranthambore, containing an interesting collection of off-the-beaten track villages and historic hotels.
Pasikuda
Set on the east coast of Sri Lanka, Pasikuda is a relatively quiet and beautiful beach area, easily combined in road trips with Sigiriya, Dambulla and Kandy, as well as featuring a broad range of accommodation options.
Agra
Set in the Uttar Pradesh province of northcentral India, Agra is a large and rather ramshackle city, which happens to contain some of the most impressive historic architecture in the world, centred on the remarkable Taj Mahal. A very popular stop on the famous Golden Triangle route, along with Delhi and Jaipur.
Bandhavgarh
Set in the Madhya Pradesh province of central India, Bandhavgarh is a relatively small national park, but one which has an unusually high density of Bengal tigers, as well as a wide range of other wildlife. The reserve is usually combined with others in the region, including Kanha, Pench and Satpura.
Pench
Set in the Madhya Pradesh province of central India, Pench is a relatively small and little-visited national park. Best known as the location of ‘The Jungle Book’, it is home to a small and elusive population of Bengal tigers, as well as a wide range of other wildlife. The reserve is usually combined with others in the region, including Bandhavgarh, Kanha and Satpura.
Jomolhari
Set in the extreme northwest of Bhutan, Jomolhari is the third highest peak in the country and the centre of a vast trekking area. Treks range from 3 to 28 nights and are authentic fully outfitted camping expeditions.
Panna
Set in the Madhya Pradesh province of central India, Panna is a relatively small and little-visited national park. The main reason to stay here is to visit the beautiful temple complexes of the nearby Khajuraho, renowned for their highly erotic friezes.
Haa
Set in the extreme west of Bhutan, the Haa Valley is a pretty and relatively high altitude valley, but one which is only occasionally included in trips because it is a sensitive border area, hosting a number of large army camps.
Knuckles
Set in the centre of Sri Lanka, Knuckles is a mountainous conservation area, whose dense cloud forest harbour a remarkable number of endemic species. The reserve is little-visited, but does offer some interesting walking trails, whilst the surrounding tea-plantations contain some interesting accommodation options.
Anuradhapura
Set in northcentral Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura is a relaxed town which is home to an enormous complex of historic ruins, with various sacred buildings including the renowned Bodhi Tree Temple, a place of great pilgrimage amongst Buddhists.
